Germany: Beyond the Enchanted Forest: A Literary Anthology
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'German military figures had a certain terrifying glamour,' wrote Patrick Leigh Fermor, recalling...
With the Night Mail: Two Yarns About the Aerial Board of Control
Bruce Sterling, Rudyard Kipling and Matthew De Abaitua
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"SHE: Do you like Kipling? HE: I don't know, I've never Kippled!" If you've never read Rudyard...
Hunted By Treaty (Qui Treaty Collection #3)
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His touch unleashes her heritage. Hiding is no longer an option. After decades of war, the Qui...
Science Fiction Erotica Romance
I was born in the late 90s, so this particular espionage case is not something I had any knowledge about prior to opening Navarro's book. All I knew was that it took place shortly before I was born and had extremely high risks associated with it. Given my tastes in crime, movies, and most fiction, this seemed to be something that would appeal to my interests and I was not wrong. In this account of Joe Navarro's pursuit of Rod Ramsey against attempts at hampering the investigation by the FBIHQ and Washington Field Office, readers discover just how terrifying close we came to a crushing defeat with the information sold by Conrad and Ramsey.
The build-up to Ramsey's arrest, trial, and conviction is agonizingly slow, which is quite suiting given that the process itself was not only flawed by those higher up in rank than Navarro, but nearly crippled by inaction. It was easy to feel Navarro's tension and frustration, while simultaneously granting readers that may prefer fiction over non-fiction a very human-like perspective of an account that might have seemed uninteresting.
The only nitpick I truly have is how unclear the passage of time is. Whether or not this was intentional, I do not know. I just know that I prefer clear indications of time's passing. Other than that, it is clear from his style of writing that Former Agent Navarro is, first and foremost, a gentleman in every aspect of the word.
Joe Navarro's memoir of this espionage case is mind-numbing and terrifyingly well-written and I would like to thank NetGalley, Scribner, and Joe Navarro for this advanced copy for the purpose of review. Not only that, I would like to thank Former Agent Joe Navarro especially for his service to our country, and his drive to fulfill his duty to his fellow Americans first and foremost.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Shadow Queen in Books
Jan 15, 2018
The book is a mix of fiction & real life, so I don't know exactly what was true & what wasn't. But honestly it doesn't really matter. The story is so easy to lose yourself in & the characters are all so real (I know some of them are really real!) I found myself looking Wallis up on Wikipedia before I was even halfway through the novel, that is how fascinated I had become by her.
I really hope that Rebecca Dean writes another book about Simpson. The book ends before Prince Edward becomes her beau, but it is obvious that is where the whole thing is going. In fact, Edward is hardly even a character in the book. Sure he's in it, but most of it is as a pin up from a magazine or in girlhood fantasies of Wallis & Pamela. He doesn't become real until very late in the story. I would love to read more about their life together!!
Very well done Rebecca!!!
Granta 129: Fate
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Granta 129 brings you twenty-two meditations on fate in all its many forms. From Joseph Roth's...
The Hair of Harold Roux
10.0
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In 1975 the National Book Award Fiction Prize was awarded to two writers: Robert Stone and Thomas...
The Flame Tree
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In the spring of 1939, dashing young William Burton and the beautiful Constance Han set sail from...
Asian Historical Fiction Women's Fiction
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Polish Wife (The Secret Resistance Series) in Books
Apr 4, 2023
The Polish Wife is part of The Secret Resistance series but the first I have read; I will say that I think it worked as a standalone very successfully.
Although this is a work of fiction, it feels realistic and I can imagine many of the experiences and events written about in this book are similar to what actually happened at various times throughout World War II. What I do know is that any member of the resistance, be they Polish, French, British, etc., were extremely brave individuals and I think Gosia captured that courage very well.
The Polish Wife is, however, more than a story about the fight against the Nazi regime, it's also about love, honour, freedom, survival and hope. The characters Gosia has created are strong and believable and the story if easy to follow but with twists that will have you holding your breath waiting for the outcome which was definitely not a foregone conclusion.
The Polish Wife is one of the top books of this genre I have read so far; I became totally invested and engrossed from the start and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it and my thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this great read.
Violeta
10.0
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One extraordinary woman. One hundred years of history. One unforgettable story. Violeta comes...
Historical fiction Magical Realism Literary Fiction Feminism