Review
"'A creation of real brilliance' Sunday Times; 'A remarkable imaginative feat... one of the most atmospheric historical novels I've read in years' Daily Mail"
Daily Express
'A stunner.'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
435 of 447 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent novel, with convincing characters and a feeling of authenticity about the conditions in Madrid following the Civil War. The story line itself is excellent and exciting, with many parallel threads developing to a conclusion full of suspense and drama. It is both spy novel, and also a love story, but also has great historical interest, showing the situation in Europe at the time, with the risk of Spain allying with the Germans against Britain, and the efforts of British diplomats to avoid this by subtle relationship building with key people in the Spanish government.
I am surprised that an earlier reviewer found the characters stereotyped for I found them totally convincing. Yes, they are people of their time, but their characters are picked out in fine detail and the reader can empathise with them with little difficulty.
The author has conducted meticulous research into the history of the Spanish Civil War and its effects on the various classes of people in Spain. The book shows the great divisions in Spain following the war, and the bitter wounds caused to family and social relationships by the polarisation of the nation into two different sides. I can set this book alongside the very best works of Sebastian Faulkes, John le Carré, Alain Furst etc. This is a very fine book, with a strong story line set in a convincing portrait of Madrid in 1941. Well worth reading.
I am surprised that an earlier reviewer found the characters stereotyped for I found them totally convincing. Yes, they are people of their time, but their characters are picked out in fine detail and the reader can empathise with them with little difficulty.
The author has conducted meticulous research into the history of the Spanish Civil War and its effects on the various classes of people in Spain. The book shows the great divisions in Spain following the war, and the bitter wounds caused to family and social relationships by the polarisation of the nation into two different sides. I can set this book alongside the very best works of Sebastian Faulkes, John le Carré, Alain Furst etc. This is a very fine book, with a strong story line set in a convincing portrait of Madrid in 1941. Well worth reading.
81 of 84 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I have just finished the book and I can only say that it's quite good and enjoyable. I am Spanish and I can appreciate a novel set in Spain on a vey painful time for its history. I think this gets accross quite well, from a human and non biassed perspective. The character's motivations are quite well drawn, and unlike many other reviewers, I felt quite at easy among its characters. It's true that the main heroes don't seem to have pre-set ideologies, by as you keep reading, they end up taking side. This in itself allows for the book to be an initiation, and in this sense, I find it similar with the Shardlake series, where the hero has doubts, puts himself deep questions about politics, religion or love at the same time that he solves crimes. They have also weaknesses, which makes them more human and approachable. Isn't the fact of questioning part of the search itself? Then it should make sense that he questions everything, including himself.
With regards to the story, it is true that sometimes developements are a bit far fetched, but it's not the first time I see this (and most surely not the last). The trick is to read it quickly and get to the end. Perhaps I could agree that there is a twist too many and the long epilogue was not necessary in a novel, but overall for me the most important part of the book is the atmosphere, the interaction among its characters and their feelings more than the spy framework and the resolution of the story. I take from it the danger and the fear and the important bit is whether they get out, not the how.
In reply to some other reviewers about the irritating spanish quotes in the book, I have only found one dialog where there is an error. It says 'malo' where is should say 'mal', regarding the wheather. And I think they (not that many, really) help in picturing the atmosphere about foreigners living somewhere whith a different language.
But the 'malo' nada, I trully recommend it.
With regards to the story, it is true that sometimes developements are a bit far fetched, but it's not the first time I see this (and most surely not the last). The trick is to read it quickly and get to the end. Perhaps I could agree that there is a twist too many and the long epilogue was not necessary in a novel, but overall for me the most important part of the book is the atmosphere, the interaction among its characters and their feelings more than the spy framework and the resolution of the story. I take from it the danger and the fear and the important bit is whether they get out, not the how.
In reply to some other reviewers about the irritating spanish quotes in the book, I have only found one dialog where there is an error. It says 'malo' where is should say 'mal', regarding the wheather. And I think they (not that many, really) help in picturing the atmosphere about foreigners living somewhere whith a different language.
But the 'malo' nada, I trully recommend it.
110 of 118 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was in Madrid for a conference and I bought this book to read in the evenings. I found it a gripping portrait of what Madrid was like under the newly formed Facist Government (Would it have beeen like it here if the Nazis had won in 1940?). Very atmospheric and belivable descripition of life at that time, however, although the plot works well in the beginning, it becomes rather "stretched" by the end. It shouldn't put you off from reading it, as the novel has a lot a merit. I enoyed it, on the whole, but for the ending, which failed to convince.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
not as good as shardlake series
took a little while to get into- one of those stories seen from different character perspectives-that I sometimes have trouble remembering where I am in the plot-however once you... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Nic
3.0 out of 5 stars
interesting read
Setting this book in Spain just before the war made it a little different. Decent enough storyline made it readable I enjoyed it.
Published 2 days ago by Tangerine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful read
If you have any interest in Spain, then read this book. It gives such a wonderful insight into the divisions of the Spanish Civil War. Really well written.
Published 3 days ago by M. D. Souter
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good
This was interesting as it gave the reader an insight into the Spanish Civil War. I remember being in Spain in the 1960's
The story was very good.
The story was very good.
Published 4 days ago by nicki
5.0 out of 5 stars
Could not put it down
This book could easily be made into a film Lots of ingredients.It was captivating from beginning right to the end
Published 5 days ago by Joan McFarlane
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth reading,but don't expect too much
Well-written,. evocative of a terrible time, but not altogether credible, with a sprinkling of minor historical mistakes that even I spotted, and rather hollow, stylised... Read more
Published 5 days ago by Mr NFW Boyd Maunsell
4.0 out of 5 stars
winter in madrid
Interesting but too nasty for me. I believe factually that it was correct with the way it was in Spain at that time
Published 5 days ago by nightowl
4.0 out of 5 stars
My holiday read
This was an intriguing book which was great to read in Spain on holiday. I would recommend it to anyone planning a holiday in Spain and wanting something as a 'location' read.
Published 6 days ago by Mrs. J. Morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spellbinding
Loved this book, I was completely drawn into the story & characters. Not an area of history I was familiar with but now want to find out more. Long book which I couldn't put down.
Published 7 days ago by Mrs. Denise Brabon
4.0 out of 5 stars
Winter in madrid
Very good book, it taught me a lot about Spanish civil war.
Highly recommended, good reading, good entertainment, slow at the beginning but worth to carry on reading.
Highly recommended, good reading, good entertainment, slow at the beginning but worth to carry on reading.
Published 7 days ago by Javier Romero
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