The Woman from Bratislava (Eurocrime)
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Synopsis
In Bratislava, Teddy Pedersen, a middle-aged, Danish university lecturer, receives a visit from an Eastern European woman who turns out to be his half-sister. Father to both of them was a Danish SS officer who had officially been declared dead in 1952, but had in fact lived on in Yugoslavia for many years. In Copenhagen, Teddy's older sister is arrested on suspicion of being a Stasi agent, and a murder leads Teddy - and the Danish intelligence service - to investigate the relationship between these two - the woman in Denmark and the woman in Bratislava. The link between them proves to have far-reaching personal and political consequences.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a riveting grand-scale thriller,which I found to be
the author's best novel to date.
It is set in 1999 against the backdrop of Nato forces air
strikes on Yugoslavia. Teddy Pedersen,an academic modern
historian,whilst in Bratislava has an unexpected encounter
with a Croatian woman,who turns out to be his half-sister.
Their father was a Danish SS Officer who fought for the Nazis.
Meanwhile in Denmark,Teddy's sister,Irma, has been arrested on the
allegation of being a spy for the East German Stasi.Per Toftlund
(who featured in Davidsen's previous novel)leads the investigation
against her.
The story develops by focusing in turn on the three main characters,
Teddy,Irma and Per,and takes us to Poland and Albania. It gives
insights into the Balkan conflict and how post-war the Danes treated
Nazi sympathizers--but importantly it remains a rich and thoroughly
enjoyable thriller.
the author's best novel to date.
It is set in 1999 against the backdrop of Nato forces air
strikes on Yugoslavia. Teddy Pedersen,an academic modern
historian,whilst in Bratislava has an unexpected encounter
with a Croatian woman,who turns out to be his half-sister.
Their father was a Danish SS Officer who fought for the Nazis.
Meanwhile in Denmark,Teddy's sister,Irma, has been arrested on the
allegation of being a spy for the East German Stasi.Per Toftlund
(who featured in Davidsen's previous novel)leads the investigation
against her.
The story develops by focusing in turn on the three main characters,
Teddy,Irma and Per,and takes us to Poland and Albania. It gives
insights into the Balkan conflict and how post-war the Danes treated
Nazi sympathizers--but importantly it remains a rich and thoroughly
enjoyable thriller.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
3 and a half would be nearer the mark but can't go to 4 because i felt a bit let down at the end.
The WfB at times reads like a lesson in political history and this sometimes detracts from the pace of, what should be, a spy thriller. There is fairly detailed analysis of the political and cultural background of denmark, poland, east germany, russia, the baltic and balkan regions much of which proves to be filler. the focus is further lessened by there being three different viwpoints - Teddy, Per and Irma and a plot that unravels too conveniently at times. Teddy is the best character by miles, Toftlund doesn't really ring true and the other characters would be too light to make it into a Le Carre plot. The resolution is also rather less than satisfying leaving me (at least) with lots of questions and annoying loose ends. i really wanted to like it more. sorry.
The WfB at times reads like a lesson in political history and this sometimes detracts from the pace of, what should be, a spy thriller. There is fairly detailed analysis of the political and cultural background of denmark, poland, east germany, russia, the baltic and balkan regions much of which proves to be filler. the focus is further lessened by there being three different viwpoints - Teddy, Per and Irma and a plot that unravels too conveniently at times. Teddy is the best character by miles, Toftlund doesn't really ring true and the other characters would be too light to make it into a Le Carre plot. The resolution is also rather less than satisfying leaving me (at least) with lots of questions and annoying loose ends. i really wanted to like it more. sorry.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Another Nordic "must-read"
15 Feb 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Davidsen must be ranked alongside Mankell, Fossum, Nesbo, Indridason and the other Nordic notables. This is an effort that sheds insight into wartime, post-war, and modern Europe, as well as the radical waves of the 1970's. It particularly illustrates the striking differences that exist between bordering and nearby nations of the continent as opposed to, say, the homogenic states of the United States. The reader realizes the chasms that exist between the national entities of Europe forged by centuries of wars, alliances, ethnic hatreds and long memories. The events take place in 1999 as the Balkins once again implode and a recently expanded NATO finds itself politically and morally required to respond. The story is multi-faceted in both its cast of characters and subject matter. The characters include two brothers, a sister, and a foreign half-sister, all diverse in politics,age and temperament; all sired by a Danish father who served as a Nazi SS officer during the war. The other principle is a Danish Secret Service agent whose simplistic black and white moral outlook and sense of duty drive his actions. The agent, Toftlund, is surrounded by colleagues, contemporaries, and acquaintences who do not share his idealism and are far more guided by pragmatism in their outlook. Double and triple agents and duplicitous governments prevail and Toftlund must deal with the results. Leif Davidsen does a remarkable job in addition to creating a novel of suspense and enjoyment. He accomplishes two things that are typical of the really fine writers; he explains the national schizophrenia that afflicted many nations of Europe when faced with both the German war machine and its vision of a super continent. Collaboration, resistance and neutrality pulled the populations apart, and decades later were choices that the people wished to forget. Lastly, Davidsen has the unique and uncanny ability, along with his peers, to make the reader see, smell andfeel the atmosphere of the locales where events are occuring. I would be remiss if I were not to repeat my favorite quote in the book--one that warmed my old radical soul. The character,Irma, on page 251, says "You and I know that the conservative press is as easily bought as a Hamburg whore."
Slow
31 Dec 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was very slow. Good story but it just took too long to get to it. The character who is constantly making titles for pictures in his head was hilarious though.
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