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Book - 2018
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Opinion
From Library Staff
From Library Staff
vpl_booksjustforyou6
Mar 23, 2021
HISTORICAL.
vpl_booksjustforyou6
Oct 10, 2020
10 years after Juliet Armstrong worked in a branch of MI5 transcribing the correspondence of Nazi sympathizers, she comes to realize that no actions are without their consequences.
vpl_booksjustforyou11
Sep 18, 2020
10 years after Juliet Armstrong worked in a branch of MI5 transcribing the correspondence of Nazi sympathizers, she comes to realize that no actions are without their consequences. For fans of historical fiction.
Try this if you enjoy "Outlander" and historical fiction.
Try this if you liked Amor Towles. 10 years after Juliet Armstrong worked in a branch of MI5 transcribing the correspondence of Nazi sympathizers, she comes to realize that no actions are without their consequences.
From the critics
Community Activity
Quotes
Add a Quote“Do not equate nationalism with patriotism... Nationalism is the first step on the road to Fascism.”
ArapahoeStaff26
Dec 18, 2018
"She wished she could see her son one last time... Tell him that nothing mattered and that that was a freedom, not a burden." - last page of book
Summary
Add a SummaryLots of readers have commented on this novel, so I'll try to be brief. I am not usually a fan of history novels, but MI5 in WWII captured my attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the action, the two time lines, the drama and intrigue. The first rule of spying is do not trust anyone, and this book is wrought with distrust, all the way to the end. But the best part of this novel is the witty, sardonic comments by the protagonist- "Reader I did not marry him" being just a singular example. This was my first Kate Atkinson exposure and I admire her writing style. It says a lot that her afterward was every bit as enjoyable as the novel itself. I plan to investigate her other works soon.
Comment
Add a CommentFound this book very surprising, all the twists and turns, loved the characters and the reader (in the audiobook) was perfect! Definitely worth a read if you enjoy historical espionage fiction :)
Some very good lines but basically not my cup of tea.
Karen Lieneke Recommendation
As a previous reviewer very cleverly noted, Kate Atkinson has certainly read her John LeCarré. Some character names are lifted straight out of his novels, as is the depiction of Toby/Hazeldine (his last scene is George Smiley if ever there was one). But the master of spy fiction does not write plot twists for twists' sake. If you write the whole novel from only one character's point of view, then pulling a twist ending out of the hat is simply cheating the reader. No, there are no clues to it no matter how many times you reread the earlier pages. The wartime sections make for a good historical description of a little known intelligence operation, no more that that. But the peacetime sections are just plainly boring.
Not what I expected but a very enjoyable read.
Adding my voice to the other readers who enjoyed Atkinson's approach to her young protagonist, who like one of the readers commented, eventually learned to trust no one. There's a definite value to reading the book rather than using the audio format; you'll likely need to refer back for the clues to understand the final few pages.
Definitely worth the read even for those of us that typically don't select historical novels.
WW II Britain
I have a question - did anyone notice the clues to the surprise ending?
I listened to the audiobook and completely missed them.
Is it worth reading it on the page to find the clues?
Thanks!
This was my introduction to the author, and I was impressed. I am not much of a historical fiction fan, but this novel might have changed my mind. I found the story interesting, and the protagonist was great, witty in introspection and in her interactions with others. As she learns about the spy game during WWII and shortly thereafter, so too, does the reader. Distinctly British in setting and place, I even liked looking up the odd phrases that turn up. We learn that the first rule of the spy game is to trust no one, and it is the motif of the entire plot line.
I understand that the author has a lot of books published, and I'm going to start looking for them.
Set in World War II the main character Juliet's dry wit and humour is a draw as the clerical Juliet turns spy. This imaginative tale of historical fiction jumps from 1940 to 1950 showing the effects of one's past on one's present. In the last part of the book Juliet is forced to confront her reality and the effects of her spying in a way that disrupts the pacing and shocks the reader, the intended affect of the author I think. The ending was a shocker, their were no hints within the book of its conclusion.