( Starred review.) A pleasure from start to finish, blending literary finesse with action, this atmospheric historical thriller will appeal not only to Kanon's many fans but to those who enjoy Alan Furst, Philip Kerr, and other masters of wartime and postwar espionage fiction. Kanon likes to wrestle with the moral dimensions of spying (a la le Carre)-and what's more, he's very good at it. There's too much backstory and the period details sometimes bog down the narrative, but once all the pieces are in place the story hits its stride. Kanon brings the hardships and moral decay of post-war Berlin to lifein glorious detail, ratcheting up the suspense as Meier tries to escape the netclosing in on all sides. An enjoyable thriller, high-class entertainment.Īn unforgettable picture of a city wrecked by defeat and riddled withbetrayal. Admirably atmospheric, the picture of the ravaged Berlin excellently done…. But it’s the author’s attention to historical detail-his ability to convey the sights, sounds and feel of a beaten-down Berlin-that makes this book so compelling. The old-fashioned spy craft, the many plot twists and the moral ambiguities that exist in all of the characters make Leaving Berlin an intriguing, page-turning thriller.There’s also a star-crossed love story-and an airport farewell-that might remind some readers of Bogie and Bergman. Not for nothing has Kanon – whose previous books include The Good German, which was made into a film starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett, has been compared to the suspense masters Graham Greene and John LeCarre. Kanon, who writes his novels at the New York Public Library, conjures from there a Berlin of authentic menace and such hairpin turns that Leaving Berlin evokes comparisons to John LeCarre and Alan Furst. Leaving Berlin is a mix of tense action sequences, sepia-tinged reminiscence, convincing discourse and Berliner wit. Kanon, author now of seven top-notch novels of period political intrigue, conveys the bleak, oppressive, and creepy atmosphere of occupied Berlin in a detailed, impressive manner. Joseph Kanon’s thought-provoking, pulse-pounding historical espionage thriller stuffed with incident and surprise.
Kanon keeps the story humming along, enriching the main narrative with vignettes that heighten the atmosphere of duplicity and distrust. ftly captures the ambience of a city that’s still a wasteland almost four years after the Nazis’ defeat.
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