This offering from James Carroll pushed all the right buttons: A compelling story, interesting characters, crisp and sometimes memorable writing. Even better, I'm familiar with the events and place after having lived in Wiesbaden (the Russian Chapel was visible from our apartment) and elsewhere in Germany during the Cold War and the construction of the Berlin Wall. The pace and tension remind me of those days. Almost all of the details are perfect. The only thing I didn't like was the changing point of view. Breaking the book into separate parts didn't help. Carroll sent me backwards for clarity. I stayed up until the wee hours to finish this, and it was worth it. This is the fourth or fifth book by Carroll I've read. Not one has disappointed. Military brats, especially those who spent time in Germany, will love this."The flukes of history make us love it, but also fear it.""I recognize the infinite gap that stood between me and Ulrich at that moment as an instance of the gap separating innocent Americans from Europeans who had been crushed and crushed again, and then again. We Americans, astride the world, knew nothing.""When language fails, longing takes over."
I admire James Carroll's grasp of the historical facts and complicated moral and cultural nuances of the Vietnam War and the Cold War, and appreciate his attempts to deliver these things in a non-history major friendly way (ie, a novel). The first part of this novel works very well as a historical thriller- lots of tension, father-son relationship exploration, etc. It all falls apart though, with action that seems to lead to a fizzle, rather than any shocking bang, slightly uncomfortable sex scenes, and weird emotional illogic. (The last couple of sentences I actually had to make sure I was reading the same book I'd started off with). So read this book for a particular slant on the Cold War, or, in particular, for the sense of place it gives to Post World War 2 Germany and the US Military culture there- but not so much for the literary merits, I am afraid.
Do You like book Secret Father (2003)?
Set in 1961 in Berlin, the story follows 3 teenagers who go to East Berlin for a big Commie rally. International incident happens, and oh by the way the one kid is the son of a major political figure - can't remember if he was a spy or military (maybe both?) - I actually read this about 4 years ago, but I just found it in my car and wanted to capture it because just seeing the cover brought back the feeling I had of loving reading it. And my friend loved it too - so clearly I need to re-read it!
—Stephanie
I'm tempted to give 4 stars are for the writer's craft and an engaging story that is hard to put down; but this book did not move me the way other 4-star books have and I have settled on a 3. The setting is the Cold War in the 1950s, just before the Soviets closed off travel between East and West Berlin. Three teenagers travel to Berlin on a lark and are arrested, and theirs is a story of confusion as well as maturation. But this book is as much about their parents and the histories and emotions exposed during a tense and anxious search for a way to retrieve their children. Carroll's familiarity with the setting and attitudes of the time lend realism to the story.
—miriam
