Customer Reviews
1984 is BACK!! - By: Man with a View!, 24 Jul 2008 
WOW!!!!! It has a great George Orwell's 1984 feel about it, it keeps the tension throughout & draws you into the emotions of the characters throughout, then just as you feel that you are getting to know them, the author takes out a sledge hammer & hits you across the back of the head. A Great book & I can't wait to read more from the author
Too many cliches and twists - By: Antonio Gonzalez, 30 Jun 2008 
I have just read this book (in its Spanish translation), & although it is an easy read, & gripping enough to make you read it in almost one take, my final feeling is disappointment.
I expected a grim description of the Stalin years, & the difficulties of an honest man to survive in this environment; also a gradual loss of faith in a system from a believer faced with reality.
Instead I found a truckload of cliches (from the cells of the Lubianka to the queues in the state stores, from the evil agents to the fake dissidents), where the characters are flat & their feelings, as the changing loyalties, or love itself, are described as if they were a mathematical equation; instead of following the rule "show, don't tell". The character of Leo if way too naive to have been promoted, & even survived in the MGB, & his conversion is too abrupt.
And if the beginning is poor, the second half is completely awful. The coincidence in the identity of the killer is completely implausible; the escape of the train & in general alll the adventures (clearly thought as for a movie) are incredible.
Not to mention the happy ending, probably written thinking of sequels. A realistic ending would be more like Xavier March's in Robert Harris "Fatherland" (that is orders of magnitude better than Child 44).
The writing is quite simple, & look as if the author know Russia only from an encyclopedia. The names of the characters seem picked from the news, & the way they speak sounds fake. For instance, where are the patronymics? A formal conversation, as between an agent & his C.O. would always include them. And the opposite, wouldn't be two brothers, Pavel & Alexei, be callling each other "Pasha" & "Alyosha"?
In conclusion, this book is clearly disappointing, & seems just a standard bestseller, easy to read but of very limited quality.
Almost ... but not quite - By: Canuck Baritone, 23 Jun 2008 
I have to agree with some of the previous reviews: I felt that the first three quarters of this book was superb - in fact, I read it in one sitting. The writing was taught & his characters well-formed. But I have to say that I was disappointed by the very implausible ending. I found the "connection" between Leo & the killer rather convenient - TOO convenient - & I don't feel the author ever explained satisfactorily the motivation for the WAY in which the children were killed. I mean, WHY were the stomachs of the children removed ... & then cooked & fed to the cats?! Surely that requires more of an explanation than, "I wanted to attract your attention"!
I have other problems with the ending (too lengthy to expound on here), & so I give this book 3 (actuallly 3 1/2) stars: one star for each of the first three quarters of the book.
That being said, this is a writer to watch & I look forward to more books from this author.
Child 44 ****Superb**** - By: Helen Lawrence, 20 Jun 2008 All of the other five-star reviews have already said why this book is awesome. I read alot of books & this is definately one of the best, I finished it just over a week ago & it still stays in my mind, so much so that I will definately read it again. I normallly read thrillers by Greg Iles, Micheal Connelly etc, & although this is very different it's just as good. Excellent!!!!
Buy, buy, buy this book! - By: Zola fan, 12 Jun 2008 I couln't put this book down, reading until 2am & up for work at 6am! 30 reviewers before me have explained it alll but I just wanted to say it has been a while since a book has caused me to miss my sleep & it was worth every hour lost! I will be looking out for Mr. Smith's next book.
*** I would like to add that it has been a couple of weeks since I wrote the review above & since then my husband & daughter have both read the book & they were totallly hooked too & we are three very different people. Mr. Smith, if you are reading this, please get book number two out soon.
