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lauraborkpower's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's beautifully written throughout (the narration is excellent as well), which is why I continued listening even after a fairly slow beginning. About half-way through it picked up and was tense and exciting the rest of the way. The ending was terrific and I didn't see it coming until a minute before it was revealed. Word on the street is that Ewan McGregor is starring in this film adaptation that's just finished shooting, and I think he'll do a good job.
jtdavie94's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
pjthom's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
dilchh's review against another edition
5.0
I am in love with the ghost writer in this book. Somehow I picture him as this handsome and smart looking man. Too bad he is dead at the end of the book. Though, this is purely my interpretation on how the book ends.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
A well-narrated audiobook, I'd seen the Brosnan/McGregor film a few years ago, and knowing Fatherland, was interested to try another Robert Harris novel.
There is mystery, suspense and lots of politics, but also the interesting aspect of a work-in-progress memoir to enjoy. I liked this aspect most of all, seeing the writing process of a biography, here written by a former Prime Minister and a ghost writer, our narrator.
He is never named, which is appropriate to his status as 'ghost' to the rich and famous. Our unnamed ghostwriter is contacted and offered a huge sum to write the memoir of a Tony Blair-esque former leader, travelling to his private residence and working with him to put it together quickly for publication. He soon finds his feelings about the man are conflicted, and the allegations of war crimes may or may not reveal more to the man and his time in office that he'd ever have expected.
Some of the political talk had me switching off at times, but it was the head-to-head between the Ghost and Adam (the PM) that kept my interest. It does feel quite tense at times, and you don't know who to trust, who to believe, who to place your sympathy with.
The book ends differently to the film, which surprised me, and I quite liked the ending Harris wrote, but can understand the change to the filmed version.
A fairly engrossing political thriller, if at times a little TOO political. Quite a good choice for an audiobook, straightforward to listen to. Some excellent insight into ghostwriting and biographies.
There is mystery, suspense and lots of politics, but also the interesting aspect of a work-in-progress memoir to enjoy. I liked this aspect most of all, seeing the writing process of a biography, here written by a former Prime Minister and a ghost writer, our narrator.
He is never named, which is appropriate to his status as 'ghost' to the rich and famous. Our unnamed ghostwriter is contacted and offered a huge sum to write the memoir of a Tony Blair-esque former leader, travelling to his private residence and working with him to put it together quickly for publication. He soon finds his feelings about the man are conflicted, and the allegations of war crimes may or may not reveal more to the man and his time in office that he'd ever have expected.
Some of the political talk had me switching off at times, but it was the head-to-head between the Ghost and Adam (the PM) that kept my interest. It does feel quite tense at times, and you don't know who to trust, who to believe, who to place your sympathy with.
The book ends differently to the film, which surprised me, and I quite liked the ending Harris wrote, but can understand the change to the filmed version.
A fairly engrossing political thriller, if at times a little TOO political. Quite a good choice for an audiobook, straightforward to listen to. Some excellent insight into ghostwriting and biographies.
zmull's review against another edition
3.0
The Ghost is a thinly fictionalized payback for Tony Blair's ten years of selling out to the US. In it the Blair figure is facing war crimes charges in the Hague, a wave of bombings in London, and betrayal of former collegues. The novel reads like a purging of years of pent-up anger at the former PM. It's what gives the book its fire. The plot, a ghostwriter is hired to replace the recently murdered (?) aide who had been working on the PM's memoirs. Nothing about the mystery rises above the standard blah, but the twist at the end is an incredibly personal slap at Blair. It's breathtaking in its viciousness. It makes all the fumbling around looking for dodgy clues almost worth it. Anyone willing to write a book where President Bush is indicted by the International Criminal Court? I'd probably read that one too, since we're never going to see it happen in the real world.
greebkit's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book was recommended to me a long time ago and I wish I could remember why because this was hard to finish. Not because it was difficult or bad, it was just "meh". I enjoy thrillers, but this was not anything that had me hurrying to read what came next. Still, it was good enough that I did finish it and was not so bad that I put it down to never finish it. I would have said the book was okay, but there were some annoying parts that brought it down to "meh." At some point the main character struggles with a GPS in a car and I know this was written in mid 2000s, but they were not that hard that I needed to read about his struggle for a full chapter. Same with bad internet searches. Same with insulting every "attractive" woman character when they reject or rebuff the main character.
zumzum's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sandygx260's review against another edition
4.0
Fine political thriller. Much better than the movie.
racso1854's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0