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stricker's review
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Having lived through and knowing the background of the Cuban Missile Crisis helped me enjoy this book more. Substituting a young black co-ed for the "red crisis phone" that Kennedy and Kruschev used to resolve the crisis was an interesting twist and even though I knew how the crisis ended the author was able to hold my attention and make for a nice tense, interesting story.
kevinhendricks's review against another edition
4.0
This is an imagined history of the Cuban Missile Crisis where a black college student serves as President John F. Kennedy's back channel negotiator with the Russians, hidden behind a fake affair. It's a real spy story that moves quickly and is very engaging. I don't know the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis well enough to know how accurate it was (the author includes a detailed list of every fact he changed to fit his story), though it felt very real.
maddiestough's review against another edition
4.0
I don’t read a lot of political thrillers because I often feel like I’m turning the pages so fast because of the tension that I don’t really appreciate (or remember later) the story. Sometimes that’s because the story isn’t good (or is very similar to the many other political thrillers out there). My dad on the other hand nearly exclusively reads political thrillers. This summer alone he has read 34 books from one series by John Sanford. Back Channel is a book I think we will bother like! This is not only a great story, but it’s well paced and intricate to keep me guessing and at the edge of my seat, but not skimming to just see what the heck happens!
Margo Jenson is a 19 year old college sophomore who falls into the political games of the Cuban Missile Crisis. With a family history she didn’t know much about before a “last minute” trip to Bulgaria behind the Iron curtain, Margo meets with Soviet agents while also negotiating with the top US officials, including meeting in secret with JFK under the cover of being one of his many dalliances. While that all seems wilding improbable, Carter weaves a great story of what could have been.
Margo Jenson is a 19 year old college sophomore who falls into the political games of the Cuban Missile Crisis. With a family history she didn’t know much about before a “last minute” trip to Bulgaria behind the Iron curtain, Margo meets with Soviet agents while also negotiating with the top US officials, including meeting in secret with JFK under the cover of being one of his many dalliances. While that all seems wilding improbable, Carter weaves a great story of what could have been.
bill_desmedt's review against another edition
3.0
Curiously, Carter's depiction of (nearly) present-day Washington DC doesn't ring as true as his recreation of the same city in the Civil War era for The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln. The plot has a certain manic energy which kept me turning pages, but the characters could have used one more dimension.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Carter renews his powerful writing style in another novel thick with history and strong on intrigue. In the midst of the most frigid part of the Cold War, college student Margo Jensen is targeting by White House officials to aid her country in a covert mission, one that might have dire implications. She soon finds herself in Bulgaria, tasked with determining if she can garner information about the Soviets' plans to send nuclear missiles into Cuba facing directly facing towards Washington. Returning sooner than she'd hoped, Margo discovers that her involvement is all but over. After the missiles appear and both sides refuse to stand down, Margo is again chosen to act on behalf of her country, this time passing messages from the President of the United States through to a contact who has the ear of General Secretary Khrushchev, all through top secret back channels, in hopes of averting nuclear war. Margo finds herself embroiled in the most serious game of 'chicken' imageable, with only one way out; to ensure both sides trust one another at a time when trust does not exist. With a 'war party' in both camps, the hopes for peace may be stifled if she cannot deliver crucial information from one camp to the other. In her dealings with those in the upper echelon of White House politics, she soon finds herself in the most compromising of positions, fighting to save her reputation, as well as the lives of all her countrymen. While history knows how the story will play out, Carter hands the reader a powerfully crafted tale with numerous nuances to help strengthen the story and narrative, Carter keeps the reader on their toes through to the end, as the denouement moves forward and the truth behind the headlines comes to life.
It is not the historical undertones alone that keeps the story moving at a quick pace, but the small details that helps flesh out the larger storyline. Margo, as a young African American woman play a pivotal role at a time when race relations will soon erupt. Playing on this and the scandal that might follow, Carter utilises this in a novel of espionage and secrecy to depict some of the most important days of the Cold War. Little more can be said about how close the world came to the brink of annihilation, but Carter finds a new narrative to tell the tale and present a wonderful sub-plot that keeps the reader interested from the get-go. With a cast of well-known characters from the time period, Carter keeps the story real and pushes the limits only in the slightest ways in order to tell this story, which does not have a happy ending for all involved. Even in his epilogue, he hints that this work of fiction may be anything but, save a slew of name changes.
Kudos, Mr. Carter for another wonderful novel, full of history and intrigue, while also forcing the reader to step back and think about the place of race relations during this tumultuous time.
It is not the historical undertones alone that keeps the story moving at a quick pace, but the small details that helps flesh out the larger storyline. Margo, as a young African American woman play a pivotal role at a time when race relations will soon erupt. Playing on this and the scandal that might follow, Carter utilises this in a novel of espionage and secrecy to depict some of the most important days of the Cold War. Little more can be said about how close the world came to the brink of annihilation, but Carter finds a new narrative to tell the tale and present a wonderful sub-plot that keeps the reader interested from the get-go. With a cast of well-known characters from the time period, Carter keeps the story real and pushes the limits only in the slightest ways in order to tell this story, which does not have a happy ending for all involved. Even in his epilogue, he hints that this work of fiction may be anything but, save a slew of name changes.
Kudos, Mr. Carter for another wonderful novel, full of history and intrigue, while also forcing the reader to step back and think about the place of race relations during this tumultuous time.
arisbookcorner's review against another edition
4.0
IQ "'Most of life is irrelevant, Mr. Carter'. A lovely wink. 'Although I must say those often tend to be the more wonderful parts.'" Margo, 447.
I stayed up late devouring this novel, practically on the edge of my bed. I admit part of why it was so easy for me to believe that Margo could be a back channel is because as a college student I like to see a fellow college student (even in a novel) triumph over adults who belittle their efforts/skills. A small part of me also likes that the cover story is of Margo having an affair with JFK (after reading the novel determine on whether or not you think this was more than just a cover), it sounds like he didn't discriminate color-wise when it came to women (based on the afterword). Furthermore I did not live through the Kennedy years/Cold War so much of the names and facts that saturated the novel were new to me (and I enjoyed learning about this time period). I also appreciated the author including an afterword about what was fact and what was fiction since I wouldn't have known the difference. Carter also does a great job conveying the drama and heightened tension of the time, I've honestly never really thought about how close we came to nuclear war but the author managed to brilliantly illustrate how close we came and how worried people were so this was all new (my parents barely remember this time being mere babies) but welcome information. The book is clearly well researched and the author weaves in some interesting cameos such as Bobby Fischer that add to the narrative.
Much like all legal/spy thrillers (I presume) you can't trust any character and I was constantly trying to stay a step ahead of Margo and question everyone and their motives, wondering what the author had in mind. It made for a very engaged reading. The racial, social and political tensions are well documented which makes the novel feel even more complete. I had never thought about intelligence discrimination but of course the OSS would not allow Black people to serve as operatives. Little tidbits like that added to my enjoyment of the novel since I love history and the way the author weaves in these factoids is always interesting, he doesn't simply list facts. The spy game is clearly well thought out. I wasn't impressed with Carter's debut novel, THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK but I found this revisionist historical legal thriller utterly engrossing.
I stayed up late devouring this novel, practically on the edge of my bed. I admit part of why it was so easy for me to believe that Margo could be a back channel is because as a college student I like to see a fellow college student (even in a novel) triumph over adults who belittle their efforts/skills. A small part of me also likes that the cover story is of Margo having an affair with JFK (after reading the novel determine on whether or not you think this was more than just a cover), it sounds like he didn't discriminate color-wise when it came to women (based on the afterword). Furthermore I did not live through the Kennedy years/Cold War so much of the names and facts that saturated the novel were new to me (and I enjoyed learning about this time period). I also appreciated the author including an afterword about what was fact and what was fiction since I wouldn't have known the difference. Carter also does a great job conveying the drama and heightened tension of the time, I've honestly never really thought about how close we came to nuclear war but the author managed to brilliantly illustrate how close we came and how worried people were so this was all new (my parents barely remember this time being mere babies) but welcome information. The book is clearly well researched and the author weaves in some interesting cameos such as Bobby Fischer that add to the narrative.
Much like all legal/spy thrillers (I presume) you can't trust any character and I was constantly trying to stay a step ahead of Margo and question everyone and their motives, wondering what the author had in mind. It made for a very engaged reading. The racial, social and political tensions are well documented which makes the novel feel even more complete. I had never thought about intelligence discrimination but of course the OSS would not allow Black people to serve as operatives. Little tidbits like that added to my enjoyment of the novel since I love history and the way the author weaves in these factoids is always interesting, he doesn't simply list facts. The spy game is clearly well thought out. I wasn't impressed with Carter's debut novel, THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK but I found this revisionist historical legal thriller utterly engrossing.
clambook's review
4.0
Clever premise, and terrifically researched alternate take on the Cuban missile crisis. Young heroine is engaging. Blinds and double blinds get a tad frantic, but a solid summer read
richardmtl's review
3.0
Sometimes a bit of a slog, and at times, did stretch my sense of credulity. I also got confused between the cast of different spies and agencies. I'm going to read [b:One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War|2606779|One Minute to Midnight Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War|Michael Dobbs|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1332829441s/2606779.jpg|2391894] now to get the non-fiction version of the story.
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