Scan barcode
caecilius's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
5.0
jmkemp's review
4.0
We're in the final month of Nazi Germany, with John Russell, Effi Koenen and Russell's son Paul all providing points of view for this tale of the final days of the Third Reich.
The family is all scattered and trying their best to survive the carnage. There is real tension in this volume as one cannot be sure that any specific characters will survive. Will there be a happy ending, or will there be tragedy.
Effi is living undercover in Berlin helping others as she hides herself. The city is being bombed night and day by the Allies, and the landmarks are disappearing with every raid. Her side of the story continues the series trademark description of Berlin and how it is changing. Her character has really developed over the course of the series, she's no longer the Babelsburg film star heroine. She's become a real heroine, and refused to cowed by the nazi regime, albeit at a cost of living undercover.
Paul has been conscripted into the Army and is an anti-tank gunner. Again one wonders if he will survive the Soviet advance, and even if he does will be be taken prisoner alive. His tale is of the collapse of the German military and the desperation of the nazis. His interaction with a Hitler Youth unit when he gets separated from the rest of his regiment is heart-rending. You need to read it.
John has spent the period between this book and Stettin Station in the US before becoming a war correspondent. On realising that the Soviets will be first into Berlin he pulls all the strings he can find to get attached to the Red Army as a war correspondent. This doesn't quite work, but the NKVD remember him and come up with their own very high price to get him into Berlin.
Although separate and mostly oblivious of each other's whereabouts there are moments in the book when you expect the protagonists to discover each other. Most of these are missed, but a couple do occur, notably Paul runs into Effi a couple of times, once at a train station on opposing platforms, and again as a casualty in a field hospital where Effi is helping.
For me this is definitely the best of the series so far. I like the wider viewpoints and also the utter chaos. It also has a satisfying ending.
The family is all scattered and trying their best to survive the carnage. There is real tension in this volume as one cannot be sure that any specific characters will survive. Will there be a happy ending, or will there be tragedy.
Effi is living undercover in Berlin helping others as she hides herself. The city is being bombed night and day by the Allies, and the landmarks are disappearing with every raid. Her side of the story continues the series trademark description of Berlin and how it is changing. Her character has really developed over the course of the series, she's no longer the Babelsburg film star heroine. She's become a real heroine, and refused to cowed by the nazi regime, albeit at a cost of living undercover.
Paul has been conscripted into the Army and is an anti-tank gunner. Again one wonders if he will survive the Soviet advance, and even if he does will be be taken prisoner alive. His tale is of the collapse of the German military and the desperation of the nazis. His interaction with a Hitler Youth unit when he gets separated from the rest of his regiment is heart-rending. You need to read it.
John has spent the period between this book and Stettin Station in the US before becoming a war correspondent. On realising that the Soviets will be first into Berlin he pulls all the strings he can find to get attached to the Red Army as a war correspondent. This doesn't quite work, but the NKVD remember him and come up with their own very high price to get him into Berlin.
Although separate and mostly oblivious of each other's whereabouts there are moments in the book when you expect the protagonists to discover each other. Most of these are missed, but a couple do occur, notably Paul runs into Effi a couple of times, once at a train station on opposing platforms, and again as a casualty in a field hospital where Effi is helping.
For me this is definitely the best of the series so far. I like the wider viewpoints and also the utter chaos. It also has a satisfying ending.
joestewart's review
5.0
I've read all of the John Russell novels and have concluded that this one, Potsdam Station, is the best. I really enjoyed the way David Downing portrayed the horrors of war. I've consumed many of these kinds of books and most of them do not capture the utter senselessness of war while this one does.
margaret21's review against another edition
4.0
This book is the fourth in a series, but the first I have read. I didn't feel I'd missed out by not having the back story: enough was revealed as the narrative continued. The story is set in the tumultuous, frightening, sickeningly nasty last days of WWII in Berlin, and revolves round the various members of a fairly disjointed family. As a depiction of a tense, deprived, difficult and dangerous period it's excellent. As an involving story of the personalities involved, it's far less so. It was a worthwhile history lesson for me, but I shan't read the other books in the series.
dogearedandfurry's review
3.0
Felt like hard work at times, not helped by the POV jumping around between the three main characters. Felt long winded, like it could have been condensed.
abrswf's review
5.0
These books simply get better and better with each entry. Once again, I felt I had time traveled, this time to 1945. Locations covered in convincing detail include those of the retreating Germans, Berlin, and Moscow. This plot also had me on the edge of my metaphorical seat as I read. The characters, who were full-fledged in the first book, become more and more substantial and convincing as the story advances through them. I've already got the next installment on my Kindle and am saving it like a box of chocolates for my next dive into this fascinating series.
didactylos's review
5.0
I have to say I like all of this series, this one I found different because of the various strands that are all woven together in the narrative. Very enjoyable.
jeregenest's review
3.0
Not as good as the earlier novels, maybe I'm just suffering fatigue by this point, but I think its more likely the setting in midst of ther Soviet conquest of Berlin changed the atmsophere too much. I'm looking forward to the 5th bringing the series to the beginning of the cold war.