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mikewa14's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this immensely - it is beautifully written - full review here
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-last-hundred-days-patrick-mcguinness.html
http://0651frombrighton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-last-hundred-days-patrick-mcguinness.html
helen_is's review
challenging
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
elliemcc11's review against another edition
5.0
Fascinating account of the last days of Communism in Romania.
This read like an auto-biography and I was convinced it was until I read the blurb saying this was the author's first novel. Now I'm not sure...
This read like an auto-biography and I was convinced it was until I read the blurb saying this was the author's first novel. Now I'm not sure...
fern17's review
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
araidso's review
5.0
It is not often that I rate a book this highly, which is a clear indicator of how I feel, so I will keep this brief: after a short hiatus of my reading-while-walking days, I decided to open up this novel half expecting incessant boredom. I was surprised to discover this was an excellent choice. As silly as it sounds, I could not help but feel the pace and style of the story were crafted just for me. The anonymity of our friendly narrator is captivating and the eloquence of the characters' speeches are astounding. Thank you, Mr. McGuinness, for such an eye-opener.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty decent insider look at the decline of a communist dictatorship. I think the author wants it to carry a little more weight than it can with the running "What is freedom?" angle but overall, it's a solid read.
hey_laura_mc's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, Zanna (see below) has effectively written my review for me - scroll down, read it, it's very good, but I'll make some brief points.
Firstly, I know nothing about Romania apart from what I gleaned during episodes of Challenge Anika in the early 90s-orphanages? Disabled children? Yeah, that's it. The context, though, is something McGuinness is desperate to get in, though, often in a bit of a hamfisted way ('once she's had the miscarriage, though, he was subject to police questioning because in 1989 in Romania inducing an abortion was a crime....' I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea. Trust us to get it, Patrick!) and is gripping stuff. Hard to believe it happened in our lifetimes (if it did-there seems to be a bit of a debate raging here as to whether it did or didn't) and has certainly inspired me to read up more on the Ceausescus.
My main issue, though, was with style and credibility of the narrator. Like, firstly, he's parachuted in as a lecturer and he's 21. Really? He 'falls from the sky' as someone else on here has said to Leo's den of iniquity and gets involved in shady deals helping young idealists escape Romania's oppression. Err, what exactly does he have to offer these escapees? He seems to stand around on the sidelines drinking and smoking dope and not doing a right lot, really. And the sex scenes: bleurgh. 'I lifted up her skirt and fucked her quickly.' And then she came. Yeah, right. Course she did, buddy. Annoying.
Firstly, I know nothing about Romania apart from what I gleaned during episodes of Challenge Anika in the early 90s-orphanages? Disabled children? Yeah, that's it. The context, though, is something McGuinness is desperate to get in, though, often in a bit of a hamfisted way ('once she's had the miscarriage, though, he was subject to police questioning because in 1989 in Romania inducing an abortion was a crime....' I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea. Trust us to get it, Patrick!) and is gripping stuff. Hard to believe it happened in our lifetimes (if it did-there seems to be a bit of a debate raging here as to whether it did or didn't) and has certainly inspired me to read up more on the Ceausescus.
My main issue, though, was with style and credibility of the narrator. Like, firstly, he's parachuted in as a lecturer and he's 21. Really? He 'falls from the sky' as someone else on here has said to Leo's den of iniquity and gets involved in shady deals helping young idealists escape Romania's oppression. Err, what exactly does he have to offer these escapees? He seems to stand around on the sidelines drinking and smoking dope and not doing a right lot, really. And the sex scenes: bleurgh. 'I lifted up her skirt and fucked her quickly.' And then she came. Yeah, right. Course she did, buddy. Annoying.
storycraft's review against another edition
from my blog:
The Last Hundred Days by Patrick McGuinness is a fictional account of the last months of Ceausescu’s rule in Romania. We visited Romania a couple years ago and couldn’t find a copy of this beautifully written book while we were there. McGuinness’s writing evokes memorable images. The narrator describes all the old guidebooks he sees laying around in contrast with the tremendous building boom happening in Bucharest when he arrives. He comments that “People around here seemed to have guide books for every epoch except the one they lived in.” The atmosphere is heavy, the weight of surveillance and mistrust is palpable. If you’ve ever been to or wondered about Romania, it’s a great book to read.
Original post: http://bit.ly/2HeSXja
The Last Hundred Days by Patrick McGuinness is a fictional account of the last months of Ceausescu’s rule in Romania. We visited Romania a couple years ago and couldn’t find a copy of this beautifully written book while we were there. McGuinness’s writing evokes memorable images. The narrator describes all the old guidebooks he sees laying around in contrast with the tremendous building boom happening in Bucharest when he arrives. He comments that “People around here seemed to have guide books for every epoch except the one they lived in.” The atmosphere is heavy, the weight of surveillance and mistrust is palpable. If you’ve ever been to or wondered about Romania, it’s a great book to read.
Original post: http://bit.ly/2HeSXja
sophronisba's review
4.0
An impressive evocation of Romania in the age of Ceaucescu. The milieu held my interest as much or more than the plot did. The viewpoint character seemed somewhat colorless to me, but the book still held my attention until the end.