I enjoyed the novel's unique settings - the protagonist curates an unusual museum and it's interesting when members of the public bring in weird objects for her to consider. Buchan also sets some chapters in a Czech puppet theatre and her descriptions of the puppets' movements are delightful.
Buchan switches time and place every now and then, with chapters moving back and forth between 1980s Prague, 1990s Berlin and present-day Paris. This was a useful device, helping me to gain a better understanding of the characters and how they had been wronged in previous years. I found myself hoping at certain points that the next chapter would be set in one of these specific times/places so I could learn more about a particular character or situation.
With this in mind, Buchan was successful in making me care about the characters as I genuinely wanted to delve into their hidden pasts - though I didn't feel this way until around halfway through the book. At times, some of the chapters were a little drawn-out and it did take me a while to get into this novel.
Admittedly, my knowledge of the Cold War is not at a scholarly level. However, this novel has taught me more about this era and the significant personal sacrifices some of the characters make, owing to the political climate, does make for compelling reading.
Buchan switches time and place every now and then, with chapters moving back and forth between 1980s Prague, 1990s Berlin and present-day Paris. This was a useful device, helping me to gain a better understanding of the characters and how they had been wronged in previous years. I found myself hoping at certain points that the next chapter would be set in one of these specific times/places so I could learn more about a particular character or situation.
With this in mind, Buchan was successful in making me care about the characters as I genuinely wanted to delve into their hidden pasts - though I didn't feel this way until around halfway through the book. At times, some of the chapters were a little drawn-out and it did take me a while to get into this novel.
Admittedly, my knowledge of the Cold War is not at a scholarly level. However, this novel has taught me more about this era and the significant personal sacrifices some of the characters make, owing to the political climate, does make for compelling reading.