Monday, February 18, 2013

Book Review - Winter in Madrid by CJ Sansom - Kindle


556 pages

***currently 20p on Kindle!***

Oh CJ Sansom how I love you.  What a joy to read his books are.  This is the first book of Sansom's  that I have read that is not in the Shardlake series. I embarked with trepidation, because, as I have previously mentioned, I think that series is pretty near perfection.

Well, I wasn't let down. One thing that you can totally rely on Sansom for is characterisation. Every one of the characters, be they major or minor cast, are totally 3 dimensional and believable.  I've said it before in reference to Shardlake, but it is so refreshing when even the ones you are meant to love have periods of unlikeability.  

I'll admit it, recent history in Spain is not something I am knowledgeable about.  I don't even know a lot about what went on there in the second world war.  It could be that this is total nonsense, but it didn't read like it.

And the thriller part is actually thrilling.  I didn't see the twist coming at all.  That's right, I actually gasped!  Hoorah for that kind of experience when reading a book!

The one downside is the epilogue.  I strongly advise you to not bother reading it. It isn't necessary to tie all the ends up and it certainly isn't necessary to have the characters suddenly possessed by Basil Exposition in order to do it.

If you liked this try another CJ Sansom, or Robert Harris

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