“They say there’s a mystery woman in Berlin who claims to be Anastasia.” I wish I had read an entirely different set of reviews before I added City of Shadows to the my shelves, it would have saved me from closing the cover with utter frustrating disappointment and asking myself that dismaying question: “why did I read this?” I absolutely dread this type of final impression when I finish reading a novel I have been waiting for just the right moment to pick up. It happens I must get over that sad fact but still City of Shadows sounded like a perfect literary match for me. Who doesn’t want to read about an intriguing setting with a plot that involves one of the most tragic outwardly solved historic mysteries that continues to this day to completely captivate the world’s imagination? History truly can provide some unique opportunities for compelling fiction and I don’t know about you but the numerous unanswered questions that linger from that horrific July night have ensnared me since childhood and I can never seem to turn away from a conspiracy novel with the keyword “Romanov” in the initial description. I don’t think anyone can say I didn’t give an honest effort with this book because even when I smacked into the barrage of non-regional arranged dialogue, unlikable lackluster characters and jumpy storyline- I continued to read. I even came up with a back story and side explanation to the obvious flaws, which helped a little when trying to ignore the repetitious word “bloody” and other British slang terms oddly showing up in the 1920’s Berlin setting. I even went back to the beginning several times and tried reading again replacing words in my mind as I pushed through City of Shadows. It all continued to a point but the poor mystery aspect, jarring and non-relenting anachronisms really had me gritting my teeth and hoping to reach the end as soon as possible. It may have been quick but the ridiculous predictable conclusions at the end had me shaking my head and today I’m still trying to forget the stomping of historic facts and irritating contemporary expectations of “entertainment”. This story had serious potential and I respect the author’s effort and commitment to very loosely looping aspects and topics together but I do wish in the future another author would take this beginning plot, dip their pen in and try again. -purchased and read on kindle -EGP/May 2016 Comments are closed.
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