- Paperback
- Publisher: Anchor
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385494335
- ISBN-13: 978-0385494335
- Product Dimensions: 13.3 x 1.9 x 20.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
From Innocent to Darkly Experienced,
This review is from: The Innocent (Paperback)
Until this book, "The Innocent", written in 1989, I had only read more recent works by author Ian McEwan. He has been widely honored both in prizes that he had been nominated for, and in prizes he has won such as The Booker Prize, and the Somerset Maugham Award. If you are only familiar with his more recent work you may find yourself puzzled and disappointed as I was with this novel.The kernel this book is built around is based on true historical events. There was a major intelligence gathering tunnel built to tap Soviet communication lines that was begun around 1953 and was abandoned when discovered by the Soviets in April of 1956. The novel begins as a Cold War spy genre book, adds a love story, and then veers off wildly in a direction worthy of a Quentin Tarantino film. Until the point I mention, I thought the book was a reasonably good read; however when the bizarre turn of events came about I only finished the book as I was close to the end and I was curious how the author would bring the whole novel to a close. The author wrapped up his tale, again using a piece of history, but he did so in a manner that was as outlandish as the acts spawned by the final decisions of the protagonist, and made this portion of the book funny, even silly. I have greatly enjoyed other work by Mr. McEwan and I will continue to read his new books and continue my way back through his earlier published tales. From my experience with what I have previously read, this is an anomaly for him, and I would not suggest it as a first venture in to this author's work.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Different Kind of Cold War/Berlin Thriller that even..,
By
This review is from: The Innocent: A Novel (Paperback)
LeCarre and Deighton would probably appreciate. Other reviews here are excellent in telling the basics. I'll only add that if you are interested in electronic communcations (who isn't these days), underground surveillance, East/West Spy vs. Spy paranoia,German life in the mid 1950's, and unusual love affairs,this novel is for you. A unique twist on an old game!!
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great tale of cold war Berlin,
By
This review is from: The Innocent: A Novel (Paperback)
The Innocent is my first encounter with the writing of Ian McEwan, whose considerable storytelling abilities have been applauded here by several Amazon reviewers. The Innocent was a great read, a novel of post-World War II cold war intrigue in Berlin that is largely based upon a real-life event, the digging of a tunnel to intercept Soviet telephone communications.Unlike some other "international espionage" writers like Lawrence Sanders or Ken Follett, McEwan is primarily interested in the lives and thoughts of his characters - the real-life historical context for the actions of these fictional people is an added bonus. The novel chiefly concerns British communications specialist Leonard Marnham, a young, naive agent who never lived on his own before, having just left his parents' house to come to Berlin. The maturation and loss of innocence of Marnham is the primary theme of the book, and I loved his daily letters back to his parents as he lived this wild existence in Germany, tapping Soviet phone lines and carrying on an affair with a beautiful German women he meets at a bar. The novel also touches upon some interesting themes involving the decline of Britain's influence in the post-war world, as the Americans come in and virtually take over the tunnel project. Britain and the U.S., although allies with a common purpose here, refuse to share information and generally mistrust each other. I thought the novel moved along at a nice rapid pace, with considerable suspense after the return of Maria's ex-husband spoils the idyllic mood. I won't give away the ending but I loved McEwan's use of a letter, and Leonard's return to Berlin decades later, as a fitting conclusion to the book. Four stars for a well-written, suspenseful novel.
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