It is 1914 and the British government is preparing to go to war with Germany. Aware that the English forces are weaker than the German army, Winston Churchill recruits Lord Walden to initiate talks with Czar Nicholas’s nephew Prince Alexei, in order to form a military alliance with Russia in the event of war. The negotiations are soon thrown into turmoil, however, when an Anarchist from St. Petersburg arrives to kill the Prince.
At its best, this book is a fascinating look into English society just before the First World War. From suffragettes, to British nobility, to working-class revolutionaries, this book is filled with wonderful characters living in a world on edge. On the negative side, parts of the novel descend into tacky dialogue and / or sentimental sap that’s straight out of a harlequin romance. There is no doubt that Follett is a talented storyteller who can create wonderful historical fiction. What is disappointing, however, is that this skill is often lost in romantic dribble.
3 out of 5 stars
