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The Fall
Victor McDade resents many things, not least being dragged as a camp follower to West Germany in 1989 with his journalist wife. Jane goads him into doing something productive, with results that will forever change Victor - and the world. "A fast paced Cold War narrative with bracing insights on that nature of marriage, fame, fidelity and the nature of modern life. -- Lynda Hammes, Publisher, Foreign Affairs magazine
326 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 11, 2015
A convincing & gripping story set in 1989 East Germany just before the fall of the Wall.
Victor McDade is married to another journalist at Radio Free Europe in Munich. Victor is unemployed and bored in Munich, but manages to get a freelance job reporting on life in East Germany.
Once the story crosses the German German border the action speeds up and whilst the freelance job appears simple, nothing is straightforward in a rapidly imploding East Germany.
The book has some great characters and their personal back stories and frailties create a compelling story that illustrates well the dangers of life in East Germany where perhaps even as many as 10% worked or informed for the Stasi by spying on friends, family and colleagues.
Whilst obviously well researched the book is let down by a large number of typos and some sloppy errors. I get that it's fiction but for example McDade is given a pass for the Invalidenstraße checkpoint (which was for West Berliners and GDR citizens only) and then enters via Checkpoint Charlie, a completely different checkpoint.
That being said Moran has created a fast moving read for anyone interested in the fall of the Wall and life in East Germany.
Victor McDade is married to another journalist at Radio Free Europe in Munich. Victor is unemployed and bored in Munich, but manages to get a freelance job reporting on life in East Germany.
Once the story crosses the German German border the action speeds up and whilst the freelance job appears simple, nothing is straightforward in a rapidly imploding East Germany.
The book has some great characters and their personal back stories and frailties create a compelling story that illustrates well the dangers of life in East Germany where perhaps even as many as 10% worked or informed for the Stasi by spying on friends, family and colleagues.
Whilst obviously well researched the book is let down by a large number of typos and some sloppy errors. I get that it's fiction but for example McDade is given a pass for the Invalidenstraße checkpoint (which was for West Berliners and GDR citizens only) and then enters via Checkpoint Charlie, a completely different checkpoint.
That being said Moran has created a fast moving read for anyone interested in the fall of the Wall and life in East Germany.
March 31, 2015
Decent, if depressing, fiction that takes place during the weeks leading up to the fall of the wall. The lead character is kind of a dolt, which doesn't help.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews