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The Continental Affair
With gorgeous prose, European glamour, and an expansive wanderlust, Christine Mangan's The Continental Affair is a daring literary caper that is quick on its feet and delightfully surprising.
Meet Henri and Louise. Two strangers, traveling alone, on the train from Belgrade to Istanbul. Except this isn't the first time they have met.
It's the 1960s and Louise is running. From her past in England, from the owners of the money she has stolen―and from Henri, the person who has been sent to collect it. Across the Continent―from Granada to Paris, from Belgrade to Istanbul―Henri follows, desperate to leave behind his own troubles. The memories of his past life as a gendarme in Algeria that keep resurfacing. His inability to reconcile the growing responsibilities of his current criminal path with this former self.
But Henri soon realizes that Louise is no ordinary mark. As the train hurtles toward its final destination, Henri and Louise must decide what the future will hold―and whether it involves one another.
Meet Henri and Louise. Two strangers, traveling alone, on the train from Belgrade to Istanbul. Except this isn't the first time they have met.
It's the 1960s and Louise is running. From her past in England, from the owners of the money she has stolen―and from Henri, the person who has been sent to collect it. Across the Continent―from Granada to Paris, from Belgrade to Istanbul―Henri follows, desperate to leave behind his own troubles. The memories of his past life as a gendarme in Algeria that keep resurfacing. His inability to reconcile the growing responsibilities of his current criminal path with this former self.
But Henri soon realizes that Louise is no ordinary mark. As the train hurtles toward its final destination, Henri and Louise must decide what the future will hold―and whether it involves one another.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2023
235 people are currently reading
10946 people want to read
About the author
Christine Mangan
3 books586 followersChristine Mangan has her PhD in English from University College Dublin, where her thesis focused on 18th-century Gothic literature, and an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Southern Maine. Tangerine is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
September 21, 2024
Henri had escaped Algeria during the country’s battle for independence. He’d been a gendarme, but the day he was called upon to question a man he’d known during his school days, he realised he didn’t want to be here, doing this, anymore. He decided to leave this country he’d considered home and though he was technically a French national that country held little appeal to him, so he travelled instead to the country of his mother’s birth, Spain. There, he fell into some small-time criminal activity as a way of getting by, as he tried to figure out his future.
Louise had grown up in England and felt imprisoned by the need to look after her tyrannical, disabled father. Her mother had deserted them both some while before, running off to France and failing to stay in touch. But her father has now passed away and she’s chosen to grab what little money she can find and set of for an adventure in a place she’d read about and dreamed of visiting: Alhambra in Grenada, Spain.
These two characters are to become acquainted in unusual circumstances. The consequences of their fateful convergence are to be explored in the pages that follow. It’s an intriguing tale that largely takes place during a train journey across continental Europe, ultimately headed for the city of Istanbul. Henri and Louise conduct a complex dance: both aware of each other’s presence and movements, though they are rarely together.
I’m a little tempted to say that the whole thing is a case of style over substance. And yet, I liked the style very much. There are fantastic descriptions of all of the places visited here, and the lead players are expertly drawn. I enjoyed the secrets that were slowly given voice and the skirmishes that take place throughout their journey. Then there’s the mystery of how this caper will turn out for both parties, and I found that I really cared about that too.
It’s a story of two complex and interesting people from very different backgrounds but who also have in common the fact that they’re both escaping something and have no clear picture of which direction they want life to take them. I’d enjoyed both of the author’s two previous books Tangerine and the outstanding Palace of the Drowned and with this novel Mangan has definitely cemented herself as a writer whose books I’ll seek out in future, routinely and without question.
My thanks to Bedford Square Publishers for supplying a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Louise had grown up in England and felt imprisoned by the need to look after her tyrannical, disabled father. Her mother had deserted them both some while before, running off to France and failing to stay in touch. But her father has now passed away and she’s chosen to grab what little money she can find and set of for an adventure in a place she’d read about and dreamed of visiting: Alhambra in Grenada, Spain.
These two characters are to become acquainted in unusual circumstances. The consequences of their fateful convergence are to be explored in the pages that follow. It’s an intriguing tale that largely takes place during a train journey across continental Europe, ultimately headed for the city of Istanbul. Henri and Louise conduct a complex dance: both aware of each other’s presence and movements, though they are rarely together.
I’m a little tempted to say that the whole thing is a case of style over substance. And yet, I liked the style very much. There are fantastic descriptions of all of the places visited here, and the lead players are expertly drawn. I enjoyed the secrets that were slowly given voice and the skirmishes that take place throughout their journey. Then there’s the mystery of how this caper will turn out for both parties, and I found that I really cared about that too.
It’s a story of two complex and interesting people from very different backgrounds but who also have in common the fact that they’re both escaping something and have no clear picture of which direction they want life to take them. I’d enjoyed both of the author’s two previous books Tangerine and the outstanding Palace of the Drowned and with this novel Mangan has definitely cemented herself as a writer whose books I’ll seek out in future, routinely and without question.
My thanks to Bedford Square Publishers for supplying a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
September 5, 2023
Henri and Louise, both of whom I found unlikable, have secrets and are playing hide and seek as Henri ‘chases’ Louise to recover some money she has taken that he was supposed to collect for his family who seem to be involved in some criminal activity.
An everlasting train ride through Europe in the midst of which Louise gets mixed up with six strangers on the train all of which led nowhere.
The chapters go back and forth which is very confusing and the “Before” chapters spoiled the flow of the narrative.
It’s a forever train journey through Europe with over much descriptive passages.
The ending, to me, was the only mystery. I give 2-stars because I actually read the book to the end. There is nothing about it that I could recommend.
An everlasting train ride through Europe in the midst of which Louise gets mixed up with six strangers on the train all of which led nowhere.
The chapters go back and forth which is very confusing and the “Before” chapters spoiled the flow of the narrative.
It’s a forever train journey through Europe with over much descriptive passages.
The ending, to me, was the only mystery. I give 2-stars because I actually read the book to the end. There is nothing about it that I could recommend.
September 21, 2023
Rating 4.5
I love those deep character driven, slow burn stories. Christine Mangan excels at this. I've read each of her books and have enjoyed each one. While Palace of the Drowned is my favorite, this one is right behind it. This was described as 'gorgeous prose, European glamour, and an expansive wanderlust' and I couldn't agree more. I loved the story, how the characters were drawn together, how the story is resolved. I enjoyed the narrators, the voices adding to the mystery and allure. Mangan is an author I will immediately add to my reads and now I can't wait for her next one.
I love those deep character driven, slow burn stories. Christine Mangan excels at this. I've read each of her books and have enjoyed each one. While Palace of the Drowned is my favorite, this one is right behind it. This was described as 'gorgeous prose, European glamour, and an expansive wanderlust' and I couldn't agree more. I loved the story, how the characters were drawn together, how the story is resolved. I enjoyed the narrators, the voices adding to the mystery and allure. Mangan is an author I will immediately add to my reads and now I can't wait for her next one.
April 11, 2024
3 Stars for The Continental Affair (audiobook) by Christine Mangan read by George Weightman and Hannah Kelly-Turner.
This is kind of a cat and mouse game set on a train. From Granada to Istanbul a woman is trying to hide the money that she has stolen and the man that’s trying to retrieve the money is slowly falling for her.
This is kind of a cat and mouse game set on a train. From Granada to Istanbul a woman is trying to hide the money that she has stolen and the man that’s trying to retrieve the money is slowly falling for her.
January 10, 2024
3.5 stars. A beautifully written, elegant slow burn of noir, but something about it was just off enough, like a fine wine with a faint oxidized whiff.
Henri, a French Algerian, abandons his post in the gendarmerie in Oran at the start of the war of independence and flees to his mother's natal Spain. He falls in with gangster relatives in Granada and is sent early one morning to oversee the handoff of a suitcase of cash in the shadows of the storied Alhambra. The handoff is unwittingly intercepted by a young woman who flees with the stash, Henri in pursuit.
The chase that follows consumes the entire narrative, from Granada north through Spain on a bus, by train into France, an interlude in Paris, followed by a long (very long) train ride to Belgrade and on to Istanbul. For reasons that are explored in flashbacks and flash-forwards, Henri deliberately backs away from the many times he could apprehend the tall, delicate and obviously troubled thief. He becomes her shadow and soon the pair are trailed by an ominous third party.
The young woman is Louise, an English nobody escaping a nowhere future and a past of sorrow and loss. The money she happens upon at a moment of despair is means to a fresh start, but she has ghosts to confront first, which is how we end up in Paris for a spell. Louise becomes aware of her shadow, but he is a comforting, rather than threatening, presence.
This is billed as a literary thriller-cum-caper, but it is neither thrilling, with the exception of a breathless few pages toward the end, nor does it have the levity of a caper. Like Mangan's other works, it is profound exploration of psyche and motivation, a deeply interior narrative that spends most of its time in its two main characters' heads. I was fully into the novel by the time I realized I was sighing at yet another scene on the train—the scenes move back and forth in time in a bid to break up the rails monotony, but it doesn't quite relieve the draggy middle.
Mangan's descriptions of the many exotic settings are sublime. She deftly exposes the crushing dilemma of French citizens born and raised in Algeria facing the bizarre displacement of colonial peoples who know no other home but the one they occupy. Henri and Louise's magnetic attraction is palpable and this tension, as well as the ever-present threat that trails them, moves the story forward.
The novel is set in 1960 yet it feels decades earlier, as though it could be between the wars or in the immediate aftermath of WWII. The mannered prose renders the cinematic feel in gritty black-and-white rather than the Technicolor of a modern world.
I'm glad to have read this—I remain intrigued by and in awe of Christine Mangan. She writes with admirable confidence and with such intelligence and style. There's really no other contemporary author I can think of who displays her literary influences so transparently and yet creates stories uniquely her own.
Henri, a French Algerian, abandons his post in the gendarmerie in Oran at the start of the war of independence and flees to his mother's natal Spain. He falls in with gangster relatives in Granada and is sent early one morning to oversee the handoff of a suitcase of cash in the shadows of the storied Alhambra. The handoff is unwittingly intercepted by a young woman who flees with the stash, Henri in pursuit.
The chase that follows consumes the entire narrative, from Granada north through Spain on a bus, by train into France, an interlude in Paris, followed by a long (very long) train ride to Belgrade and on to Istanbul. For reasons that are explored in flashbacks and flash-forwards, Henri deliberately backs away from the many times he could apprehend the tall, delicate and obviously troubled thief. He becomes her shadow and soon the pair are trailed by an ominous third party.
The young woman is Louise, an English nobody escaping a nowhere future and a past of sorrow and loss. The money she happens upon at a moment of despair is means to a fresh start, but she has ghosts to confront first, which is how we end up in Paris for a spell. Louise becomes aware of her shadow, but he is a comforting, rather than threatening, presence.
This is billed as a literary thriller-cum-caper, but it is neither thrilling, with the exception of a breathless few pages toward the end, nor does it have the levity of a caper. Like Mangan's other works, it is profound exploration of psyche and motivation, a deeply interior narrative that spends most of its time in its two main characters' heads. I was fully into the novel by the time I realized I was sighing at yet another scene on the train—the scenes move back and forth in time in a bid to break up the rails monotony, but it doesn't quite relieve the draggy middle.
Mangan's descriptions of the many exotic settings are sublime. She deftly exposes the crushing dilemma of French citizens born and raised in Algeria facing the bizarre displacement of colonial peoples who know no other home but the one they occupy. Henri and Louise's magnetic attraction is palpable and this tension, as well as the ever-present threat that trails them, moves the story forward.
The novel is set in 1960 yet it feels decades earlier, as though it could be between the wars or in the immediate aftermath of WWII. The mannered prose renders the cinematic feel in gritty black-and-white rather than the Technicolor of a modern world.
I'm glad to have read this—I remain intrigued by and in awe of Christine Mangan. She writes with admirable confidence and with such intelligence and style. There's really no other contemporary author I can think of who displays her literary influences so transparently and yet creates stories uniquely her own.
November 18, 2022
Of Mangan’s three novels this is the weakest which is not saying that it is bad by any means. It’s just as atmospheric and sophisticated as her two previous novels and the writing is as good as I have come to expect. It tells the tale of a woman on the run being followed by a man whose motivation wavers between his responsibility to retrieve from her what belongs to others and by his fascination with her. I imagine this as a black and white film noir as it moves between her perspective and his both ‘before and after.’ All in all, intriguing, hypnotic and exotic.
August 3, 2023
Henri and Louise. Two strangers whose fates become entwined after a chance encounter.
Their journey together commences in Granada, in the 1960s, and moves across the continent. These two strangers dance around one another, revealing hints of past lives while the present threatens to derail them at different points. As their pasts are slowly disclosed it becomes clear that they are both running from their pasts. But where is their final destination?
What a gloriously evocatively book! The era it’s set in is rich in detail and splendour and the whole train travel concept held me in its thrall, I was expecting Agatha Christie to rock up any second.
It’s sumptuous, intriguing, glamorous and glorious. I loved imagining this journey with these two characters, who as the layers peeled off, slowly revealed their fascinating pasts.
Step back to a different time, with a wonderfully suspenseful plot and revel in those dazzling and flamboyant train journeys of yesterday. Simply delightful!
Their journey together commences in Granada, in the 1960s, and moves across the continent. These two strangers dance around one another, revealing hints of past lives while the present threatens to derail them at different points. As their pasts are slowly disclosed it becomes clear that they are both running from their pasts. But where is their final destination?
What a gloriously evocatively book! The era it’s set in is rich in detail and splendour and the whole train travel concept held me in its thrall, I was expecting Agatha Christie to rock up any second.
It’s sumptuous, intriguing, glamorous and glorious. I loved imagining this journey with these two characters, who as the layers peeled off, slowly revealed their fascinating pasts.
Step back to a different time, with a wonderfully suspenseful plot and revel in those dazzling and flamboyant train journeys of yesterday. Simply delightful!
August 4, 2023
I have mixed feelings about “The Continental Affair.” I had to force myself to listen to the end, but it has a good premise and was well-written and well-narrated. In theory, I’d love the book. In consideration of this dichotomy, I think I would have appreciated the novel much better if it had not been tagged “Murder & Thriller” and if I had read a physical copy.
It’s much more literary fiction than “mystery,” not really plot driven and filled with descriptions of the mental and physical movements of the two fairly unlikeable and unrelatable protagonists. If you are interested in that journey, then this is an excellent choice. I am sure that it will have an appreciative audience, but it was not for me.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s much more literary fiction than “mystery,” not really plot driven and filled with descriptions of the mental and physical movements of the two fairly unlikeable and unrelatable protagonists. If you are interested in that journey, then this is an excellent choice. I am sure that it will have an appreciative audience, but it was not for me.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2023
Well that was…dull. What was the point of this book? It wasn’t horrible but it sure as hell wasn’t good! The before & current chapters were head spinning & it really did not matter anyway because nothing happens!! The Continental Affair. I don’t know if I was misled or if I, myself was mistaken.
What I thought the book would be:
A fast paced, multi country chase fueled by revenge & lust! A book where you second guess everyone & everything until a shocking ending has you reeling!!!
What this book was:
Two awkward & introverted people taking trains, staying in hotels, mostly alone & eating very descriptive meals or not eating at all.
At 3/4 through I started rooting for the hit man! & why the hell were the 6 friends involved??
This could have been one fantastic read. Could have. Damn!
What I thought the book would be:
A fast paced, multi country chase fueled by revenge & lust! A book where you second guess everyone & everything until a shocking ending has you reeling!!!
What this book was:
Two awkward & introverted people taking trains, staying in hotels, mostly alone & eating very descriptive meals or not eating at all.
At 3/4 through I started rooting for the hit man! & why the hell were the 6 friends involved??
This could have been one fantastic read. Could have. Damn!
October 18, 2023
3.5
I’ve read all three of Christine Mangan’s books. I love how atmospheric they are and enjoy her complicated, often unlikeable heroines. This was probably the least of the three, but still enjoyable.
I’ve read all three of Christine Mangan’s books. I love how atmospheric they are and enjoy her complicated, often unlikeable heroines. This was probably the least of the three, but still enjoyable.
January 28, 2024
I adore this writer -something old school and noir about her writing full of atmosphere and intrigue. This book mostly takes place on trains ,which i love so much. I love the slowness of the train travel - I love being thrown together with fellow travelers and their odd behaviors and unusual casual conversation and sometimes very personal encounters. there is great romance in train travel ,where time is suspended and most anything can happen. As a teen i traveled by train from Cortona Tuscany to Rome with my cocker spaniel Benjie. that when dogs were allowed on leashes. most of the ride i was alone and we happily read and looked out the window. Then a middle aged man came in and sat across from me - we did not talk much he was italian asked me a few questions .then we went through a tunnel and he leaned over trying to kiss me and my dog growled and leapt at him ,he quickly got out of the compartment by the time we came through the tunnel!!!!.
August 7, 2023
Right from the start I pictured Cary Grant and Grace Kelly as Henri and Louise. The stylish way it is written, the almost Hitchcock cat and mouse plot and European travel in the sixties.
Hearing Henri’s voice first and so strongly made me wonder how I would feel about Louise. All my fears were soon put aside however as I learnt of how she was trapped by a disabled father and abandoned by her mother. Her reason for seeking adventure was down to the heroines in books that had been her only form of escape.
Stolen money, an ex gendarme who now finds himself on the other side of the law and an enigmatic heroine made this a real struggle to put down. It brought back memories of a Sunday afternoon watching a classic black and white film that had it all. Glamour, intrigue, romance and good old fashioned sophistication. When men were gentlemen and women had a mystery about them that captivated an audience.
If you want to take in the sights, savour the food and have the company of two wonderful travelling companions. Sit beside them on their journey as their relationship changes from strangers, a criminal and his mark, to possible allies and maybe more then I highly recommend this beautifully written book.
Hearing Henri’s voice first and so strongly made me wonder how I would feel about Louise. All my fears were soon put aside however as I learnt of how she was trapped by a disabled father and abandoned by her mother. Her reason for seeking adventure was down to the heroines in books that had been her only form of escape.
Stolen money, an ex gendarme who now finds himself on the other side of the law and an enigmatic heroine made this a real struggle to put down. It brought back memories of a Sunday afternoon watching a classic black and white film that had it all. Glamour, intrigue, romance and good old fashioned sophistication. When men were gentlemen and women had a mystery about them that captivated an audience.
If you want to take in the sights, savour the food and have the company of two wonderful travelling companions. Sit beside them on their journey as their relationship changes from strangers, a criminal and his mark, to possible allies and maybe more then I highly recommend this beautifully written book.
August 28, 2023
DNF at 30%. Skipped to the epilogue; concluded I needn’t bother about the 70%. Jumping around in the timeline, Before, After, Louise, Henri, unnecessarily, made the tale convoluted and repetitive.
April 18, 2024
Beautiful descriptions of faraway places raised this to a three star; the story itself, not so much unfortunately. It was rushed, confused and had a poor conclusion - what a shame.
November 9, 2023
This is a bit of a cat and mouse thriller, but light on the thrills, a slow burn. There are a few reveals throughout but I'd suggest reading this for the atmosphere above all else.
The audio was well narrated by two narrators, male and female. The book jumps between the two and also between the present and the (sometimes just recent) past.
I enjoyed this more than Tangerine but slightly less than Palace of the Drowned. Overall a good way to pass a few hours.
The audio was well narrated by two narrators, male and female. The book jumps between the two and also between the present and the (sometimes just recent) past.
I enjoyed this more than Tangerine but slightly less than Palace of the Drowned. Overall a good way to pass a few hours.
March 25, 2023
Christine Mangan writes the story of 'The Continental Affair' with eloquence, just as skillfully as her two previous novels. What begins as a chance meeting between individuals becomes a knotted web of attraction and whispers, a cat-and-mouse game across the continent, eventually coming to a reluctant end in Istanbul.
Mangan's characters are, as always, complex beings, their present-day selves stained with the choices of their past, either trying to hide or admit their wrongdoings, so that they may continue forward without the weight of guilt upon their shoulders. And the wrongdoings of the novel's two main characters, Louise and Henri, are not easily marked as such. The lives of either character are steeped in familial and national trauma, Louise living with the pain of abusive parent(s) and Henri fleeing from a past of difficult decisions made during employment as a 'gendarme'. The effects of the Algerian Revolution rage around them too, affecting Henri's identity, tagging him as an outsider; Louise as well, marked as an outsider, her relationships (with family, friends, and enemies) never offering a break from the idea that she doesn't 'actually' belong.
Mangan's wordplay and sentence structure allow for a level of close reading that reveals more with each sequential study of a phrase. Though one may become tangled in her lengthy sentences at times (I was, though not too frequently), it is an insignificant issue when compared to the focus said sentences give to even the most (seemingly) insignificant of details. The story is not one of grand proportions; you should not expect to become wrapped in new and odd names or innumerable locations, requiring a map in the first few pages or a glossary in the back. Rather, this novel's story takes place in only a few days, the characters travelling from train station to bus stop, restaurant to inn, monument to mosque. And you, as the reader, follow just as closely behind, wondering what the future will hold or what information from the past may be revealed. It can be difficult to become fully enthralled with a title that jumps back and forth between characters' perspectives—many authors have tried and failed—but Mangan's decision to do so with 'The Continental Affair' is, in my opinion, correct. This technique doesn't allow for one character to become the favorite, instead offering glimpses into the psyche of either, so as to understand both as full humans (with flaws, of course).
The title is not without fault though, as the pacing of it may be too slow for some readers. One may become anxious with the speed of plot point revelations, purposefully skipping points to ease the number of dense, menial descriptions of rather ordinary objects. The characters don't always act as one might expect and their reasonings for doing so may not be revealed till it is too late, the reader losing interest in the specific action through the following lines. And the perspective that is written isn't always as descriptive of seemingly relevant information as I would've liked. Scenes that seem awfully important don't always do the best job of describing character placement or the overall timeline of actions, instead opting to (as one might expect, given what I have noted) describe an object's material or the atmosphere's smell with exquisite detail.
In its totality, Christine Mangan's 'The Continental Affair' is ripe with luxurious expositions, offering an atmosphere and character personalities that are quite believable and alluring. Like her previous titles, one may find themselves eager to dive between the lines of text, so as to romp through the cafes, bars, and streets that Mangan describes so effortlessly. Or perhaps one might suddenly take up the hobby of cooking, hoping to indulge on the very same dishes that Louise eats at unknown restaurants, or within the bustling cars of the train that carries her as far from her past as she can manage. There is a comfort in Mangan's writing that I have yet to experience with any other. I implore any that wish to be whisked away for some time to read this title, as the journey—from Granada to Paris, from Belgrade to Istanbul, from foe to ally, from stranger to lover—is able to do just that.
Mangan's characters are, as always, complex beings, their present-day selves stained with the choices of their past, either trying to hide or admit their wrongdoings, so that they may continue forward without the weight of guilt upon their shoulders. And the wrongdoings of the novel's two main characters, Louise and Henri, are not easily marked as such. The lives of either character are steeped in familial and national trauma, Louise living with the pain of abusive parent(s) and Henri fleeing from a past of difficult decisions made during employment as a 'gendarme'. The effects of the Algerian Revolution rage around them too, affecting Henri's identity, tagging him as an outsider; Louise as well, marked as an outsider, her relationships (with family, friends, and enemies) never offering a break from the idea that she doesn't 'actually' belong.
Mangan's wordplay and sentence structure allow for a level of close reading that reveals more with each sequential study of a phrase. Though one may become tangled in her lengthy sentences at times (I was, though not too frequently), it is an insignificant issue when compared to the focus said sentences give to even the most (seemingly) insignificant of details. The story is not one of grand proportions; you should not expect to become wrapped in new and odd names or innumerable locations, requiring a map in the first few pages or a glossary in the back. Rather, this novel's story takes place in only a few days, the characters travelling from train station to bus stop, restaurant to inn, monument to mosque. And you, as the reader, follow just as closely behind, wondering what the future will hold or what information from the past may be revealed. It can be difficult to become fully enthralled with a title that jumps back and forth between characters' perspectives—many authors have tried and failed—but Mangan's decision to do so with 'The Continental Affair' is, in my opinion, correct. This technique doesn't allow for one character to become the favorite, instead offering glimpses into the psyche of either, so as to understand both as full humans (with flaws, of course).
The title is not without fault though, as the pacing of it may be too slow for some readers. One may become anxious with the speed of plot point revelations, purposefully skipping points to ease the number of dense, menial descriptions of rather ordinary objects. The characters don't always act as one might expect and their reasonings for doing so may not be revealed till it is too late, the reader losing interest in the specific action through the following lines. And the perspective that is written isn't always as descriptive of seemingly relevant information as I would've liked. Scenes that seem awfully important don't always do the best job of describing character placement or the overall timeline of actions, instead opting to (as one might expect, given what I have noted) describe an object's material or the atmosphere's smell with exquisite detail.
In its totality, Christine Mangan's 'The Continental Affair' is ripe with luxurious expositions, offering an atmosphere and character personalities that are quite believable and alluring. Like her previous titles, one may find themselves eager to dive between the lines of text, so as to romp through the cafes, bars, and streets that Mangan describes so effortlessly. Or perhaps one might suddenly take up the hobby of cooking, hoping to indulge on the very same dishes that Louise eats at unknown restaurants, or within the bustling cars of the train that carries her as far from her past as she can manage. There is a comfort in Mangan's writing that I have yet to experience with any other. I implore any that wish to be whisked away for some time to read this title, as the journey—from Granada to Paris, from Belgrade to Istanbul, from foe to ally, from stranger to lover—is able to do just that.
August 11, 2023
Cover: I like the hardcover better than the Kindle one. It’s a matter of colors.
I have to agree with other reviewers: The Continental Affair has a great, great prose. The writing sets the atmosphere, which is almost lyrical in places, and acts as a counterpoint to the descriptions. Yes, this book is a bit heavy in that department, but the flow doesn’t suffer in the slightest.
There’s a dual point of view, offering us both Henri and Louise’s perspective. While they both read fantastic—the prose, again—I’ll have to admit I like Henri’s a tiny bit better. Maybe because I have had enough time to get attached to him, since he’s the one that introduces the story.
Fun fact: I don’t understand any of them. I don’t get Henri, dropping everything to chase after Louise with no intentions to get the money back, and I can’t really wrap my head around Louise’s motivations. Despite that, I found myself so immersed in their merry chase; putting down this book has been hard, haha. Isn’t that a testimony of Mangan’s writing skills? 😀
Other than that, the grammar is spot on, while the rhythm is delicate and yet packing a punch.
4 stars on GR.
[Want more? Check out Bookshelves & Teacups]
I have to agree with other reviewers: The Continental Affair has a great, great prose. The writing sets the atmosphere, which is almost lyrical in places, and acts as a counterpoint to the descriptions. Yes, this book is a bit heavy in that department, but the flow doesn’t suffer in the slightest.
There’s a dual point of view, offering us both Henri and Louise’s perspective. While they both read fantastic—the prose, again—I’ll have to admit I like Henri’s a tiny bit better. Maybe because I have had enough time to get attached to him, since he’s the one that introduces the story.
Fun fact: I don’t understand any of them. I don’t get Henri, dropping everything to chase after Louise with no intentions to get the money back, and I can’t really wrap my head around Louise’s motivations. Despite that, I found myself so immersed in their merry chase; putting down this book has been hard, haha. Isn’t that a testimony of Mangan’s writing skills? 😀
Other than that, the grammar is spot on, while the rhythm is delicate and yet packing a punch.
4 stars on GR.
[Want more? Check out Bookshelves & Teacups]
August 4, 2023
Louise has a chance encounter with Henri which rapidly spirals into a game of cat and mouse spanning across the continent.
Their story is narrated by Henri and Louise in the before and after of their encounter. Both characters are well drawn and the author's richly descriptive writing allows you to immerse yourself with the sights, sounds and smells of the cities allowing them to come alive from within the pages.
The Continental Affair is atmospheric, full of intrigue and glamour. It's the first book I've read by Mangan and won't be my last, in fact I've already downloaded Tangerine as I've heard nothing but good things about it.
Their story is narrated by Henri and Louise in the before and after of their encounter. Both characters are well drawn and the author's richly descriptive writing allows you to immerse yourself with the sights, sounds and smells of the cities allowing them to come alive from within the pages.
The Continental Affair is atmospheric, full of intrigue and glamour. It's the first book I've read by Mangan and won't be my last, in fact I've already downloaded Tangerine as I've heard nothing but good things about it.
September 10, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
A cat-and-mouse chase across Europe develops between a young Englishwoman and a French Algerian. It’s the 1960s, and she’s fleeing her hideously grinding village existence and he’s a cop who fled Oran, sick at heart, after his role in trying to shut down the Algerian uprising. They’ve both washed up in Spain, and events kick off at the storied Alhambra, where she scoops up a bag of cash that he was meant to pick up as a messenger for a criminal organization. Effectively atmospheric and mysterious, Hitchcockian, with a suitably ambiguous ending.
A cat-and-mouse chase across Europe develops between a young Englishwoman and a French Algerian. It’s the 1960s, and she’s fleeing her hideously grinding village existence and he’s a cop who fled Oran, sick at heart, after his role in trying to shut down the Algerian uprising. They’ve both washed up in Spain, and events kick off at the storied Alhambra, where she scoops up a bag of cash that he was meant to pick up as a messenger for a criminal organization. Effectively atmospheric and mysterious, Hitchcockian, with a suitably ambiguous ending.
September 9, 2023
The latest novel from Christine Mangan, THE CONTINENTAL AFFAIR, is set in the 1960’s but feels like it exists outside of the boundaries of time. It is easily the best thing she has written since her stunning debut TANGERINE and is the literary equivalent of a classic Bogie and Bacall film.
A Frenchman from Algeria named Henri is approached by a woman in his train car who goes on to inform him that he is sitting in her seat. Even though Henri and the woman calling herself Louise act like they have never met before, that is far from true. This novel jumps between the past and the present and each snippet of time reveals another piece of the complicated relationship between these two individuals as their relationship spans both time, distance, and the continent of Europe.
We learn fairly early on that Henri was sent by some nameless people to find Louise for she had come into possession of something they wanted --- a satchel of money. She came upon it quite by accident and just slipped away with it. Henri is very good at his job and, even when keeping his distance, has Louise and the money firmly in his sights. However, upon meeting her his mission seems to dissolve into the background of the curious relationship they have begun with each other. Things change to the point where Henri’s own benefactors can no longer trust him to complete the mission and have now sent someone to spy on both he and Louise as their train hurtles across Europe.
Louise is not the least bit surprised by Henri or his apparent intentions yet never seems to let on any of these feelings in their discussions. She is openly curious about him in a very real way and any reader will be able to notice the connection they make with each other. This is what provides the suspense withing THE CONTINETNAL AFFAIR as you wait patiently trying to guess what will happen next and if this story can have a romantic rather than a tragic ending for these two people who seem bound by some sort of cosmic fate.
At one point, Louise hooks up with a small group of young people who are also traveling the continent and she takes a brief side trip with them. It is allegedly during that trip when, after being confronted about her true identity, that Louise loses the money --- or so she claims. What I enjoyed most was the conversation Louise had with the much younger Iris about the writing of Dame Agatha Christie. It is not only a great passage in the novel but also shows author Christine Mangan’s love of fiction writing and a noteworthy nod to the classics.
Once the individual flagging both Henri and Louise meets up on the train with Henri he tries to digest the story Henri shares about money found quite by accident and then lost just as quickly. Of course, this story is not believed and it is at that point where you wait for the other shoe to drop. The two new cohorts now explore ideas of running away and disappearing somewhere together. However, like Louise commented about the work of Agatha Christie, the villains always get caught in the end.
THE CONTINETNAL AFFAIR is full of lush landscapes and beautiful prose that proves to me that TANGERINE was no fluke. Christine Mangan has found a great niche to write in, noir-style literary thrillers filled with international intrigue that allows the reader to escape to another place and time where things were simultaneously more innocent and dangerous than our present world.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
A Frenchman from Algeria named Henri is approached by a woman in his train car who goes on to inform him that he is sitting in her seat. Even though Henri and the woman calling herself Louise act like they have never met before, that is far from true. This novel jumps between the past and the present and each snippet of time reveals another piece of the complicated relationship between these two individuals as their relationship spans both time, distance, and the continent of Europe.
We learn fairly early on that Henri was sent by some nameless people to find Louise for she had come into possession of something they wanted --- a satchel of money. She came upon it quite by accident and just slipped away with it. Henri is very good at his job and, even when keeping his distance, has Louise and the money firmly in his sights. However, upon meeting her his mission seems to dissolve into the background of the curious relationship they have begun with each other. Things change to the point where Henri’s own benefactors can no longer trust him to complete the mission and have now sent someone to spy on both he and Louise as their train hurtles across Europe.
Louise is not the least bit surprised by Henri or his apparent intentions yet never seems to let on any of these feelings in their discussions. She is openly curious about him in a very real way and any reader will be able to notice the connection they make with each other. This is what provides the suspense withing THE CONTINETNAL AFFAIR as you wait patiently trying to guess what will happen next and if this story can have a romantic rather than a tragic ending for these two people who seem bound by some sort of cosmic fate.
At one point, Louise hooks up with a small group of young people who are also traveling the continent and she takes a brief side trip with them. It is allegedly during that trip when, after being confronted about her true identity, that Louise loses the money --- or so she claims. What I enjoyed most was the conversation Louise had with the much younger Iris about the writing of Dame Agatha Christie. It is not only a great passage in the novel but also shows author Christine Mangan’s love of fiction writing and a noteworthy nod to the classics.
Once the individual flagging both Henri and Louise meets up on the train with Henri he tries to digest the story Henri shares about money found quite by accident and then lost just as quickly. Of course, this story is not believed and it is at that point where you wait for the other shoe to drop. The two new cohorts now explore ideas of running away and disappearing somewhere together. However, like Louise commented about the work of Agatha Christie, the villains always get caught in the end.
THE CONTINETNAL AFFAIR is full of lush landscapes and beautiful prose that proves to me that TANGERINE was no fluke. Christine Mangan has found a great niche to write in, noir-style literary thrillers filled with international intrigue that allows the reader to escape to another place and time where things were simultaneously more innocent and dangerous than our present world.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
August 13, 2023
Feels of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express for train vibes and atmospheric swirls, and lending sophisticated styles from 50's & 60's, the Continental Affair takes the reader to Spain, Istanbul, Algeria and France.
Add a French gendarme (Henri) and a run-away (Louise), this tale leads to where strangers at cross-purposes can end out. A good read with twists and turns along the way. Ms. Mangan's skillful writing sent me through the very spaces her characters move. Believable conclusions, and not over the top.
*A sincere thank you to Christine Mangan, Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for a free ARC to read and voluntarily review.* Publication date: 22 Aug 2023
Add a French gendarme (Henri) and a run-away (Louise), this tale leads to where strangers at cross-purposes can end out. A good read with twists and turns along the way. Ms. Mangan's skillful writing sent me through the very spaces her characters move. Believable conclusions, and not over the top.
*A sincere thank you to Christine Mangan, Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for a free ARC to read and voluntarily review.* Publication date: 22 Aug 2023
October 29, 2024
Хороший роман для октября
May 23, 2024
So here we have Louise who has stolen some money from Henri…..Henri decides to find Louise and get it back and what follows is a chase and battle of wits on a train journey (s) around 1960’s Europe
It is atmospheric, that’s the first thing to say, I felt I was on the trains in that time period, it is all described really well for the reader, there are some good historical info pieces within the story as well
We learn there is a lot more to both Louise and Henri and their feelings than we initially thought as the story unfolds and truths get unearthed
I did enjoy it all it but probably enjoyed the 2nd half the most if pushed to choose
Quite emotional at times, gave me food for thought at other times but was always classy and old time glamorous …..it would be good too on screen
An enjoyably different read.
It is atmospheric, that’s the first thing to say, I felt I was on the trains in that time period, it is all described really well for the reader, there are some good historical info pieces within the story as well
We learn there is a lot more to both Louise and Henri and their feelings than we initially thought as the story unfolds and truths get unearthed
I did enjoy it all it but probably enjoyed the 2nd half the most if pushed to choose
Quite emotional at times, gave me food for thought at other times but was always classy and old time glamorous …..it would be good too on screen
An enjoyably different read.
June 26, 2023
The Continental Affair written by Christine Mangan surprised me in several ways. I was extremely confused by the story’s time line. For each forward chapter there was another that took the story backwards. For most of the book, I felt like I was missing something. I honestly suspected that Henri and Louise were reliving a past life. I guess I have a very good imagination and I engaged it to envision a completely different story. Due to this, I was a bit disappointed in the actual tale.
The author did write exquisitely about the many cities and countries that the characters visited. It was clearly well researched. I wanted more than a travel log.
Henri and Louise each held their own secrets many of which were predictable.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it even though I think it could have been so much better.
The author did write exquisitely about the many cities and countries that the characters visited. It was clearly well researched. I wanted more than a travel log.
Henri and Louise each held their own secrets many of which were predictable.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it even though I think it could have been so much better.
dnf
December 9, 2022dnf @ 39%
May 13, 2024
Summary: Henri and Louise are two strangers whose paths cross very unpredictably in Spain during the 1960s at the Alhambra. From there, the two play a sly game of cat and mouse from the Sierra Nevada mountains all the way to Turkey, both trying to escape their terrible memories and the consequences of their own past misdeeds.
Thoughts: It is difficult to say much about this novel without introducing spoilers. I can say that this is less a mystery than it is a work of literary fiction. The novel explores the complex characters of Henri and Louise, their many deceptions and damaging family backgrounds, while vividly depicting the landscapes that the two characters traverse. It is atmospheric and lyrical, but there is no real mystery here. I will note however that the author used a phrase that I deplore on three separate occasions in the novel: “let out a breath he/she didn’t know he/she was holding”, etc. etc.
If you are a fan of period literary fiction then this might be for you. I cannot say that it made a huge impression on me however.
Thoughts: It is difficult to say much about this novel without introducing spoilers. I can say that this is less a mystery than it is a work of literary fiction. The novel explores the complex characters of Henri and Louise, their many deceptions and damaging family backgrounds, while vividly depicting the landscapes that the two characters traverse. It is atmospheric and lyrical, but there is no real mystery here. I will note however that the author used a phrase that I deplore on three separate occasions in the novel: “let out a breath he/she didn’t know he/she was holding”, etc. etc.
If you are a fan of period literary fiction then this might be for you. I cannot say that it made a huge impression on me however.
January 24, 2024
I waited a long time for my library copy...so I will finish it.
But ... struggling
at 54 % I am officially done.
I am ready to jump off the train.
The final straw was when the heroine leaves her invalid father to die. Sorry... life is too short for books that make me want to jump out of a train... like the one that they seem to be on in the this story.
I loved the setting , loved the mention of the countries in Europe. Loved hearing Spain and Alhambra mentioned. At this point I am better off reading a National Geographic novel.
This hero is so taken with a woman he doesnt know... and frankly, not very nice person.
Thank you Netgalley for NOT approving this book.
But ... struggling
at 54 % I am officially done.
I am ready to jump off the train.
The final straw was when the heroine leaves her invalid father to die. Sorry... life is too short for books that make me want to jump out of a train... like the one that they seem to be on in the this story.
I loved the setting , loved the mention of the countries in Europe. Loved hearing Spain and Alhambra mentioned. At this point I am better off reading a National Geographic novel.
This hero is so taken with a woman he doesnt know... and frankly, not very nice person.
Thank you Netgalley for NOT approving this book.
December 21, 2023
This is a slow burn: an atmospheric story with elements of a spy thriller. Although slow and drawn out, it unexpectedly compelling.
August 31, 2023
Pangram! P T M A R E N
August 24, 2023
A gorgeously drawn, dark adventure novel that wafts across Europe. Like going on the Grand Tour, but because you’re on the run.
This was so much fun and so perfectly, evocatively atmospheric. I love a caper and I love a train novel, and I love both even more if they’re steeped in lush but dark and mysterious atmosphere, and this book is a terrific example of that.
I was not especially shot with Tangerine but loved Palace of the Drowned, so this book was the tiebreaker that pushed me firmly into the camp of being a huge fan of Christine Mangan’s work. The plot is excellent, the sense of adventure is loads of fun, and the sense of place and atmosphere is off the charts good. I loved this.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This was so much fun and so perfectly, evocatively atmospheric. I love a caper and I love a train novel, and I love both even more if they’re steeped in lush but dark and mysterious atmosphere, and this book is a terrific example of that.
I was not especially shot with Tangerine but loved Palace of the Drowned, so this book was the tiebreaker that pushed me firmly into the camp of being a huge fan of Christine Mangan’s work. The plot is excellent, the sense of adventure is loads of fun, and the sense of place and atmosphere is off the charts good. I loved this.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
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