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Joelene D. (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Inside look of Budapest
I enjoyed this book and getting to know the characters. Annie and Will with their enthusiasm to start fresh in a perceived budding economy and Edward Weiss with his own agenda. It was very atmospheric and a great escape into a little-known world. The story had some intrigue as well and kept me entertained till the final conclusion.
Judith S. (Binghamton, NY)
Travel to Budapest
Take a trip to Budapest compliments of Jessica Keener. The author transports the reader to modern day Budapest and swiftly immerses one in the culture, history and current landscape of a country at once beautiful and sad. Added to one's visit is to accompany a young American family on their exploration of the city and hope for the future and their connection to an elderly American in Budapest with a secret purpose. An enticing read. The author's descriptions of everything Budapest from the smells of the city, exhausts from cars, food (and beer) jewelry, gypsies, architecture, Hungarians and their perception of
…more Americans are superb and well worth reading. The book is a travelogue with action and mystery. (less)The author presents us with a multifaceted plot starting with a wonderful look at Budapest, Hungary just after her Independence from Russia. We learn about her distrust of Americans but the love of the dollar and the still held bias of some of her citizens. I do plan on trying some of the sausages and liquor mentioned in the book. Any emotion you can think of is touched upon in the book, love, lust, anger, revenge, fear... Its peopled with a variety of characters, a WWII survivor seeking revenge, an American couple seeking to strike it rich and escape their past. I really enjoyed spending time getting to know
…more everyone in this book. I just wish the author had an afterward on the current conditions in Hungary. A bit more on Hungarian food would have been appreciated too. (less)Several reviews of Strangers in Budapest start with the sentence, "Budapest is a city of secrets, a place where everything is opaque and nothing is at it seems." That is exactly the atmosphere that Jessica Keener captures in this novel.
It is to this city that a young couple (Will and Annie Gordon) with their infant son Leo come in the 1990s so that Will can pursue a business opportunity that will build communication networks in rural Hungary. They soon befriend an elderly man who involves Annie in an act of revenge for the death of his daughter.
You will be immersed in Budapest's post-communist period. The strong
…more characters and engrossing plot make this an unforgettable novel. (less)I read Strangers in Budapest because I recently visited that city and I was curious about depictions of it in fiction. I loved how the author shows us the city through the eyes of the protagonist, rather than just delivering a travelogue, and it was fun to see these places in print, although how they existed 30 years before I saw them in person. I also find the experience of expats to be intriguing; during the time period of this novel, I had been living for several years in Asia.
Sharon J. (Raleigh, NC)
Strangers in Budapest
The author, Jessica Keener, did a wonderful job weaving in the culture and history of Budapest with multiple story lines of dealing with loss of their loved ones. The main character, Annie, struggles to find truth with no so black and white events. The characters are well developed and make their time in Budapest very real.
Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)
Hungary's history
This book gave a very good description of Budapest. I toured there five years ago. The city is beautiful, especially at night from the river. The communist buildings are bleak and the country has a long history of being subjected to other countries domination. The author created an atmosphere of secrecy and foreboding which was well done. I would have preferred that the characters were more likable and that the ending be more creative.
Ilyse B. (Howell, NJ)
Beautifully Written
This beautifully written story discusses many issues: impression vs truth, fact vs fiction and the lengths we will go for our family. Each character was fully developed, and I found it very interesting how they all viewed each other. There might not always be only one truth and many things can affect how we view the world. It was fascinating to put together all of the different perspectives. I love a good expat story and this one did not disappoint.
