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Shake Off
An internationally acclaimed thriller of love, espionage and subterfuge, in which Middle East meets West with dangerous consequences.
Years of training have transformed Michel Khoury into a skilled intelligence operative. A refugee whose family was murdered by extremists, he has one the peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict that upended his life.
An alluring enigma, he attracts the attention of Helen, a pretty English girl who lives in the adjacent apartment. As their relationship develops, Michel is unable to tell Helen about his past -- or the collection of passports and unmarked bills he's concealed in the bathroom they share.
When Michel's secrets turn deadly, Helen and Michel find themselves pursued through the streets of London, Berlin and the Scottish countryside, on the run from the very people they thought they could trust.
A critically celebrated novel that "recalls the cool detachment and compelling eye for ordinary detail that characterized the early thrillers of Graham Greene" ( Independent on Sunday ), Shake Off is that rare breed of riveting tale -- of intrigue and suspense, love and betrayal -- that announces a bold new voice for our increasingly global times.
Years of training have transformed Michel Khoury into a skilled intelligence operative. A refugee whose family was murdered by extremists, he has one the peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict that upended his life.
An alluring enigma, he attracts the attention of Helen, a pretty English girl who lives in the adjacent apartment. As their relationship develops, Michel is unable to tell Helen about his past -- or the collection of passports and unmarked bills he's concealed in the bathroom they share.
When Michel's secrets turn deadly, Helen and Michel find themselves pursued through the streets of London, Berlin and the Scottish countryside, on the run from the very people they thought they could trust.
A critically celebrated novel that "recalls the cool detachment and compelling eye for ordinary detail that characterized the early thrillers of Graham Greene" ( Independent on Sunday ), Shake Off is that rare breed of riveting tale -- of intrigue and suspense, love and betrayal -- that announces a bold new voice for our increasingly global times.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2011
12 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
Mischa Hiller
8 books27 followersAuthor of Sabra Zoo, Shake Off and Disengaged. Mischa was a semifinalist in the 2007 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting and winner of the 2009 European Independent Film Festival script competition for his adaptation of Sabra Zoo. Sabra Zoo was winner of the Commonwealth Writer’s 2011 First Book prize (Europe & South Asia region).
He has had several short stories published, which can be found on [Medium](http://medium.com/@mischahi@blank)
He is published by Telegram in the UK and Mulholland Books in North America.
Disengaged is published in the UK and the US by Severn House Books.
He has had several short stories published, which can be found on [Medium](http://medium.com/@mischahi@blank)
He is published by Telegram in the UK and Mulholland Books in North America.
Disengaged is published in the UK and the US by Severn House Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 22, 2011
I tend to edge away from anything about the Arab/Israeli conflict, which is dispiriting, tragic and stupid no matter where your sympathies lie. When I realized that Michel, the main character of Shake Off, was an undercover agent for the PLO, a survivor of the Sabra massacre, I almost tossed it aside. Watlz with Bashir was stellar but sufficient.
My reservations evaporated immediately. The narrator's voice – young, deeply intelligent, disillusioned (not quite enough, as it turns out) – won me over. I'm tempted to give the book a 4th star just for the Arab writers he mentions, most of whom I've never heard of. The story is set in London and Berlin (familiar espionage territory), with a dash up to Scotland for a bit of Buchan's Thirty-Nine Steps car chases and thrills. Ironically, Michel's character is also the book's main weakness. It's hard to believe that a young man schooled in suspicion, evasion and all manner of dirty tricks would remain as credulous as Michel proves to be. Readers will guess the central "secret" long before it's revealed. Michel's invested ignorance is simply irritating. Still, the writing is excellent, the politics not too savage, and the women are sassy. Hiller's better than most.
My reservations evaporated immediately. The narrator's voice – young, deeply intelligent, disillusioned (not quite enough, as it turns out) – won me over. I'm tempted to give the book a 4th star just for the Arab writers he mentions, most of whom I've never heard of. The story is set in London and Berlin (familiar espionage territory), with a dash up to Scotland for a bit of Buchan's Thirty-Nine Steps car chases and thrills. Ironically, Michel's character is also the book's main weakness. It's hard to believe that a young man schooled in suspicion, evasion and all manner of dirty tricks would remain as credulous as Michel proves to be. Readers will guess the central "secret" long before it's revealed. Michel's invested ignorance is simply irritating. Still, the writing is excellent, the politics not too savage, and the women are sassy. Hiller's better than most.
February 9, 2019
A decent thriller about a young Palestinian groomed and educated as a PLO operative and his relationship with an English postgraduate student when his world starts to disintegrate
July 24, 2014
The main character of Mischa Hiller’s novel Shake Off is Michel, a survivor of the Sabra Massacre in Lebanon in 1982. A child at the time, he is taken under the wing of Abu Leila and gradually trained in languages and spy tradecraft with the idea that eventually he would be able to aid a resurgence of Palestinian power. He has a lonely, secret life apart from the intimacy of others.
What I found most interesting about this novel was the Palestinian viewpoint. Until about fifteen years ago when I began investigating the subject in earnest, I was, like many Americans, likely to equate Palestinian with terrorist. My knowledge is refined now, however. I have eyes and judgment enough to see the players, as well as failures of leadership.
Nancy O’s review of The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird shows how even an apolitical observer of Middle East history places the 1982 massacre at Sabra and Shatila as a defining moment for radicalization of Arabs, Muslims, Lebanese, and Palestinians.
The story Hiller tells in this novel captures the confusion and uncertainty and despair of a young orphan in a refugee camp, and later his willingness, indeed his craving, to believe in kindness and love. It is crafted so that we cannot see the outcome, though the seeds are there if one reexamines the start of the novel.
The love interest of the young man, Helen of London, fascinates me. It seems obvious to me that she is an operative of some sort, but for whom and why, we never learn. With the long-legged Helen (Michel is clearly a leg man), Michel loses his learned restraints and becomes an ordinary man, the kind that cannot help but think with his genitals. I can forgive him that, I suppose, though I don’t think his enemies will. It turns out he is altogether too gullible in general, having come from an area of the world where disagreements often end in bloodshed.
This novel is the second of Hiller’s, the first being Sabra Zoo. Another, called Disengaged, is in the works, due out January 2015. The writing is clear, the viewpoint unique, and the subject positively deadly. Watch for it.
What I found most interesting about this novel was the Palestinian viewpoint. Until about fifteen years ago when I began investigating the subject in earnest, I was, like many Americans, likely to equate Palestinian with terrorist. My knowledge is refined now, however. I have eyes and judgment enough to see the players, as well as failures of leadership.
Nancy O’s review of The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames by Kai Bird shows how even an apolitical observer of Middle East history places the 1982 massacre at Sabra and Shatila as a defining moment for radicalization of Arabs, Muslims, Lebanese, and Palestinians.
The story Hiller tells in this novel captures the confusion and uncertainty and despair of a young orphan in a refugee camp, and later his willingness, indeed his craving, to believe in kindness and love. It is crafted so that we cannot see the outcome, though the seeds are there if one reexamines the start of the novel.
The love interest of the young man, Helen of London, fascinates me. It seems obvious to me that she is an operative of some sort, but for whom and why, we never learn. With the long-legged Helen (Michel is clearly a leg man), Michel loses his learned restraints and becomes an ordinary man, the kind that cannot help but think with his genitals. I can forgive him that, I suppose, though I don’t think his enemies will. It turns out he is altogether too gullible in general, having come from an area of the world where disagreements often end in bloodshed.
This novel is the second of Hiller’s, the first being Sabra Zoo. Another, called Disengaged, is in the works, due out January 2015. The writing is clear, the viewpoint unique, and the subject positively deadly. Watch for it.
March 12, 2023
I was in the mood for an action/spy type book so thought this looked interesting. It was okay enough to keep me reading it since I wanted to find out what would happen, but the beginning seemed to drag on without a lot of action. Some action then started to happen towards the end, finally. To be warned, there are some semi-descriptive sexual parts in it until the main character, Michel, started being followed near the end of the book. It was fairly easy for me to kind of figure out what was going on, so this book doesn’t get a very high rating from me for all these reasons mentioned.
December 27, 2015
Shake Off was one of those books you listen to and you’re like “Okay this is interesting” and there’s one really exciting part, and then after it’s over, you’re like “oh, I literally spent eight and a half hours listening to this book. That’s fine.”
But that’s really all it was—fine. I didn’t particularly love any of the characters. There were some good scenes, but nothing addictive. And when it ended I smiled and then went on to the next book. It took me a few days to figure out what to write in this review because I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it at first. It was just a story that ended up in my head, the experience wasn’t anything phenomenal. The writing was good and the narration was great, but the story was just fine.
But that’s really all it was—fine. I didn’t particularly love any of the characters. There were some good scenes, but nothing addictive. And when it ended I smiled and then went on to the next book. It took me a few days to figure out what to write in this review because I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it at first. It was just a story that ended up in my head, the experience wasn’t anything phenomenal. The writing was good and the narration was great, but the story was just fine.
August 8, 2013
Written in a spare, understated style that makes every word count, this book about a lonely PLO undercover operative haunted by his traumatic past packs a powerful emotional punch. Highly recommended.
September 27, 2019
Redelijk. Zijn leven een leugen, de waarheid zijn lot. Wie is hij? Opleiding in Rusland en oost Duitsland.Moet een opdracht uitvoeren voor Aboe Leila. Wie is Aboe en welke opdracht? Het gaat over de PLO en Mossad. Spannend vanaf het begin. Dat het fout moet aflopen, voelt men vanaf het begin.
Er komt wel een straffe stelling voor in het boek en dat nog wel in een thriller.
Als Hitler had afgemaakt wat hij begonnen was, zouden die gasten ons nu niet bombarderen. Maar wel is waar dat de Palestijnen voor de Holocaust moeten boeten. Zij krijgen ervan langs voor een puur Europese misdaad.
Er komt wel een straffe stelling voor in het boek en dat nog wel in een thriller.
Als Hitler had afgemaakt wat hij begonnen was, zouden die gasten ons nu niet bombarderen. Maar wel is waar dat de Palestijnen voor de Holocaust moeten boeten. Zij krijgen ervan langs voor een puur Europese misdaad.
April 5, 2018
It’s an okay version of a spy story. Not a “thriller” but interesting. Since it was about the Arab/Israeli conflict there were no good guys, but the main character was relatable. I enjoy reading a stand alone book once in a while. Nowadays many books seem to be hopeful introductions to sequels. Like the author is spending his advances on the next one before the print is dry on the one you’re reading. So Shake Off was refreshing from that standpoint.
May 22, 2019
Quite a good read - nicely written, a bit intriguing and a bit boring, in a good, slow sense; not really a spy novel, neither a love story nor a bildungsroman, but somehow between; with an obvious twist, which is still enjoyable as it was the main character who is surprised, and not us. A good novel, not a great one though, but I guess there was no ambition to write a great one.
July 11, 2017
It just wasn't exciting enough. Not enough twists and turns in the story for my taste, and I found the characters very bland.
April 6, 2017
Mossad, the PLO, and a young Palestinian refugee in a spy story set in London and Berlin
Ever wonder how publishers decide how to market books? For example, how to decide whether to feature a book as a “thriller” instead of, say, a “deeply moving novel of love and loss”? Mischa Hiller’s novel, Shake Off, raised questions like that in my mind.
Michel Khoury, a bright young man with a rare gift for languages, is recruited from a foster home at the age of 15 to be educated and trained in the USSR by the PLO. It is now the late 1980s, with the Soviet empire crumbling and Yasser Arafat holding on to power in the Palestinian diaspora. For some years now, Michel has been serving as a courier, an accomplished polyglot shuttling from Berlin to London to Geneva to Athens and Istanbul under the control of an older man named Abu Leila (“Father of Leila”), a surrogate father figure. Living in what the English call a “bed-sit,” a single room sans kitchen down the hall from a bathroom, Michel masquerades as a student at the School of Oriental and African Studies, taking language courses he doesn’t need. When he meets Rachel, a beautiful young doctoral student in anthropology living next door, he finds himself increasingly drawn to her just as disaster strikes a courier he has enlisted in London. Soon, Michel finds himself the subject of interest by intelligence agencies of indeterminate origin — possibly more than one of them, and probably including Mossad — and is forced to dodge the increasingly familiar figures who are following him.
As a novel written by a Palestinian whose protagonist is a survivor of the 1982 Israeli-Phalangist massacres in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, Shake Off does a decent job conveying the profound sense of loss and the lingering terror that live on in Michel Khoury. However, the book was marketed as a “spy thriller.” Thrilling it wasn’t. The story hangs on a question of identity that waas resolved to my satisfaction about one-third of the way through the novel, so the twists and turns in its plot held no magic for me. I kept reading despite the slow unfolding of the plot because I found it intriguing to see the world through the eyes of a Palestinian refugee (albeit one with an extensive knowledge of Jewish history and Israeli attitudes). It’s worth reading for that reason alone.
Ever wonder how publishers decide how to market books? For example, how to decide whether to feature a book as a “thriller” instead of, say, a “deeply moving novel of love and loss”? Mischa Hiller’s novel, Shake Off, raised questions like that in my mind.
Michel Khoury, a bright young man with a rare gift for languages, is recruited from a foster home at the age of 15 to be educated and trained in the USSR by the PLO. It is now the late 1980s, with the Soviet empire crumbling and Yasser Arafat holding on to power in the Palestinian diaspora. For some years now, Michel has been serving as a courier, an accomplished polyglot shuttling from Berlin to London to Geneva to Athens and Istanbul under the control of an older man named Abu Leila (“Father of Leila”), a surrogate father figure. Living in what the English call a “bed-sit,” a single room sans kitchen down the hall from a bathroom, Michel masquerades as a student at the School of Oriental and African Studies, taking language courses he doesn’t need. When he meets Rachel, a beautiful young doctoral student in anthropology living next door, he finds himself increasingly drawn to her just as disaster strikes a courier he has enlisted in London. Soon, Michel finds himself the subject of interest by intelligence agencies of indeterminate origin — possibly more than one of them, and probably including Mossad — and is forced to dodge the increasingly familiar figures who are following him.
As a novel written by a Palestinian whose protagonist is a survivor of the 1982 Israeli-Phalangist massacres in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, Shake Off does a decent job conveying the profound sense of loss and the lingering terror that live on in Michel Khoury. However, the book was marketed as a “spy thriller.” Thrilling it wasn’t. The story hangs on a question of identity that waas resolved to my satisfaction about one-third of the way through the novel, so the twists and turns in its plot held no magic for me. I kept reading despite the slow unfolding of the plot because I found it intriguing to see the world through the eyes of a Palestinian refugee (albeit one with an extensive knowledge of Jewish history and Israeli attitudes). It’s worth reading for that reason alone.
September 6, 2012
An international thriller with a different perspective. Michel Khoury is an intelligence operative looking for peace in the Middle East but he is not your typical agent. He was not brought up in the West. His family was killed with a lot of other Christian and Arab Palestinians in Lebanon and his trainers were Russian. His handler, Abu Leila, also comes from a similar background as Michel. This story is not ,however, a story of East vs West but a story of secretive agents working for some sort of true detente in the Middle East.
Michel's major talent is the ease with which he learns languages.He has handled many assignments for Abu Leila , where his language skills helped him move freely from England to Germany(East & West),to Russia and back to the England. But now his life is about to become more complicated. He meets the first young woman, Helen who truly pulls at his heart strings. How can he balance his operative assignment and still have a normal relationship with a woman? The balancing act requires more than Michel has anticipated and now he may have endangered Helen's life.
Agents from Israel seem to have materialized in London and are shadowing Michel. Michel and Helen's lives may be in danger. The pace of the story which for awhile had been leisurely is now about to reach full speed. How will Michel protect himself .....and Helen? Mischa Hiller's second book shows his knowledge of world affairs and he presents a different slant on the problems that have plagued the Middle East since 1948.
Michel's major talent is the ease with which he learns languages.He has handled many assignments for Abu Leila , where his language skills helped him move freely from England to Germany(East & West),to Russia and back to the England. But now his life is about to become more complicated. He meets the first young woman, Helen who truly pulls at his heart strings. How can he balance his operative assignment and still have a normal relationship with a woman? The balancing act requires more than Michel has anticipated and now he may have endangered Helen's life.
Agents from Israel seem to have materialized in London and are shadowing Michel. Michel and Helen's lives may be in danger. The pace of the story which for awhile had been leisurely is now about to reach full speed. How will Michel protect himself .....and Helen? Mischa Hiller's second book shows his knowledge of world affairs and he presents a different slant on the problems that have plagued the Middle East since 1948.
August 21, 2012
i dont know where i won this from, but its not the kind of book i read. its in England, and i dont like english books. he is some kind of spy, or thinks he is. his 'trainer' got shot in front of him and he has this letter he didnt open he needs to deliver to someone, he doesnt know who
there is a girl in the apt next to his, hes going to bed with her, but i dont trust her. some men are after him. he also goes to bed with the real estate agent, then gets mad at the girl next door for going to bed wiht her married professor which is what she was doing since before she met him.
he escapes to this house where i dont know why he would think he is safe there, when the 'trainer' wrote the address down and put it in his wallet so it would be easy enough for ME to find him.
he takes codine at night to fall asleep, not a good idea when people are out to kill you.
if i had anything else to read i would not have read this book. the girl next to him did not have anything to do with it and dumped him when he almost got her killed.
apparently his trainer that got killed was doing something wrong and i dont get that whole part of it but he ended up back where his parents were murdered teaching children.
i totally didnt like this book. sorry!
there is a girl in the apt next to his, hes going to bed with her, but i dont trust her. some men are after him. he also goes to bed with the real estate agent, then gets mad at the girl next door for going to bed wiht her married professor which is what she was doing since before she met him.
he escapes to this house where i dont know why he would think he is safe there, when the 'trainer' wrote the address down and put it in his wallet so it would be easy enough for ME to find him.
he takes codine at night to fall asleep, not a good idea when people are out to kill you.
if i had anything else to read i would not have read this book. the girl next to him did not have anything to do with it and dumped him when he almost got her killed.
apparently his trainer that got killed was doing something wrong and i dont get that whole part of it but he ended up back where his parents were murdered teaching children.
i totally didnt like this book. sorry!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2013
If Shake Off is the new spy novel, I want more! Set in the 1980s, this thrilling emotional roller coaster of a book is set mostly in the U.K. but strays elsewhere to Europe and the middle east. A Lebanese Palestinian who has lost his parents to murder in a Lebanese refuge camp has had his education in Cypress, Germany and the Soviet Union paid for by an acquaintance of those who gave him a home at fifteen years of age. This acquaintance quickly becomes his "handler" and he becomes an agent. Unfailingly following orders, the Palestinian cause is to be advanced. Women should be avoided, and a fellow agent who is to be married is looked down on. But women are sometimes hard to avoid, and this novel follows a tragic love story through the larger story of the spy, culminating in a twist that makes this story unforgettable.
Mischa Hiller is such a strong writer that I got buried in the plot only a few pages in and read the book in three days. It will stay with me for much longer. The descriptions of the cramped London flat with shared bathroom facilities, London tubes, bookstores and cafes, as well as areas of Berlin and Lebanon, are described unforgettably. A truly thrilling and evocative book.
Mischa Hiller is such a strong writer that I got buried in the plot only a few pages in and read the book in three days. It will stay with me for much longer. The descriptions of the cramped London flat with shared bathroom facilities, London tubes, bookstores and cafes, as well as areas of Berlin and Lebanon, are described unforgettably. A truly thrilling and evocative book.
April 4, 2013
Another one of those books I read on a "Best of" list. Not your typical background (Middle East) for a mystery type book (not sure it's exactly a spy thriller). This could turn off some people who won't accept any differing views on their own opinion of what has, is and should be happening in the Middle East (namely Israel and Palestine). But I found it refreshing then another book set in Boston or Miami. The characters are pretty well fleshed out and I found it easy to read and didn't want to put it down. A bit history, a bit mystery and just a good story I think. The story could use some touch-up as I felt parts of it were just thrown together but I think the author has a good future.
February 5, 2017
There is not enough genre fiction about the Israel/Palestine conflict and one positive consequence of this is that I can try to read it all. Hiller's book falls right into my genre so I was especially excited to pick it up, and it totally delivered. Hiller's protagonist is a perfect mix of vulnerable and competent, damaged and capable - basically your average superhero. Hiller makes the story work with a very small number of characters. The writing style is very readable: short declarative sentences with metaphors and description in very sparing quantities. The political context of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and its struggles with Israel at the end of the Cold War is interspersed smoothly.
The twist is a gut punch. Very cool book.
The twist is a gut punch. Very cool book.
March 10, 2011
Compelling espionage thriller which was convincing and informative. Mischa Hiller has managed to pull off a novel with a Palestinian protagonist (whose life is turned upside-down when his family is brutally murdered in a refugee camp massacre at Sabra in Lebanon) but has avoided a condemnatory tone throughout the book. The lines between enemy and ally become blurred. Mischa Hiller is a new writer whose work deserves to be widely read, particularly by anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of the Israel/Palestine conflict. This book would make a superb film script.
July 14, 2012
I received this book for free through First Reads. I'm not sure exactly what I expected, but this book was not what I was expected. I rated it as ok only because it turned out that it was not exactly the type of book I typically read. There was quite a bit of history that I could not get a grasp on and that had a lot to do with the story. I also felt that it took a lot of buildup for a relatively short climax. The story was good and I do feel that for those that like historical fiction and spies, it is a great book.
December 8, 2012
This is a really entertaining spy story, set in the late 1980's. It's told written from the perspective of Michel, a Palestinian who is orphaned in the 1982 attacks on the refugee camps in Beirut. Michel is taken in by a Lebanese family and then a mysterious "uncle" who proceeds to train him to be a spy. He thinks he is working for the PLO but his world changes when his "uncle" is gunned down in Berlin. After that happens, Michel is chased throughout Europe by Mossad agents and eventually he ends up in Scotland. It's an exciting story with a (surprisingly) happy ending.
February 14, 2013
I loved this book. I didn't think I was going to as I started off. It seemed a very different type of novel than what I usually read but the twists and frenetic pace of the story kept me reading. The author does a brilliant job of immersing the reader in the world of a spy, detailing with trained specificity how to shake off your enemy in public spaces. I hate to write anything that gives away the terrific plot or the beautifully crafted story, but I did love this book. I will look for other books from this author in future.
May 4, 2011
Although the book is about undercover agents and terrorists, a lot of it deals with the mc's personal relationships - both with women and his handler. Personally, I like that.
I don't know what the life of an undercover PLO operative is really like, but the story seemed perfectly believable to me.
I did find the regularly repeated 'as Jack would say' to explain every cliche a bit tiresome, but otherwise found this an easy and enjoyable read.
I don't know what the life of an undercover PLO operative is really like, but the story seemed perfectly believable to me.
I did find the regularly repeated 'as Jack would say' to explain every cliche a bit tiresome, but otherwise found this an easy and enjoyable read.
September 12, 2012
Good reads win: I thought this was a very different type of book then I usually read. It was very well written and the cover was pretty cool. I thought it was interesting how we never really know what the real named is of the protagonist. Even though this is an undercover and terrorist s type of book it deals alot with the protagonist personal relationship and handler. Good read and will pass along.
September 15, 2012
The world of Palestinian and Israeli spies unfolds as we follow Michel around England, Germany, Lebanon, and Russia. We learn why he took up this dangerous life, and what drives his burning desire to serve his contact, Abu Leila. But despite all warnings, Michel finds himself drawn to a woman he should shake off. Then, the worst case scenario happens. This well-written thriller is surprising as well as even-handed.
October 22, 2012
I read 65 pages (about 1/4 of the book) and then gave up because there was no real plot. I guess being a real spy is about as exciting as watching paint dry (or checking mailboxes). I could see a plot coming, but it was taking just too long. Also, while the main charcter was interesting and reasonably well developed, I did not get attached or really care about him or the story. So even if he ditched his "mission" to run off with the girl, I'd just say "ahh, so what."
February 23, 2013
First-person narration of a PLO operative working in London. Through flashbacks, we learn his history, his isolation, his trade craft.
The narrative voice is effective to give us sympathy for the protagonist and to keep us in the dark. There are deep questions we'd like answered, but for every answer there are more questions.
Other reviewers have called this a fast-paced story, but I found it otherwise, at least until the last few chapters.
The narrative voice is effective to give us sympathy for the protagonist and to keep us in the dark. There are deep questions we'd like answered, but for every answer there are more questions.
Other reviewers have called this a fast-paced story, but I found it otherwise, at least until the last few chapters.
January 27, 2013
I picked this up after reading Malcolm Gladwell's glowing recommendation in the New Yorker. I don't want to say much here since I wouldn't want to give away any spoilers. I thought it was well written and a worthwhile read. Here's the book description I found on Amazon: An internationally acclaimed thriller of love, espionage and subterfuge, in which Middle East meets West with dangerous consequences.
April 15, 2012
This is an excellent political thriller, which offers an intriguing plot with a nicely unexpected turn of events towards the end, plausible, two well-drawn and likeable main characters, and a political context which captures some of the complexities that (I imagine) mark the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It made me want to search out his earlier book, Sabra Zoo.
August 16, 2012
I very much enjoyed this literary political thriller from Mischa Hiller, it was also the first novel I read on Kindle (at beginning of 2012), and I learned that ebooks can be as gripping as paper books. At the time, I had some slight quibbles re. Helen, the main female character, but I can't remember now what they were, so they were obviously not significant. Five stars from me.
April 10, 2011
Such a good read, a thriller for those who don't normally read spy novels. Hiller takes critical moments in recent history (Europe 1989, Arab/Israeli conflict, Sabra Beirut camp massacres) and throws heartbreakingly human characters into the mix. Could not put this one down.
September 1, 2012
A fine follow up to Sabra Zoo. The main character is a survivor of the Sabra massacre who is recruited to help the Palestinian fight for freedom. This book has a great plot, solid (if not compelling) characters and is well written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews