Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Huge disappointment after first 2 wonderful books of the trilogy. Nikolai Gogol allegedly burnt his second book of "Dead souls" after he realized it's not up to the standard of the 1st one. Mr. Follett would have done well burning this one too. At least in the digital way of doing it. Very poorly researched, with life in Russia in 60s, 70s and 80s described in a way that would make any person who has been there laugh. I cannot personally attest to the description of life in East Germany but I have sincere doubts about it as well. Also, gone from this book the impartial historical analysis that has been present in the previous two. Suddenly, author's personal liberal views and author's personal feeling toward Nixon and Reagan make him draw the historical landscape so tilted that the entire Soviet War in Afganistan is suddenly missing from the analysis. Excuse me, Mr. Follett, you are old enough to remember it from the newspapers not school history lessons. I understand author's right to bend history in fiction but that's not Duma's novel where love story is a centerpiece and history is just a colorful backdrop. Historical figures play the important roles in the entire structure and target of the narrative. So, if Tolstoy suddenly remarks about Napoleon being 6 feet 5 tall in "War and Piece" it would spoil the picture a bit... Bottom line, if you had not have a chance to read this one - skip it. It would spoil the good impression of the first two books.