The Two Hotel Francforts

I wish I could like this book more. I was immediately drawn into the setting; WW2 in the neutral port city of Lisbon, Portugal. I was unfamiliar with that bit of history, and the book painted the picture of that period and location very well.

Unfortunately this book is really let down by the uninteresting main characters whose motives rarely make sense, and the terrible dialogue that occurs between them which is a shame as the novel has some great writing in between.

I didn't buy Iris and Edwards relationship, I didnt buy Edward as a character, and I couldn't understand Petes obsession with him. Everytime the two talked I wanted Edwards dull, pretentious conversation to be over, yet Pete was yearning for him... why? All the while Julia was either being stroppy or playing solitaire...

1940, à Lisbonne, dans le Portugal de Salazar, deux couples anglo-saxons qui ont fui la France occupée attendent d'embarquer dans le bateau qui les ramènera à New-York. J'ai aimé à la fois le cadre et l'intrigue de ce roman plutôt réussi.

One of my favorite books of the year. This new book by David Leavitt appealed to my love of historical fiction as as two couples meet over a spilled deck of solitaire cards in Lisbon Portugal. They are escaping German occupied France. An unexpected love story ensues with very unexpected outcomes.