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There are currently 21 member reviews
for Snowdrops
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Eileen B. (East Moriches, NY)
A GREAT DEBUT
As I was reading,I got a feel of how business deals are conducted in Russia and how corrupt it can be. This was a great debut novel that included evil, corruption, romance and deceit. In the beginning, I was trying to figure out what the title had to do with the story and as I read on, it all fell into place. There are some books that I can predict the ending and this was not one of those. The book was well written and the characters were very interesting as well as complicated. A must read.
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Donna N. (High Rolls, NM)
one big snow job
I enjoyed this book, reading it in 2 sittings. you get a good flavor of present day Russia and business dealings. characters are well developed and interesting.-one complaint: the narrator is telling this story to a third party, and I found references to this person annoying, as well as interrupting the narrative flow. On the whole, though, this is a good read, with lots of twists and turns.
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Cynthia A. (Grand Rapids, MI)
One for the favorite list!
Snowdrops is a thrilling, suspenseful, can't-put-it-down read! Although the subject is not the same, I experienced the same anticipation and emotions as when I saw A BEAUTIFUL MIND at the theater. I could not put this book down! This book would be enjoyed by book clubs with both men and women readers. I LOVED this book and look forward to reading more by this author.
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Judith B. (N Chelmsford, MA)
Snowdrops by A.D. Miller
Nick Platt seems such a sad sort. We never find out about his past or his future. The book is written as a letter to his fiancee about a time in his life when he lived and practiced law in Moscow. It portrays an eye-opening awareness of modern day Russia and the struggles of citizens who want to create a better world but are continued to be drawn into the corrupt world of their past. Moscow is a city of "hedonism and desperation, corruption and kindness..." The book is an easy read, but I found it imbalanced by portraying just a capsule of the bigger picture of the characters
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Janice M. (Holland, MI)
Snowdrops
Twists and turns galore and a feeling of foreboding flow through the pages of Snowdrops. It has an Alfred Hitchcock feel to it - as the reader, you know that things are not what they seem. Unfortunately, the main character, Nick Platt, is taken in by the city and the friends he makes and he continues his relationship with them even when he realizes he is being used. A quick read with an interesting plot and location. I can see this being a good pick for a book club because of the characters and their many flaws.
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Duane F. (Cape Girardeau, MO)
Snowdrops
I finished this book and have mulled it over and yet I still find myself unable to decide whether it was a hit or a miss. This is a story of the underbelly of Russian life It plays on your, emotions, pushes your buttons and left me puzzled as to what I wanted from it. It was hard to relate to any of the characters. This alone should have made me put it down, but it did not. From the start the Nick Platt, the lead character, lets us know that there is a deep secret he is going to try and explain and use to justify his actions. His motive seems suspect from the start. This is his confession. He then takes the reader on a ride of intrigue, lust, passion and betrayal.
It is fast paced and believable, yet I came away disappointed. I wanted stronger characters, a real hero... I wanted someone to measure up to my standards for fictional characters. Yet these characters seem like real people and behave like real people and have flaws like real people, just like me. They made selfish choices, deceived the vulnerable and took advantage of a system which set them up to fail rather than flourish... sounds like real life. Was it just a story based on what we believe could only happen in Russia or was it in fact a look too real at what happens to us when we only view the surface and act on immediate impulses?
Perhaps what this book really has to offer is a look at human nature stripped down its basic essence of what we want verses what we need.
What do we want from a book? This one left me with a chill as deep as the Russian cold, looking over my shoulder and looking deeper into the eyes of strangers. Having given us Nick's confession, the author has delivered up a tale with none of the usual suspects, much less the usual outcome.
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Jen S. (Marple Public Library, Broomall, PA)
A Dark Russian Thriller: Snowdrops by A.D. Miller
"Snowdrops" is a dark Russian thriller, with tricky characters I was never sure I could trust. Written in the first person, the narrator, Nick Platt is a British lawyer living in Moscow. His voice seems sincere, relating his Russian experiences to his fiance, but is his story believable, or is he just trying to justify his actions? There's a strong sense of foreboding right from the beginning, and it continues throughout the story, with failed financial dealings, broken families and missing neighbors. While I was able to predict the ending, I enjoyed the time I spent with Nick. "Snowdrops" will appeal to readers who enjoy business-thrillers with a European twist.
