I appreciate when an author uses the local language and phrases in their prose. I'm familiar with Yiddish and German, so I had no problem reading and understanding the translation in Shadow of Berlin. In previous novels, I've found it helpful when the author has woven the actual language and meaning together throughout the prose. There are authors who are able to write language changes seamlessly, so that reading the book is never disrupted. I can understand how some readers may have found the language flipping in Shadows in Berlin challenging to follow.