City of Shadows
Ariana Franklin
Reviewed by Alexis Thompson
Esther
Solonomova, through chance, circumstance, and grit, was a survivor. By
1922 she'd escaped from the Russian Revolution, the subsequent pogrom
by the Bolshevics in Russia, and made a new life for herself in Berlin.
Young, strong, and intelligent, she found work as a translator and
office employee for the self-styled Prince Nick, a man whose night
clubs and shady businesses were the toast of an otherwise desperate
town. What Prince Nick wanted, Prince Nick got, and unfortunately for
Esther, what he wanted now was her unquestioning compliance in one of
his craziest schemes yet....
Tucked away in an asylum on the
outskirts of town was a mysteriously anonymous young woman who'd been
generating whispers. Prince Nick's new plan was to pass her off as none
other than the Grand Duchess Anastasia, murdered daughter of the Czar
of Russia. He'd be the one to take credit for restoring her to her
former glory -- and her fortune -- just as soon as a reluctant Esther
could coach "Anastasia" into being indistinguishable from the real
thing. Instead of forgetting the past, Esther found herself having to
recreate it. But one question burned in her mind. If the real Anastasia
was dead, as surely she must be, then why was someone trying so hard to
kill them?
Ariana Franklin has chosen some fascinating
characters around whom to build her story, but the real strength of
this novel lies within the historical details. The mood, the people,
and the very flavor of Berlin in the 1920's and 1930's is made tangible
through Franklin's descriptions. The storyline can get a bit long
through the middle of the book, but readers looking for a clear window
into an otherwise shadowy time will find much to capture their
attention here. The corruption, despair, and economic crisis that paved
the way for the rise of Hitler and Germany's descent into war prove to
be no small obstacles to solving mysteries. Who is this mysterious
young woman? And who wants to kill her? The history, the mystery, and
the build-up to a shocker of an ending will leave readers
well-satisfied with Franklin's work.
AND
Reviewed by Barb Radmore
The City of Shadows
reexamines the myth that Anastasia, one of the daughters of the Tsar of
Russia,
survived the extermination of her family. Prince Nick, a fraud himself,
hears rumors
that she is a resident at the local insane asylum outside of Berlin.
He and his secretary Esther take custody of her when she is expelled
from the
hospital. Nick has his own greedy need to believe she is the royal
descendant
however Esther is very doubtful.
Esther has her own demons to battle. Her heavily scarred
face and Jewish name limit her choices as the Nazis gain more and more
power. A
victim already from the pogrom in Russia,
she is now fighting to save Anna Anderson/ Anastasia from the faceless
pursuer.
As those close to her are each savagely murdered she finds she must
work
closely with the sympathetic police detective Schmidt. Esther and
Schmidt must
solve the question of Anna’s true identity to ensure, not only that the
monster
will not kill again but also will be brought to justice.
But describing City of Shadows
as a thriller does not explain the true strength of the book. It is the
descriptions such as those of depression weary Germans toting baskets
of
worthless money as they try to find food that give this novel its
power. It
provides graphic insight into the misery of Germany
after WWI that was able to give rise to the horror of Hitler. The novel progresses in time from 1922 to 1932
so it is able to cover the time period in great detail. The ability to
portray
the depression, starvation and need that bred such hatred and greed
among many
of the German people is Franklin’s
gift to the reader. It is no surprise that Ariana Franklin’s back
ground is
that of a historical fiction writer. This is her first book written
under the
name of Franklin.
Author's
Website
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