Another winner by Ken Follett! It takes a great writer to put history, suspense, psychological, and some romance into one book, and Follett is one of those great writers!

The Man From St. Petersburg takes place in London, England in the early 1900's right before the start of the First World War. A mysterious man named Feliks travels to London to kill a man and change history. But when plotting the demise he comes face to face with a woman he had an affair with years ago, who is now the wife of a powerful English lord who is meeting with Feliks's target.

The story also had many Historical facts, one being when women were not allowed to vote. Towards the end I was up past my bedtime waiting to see what would happen next! The character of Feliks was very interesting, I was expecting him to be a cold-hearted killer but after getting to know him, I considered him a cross between James Bond and Darth Vader. There were times when he'd show his good side, and times when he's show his evil side.

Exciting thriller! Awesome book!

4.5
Es el primer libro que leo del autor y me gustó.
.
Una historia amena, sobre una familia acomodada que debe enfrentar un pasado sombrío. Al mismo tiempo los personajes tienen diferentes posiciones sobre socialismo, anarquismo y la lucha del sufragio femenino. El eje principal es la intriga política y como hay quienes están dispuestos en perder su propia vida con tal de que se alcance aquello en lo que creen.
.
Mi personaje favorito fue Carlotte Walden, una joven que fue criada en una burbuja de cristal, es muy inocente con las situaciones que se viven en el mundo y no ve la malicia en los demás, pero que cuando empieza a darse cuenta de la crueldad de la sociedad desafía a sus padres. Y aunque su final parece no ser feliz, vivió situaciones que me hacen pensar que su pensamiento madura y se convierte en una buena mujer.
.
En algunos momentos la trama es predecible, pero de igual manera se convierte en una novela interesante y entretenida.

I love Follett! And this is another of his book I devoured. History and fiction, past and present, war and peace, love and hatred, betrayal and support all are there to catch the reader in a network of feeling.
You have balls and fights in the same story. Real historical figures come to teach you a bit of history or just to make you wonder: what if...
And you may have an idea about how some people - just a few - make history (and not in a good way!!!)

Me pareció una novela de términos medios, en ocasiones entretenida en otras un poco lenta, pero en general es una historia que logró mantenerme atento de principio a fin, siempre me han llamado los libros sobre las grandes guerras, el saber como se llegó a estas y en general todo lo que lleva a la concepción de estas me ha parecido fascinante. Aqui vemos por un lado la estrategia de varios países involucrados en la gran guerra y por otro lado la historia de la lucha de las sufraguistas por parte de Charlotte que me pareció un poco mal llevada pero que mantuvo mi atención, en general un libro que disfrute bastante

My first Ken Follett read! I finished this in my second sitting. I forgot why I stopped reading this the first time.

Great book. I loved how Follett wrote the ending, summarising what happened to the characters. And I can picture one character's melancholy, possibly because of the same character's short-sidedness.

This book reads like a Russian classic and thriller and is a philosophical work about the ideas of Anarchism and Suffragettism in 1914. It is about a tragedy of aristocracy and raging hormones.

I have some issues with Charlotte and Feliks. I want to believe in them, but I can't help that they are equally incompetent and responsible for this drama and how their lives unfolded. Charlotte is naive about the world around her. But when she finds out that her life is too good to be true and her Papa and Mama, aristocrats and, by definition: 'evil' people because of their social rank, willingly send one of their maids away because of getting pregnant (frowned upon back in the day), does it account for her behaviour than on, even though her Papa promised to help the said maid? Again, she's naive. And Feliks, anarchism is supposed to bring a Utopian society. But should that dream come at the cost of a bullet?

Bible verse: 'There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.' Words to live by, I suppose.

Bravo.

Have you ever found yourself rooting for an assassin? Well, fasten your seatbelts.

Follett has created a wonderful character in Feliks. He’s a lover of Alexander Pushkin’s literature, lover of culture, art and history – as well as a fabulous lover in bed – he bleeds passion for his love and for his cause. But Feliks is also a hardened criminal. Often misunderstood. Shipped to Siberia and tortured all because he fell in love with a girl of a higher social status.

Follett sets this tumultuous novel as Europe is on the brink of WWI – The summer of 1914. Germany had already been preparing for war, both to the east and to the west. Defeat or victory appears to lie within the hands of the Russians. The Russians sends the Czar’s nephew, Prince Orlov, to England to investigate and negotiate a treaty in secrecy.

But group of anarchist, with spies in the Russian Secret Police, find out about Prince Orlov’s secret meeting. The anarchists feel the Czar is trying to drag innocent Russian peasants into fighting a war they neither care about, nor believe in.

So to prevent disaster, the anarchists send the infamous Feliks Kschessinsky to assassinate Prince Orlov. But when Feliks arrives to England, he finds secrets from his past that threaten to get in the way of his mission.

As the lies, deceit, betrayal, adultery, abound, you will be given a front-row seat to the decisions that unleashed WW1 and a look into the lives of the people whom made those decision.

There were other characters there weren’t as fleshed out, namely, Prince Orlov, the man who Feliks is trying to assassinate. If I knew more about Orlov, his fate would have mattered to me more – but since I know nothing about him, except that he’s the Czar’s nephew, I could care less about what happens to him. That was the only minor flaw I found with the book.

So while the novel was MASTERFULLY plotted, wonderfully paced, the writing did become a bit dense and dry at times. But that’s just nitpicking.

Feliks Kschessinsky is a Great Romantic Russian Hero that you may remember long after reading The Man from St. Petersburg.

"The ultimate truth about oppression: that it works by turning its victims against each other instead of against their oppressors."

Great story, as always.

Ken Follett doesn't miss!! Another great read 5/5.

I’ve only read one Ken Follet book prior to this and I think I will go back for more. To me this was historical fiction at its best. Set in 1914 it uses the negotiations between the British and the Russians to ‘buy’ allegiances as WW1 appears imminent as its backdrop. The characters used are excellent - Lord Walden who has married Lydia of Russian descent is dragged in by Winston Churchill to negotiate with Prince Orlov - Lydias nephew - on behalf of the British . Jeopardizing it all is Felix the anarchasist “the Man from St Petersburgh” and Lord and Lady Walden’s 18yo daughter Charlotte who finds herself going from knowing nothing of the true way of the world to being caught up in politics and the suffragette movement. There is an excellent ‘surprising’ relationship at play that really allows some suspense and drama to be built up. The pace and length of the book is perfect and it all comes to quite a tumultuous ending. Another review I read described it as a “swashbuckling” story without pirates and I tend to agree. Really enjoyable.

Ken Follet is such a strong author that most of what he touches turns to gold, and I wasn't disappointed by this book one bit. This is a historical novel, and although I feel I know quite a bit of World War I history, I learned a lot reading this book which is set just prior to the outbreak of war. In particular the suffragette movement in the U.K. is one of the themes in this book that shines through.
However this is a spy story, the story of a family, the story of people who are irresistibly drawn to each other, and the force of Ken Follet's writing is never dim. The plot moves forward with vigor, never leaving feeling behind.
There is too, a mastery of mystery where throughout the book right up until the end, mysteries are held and revealed in a satisfying way.
I'm often fascinated by books set primarily in England and this was no exception. Not a new book, but a very enjoyable read, and easy going.

Love this book very much, but the ending...damn I wasn't expecting, i thought it would be go through the other way, that's why i just gave 4 stars rather than 5.

When a anarchist and a milady falls in love... there were consequences, in terrible way, she ends up be forced to a marry with a lord to "save" her lover from being beaten to death. The outcome of their forbidden love further the years, will give a big and unexpected twist in the story. Very good novel of Ken Follett, specially I recommend if you like historic fiction with a thriller taste. I always like Follett's book, gives a sensation that we should be there to witness and "dive" in each story he presents. 4 ⭐️

I have read many of Follett’s books over the years, he is a favorite. This is one of his earlier books. Most of my reading has been from books published after 1990. This one is a little over 40 years old and is still an excellent read. A perfect example of why Follett is a favorite.

An easy recommendation. You discover most of the plot and character backgrounds fairly early, but Follett still keeps the reader in suspense.