Reading Jackdaws, like other Ken Follett titles I've read, is kind of like riding a moped. It's a lot of fun, but all the same you really don't want to be seen enjoying it. For me reading Follett is one of those guilty pleasures, where you know it isn't the best writing out there, the characters aren't particularly well developed, and in general the book isn't ground breaking or noteworthy in any way -- and yet you keep reading, because secretly it's kind of fun.
If you like WWII fiction with lots of action and don't mind stereotypical characters, then Follett's your man.

Excellent book!

Très bon

4,5
Follett MASTER

“Nome de Código Leoparda” é baseado em factos verídicos. A personagem de Flick foi construída a partir da história de Pearl Witherington membro do EOE (Executivo de Operações Especiais).
É um romance passado na II Guerra Mundial e aborda a força das mulheres e a importância que elas assumiram na vitória dos Aliados, mas esse estatuto nunca foi reconhecido oficialmente, porque pelo facto de serem mulheres nunca poderem ser condecoradas.

Found this book abandoned in my seat pocket during a flight. Solid book, but definitely meant for women. The whole thing about the main character is that she’s really pretty but also very capable of doing her job and being an independent woman. There were some sexy time scenes that felt weird to read in public. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: DO NOT READ IN PUBLIC. Especially if you’re a dude. I made the mistake of reading this on a bus and the only thing I was thinking was ‘please dear God nobody glance over and see what I’m reading’. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t pop a half stubby during the intimate scenes. The bus had a bathroom and I had to excuse myself multiple times on the bus journey to take care of it. Just playing, I’m not that disgusting.
However, I did have several instances of having to tuck my boner into my wasteband in public due to the contents of this book. You’re probably thinking that this guy is a weirdo because you are most likely a woman if you’re reading a review about this book, but trust me, this happens more than you think.
I’m not sure if all women read books like this, or if all women books feature this sort of content, but if so, you ladies make me sick. I’m giving myself a pass because I had no idea that this book would be of such nature. But like I said, I picked this up on a plane. Was the woman who left it planning on revving up her lady parts surrounded by a bunch of strangers on a plane? How often does this happen!? Imagine if I pulled out porn in the library. There would be an absolute fit thrown and I’d be plastered all over Instagram as creep of the month. Unbeknownst to me, the same ladies who would ridicule this behavior would turn their noses back into their books and read smut scenes like the ones featured in this book.
There were a ton of characters that at times were hard to keep track of and some weren’t super well developed. Although the book was exciting and fun to read, I won’t recommend this to friends as I felt feminine reading the book and I don’t want people to make assumptions about me. However, this was a solid book and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

The actual WWII espionage parts of the story were engaging and at times clever, but there is an unnecessary and unexpected amount of sexual energy that distracts from the war story. I had also hoped for more focus on the team of women that the book is about.

**4,5 estrelas**

A sua agilidade de escrita e a onda electrizante de suspense, deixam o nosso coração aos saltos e os pelos eriçados.

Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Thriller inspirado na Agente Secreta Pearl Witherington, membro executivo de Operações Especiais.

Homenagem a todas as mulheres espias, assim como a todas as outras que de alguma forma contribuíram para o fim da guerra.

Os horrores da tortura.
A morte, os assassínios, as condenações.
A miséria, física e da alma.
Uma missão. Uma corrida contra o tempo. Adrenalina. Decisões de vida ou de morte. Expondo a fragilidade e/ou a coragem exponencial.

Fica-se sem fôlego. Muito bom.

Nota: Apesar do reconhecido contributo de Pearl Witherington e de ter sido recomendada, não era atribuída a Cruz de Guerra a mulheres. Daí a desfaçatez de lhe concederem antes o título de membro civil da Ordem do Império Britânico, que declinou (e muito bem) dizendo “que não fizera nada civil”.
Que mundo este…

First off, I feel this is a 3.5 but I'm giving it 4, as some of the reviewers on here have been too harsh.

JACKDAWS takes the standard D-Day spy stories but twists it by focusing on the Historical female agents, or, as they were known, something of the unsung heroes.

This particular tale focuses on a female agent who is trying to knock down the phone lines of an SS HQ but needs to do it as cleaning ladies. So, after failing her first attempt, she heads back to the UK where she, and other govt officials, recruit several female agents for training.

All of these women are untrained and have to do a crash course in spycraft.

Thereafter, the next half of the book entails the women parachuting into France, some of them getting caught or killed and then moving in on the mission. Expect the usual "B" love story.

Story is very good in pacing, and, while some of the characters have the archetypal element, I felt he did a good job creating a diverse selection.

When he wrote EYE OF THE NEEDLE the market was less saturated with WWII stories. Now, they're all over the place, so, he has less of the market, the stories overlap more and expectations are higher for newer and newer stories.

This one is above average to good but not quite either in definition. If you want to read him for the first time, I'd recommend EYE OF THE NEEDLE.

OVERALL GRADE: B.

3.75

Very exciting story, had to put it down at times because the suspense was too much for me, but still only three stars because KF's sex scenes are just too much, and his Dickensian epilogues annoy the heck out of me (I guess I could just not read them).

The saying, "My heart raced", has never been truer than when I read this book.
The historical accuracy makes this a breathless read when you know the atrocities of the Nazi's were real, that they're not just a figment of the author's imagination. Thank goodness for the resistance. Thank goodness for the bravery of the men and the women of the resistance and the Allied Forces.
An incredible story of bravery and of love and of persecution.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, spy stories, war stories.