M.L. Malcolm

This is the best yet from ML Malcolm! With the current Cuban diplomacy efforts in the news, it helps to go back what happened to the people of Cuba during the early 1960's and how life changed for them. Malcolm brings many aspects of social changes to bear during the time of the story from the Orphan Train Children that left Spain under Franco to end up living in Russia to how US companies were taken over and nationalized by Castro. And a love interest from America who befriends a young Cuban child. Love Love Love this book!… (mehr)

Heart of Deception is the sequel to M.L. Malcolm’s first book, Heart of Lies, which centers on the enigmatic Leo Hoffman. Malcolm picks up the story about three years later in 1942. Leo has agreed to spy for the Allies in exchange for American citizenship and a reunion with his young daughter, Maddy. With the outbreak of war in Europe, the Allies don’t seem eager to fulfill their end of the bargain. Even more upsetting, his letters to his daughter Maddy haven’t been getting through. When Maddy’s aunt turns up in New York, her life changes dramatically. She is introduced to wealth and the good life but is also poisoned against her father. All of these things conspire to create a prolonged estrangement between Leo and Maddy.

Heart of Deception follows the Hoffmans from 1942 to 1963. Leo becomes completely embroiled in the events of World War II and barely makes it out alive. Maddy has her share of adventures and heartbreak along the way. The lies Maddy is fed about her father are frustrating and lead her to make poor decisions. I was hoping against hope that Leo and Maddy would somehow reunite after the horrors they both endure.

Heart of Deception is just as rich in historical detail and emotion as Heart of Lies. Despite the fact that Leo and Maddy are both deeply flawed, I couldn’t help but root for them. If you enjoyed Heart of Lies, Deception will not disappoint. I’m not sure if this is the end of our journey with Leo and Maddy or not, but would be happy to continue my journey with the Hoffmans.

http://iubookgirl.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-heart-of-deception.html… (mehr)

3.5 stars, but it didn't quite live up to the first book for me. Still, I'm looking forward to the next book.I need to be clear here. I enjoyed reading this book. I just was hoping for more. I liked all of the aspects that I wanted more from. If I didn't like them, then I could have just written them off. So for every issue I have, keep that in mind.Part of the problem was that I couldn't figure out what kind of book it was, so I could set my expectations accordingly. I love books that bend genres, but they have to blow away my expectations for all areas they touch.The spy story is great for a subplot, but isn't enough to sustain the book. Given the description of the book, I expected it to be more about Leo, but his sections weren't what dominated the book, at least for me.The other characters were interesting, but there weren't enough of them with the depth for an all out family drama. Maddy was almost enough to carry the book for me. While I didn't always like her or her actions, she did make an intriguing character to follow. I'm conflicted over whether I felt she was justified in her behavior toward her father (given what she knew, not what I as the reader knew). I don't know if I ever quite bought into her grand love affair, particularly her lover's side of it. I do think that there was depth here I didn't quite latch on to; a comparison between her and her mother, and the difference in the way they handled a sudden, all consuming passion.The other characters weren't as well fleshed out, and the only one I liked at all was Maddy's old Katherine.The stories that made up the plot were good, but scattered. They didn't necessarily connect up in a way that compelled me to see this as a cohesive book.In the end, I think much of this book is a bridge between the first book in the series and the next one, which I believe is the last. I'm certainly looking forward to reading it, and hope that it redeems the issues I had here.… (mehr)

(I don't think this includes any true spoilers, but it wanders closer to that line than I usually do, since I really want to talk about how the book changes from beginning to end. I don't think that anything I say will change your enjoyment of the book, but as I'm usually very careful not to give away where a book goes, I thought I'd include a warning.)The book probably deserves higher than the 4 star rating I gave it. I read it in two sittings, and really enjoyed it, but I think I didn't fully give it the credit it deserves.This is a beautifully written book. This is one of the aspects that I didn't fully appreciate. I think that was a focus of this book, and I simply don't read books for the words, I use the words to deliver characters and a plot.It seemed to me that the book was two different stories. The first was an adventure, as Leo finds his way from Hungary to Shanghai, meeting the love of his life along the way. Leo's establishing himself in Shanghai (and the risks he takes to do so) belong to that part of the book.In this part of the story, the plot was compelling, as was the writing. The characters fell a little flat for me, particularly Martha. I don't believe in love at first sight, and Martha and Leo's relationship seemed to be based on her beauty and his charm. I wasn't sold on this supporting them as it did through the story. Overall, I think I should have found Leo more interesting than I did at that time.The second section of the book seemed to start when Leo settles in Shanghai. His adventures become more subtle as he takes on a new role in the local society. There is larger scale chaos from the was and politics of the era, and it certainly has an effect on the events of the novel, but it isn't the focus anymore.I liked Heart of Lies best when it focused on Leo's daughter Maddy. Here, the characters take precedence over the plot.Overall, I found this an interesting, intricate, well written book.Heart of Lies has quite a bit in common with [b:The Distant Land of My Father|144538|The Distant Land of My Father|Bo Caldwell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172164147s/144538.jpg|1296056] by [a:Bo Caldwell|83562|Bo Caldwell|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]. It's been 2 1/2 years since I read it, so the details are fuzzy in my mind, but I wondered if the characters in there knew the characters in Heart of Lies. It seems that the clever businessman, who could make money appear from nowhere, was a common type in Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s. They both had daughters they doted on but were willing to live apart from as well.The section focusing on Maddy also reminded me of another book, but one so long lost in the mists of memory as to be unrecognizable. It might be a Madeleine L'Engle book, but not one of her better known ones.… (mehr)