In the interest of full disclosure, I have been a fan of Jeffrey Archer's since I found Kane and Abel in the clearance bin at my local used book store. I was urged by my insanely smart brother to pick a book by its cover and so... that's what I chose. Suffice it to say, I was hooked to Archer's uncomplicated style of writing. His delivery can be described as hearing a story from that human fixture in your local bar or fellow commuter. He writes as if he's telling a story that might be a tad predictable at times, but is entertaining all the time.
Heads You Win is no exception. We have the story of a Russian family that needs to escape from the communist regime in the late sixties after the death of their patriarch who stood in opposition to the KGB. Early on, we're introduced to Alexander Karpenko who's brilliant. After his father's assassination, his hopes of excelling in Russia come to an abrupt halt. He and his mother are forced to flee Russia. But to where? The flip of a coin determines whether they will journey to England or New York.
And that's all I have to say about that (insert Forrest Gump voice here- fittingly he was the type of storyteller I profess Archer of being).
Now, let's be clear, Jeffrey Archer, and his sagas, are pure fun. When I requested this book from Netgalley it was because I knew that I was in for a good time. I'm closing in on my final months in school and the last thing I wanted was to be weighed down with some heavy, philosophical read. I wanted what Archer delivers. He delivers a good, exceptional guy, up against a seemingly endless supply of people trying to take him down. Although he triumphs (usually), it doesn't make the ride any less interesting. Archer proves time and time again with his works that good will always win.
Sure his villains are a little one-dimensional, mainly motivated by greed, but I don't care. Show me a villain who isn't. And greed comes in many forms. There are people in here that would go penniless just to see someone else's demise. And yes! There are a lot of moments in this story where the mystery could have been savored just a tad bit longer, but hey... Archer understands we have things to do and lives to get on with.
I can go on about the gripes book snobs might find but what's the point? Heads You Win is a great addition to the Archer profile and his loyal fans will enjoy it all the same. If you feel that I've been a little too vague with this review, it's for good reason. There is a dual story that's happening here that deserves to be unfolded by each reader as I had the privilege of doing.
So... in conclusion... Jeffrey Archer's Heads You Win is definitely a worthwhile read... and possibly the beginning of something else... Anyway... I enjoyed reading Heads You Winand look forward to whats next from this author (or this series). ****
Copy provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley
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