Description
Leningrad, Russia,1968: When
Alexander’s father is assassinated by the KGB, he and his mother must flee if
they are to survive. The decision to board a container ship bound for America
or Britain comes down to one coin toss. Heads You Win deftly explores the
twists and turns of Alexander Karpenko’s life. Not since Kane & Abel
have readers been treated to such a triumph of inventive and epic storytelling.
Review: 5 Stars
Jeffrey Archer is called a master
story teller for a reason. His books are captivating and spellbinding. This one
is no exception. I enjoy thrillers and I usually don’t like to read historical
books or overly political books, but when it comes to Archer, the genre becomes
irrelevant and the story is all that matters. I have devoured every novel and
short story he’s ever published and never have I been disappointed. This book
held my attention from the first word and it was a very easy and enjoyable read.
Often in life we are faced with
choices, we take our pick and live our life. Sometimes we do look back and
wonder what if we picked differently. What would happen then, where would you
be today? This book gives you a taste of that. The story of Alexander Karpenko
starts in Russia, circumstances require him to escape from Russia and a coin
toss is to decide his future for him. At this point the story splits in to two,
Alexander becomes Sasha-headed to London and Alex- headed to New York. The
chapters alternate and depict Alexander’s life story resulting from both
outcomes of the coin toss. It’s almost like reading 2 books at once! I love
that both the stories move towards one goal and almost converge so to say, it
reinforces my belief that no matter what path you take in life you will
eventually reach your destined destination. The 2 stories are intriguing and
chalk out completely different paths for Alexander, yet whether you are
a humble honest politician or a successful rich businessman all that matters
in the end is your true calling.
The twist at the end of the book is
a master stroke. I’m not going to say much since I do not want to give the plot
twist away but I will say that this may not be the last we hear of Alexander
Karpenko. Heads or tail if you read this book you win for sure.
Archer has merged real life
incidents and politics so well with this fictional character that you begin to
wonder if this is fiction at all or a true story! His knowledge and grasp on
politics and his master story telling make an immensely satisfying read. The
narration makes you want to keep reading and get lost in the plot. This one is
another winner by Archer. Highly recommended!
Thank you St Martin’s Press and
Jeffrey Archer for giving me an Advanced Reader edition of this book.
