Reviews

North From Rome by Helen MacInnes

readbooks10's review

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3.0

This novel by Helen MacInnes was not one of my favorites by her, but still enjoyable. Bill Lammiter is an American playwright visiting Rome who is preparing to leave after being jilted by his fiancee. He followed her to Rome, where he finds that she has become engaged to someone else - a rich Italian. Lammiter gets involved in helping another young woman, and it turns out she is connected with some people trying to bring down a group of communist drug smugglers - who happen to be connected with his former girlfriend's new love interest. This book was written in 1958.

jackiefranklee's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

So dated, characters are one dimensional. Plot is unwieldy and dense. Totally unsatisfying read in both style and construction. How she gets the plaudits she does is incomprehensible!

karinlib's review against another edition

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3.0

I thought I had read North From Rome before, back in High School, but I didn't remember anything of the plot or the characters. I may have only borrowed it from the library, but I doubt I read it.

Bill Lammiter, a Playwright, has followed his girlfriend to Rome, in the end breaking up with her. He has decided to leave Rome, when he hears a woman screaming outside his hotel window. He suddenly is involved in an international situation that he didn't bargain for.

3genres's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

attytheresa's review

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4.0

Held up wonderfully - I think I actually enjoyed it more than when I first read it! MacInnes still holds the attention, and there is a certain timelessness to her books.

bluefootball's review against another edition

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4.0

e-book

jodilynclayton's review against another edition

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2.0

I don't know why I bothered to read the whole book. So I could use it for my reading challenge I suppose. But really, the thing lumbered along tediously for pages and pages. I've read two decent MacInnes books and I guess I keep hoping to find another, but no dice.