... absorbing ... This complexly plotted, fact-based tale filled with shadowy characters and unlikely coincidences is an altogether engaging piece of literary historical fiction.
The author is a descendant of the historical Dr. B., and the novel follows the facts of his life and incorporates historical characters into a very accomplished and appealing portrait of Stockholm. Told in leisurely detail and sometimes perhaps a bit too discursive, the book may be short of action for some, but those who persist will be rewarded ... A moving evocation of a life beset by conflicts in a troubled time.
... illuminating ... Birnbaum skillfully delineates the social and political tensions shaping a culture caught between the national interests of Germany and Russia, and he poignantly conveys the plight of individuals for whom each day is a potential tragedy waiting to happen. This auspicious debut makes for an appealing drama.
