Heads You Win

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Second, this is ONE of my favorite authors as he never disappoints in writing about good and evil in politics as in life in general. As for the ending, well, I cannot spoil it for you because I am not sure what happened; I cannot tell you who lives and who dies although the final line reveals the identity of one character who has been alluded to throughout. It might be churlishness on my part, but I just did not see that coming. Perhaps Archer was being just a little more profound in trying to suggest we cannot escape our fate, that wherever the path of life takes us, the ultimate destination is pre-ordained – not, it has to be said, an original concept. 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. Part 5 where the characters get confused for each other when they visit each other's country was a nice touch. Gorbachev's USSR is painted pretty badly. This is a novel well worth reading. Lots of action combined with lots to think about. I did find it sometimes disconcerting to move from the protagonist’s life given one choice versus his life given the other choice. There were a couple of very short paragraphs towards the end of the book that seemed to undermine the basic premise of the story. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book.

As this unique story unfolds, both come to realize that to find their destiny they must face the past they left behind as Alexander in Russia. What I thought was gonna be mind blowing wasn't explored to completion and what I guess was the big surprise seemed like a non-ending (to me). The book really kept my interest and I really enjoyed it. I only gave 3 stars because the last chapters really confused me. Who was who? Is there a book two? Was Sasha and Alexander two different families or just the same person using two different names playing both sides of the coin? Keratin Complex’s revolutionary technology does not break the hair’s bonds, instead delivering the versatility of smoother, healthier-looking hair that can be styled wavy or straight as desired.

I don’t approve of nepotism,” said Alexander, as they strolled across the schoolyard and out onto the street.

Hardly surprising,” said Konstantin. “Otherwise he’d have no chance of joining the KGB, which is the natural habitat for that particular piece of pond life.” The Clifton Chronicles occupied my life for nearly a decade, and I had the idea for Heads You Win long before the Chronicles were finished, and so it felt the right time to write a stand-alone novel. Stories about immigrants are particularly important in a time when so many American nationalists seem to have forgotten that they are only Americans because their ancestors were once welcomed as immigrants. Too many Americans also forget the role that immigrants have played in fighting the nation’s wars. Jeffrey Archer provides a powerful reminder of those facts in Heads You Win, a unique novel that explores the two paths a Russian refugee’s life might have followed, depending on whether he boarded a ship bound for England or the United States. On the same side, yes,” said his father, “but only because they considered us the lesser of two evils.” Alexander gave this some thought as his father stood up. “Shall we have a game of chess while we’re waiting?” he asked. Alexander nodded. His favorite part of the day. “You set up the board while I go and wash my hands.”The concept is original - for this reader at least - although you could maybe think of the film Sliding Doors. The opening, set in Russia, describes the happy family life of a gifted boy whose father is brutally murdered by the KGB, for planning to set up a trade union contrary to the ideology of communist Russia at the time. This, and the brutal treatment of his mother, by an abusive army officer, result in the need for Alexander and his mother, Elena, to make a hasty exit from the native land which now threatens their lives. Arrangements are hurriedly made for them to be smuggled out, in a crate, on a freight ship and it is a toss of the coin which decides whether they climb into one bound for America or one bound for England. 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 Win and look forward to whats next from this author (or this series). The juxtaposition of the main characters with different lives in different countries over three decades was brilliant, interesting and engrossing. I charged through each section and then KAPOW that ending. Heads You Win is the incredible and thrilling novel by the master storyteller and bestselling author of the Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel, Jeffrey Archer.