The Cellist

Very disappointing. I had to struggle through the pages hoping for 'some' action or thrill.But, it was FLAT all the way..

There was a time when I would read the author's every book. A time came when I got fed up, it was when he shifted his focus to terrorist violence, the Middle East...Black Widow did it. I now read his books strictly if the setting is to my liking. I read The English Spy, a superb take-off on Kim Philby, a Soviet Union's mole in MI6. And now the Cellist. Racy, a clever mix of facts and fiction, and all else has already been said about his style and a gripping narrative he generally comes up with.This book is gripping too. Russian kleptocracy and Swiss banking are the contexts. The book could have ended much earlier but Silva drags it and he confesses that.The author's note at the end makes the book worth the time invested.

Amazing plotline,feels like a racy movie when you read the novel.Detailed description.The book is a great read for those who have loved Jeffrey Archer or spy thrillers.

Extremely well written and one of the best for Gabriel Allon fans. A good blend of current events with fiction. Loved it

I have read all the Gabriel Allon books and have enjoyed them all.Unfortunately The Cellist descended into a party political broadcast for the Democrat Party. Why on earth was it necessary to bring American politics into the story. It did little to do with the plot and indeed detracted it.Cut it out Mr. Silva. I am pretty sure none of your readers wants to listen to your views on the state of American politics. If you want to write about that, do a non-fiction book.

It is very interesting. Keeps you engrossed🤗By far the best book of Daniel Silva that I have read😊

Earlier I used to enjoy the trillers written by author but after reading almost every Gabriel allon book, I must admit the books are nothing but same monotonous tale of Jewish glorification, how a small country with little resource is fighting wars outside it's territory, do not get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the idea but too much of anything ruins it, author seems hell bent on making angels Outta Jewish man Gabriel allon, usual targets involve muslims , islamic terrorist organisation and now Russians and as usual good guys are Israel and usa where our little friend is dictating terms , mesmerising women at 55 something. There is literally nothing new in this book as well, I donot think I will read another Daniel Silva again and for those who do read please keep his bias in mind

Nice one, guess I should read of his books…

Most of the reviewers condemning "The Cellist" are outraged by Silva's criticism of Trump (referred to only as "the president"); not much is said about the story itself. Personally, I was hooked by the narrative. The fictional character of the cellist takes center stage for the first three quarters of the book, and I couldn't stop reading until I knew how it all worked out. The emphasis is on the action, not character development, but there were a few surprisingly poignant moments as well as interesting tidbits about music, the art world and lavish locales. I was also intrigued by the descriptions of corrupt dealings in the world of international banking. Much of the plot involves RhineBank, a barely concealed reference to Deutsche Bank, and RhineBank's transgressions parallel those for which Deutsche Bank has been exposed and heavily fined. Reading this in 2023, I was also amused by one brief mention of a Russian "former hot dog salesman," an unmistakable reference to Yevgeny Prigozhin, who recently attempted a military coup against Putin (three years after the book was written).The final chapters veer off in a different direction and for me this was the least interesting part of "The Cellist." That's not because I was offended by Silva's politics; his depiction of Trump is quite accurate (refusing to accept the results of the 2020, etc.). This section just didn't interest me as much as the cellist's story and seemed like part of a different narrative. All in all, this is not the best book in the series, but it's still a good read.

As I had already read all the other books, I couldn't not read this one. Gabriel is a very interesting character

Kudos Daniel Silva. Twenty-one books in the Gabriel Allon series. One every year. Always a great read. Yes, he employs a proven formula, but he does it like a master at the top of his game. It is his outstanding ability to build his plots upon his observations and research, finely tuned to current affairs, what gives the improbable feats of Gabriel Allon their aura of veracity. On the tightrope-like balance between reality and fiction, Silva has always intertwined both sides seamlessly, including more than a few occasions when his writing has been prescient. Every year we know, that come mid-July, we have a rendezvous with this cast of recurring characters. One thing is new this year, though. Sprinkled along this latest book are a few unequivocal statements that might shock the right-side fringes of Silva’s fans. I welcomed them. In these polarized times, and with liberal democracy at stake, Allon and Silva are clear on where they stand.

After two not-so-good novels, Silva is back in form with this one. The plot is good, drives the narrative, and the characters are credible. Most of the usual suspects are there, but also a few new "bad guys." The writing is occasionally sophomoric, but this is not unexpected. Once it gets going, it is a "page-turner."

Reading this novel after Russia marched into Ukraine it gave me the chills. Another great read where fiction and reality are not that far away from each other.