This is Patrick Worrall's incredible debut, it is an intricate and complex historical espionage novel that primarily focuses on the perilous era of the Cold War in the 1960s, but goes back and forth in time, and includes a glimpse of the future in 2004 in Lithuania with the elderly 'Greta' relating events from her life to Indre Zukauskiene, and what a life it has been. Greta, not her real name, evolves into a powerful and ruthless resistance fighter in Lithuania during WW2, hiding out in the forests with 2 Jewish girls, Riva and Vita, setting out to avenge their killings by German Nazis. In the post-war years, she has been relentless in her pursuit and elimination of Nazis who have escaped justice, although they are not her only targets, in particular she is hunting an influential but elusive Russian target she failed to kill during the war. The story is set in various locations through time, including Lithuania, Russia, Germany, England (Cambridge and London) and Spain.

There are numerous threads and characters that slowly begin to connect with each other, but they may prove to be a challenge for readers to keep up with, so attention to detail is essential to understanding the various twists and events that unfold. Young Michael Fitzgerald secures a place at King's College, Cambridge, a talented chess player, he falls in love with a true chessmaster, the Russian Yulia Forsheva, at a London tournament. Her powerful mother, Anna's position become markedly more precarious when it is assumed that Yulia's father, Sergei, has defected. The difficult Romeo and Juliet relationship is facilitated by Vassily, an adept spymaster caught up in the divisions, intrigue, and machinations taking place within the Politburo, and the deadly European ambitions of Maxim Karpov. The connecting parts of the narrative conclude with a nail biting finale set in Valencia, can the horrors of a European catastrophe be averted?

I found this to be a terrific book, epic in nature, but it is not without its flaws, the constant jumps in time, may test readers to the point they give up on the story. That is such a shame as the timelines and the backstories and history of the many characters could have been organised more coherently and smoothly within the narrative. However, despite this, I was still impressed with Patrick Worrall's debut and his skills in pulling together what appear to be disparate elements of his novel which tragically echo our contemporary realities with Putin and the war in Ukraine. Of the many and distinctive characters that inhabit the pages of this historical fiction, I particularly liked the Russian Vassily who had fought in the Spanish Civil War and had made an enemy of the chief administrator, the deplorable Karpov. This will appeal to fans of European and Russian historical fiction, especially WW2 and the Cold War. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

The Partisan is certainly a novel for our time after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It's a complex story so I will leave the synopsis for others. Essentially it gives a lot of background information within the story about allegiances, loyalties, betrayals and animosities chiefly during and after WW2. I found it fascinating and hard hitting. It would have been a five star review from me but I am knocking a star off because I found it chronologically challenging with so many switches from one period to another. I am uncertain of what a Czechoslovakian UVF field radio system is other than a mistake which is repeated further along in the story. It should be either a Czechoslovakian VHF or UHF field radio system.

a cracking tale that stretches from WW2 t0 the 1960's. 3 young Latvian girls livng in the dense forests having fled first from the Russians then the Germans.
Twenty years on and an English schoolboy meets and is enchanted by a Russian chess champion one of whose KGB minders arranges for her to meet him away from prying eyes. The boys father is a shadowy figure high up in British Intelligence. The girls mother is a member of the Russian government.
Only one of the girls survives the war ,afterwards the survivor offers her services to Israeli Intelligence and proceeds to assassinate those on her list of collaborators those who gave up jews those who worked for the Germans and revelled in it those who spied for Russia anyone in fact who she felt had betrayed her country and her family and friends.
Meanwhile the two chess champions almost become victims of an abduction .a particularly sinister and depraved member of the government who is mixed up in a plot for Russia to launch a pre emptive strike on the west,has designs on our teenage chess champion and sees this as a way of both fulfilling his carnal desires but using her to exert pressure on her mother.
I have tried not to give away too many of the innumerable twists and turns as the author brings all the various strands neatly together and some characters get their just desserts in particularly satisfying ways.
The central character of the partisan was particularly well drawn and it was easy to see how her experiences had turned her into the person she grew up to be.
A exciting novel with interesting characters and plot . I enjoyed i a lot.

Fans of Robert Goddard and Robert Harris should love this story about the Cold war. It is a complex and emotional read in places, but it's worth sticking with it. Set mostly in 1961 the story jumps around two other time periods (without signposts) and it was confusing at times. I noticed some of the other reviewers could not get past this and that is a shame. It was a well written, well paced and enjoyable read. Recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley UL and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the advanced reader copy.

I have not been able to finish this book as I found it to be quite disjointed. However the subject matter is quite timely given that we are in the midst of the Ukraine conflict and I hope to revisit it again when I have more time to follow what is going on

Unfortunately The Partisan was a ‘DNF” for me as I was unable to get into the book or engage with any of the characters.

I found it difficult to decide what rating to give this book. On the one hand it was an interesting and complex story, particularly resonant during Ukraine crisis. The characters were well drawn and interesting. There was a wealth of information there. On the other hand I did not like the way the book jumped about in time. The time lines embrace different characters and certainly Greta whose timeline goes through the whole book is very important. My decision is based therefore on how much I enjoyed reading the book and for that reason I have only been able to give it three stars, loved the story disliked its presentation.

I wouldn’t know where to start in giving a short summary of what the book is about. I found it quite a complex plot for which you really did have to concentrate to follow. But that’s not a bad thing, it certainly kept me engrossed and I always wanted to pick up the book to see what happened next.

There are a lot of characters, and since the book skips back and forth between time periods at a moments notice it was sometimes a little confusing, but I honestly didn’t mind that as it kept me on my toes. Now and then a character will suddenly reappear who hasn’t been in the book for a while and some subtle nuance from back then will have an important meaning further along in the book, which unfortunately I would have forgotten which character it related to.

It is at times a difficult read in that there are scenes of torture and violence. I admit to skim reading some of these sections, just to get past them. Although obviously written before the war in Ukraine, it does reflect some of the atrocities we’re seeing in the news now.

Though this book is outside of my usual reading genres, I did enjoy it very much. The epilogue left me a little mystified, in that I didn’t understand what had happened with a couple of the characters and wish I could discuss that bit with someone who has read the book. Other than that, I enjoyed the complexity of it and it is certainly quite an emotional read in places. A genuine 5 star read for me and I would definitely read a further book from this author.

Although publication was clearly not planned to coincide with the brutal war between Russia and Ukraine, the long shadows of Soviet ruthlessness and brutality that we see spreading their darkness in present day Ukraine are an ever-present context for the events that play out in this complex novel that covers a broad sweep of the mid and late twentieth century and a few years into the present century. The characters are compelling and the various narrative strands are cleverly and imaginatively constructed. However, for this reader at least, the feeling left after a good few hours immersed in this book is of a new author’s ambition perhaps getting a little ahead of his developing skill. For one thing, it is simply too long; the author spares no effort in surrounding key passages with detailed context and a wealth of atmosphere, but the overall sense is one of not being able to see the spine of the fundamental plot for the mass of ambience and detail in the narrative. A much more thorough edit might have paid real dividends.
This is not to say that this was a disappointing read. Although the reader had to keep a firm eye on the shifting timescapes of the novel, and the intertwined strands of the plot as they shifted from the Second World War to events unfolding decades later, there was a fundamentally sound story running through the book. There remained only one unresolved issue for me and that was a nagging question over whether the reader was ‘hearing’ the author’s authentic voice, or his attempt to write in the style of some of the great authors of espionage thrillers.
Four stars may slightly flatter the book, but three stars would be too churlish; in the absence of half stars, four stars it is.
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The overall story based on cold war east/west I enjoyed but with characters and datelines involved in so many flashbacks / back stories it was like trying to read a book whilst jumping about on a pogo stick! Managing to follow Greta through this was worthwhile (and an achievement. Grateful for the ARC and opportunity to voice an honest opinion.

It's very rare that I do not finish a book. I had two or three attempts at The Partisan but finally conceded defeat after a third of the way through. Set in the time of the Cold War, a period I thought I was well read in, I found it confusing and disconnected which for me, made it difficult and not enjoyable. Sorry, I tried! I think it maybe unfair to rate a book 1* having not finished it so therefore 2*
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

A good story and wonderful characters but I did struggle at times to keep straight in my head who was working for whom, what the time period was and whereabouts in the timeline the various incidents fitted.
That is one of the downfalls of reading on a kindle as it is harder to flick back to the beginning of a section to check the date and orientate yourself in time.
Plenty of action, some fairly graphic atrocities and some outstanding characters but there was a lot that I felt muddied the waters and could have been dealt with more concisely without ruining (in fact perhaps improving) the flow of the story.

A blast of the past the cold war the aftermath of the Second World War this has it all, and survivors they survived the war can they survive the I've blast of the cold war.

I loved the intrigue and the way this Thriller flowed it had great characters and some twists as all good thrillers should and do. We have Great the surviver, Micheal a chess master but his girlfriend Yulia more a grand master i think, Yulia is Russian daughter of Russian Royalty in a Communist way, and Michael British the son of an Admiral of the British Navy. It's the age of the MGB, I assume they are pre KGB.. The story focus a large part on the in fighting of the Russians similar to most nations.

This is pre Putin and the horrendous acts of the times this novel is being released in. The main part of the action is set in 1961 but does visit the war and some other trips but it is an easy to follow action filled read that I can give it 5 stars and i think it could be your choice as well.

During the war Greta was a ruthless, teenage,partisan fighter in the forest in Lithuania. After the war she remained ruthless and pursued some of the unpunished war criminals, particularly those who had been in Lithuania during the war.. Now it is 1961 at the height of the cold war and two young chess prodigies, from London and Moscow respectively are about to meet at a tournament in London. Their meeting will contribute to a cascade of events which may enable Greta to achieve a final act of vengeance.
Well written, it is an action packed thriller and accurately conveys the fwervid flavour of the times.

I would have given this a higher score except I found it to be padded with unnecessary content.
The story is brilliant. The the love story between two people who couldn’t be further apart in their upbringing.
The chess playing Yulia, the daughter of a high ranking Russian Politician, and Public school boy Micheal.
Their clandestine meetings at chess tournaments in the 1960’s
Her KGB bodyguards attempting to keep tabs on her.
Greta the Lithuanian Nazi Hunter.
The way there paths start to cross
The ultimate end game
The story needed to be more concentrated and less rambling to get my full attention and I found myself putting it down but going back to it a few days later

I have read 30% of this book but I am completely disengaged with the characters and the story. The various time lines feel disconnected and I am afraid that I have no interest in reading further.
Very disappointing

This book was reviewed at the beginning of the Ukraine invasion. The Partisan echoes some of the war atrocities in the second world war – so opportune with the horrors in Ukraine on the news constantly. In The Partisan, Lithuania is the site of the Russian (and German) aggression towards its peoples and especially the Jews. The novel is primarily set in two time frames – the eastern front in the second world war and the cold war era. It is described as an epic novel. Unfortunately, too epic in my opinion! It could easily have been divided into two or more novels. The cast of characters is immense, and if you read chapters at a time, you are challenged to remember who is who and the relationships! For example, Karpov is pro-Stalin but many of his associates have different allegiances. The story is quite complex, and you need to be paying full attention.

Netgalley introduces the book as follows:

It is the summer of 1961 and the brutal Cold War between East and West is becoming ever more perilous.

Two young prodigies from either side of the Iron Curtain, Yulia and Michael, meet at a chess tournament in London. They don’t know it, but they are about to compete in the deadliest game ever played.

Shadowing them is Greta, a ruthless resistance fighter who grew up the hard way in the forests of Lithuania, but who is now hunting down some of the most dangerous men in the world.

Men who are also on the radar of Vassily, perhaps the Soviet Union’s greatest spymaster. A man of cunning and influence, Vassily was Yulia’s minder during her visit to the West, but even he could not foresee the consequences of her meeting Michael.

When the world is accelerating towards an inevitable and catastrophic conflict, what can just four people do to prevent it?

This is quite a dark, sinister and chilling novel – not for the faint-hearted. There are graphic details of atrocities, violence and torture. Karpov is just plain horrible – terrifying, a sexual deviant and treacherous. His character is so extreme that it becomes unbelievable. Another character who seems bizarre and lacks credibility is Michael’s father. He is an Admiral and leader of a UK spy team. Michael and his father have never understood each other and do not get on – fair enough. It stretches credibility when soon after leaving school his father’s cronies kidnap him and the Admiral leads the interrogation and torture. Really?

There are some interesting passages especially the chess tournaments and the ongoing shenanigans! Michael (British) and Yulia (Russian / Lithuanian) fall in love at the Chess tournament and tensions between East and West build as they try to arrange assignations in Berlin. Yulia has minders for the tournament so Michael needs to tread carefully. Vassily her friendly minder manipulates the situation so they meet surreptitiously!

The style of writing is strange in parts For example, “her eyes were a dramatic shade of green, with a hint of the Central Asian steppes in them”. And there’s more: “Michael leaned in so close to the girl that he could hear her eyelashes when she blinked”. Sure, spies may have supernatural powers but …

Unfortunately, long passages meander endlessly although other reviewers compliment the book as a page-turner! The book is recommended for lovers of Robert Harris and Charles Cumming – I wish! Patrick Worrall is a new author and would love to recommend him after all his research and hours of writing. Fortunately, there are others who admire his style. Lee Child says ‘Immersive, intriguing, and intelligent – incredibly impressive, up there with the best in the genre’. You cannot please everyone.

Set in 1961, this is a novel of twists and intrigue with a backdrop of the cold war. The story revolves around four main characters and how they all come to be linked together.
The summary given for the book made this sound like a fast paced exciting thriller but for me I found it rather a slow moving experience. Initially, the various characters, the storylines and the frequent time shifts were confusing. It took the first half of the book just to set up the scenario and establish the characters. I liked the character, Vassily, he was interesting and had some endearing features. Unfortunately the characters, Michael and Yulia, just came across as unlikeable and mostly unbelievable, whilst that of Greta lacked development. Overall, for me, the book wasn't as exciting and thrilling as I had hoped it would be.

Patrick Worrall's The Partisan is a highly-recommended, fast and twisting read spanning the 1940s and the 1960s in Britain, USSR, Germany, Lithuania, and Spain.

Michael, just out of high school and just-admitted to Oxford, is selected for a chess tournament in which a high-ranking USSR official's daughter, Yulia, is also competing. This sets up a problematic romance that plays out across the Iron Curtain. Yulia's father has apparently defected and her and Michael's romance is made use of by both sides of the Cold War to track down the defector.

A parallel story is told in which Greta, a Lithuanian freedom fighter/partisan who protected two Jewish friends by living in the Lithuanian forest as the Nazi occupation was replaced by the Soviet occupation. The story of how they first fled into the forest, avoided detection, and then went onto the attack was a compelling read and is a chapter of WW2 and the Cold war that isn't told often enough.

There is an interesting sub-story in which one of the USSR official recalls his time fighting in the Spanish Civil War, helping to set the scene for the book's climax.

Greta's life and missions since the end of WW2 involve tracking down ex-Nazis and exacting revenge for their war crimes. And revenge for the deaths of her two Jewsih friends, killed in the last days of WW2. Greta's primary target is now a high-ranking official in the USSR machine and so the two stories collide with deadly effect when Yulia and Michael meet in Spain in an effort to meet Yulia's father. Greta is also there to meet the last of her targets. The suspense builds to a crescendo in a cafe in Spain.

I enjoyed the book. It was well-paced, the characters felt real and their dialogue felt authentic. I'd have liked to have read more about chess strategies and how they can be/were converted into strategies for the characters' real lives. The book was well-written and so it easy to read and to keep track of the characters, their interactions and the various plot lines. Perhaps more could have been written to develop the settings. I certainly recommend the book to readers interested in intrigue, WW2/Cold War, and suspense.

Lingering notes: I read this during the first few days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with the obvious undertones of USSR reunification. As The Partisan is somewhat centred on the issue of the Soviets' 'mistreatment' of Lithuanians and also one person's mission to right the wrong of war crimes, I couldn't help thinking that these two plot lines would've been better told in separate books. Each story would've made an excellent read on its own. Combining them seemed contrived and unnecessarily complicated this one story. I still highly recommend it though.

This is an enjoyable read that had me on the edge of my seast. It was a gripping storyline that was well written with a good level of character development and I loved the various settings within the book. I literally couldnt out this book down, I really enjoyed it.