This was a fun read. It piqued my curiosity about Dr. Zhivago and the 20th century history of Russia/USSR. Plus, who doesn't love espionage and women spies?

Even so, the REAL fun in this book was the 50% set in DC. Anyone who lives here or knows Washington well will enjoy seeing so much of it in the book. From the apartment over a bakery in Georgetown, to a night cruise on the Potomac, to drinks at the Mayflower, to State Department offices over in Foggy Bottom, to drop-offs at the Cathedral and Meridian Hill Park... this book makes it fun to imagine some well-known Washington haunts back in the 50s.

Oh. And there are also two threads of "forbidden love" in this book, but the author does such a good job focusing on the other bits that they almost feel like after thoughts. I'm only giving it three stars because some of the parts set in the USSR drag, and some of the other parts don't provide full resolution.