In a grand hotel near Lisbon we meet a wide variety of guests staying there during World War II; spies, nobility, refugees, Nazis, diplomats and displaced Jews while the local secret police keep a close eye on the country's neutrality. Some of these are based on historical characters and others are original creations. Tiago-Stankovic covers a huge amount of ground both historically and emotionally, handling his characters and their lives with compassion and delicacy, particularly young Gaby, and unaccompanied Jewish boy waiting for his parents to join him. Gaby is a wonderful character, finding and creating a new family from the guests while his own are absent. The writing is lively an poignant but doesn't ignore the dark and brutal sides of war.

Being a portuguese girl, and knowing Estoril quite well, I've found the synopsis of this book quite curious. It isn't true that foreigners don't write about another countries, especially when considering crucial times at History. And I think it's always interesting to look at our own culture and History when described by outsiders.

I didn't know the author until I came across his book. And I must confess one of the reasons I wanted to read it was the willing to find out what made this man write about a country that wasn't his, or even closer to his own nation.

Of course everybody knows there isn't any ulterior motives here, every writer wants to tell amazing stories and Estoril by 1940 was certainly one of the places to be or to write about.

Palacio Hotel started to be somehow so important in the plot that gained its own presence as a character. The lives of refugees, hotel' workers and the Hotel's Director were well described and could get any reader to be present there.

I also can tell you a interesting fact. I've started reading the book on the train. There is an excerpt on which the hotel is described, as well as how to get there. When I finished reading that segment, I looked up and my train was passing by Estoril, so I could look at the description as some recited on my mind or as augmented reality.

After some initial presentations and explanations about the context, we quickly started following the life of a man, a double agent, who stole the first role until then occupied by the hotel. While his character was well characterized, and I discovered later on the agent existed on real life, I didn't find him as interesting as the beginning of the book was promising. Even more because we lost a bit the narrative's continuity given until then to the Hotel and its habitants.

So I felt quite disappointed until I discovered the man was real (there are some illustrative photos on the book that show the reader who and how he was).

Even so, I couldn't get over the fact I found the speech related to this character a bit rusty and not quite interesting. What I really liked was the network created around him, that hid his flaws and made him shine. The other stories, real stories (some because they really happened at the time, other's because they were representative of the lives of many refugees from World War II who stayed in Portugal until being able to fly somewhere else, mostly USA), showed the reader what was the life in Cascais/ Lisbon during the World War II and also, how Portuguese government managed all operations that could compromise the country's neutrality. The agent from PVDE wasn't supposed to be funny, but I could get the characterization hints that made him a truly Portuguese, and we must know how to laugh about ourselves, so I've found some excerpts quite humoristic. I'm afraid they will not be so obvious for a non Portuguese reader.

It was also interesting to imagine and learn more about the lives of double agents, their tricks to communicate, the anxious of not knowing if they would be alive the next day and the pending threat in case of the slightest slip that would compromise their mission.

Mainly, I had fun reading this book, specifically recognising it's flaws but embracing them and accepting this as the story of a man, told by another man, and representing the stories of many others that contributed for their countries during the Great War. And the story of an Hotel, a temporary place, a workplace and a home - a refuge for all that ran from their fears and looked for the slightest hint of hope when the darkest time came.

For fans of novels set in hotels, particularly those who loved Anna Seghers Transit. Full review on my blog at Lizzy’s Literary Life. See link below.

Set in a luxurious hotel in Estoril in neutral Portugal during the Second World War, a motley collection of guests – ex-kings, spies, refugees, diplomats – take up residence whilst Portugal’s secret police look nervously on. Each guest has his reason to be there. Each guest is finding his path through these turbulent years. Some of them are real, some invented, and this mix of fact and fiction is cleverly, convincingly and seamlessly interwoven to great effect. The tone of the novel is light and often witty, with plenty of sub-plots which the author cleverly keeps in play, yet with the war always looming in the background to remind as that these are serious and dangerous times. It’s a slice of history, a snapshot of a particular time and place. Estoril was indeed at the heart of international diplomacy and espionage. Ex-King Carol of Romania, Ian Fleming, Antoine de St Exupery – so many famous names make an appearance and I found it fascinating following their stories. The narrative thread is held together by a young Jewish boy who arrives one day all alone, and who interacts with all the other guests, a satisfying device that helps anchor the novel. Original, unusual and expertly executed, this is an enormously enjoyable and compelling novel, informative and entertaining in equal measure.

Estoril felt like it had a lot of characters which made me sometimes struggle but this is such an unusual kind of war novel. It's not set in the usual WW settings but rather at the edge of the war in neutral Portugal. There're no soldiers here, no good vs evil battle but rather this is a complex novel of characters navigating their lives with all that distant uncertainty. There's a lot of humor but Stanković never lets you forget that something bad is happening.

This was a really interesting and unusual idea for an historical novel- it seems at first glance to be a spy novel, or a tale centred around a hotel, but in fact it has many more layers to it than that.
I enjoyed the setting of this novel, Estoril which is a town on the Portuguese Riviera. This is a WWII novel, although none of the novel features any actual fighting. As Portugal was neutral during the War, this offers a fascinating insight, and a nice twist on the usual WWII novels. I haven't read many novels that take this perspective on the War, and this is definitely an eye-catching aspect to this novel.
This novel reminds me a lot of The Grand Budapest Hotel movie. If you were a fan of the style and imagery and characters of that movie I would highly recommend this novel, as its very similar in those ways!
There is a huge ensemble of characters feature in this novel, most of whom appear and reappear throughout. I loved reading about some of the characters, the little boy Gaby was one of my favourites. However, there's a particular problem with this great number of characters in my mind, and that's the overwhelming nature of such a number. The mix of historical figures and fictional characters makes for an interesting read, but I felt that there were too many characters, some of whom only appeared for a few pages and then disappeared for long lengths of the novel, was a tad confusing to keep up with. Another problem I had with the characters was specifically the character of Dusko. I actually really liked reading about him, but he had so many code names and pseudonyms that weren't clearly described, that I ended up getting quite confused about which character I was reading about, which I found really irritating, and it definitely reduced my enjoyment of the book.
Another issue which reduced my enjoyment of this novel was more a formatting issue. I'm not sure if it was just the way my eARC was formatted, or if it's like this in every copy, but the chapter breaks were not clearly defined, so it was very difficult to see where the chapter was ending, and as a result it was very difficult to see when the POV changed and the narrator shifted. This was another aspect that made the novel a little difficult to read, and definitely disrupted the flow while reading it.

‘His name is Fleming. Ian Fleming.’

A grand hotel near Lisbon is the setting for this wry novel about stateless refugees and exiles during the Second World War. The reader meets the hotel staff, gets to know the long term residents, experiences the foibles of the rich and famous guests in a series of vignettes which although episodic link the characters over the six years of the war.

The style is light and gently witty, even if the subject matter has tones of underlying loss, even tragedy. A young Jewish boy, separated from his parents, provides a constant in the ever changing population of the hotel. Real people, King Carol of Romania, Ian Fleming, author of James Bond novels, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor mix with the fictional. The effect is fascinating, if not exactly gripping; there is a flavour of ‘A gentleman in Moscow’ and ‘Hotel Budapest’, but the author has a genuinely individual voice and this is a charming, thoughtful and appealing novel.

A gripping novel which is a perfect blend of historical fiction and thriller. It was anything you wanted it to be - a light story or, if you choose to dig deeper, a story with more complex narrative. I found it fascinating that the inspiration was drawn from real people and real events

Estoril is described as a “war novel” but it so much more than that.

Estoril is quite an unusual novel in the way that it’s written. Although most definitely historical fiction at times it reads like a spy thriller.

It reads also quite simply, however it is a complex novel with many hidden layers and should not be underestimated.

Portugal is the home of Estoril, the name of the town rather then the hotel. During World War Two the town was a hotbed of espionage activity, as well as a hiding place for many war refugees.

The hotel Palacio houses an exotic mixture of all of these and more. Mr Black, hotel manager has the ultimate responsibility for the guests and their safety. And what a responsibility that is!

Estoril houses a curious blend of fictional and real historical figures, all with one common goal. For the war to be over as quickly as possible and lives to ge back to normal.

Estoril is difficult to describe further without giving anything away. It is a great novel and an interesting read.

My interest in this book turned out to lie in the real people and events that prompted the author’s fictionalised account. I hadn’t appreciated the fascinating time and place that was Estoril during WWII and I calculate that I spent at least as much time following his leads across the internet as I did actually turning the pages of his novel. I found the ways he linked the characters (usually through the young Jewish boy, Gaby, travelling alone and always receptive to new friends) a little clunky sometimes but that is only a very minor niggle in an overall enjoyable read. I particularly appreciated being reminded of ‘The Little Prince’ and was much taken with the author’s portrayal of Antoine de Saint-Exupery - certainly my favourite of the visitors to Estoril presented here. All that remains for me now to complete the experience is to book a room at the Palacio Estoril to see how it compares with the vision in my mind’s eye - I understand it is little changed from its heyday in the 1940s.

The premise really grabbed me and i went into the novel with really high expectations and felt myself slightly disappointed with how it was going. I liked how the cast of characters was introduced and was interested in how they all fit together. I made it through about 40% of the book and i ended up stop reading it as i just could not push myself to carry on. I liked how the author used description and built the world around the hotel and i think that was one positive aspect of it.

I was looking forward to this novel. I was attracted to it immediately after I read the synopsis and was sure I would love it. I enjoyed it but not as much as I wanted.

The novel is set in Portugal during the WWII. For the ones who did not know, such as me, Portugal was neutral in the Great War which led to a numerous influx of refugees of all sorts. In this novel we will get to see glimpses from the life of Hotel Palacio Estoril’s visitors. Its hallways were inhabited by the rich and famous who had to escape their countries, spies of different orientation, diplomats, famous artists. All these characters are connected through the personality of the hotel and a little Jewish boy who waits for his family and befriends or at least converse with most of the fleeing characters. I enjoyed that we get to meet real historical personalities such as the Polish pianist Jan Paderewski, Ian Fleming, French writer and flyer Antoine de St Exupery. Two of the characters interested me directly as they were the ex. king of Romania, Carol II and his mistress Elena Lupescu. Although he is not a personality too much loved in our country, it was interesting to read about him. It was emotional to be reminded of the Romanian crown which was made from the iron of a cannon captured in battle. The crown is well printed in our recent memory as our last king Mihai, the son of Carol II, recently died and the whole country mourned and many of us were on the streets to guide him on his last journey. The crown accompanied the king and the funeral procession.

The novel is structured as a series of mingled stories of different colorful historical figures and invented characters about the reason of their exile, their hopes for the future, their role in the war and the everyday life on the Portuguese Riviera. The tone is light hearted, many times entertaining, but in the same time it does not allow us to forget about the horrors of the War.

Portugal is an often forgotten European country. This quirky book sets the scene perfectly in the troubled times of war. People from different countries and backgrounds come together to tell their stories. I enjoyed this book immensely set in a country I love but few write about.
Many thanks to Head of Zeus and NetGalley. Can we have more about this beautiful country.

This is wonderful historical fiction set in a supposedly neutral Portugal, at the Grand Hotel Estoril during WW2. It captures significant aspects of the war, the huge numbers rendered stateless, a tide of refugees, from Jews to those from the splintering Balkans, members of the aristocracy and Royalty such as King Carol of Romania who has renounced his throne because of his mistress, Elena. The author blends actual historical figures with fictional characters. The hotel is a positive nest of spies, from numerous national intelligence agencies, with Inspector Carduso, a member of the Portuguese political police, the PVDE, tasked with keeping a close eye on the comings and goings of those who stay and ensure none of the foreigners infect locals with dangerous ideas such as democracy, freedom, or workers rights. The narrative is full of comic humour, focusing on what it is to live in exile, the fears, the tensions, and the need to begin again in a new place. There are political shifts as the war progresses with Salazar ostensibly keeping Portugal neutral but supporting the Nazi war effort by actions such as supplying Tungsten to Germany, but stopping when it becomes clear who the likely victors are.

Much of the story focuses on 10 year old Gaby, a Hasidic Jew, who arrives alone expecting his parents to join him later. Gaby brings enough wealth in a variety of forms that ensures he is able to spend the remaining war years at the hotel, playing a pivotal role for a number of guests such as King Carol, and those employed at the Estoril who become his makeshift family, keen to look after him. Gaby is intelligent, wise beyond his years, curious about the world and people, emotionally supported when he acquires a puppy, Fennec. Only the rich and famous can afford to stay at the Estoril, but there are ears and eyes everywhere with listening devices and spies. There are people with multiple identities and roles, double and triple agents, and communications in codes. The Germans and the allies are desperate to gain intelligence that might help them swing the war their way. An era is captured, with all its turbulence, of a time and place where guests visit casinos, bars and brothels, amidst the background of war, families split apart, tragedies and seismic political shifts in Europe.

The author weaves a compelling story, that shifts from person to person, from scenario to scenario, keeping the reader engaged with ease. Many of the tales are colourful, vibrant, poignant, and delivered with an undeniable streak of humour throughout. Much of the true brutality of what occurred is often more hinted at than explicitly revealed. At the heart of it all is a young boy, Gaby, forced to grow up before his time, separated from his beloved parents, and there is no guarantee they will survive the war. This is a fantastic character driven historical fiction set in a hotel which sets the scene for us to glimpse the lives of so many and the situations they find themselves in. An entertaining, informative, gripping and engrossing read which I recommend! Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.
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Thanks Head of Zeus and netgalley for this ARC.

Just the right tone, breath, and feel for a quasi-spy, family of survivors, and just plain fun novel to read

Famed for its beautiful sandy beaches, Estoril is a fashionable Portuguese beach resort on the Iberian Peninsula. During the Second World War its authoritarian, pro-fascist regime elected to remain neutral, but continued to trade with the Allies and Nazi Germany, making this picturesque area a haven for refugees.

Based on true events, Dejan Tiago-Stanković’s comedic novel is set in the town’s imposing Palácio Estoril Hotel, which is just west of Lisbon on the Portuguese Riviera. It was built in 1930 and, aesthetically, it has changed little in the intervening years. A great many displaced people stayed here in luxury between 1940 and 1945, among them secret agents, diplomats, stateless Jews, novelists, wealthy Yugoslavs and any number outcast aristocrats and royals in exile. In consequence, the region became known as the ‘Coast of Kings’.

Estoril: A War Novel is a hotchpotch of invented characters and historical figures – the latter including the likes of Ian Fleming and Antoine De St Exupery – all observed from a discreet distance by the Portuguese secret police who are keen to prevent espionage less it compromise their country’s official impartiality. Among the many staff, residents and mysterious persons loitering in the lobby are the Palácio’s busy manager, Mr. Black; nine-year-old Gaby, a Hassidic Jew, travelling alone and waiting for his parents to follow; Senhor Cardoso, a senior inspector and head of Estoril Unit of the PVDE (the political police); Mr. Paderewski, the once musically gifted and now former Prime Minister of Poland; Ivan, the double agent; and oh so many more. From concierge to cook, everyone has a tale to tell.

The author was born in the former Yugoslavia in 1965 and became an illegal immigrant in London during the ’90s, unable to return home for the duration of the Balkan conflict. He writes in the author’s preamble that he well knows “how war feels, even when you are out of danger.” The novel has at its heart his own-experience of exile.

Estoril is all but impossible to summarize in one pithy sentence, falling as it does into so many genres: humour, historic fiction, war, etc. The best I can come up with is that it’s a combination between a James Bond setting, an old Ealing comedy; a scene from The Grand Budapest Hotel; a Tom Sharpe novel without the crudity; and an episode of ‘Allo ‘Allo. Helpful at all?

Very well, since you insist: it’s a light and amusing spy story set in the golden age of the Riviera Portuguesa!

Thanks Head of Zeus and netgalley for this ARC.

Just the right tone, breath, and feel for a quasi-spy, family of survivors, and just plain fun novel to read

I was very keen to read this novel, as the coastline between Lisbon and Sintra is my favourite place for holidays, where the abandoned or ruined villas around Estoril seem so out of keeping with a thriving resort – and which form a testimony to the novel’s setting. This era of Portuguese history has fascinated me ever since reading ‘Night Train to Lisbon’, although the version of the period portrayed here is more light-hearted and whimsical, recalling the style of Wes Anderson’s ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’. The motley collection of guests at the hotel - some real, some imagined – provide an intriguing cast of characters to illustrate the divisions of society at the outbreak of the Second World War, where asylum seekers of all kinds and countries flocked to escape the Nazi threat.