Book Review: Heads You Win

If you want to read an author who weaves a crafty web of intrigue and wraps his stories up with an unexpected twist, you definitely want to pick up a book (or short story) by Jeffrey Archer. I've reviewed countless other books by Archer and always enjoy the experience. Heads You Win has a similar feel to the Clifton Chronicles series. It is an epic tale, spanning a family's experiences through several decades of time, with plot twists and ever-increasing stakes. 

Plus, I'm a big fan of the premise of Heads You Win. I've enjoyed several other books/movies that explore the idea of how one action could lead to two separate lives. Sliding Doors handles the idea expertly and the ending is sweet and hopeful. The biggest challenge with stories portraying parallel lives is in keeping track of the divergent paths. Sliding Doors divided the tales by showing one character in short hair and the other in long hair. In this book, Archer uses two separate names.

In 1968 Leningrad, Alexander Karpenko awaits the verdict on his schooling path, unaware that his father's attempts to form a union will soon derail his life. After the KGB kill his father, and threaten his mother, Alex agrees to his uncle's plan to smuggle the two out of the country on one of two cargo ships. With the flip of a coin, fate will send them either on the boat bound for London or the boat bound for New York. Thus, the book begins a back-and-forth examination of the parallel lives possible. The reader is left to wonder, did they end up in America (Alex) or in England (Sasha)?

For most of the book, I felt sure I would end up highly-recommending this title. On each side of the equation, Karpenko faces tremendous odds and obstacles. Despite unusual success in his immigrant lives, he comes up against plenty of nefarious characters intent on destroying him. Chapters often end with dynamic cliff-hangers. Will he be framed for a crime he didn't commit? Will he win the election? Will he get the girl? Finally, will he recognize and follow the true calling of his life?

Sadly, my opinion of the book plummeted in the final section. I had to pick up the hard cover copy to follow the tale, as it became too confusing. I don't want to provide spoilers. Indeed, I recommend the story. It was thoroughly absorbing and the plot intensified repeatedly. But, I will warn you - you might not appreciate the ending. Billed as a stunner that will drop the jaws of even the most ardent Archer fans, the ending left me cold and a tiny bit resentful. After emotionally investing in the various lives of this loveable character, I just couldn't accept the twist that brought it all to an end. I wasn't amused. Who knows, though, you might think it a truly satisfying reveal. I don't argue against the shock-value; I simply argue that the shocker left me deflated and disappointed. Still, a great Archer read, just not my favorite.

Content caution: 📒 - language, sex, violence