Rebecca West
1966
Around 450 pages
It's a bit surprising that Rebecca West wrote a spy thriller. She did a great job with a genre outside of her wheelhouse, and the woman can write insults like there's no tomorrow. Here was my favorite from this novel: "You're idiotic like an idiot in Gogol. You're such a fool that you achieve a certain eminence by being such a supreme example of your type." Yeah, she could definitely make me cry.
Laura Rowan's parents have a strained relationship. Her Russian mother wants to go to France with Laura to meet her elderly father. Laura's grandfather was a senior government official and suddenly we are in a political story based on the Azef affair. If you are an American like me and have no idea what that was, here's a quick rundown. A Russian revolutionary terrorist group was led by a Tsarist secret agent who in order to maintain his cover organized the assassination of minor members of the Tsar's family and leading figures in government. Don't worry, the Russian government was okay with it.
The real version of this story is complicated and sounds made up, so naturally it makes for a pretty good novel. It did drag in places (that conversation on the train lasted way too long), but overall, it was educational and entertaining. Perfect for my little nerd heart.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Cicily Fairfield took the pseudonym "Rebecca West" from the rebellious young heroine in Rosmersholm by Henrik Ibsen.
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