“The Spies of Warsaw,” by Alan Furst c. 2008 Read another Alan Furst book since I liked the one about pre-WWII France. I figured he’d picked a different historical era for this one, but no. This one is pre-WWII Poland, with those same Nazis plotting away. The main character is a very low-key and subdued French diplomat. I thought he was a minor character at first and that a swashbuckling hero like James Bond would be called upon later. But even though he has a bad leg (war injury) he manages to get into a couple nice affairs, one as a French spy and another as a lover. There is a lot of scenery and history sprinkled into these books. And, as with all spy thrillers, who can you trust? Lots of diplomatic dinners and the descriptions of the food from various countries will make you hungry. Lots of flowing champagne. But a spy can, at any time, end up in a basement with the Gestapo pulling his fingernails out. Live life while you may! It’s not gritty and violent but it does have its tense moments, SS guards on trains checking papers, that sort of thing. It’s the opposite of “The Inquisitor,” in tone. It’s not jarring and weird or about the psychosis of the main character. It’s almost like a diary. But it’s not boring. Recommended.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 21:16:39 +0000
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