The complexity of the story was a little overwhelming
- Book: The Exile
- Location: Eastern Europe, Europe
- Author: Patrick Worrall
The Exile by Patrick Worrall, a complex spy thriller from the COLD WAR era.
The Exile, Patrick Worrall’s debut novel, moves from Russia to Lithuania to Paris to London, delving into the intricate world of espionage, historical secrets and intricate human relationships.
Set in 1951 in the era when Stalin and his partisans were closing in on the occupied nations of eastern Europe, we meet Greta – known throughout the region as the bravest of freedom fighters, and one whom everyone else venerates. Her general, Laima, gives her the ultimate mission – to escape to the West and undertake a dangerous mission to find her missing daughter.
But it’s not as easy as it sounds and Greta, while making her way across Europe, makes some fundamental errors of judgement in the people she trusts. Europe is in ruins, the old ways are dying, and a confusing cast of gangsters and rival intelligence agencies, from a French mob to Soviet spies to ex-Nazis and a Corsican drugs gang, are all fighting over the same spoils.
These same secondary characters do contribute to the intricate web of the story, with their own motivations and background that enhance the overall narrative, although they also sometimes lead to confusion as to what the central theme really is.
Greta’s nerves of steel come into play as she faces all her enemies – real and perceived – and even the glamour and temptation of Paris leads to her own undoing as she tries to work out who are the enemy and who are her allies.
Despite a strong story line, I sometimes felt the complexity of it was overwhelming. Historical references and certain jargon were hard to follow and required a lot of attention, although those readers with in-depth knowledge of the times could argue that it is these elements that also contribute to the richness of the narrative.
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