Last time we were up in Inverness, Andy’s dad gave me a couple of books to read. Child 44, and The Book Thief. I chose to read Child 44 first, but now I wish I hadn’t, mainly because it was so good I wish I still had to read it!
Set in Stalin’s Russia, where crime is no longer believed to exist, a serial killer is on the loose, murdering children up and down the country. The story follows MGB Officer, Leo, who gradually becomes disillusioned with the State system. Eventually denounced and exiled, he sets out to solve the murders …
I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading the book, but was quickly hooked. At some points it felt like reading an episode of 24 it was so fast paced and gripping. It wasn’t until I got to the end, and read an interview with the author (thirty-year-old Tom Rob Smith) that I realised that was exactly the sort of book he had set out to write. Well, he succeeded! It was also really interesting, not to mention completely shocking, to read about how Russia operated under Stalin’s rule.
The good news for me is that a sequel, The Secret Speech came out at the start of April, so I will need to get my hands on a copy of that. And as far as I can make out, Ridley Scott is planning to start work on a film version of Child 44 in 2010. We’ll be looking for a baby sitter when that comes out in the cinema – just to give plenty of advance notice!
Catherine
I’ll babysit if it’s a girl…not very sure what to do with boys!?!
Did you go on to read The Book Thief?
If so, what did you think?
I read it recently and was v moved
Hi Bill – I’m in the process of reading it. It’s taking me a little while to get in to it but that’s mainly because I haven’t had a chance to have a proper sit down with it! I’ll let you know what I think when I finally get it finished …
C