Child 44
Tom Rob Smith
Reviewed by Kevin Wignall
I'm pretty resistant to hype and usually quite resistant to historical fiction, so reading CHILD 44 wasn't high on my list of priorities, given that everyone seems to be talking about the publishing deals behind it and that it's set in the Soviet Union of the 1950s, in the dying days of Stalin's regime. Then one person told me I should read it, then another, and another, all people whose opinions I trust, and so here I am reviewing it.
The basic framework of the book is one that many people will be familiar with - a serial killer is targeting children and a lone investigator struggles to overcome the doubts of those around him to bring the killer to justice. The big twist, and the USP of the novel, is that this is all taking place amid the fear, suspicion and paranoia of Stalin's Russia, a country in which murder does not officially exist.
The historical context is handled superbly by the author and the setting of the book feels authentic, his research blending seamlessly with the narrative for the most part. He also expertly weaves in several additional plot strands, most notably the dangerous rivalry between Leo, the central character, and Vasili, a recently demoted colleague, and in the complex, difficult relationship between Leo and his wife, Raisa. The sense that nothing can be taken at face value in such a paranoid society is relentlessly realized.
Above all though, this is a fast-paced and satisfying page-turner. I have a hopelessly short concentration span, abandon half the books I start, and rarely read books over three hundred pages long, yet I was hooked within a couple of chapters and read it in a couple of days (for me, that's FAST).
Do I have complaints? A couple. For example, I don't think the psychosis of the killer is ever adequately explored (in contrast to, for example, the killer in Alex Barclay's "Darkhouse"). There are a few scenes and characters that could be accused of being clichéd and there's a coincidence at the centre of the plot that's hugely satisfying only as long as you don't think for too long about whether it's a coincidence too many.
Do those complaints matter? Not at all. Tom Rob Smith has written a compelling, thought-provoking and occasionally moving debut. And if the thought of a serial killer novel set in 1950s Russia sounds drab or dreary, think again - this is well worth your time.
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About the Reviewer:
Kevin Wignall is the author of four novels, including WHO IS CONRAD HIRST? which is nominated for this year's Edgar Award for best PBO, as well as a number of acclaimed short stories. His work has inspired musicians and other artists, and both WHO IS CONRAD HIRST? and his previous novel, FOR THE DOGS, have been optioned for film.
He lives in England. His web address is www.kevinwignall.com.
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