Guilty until proven Guilty
Author : Tom Rob Smith
Title : Child 44
Published : 28/04/2011
Pages : 512
Genre : Crime, Historical fiction
Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK
In Stalin's Soviet Union, crime does not exist. But still millions live in fear. The mere suspicion of disloyalty to the State, the wrong word at the wrong time, can send an innocent person to his execution. Officer Leo Demidov, an idealistic war hero, believes he's building a perfect society. But after witnessing the interrogation of an innocent man, his loyalty begins to waver, and when ordered to investigate his own wife, Raisa, Leo is forced to choose where his heart truly lies. Then the impossible happens. A murderer is on the loose, killing at will, and every belief Leo has ever held is shattered. Denounced by his enemies and exiled from home, with only Raisa by his side, he must risk everything to find a criminal that the State won't admit even exists. On the run, Leo soon discovers the danger isn't from the killer he is trying to catch, but from the country, he is trying to protect.
This book sparked my interest on two fronts, First it seemed like a dark tale of child murder and second, it's setting. The Stalin years in Russia is not often a topic tackled in books that I have seen. It struck me I was in for the long haul with this book as it is by no means a short story and would deal with a topic that would not be easy to stomach. In a country that refused to believe in serial killers, how can one man fight against a system that would stop at nothing to keep him quiet?
When we first meet Demidov he is right on track with both his political and social life. He tows the party line and believes in the great communist state down to his very bones. He is very good at his job and this above all is also his greatest weakness. It is his bullheadedness that will lead him into harms way and straight into the sights of the party and a country. Demidov is by no means a nice guy, and I can't really say I liked him all that much. He has a way of causing suffering to those around him and at times has little thought of where is actions will take him. He is however an interesting person to follow through this book. This is a man who is a product of his upbringing, Through a series of flashback, we get to learn how he was molded into the man he becomes. Along the way, he drags his long-suffering wife Raisa with him as he is bounced from one side of Russia to the next. In such a big book I think she could have done with a little more fleshing out. While I got to learn a little more about her there were times when it felt as if she was there to serve as another form of pressure added to Demidov's life.
This is a book of complex and intertwining plot lines all the while wrapped up in the politics of the time. It was fascinating to see how justice for the victims was not as straightforward as solving the crime and bring the perpetrator in. This is as bleak a book as I think I have ever read, there are no moments of joy or laughter to break up our heroes path. When you take into mind the setting I think it serves to stay true to the heart of Soviet Russia. It's this realism which aids in bringing the story off the page. It walks a fine balance when it comes to the murders themselves giving the reader enough details of the horrific crimes without the need to stray too far into over dramatic prose. This book also like a character study of people in fifties Russia. How the harsh condition formed a national psyche the meant the could cope with the reality of there everyday life. On top of this, the corruption that runs through the government seeps its way into every corner. In its paranoia to control everything lives get torn apart and crimes, the could have been solved quicker get dragged out as victims pile up.
In this not so easy or quick read thing can become complicated. I would be hard pushed to say feel great joy in reading this book. And I don't think that's the point, It does have a great mystery in its depth and trying to solve it is a workout for your brain. Due to its constant shifting it never seemed to get bogged down and by the end, you are left feeling satisfied even if you don't get relief.
This book sparked my interest on two fronts, First it seemed like a dark tale of child murder and second, it's setting. The Stalin years in Russia is not often a topic tackled in books that I have seen. It struck me I was in for the long haul with this book as it is by no means a short story and would deal with a topic that would not be easy to stomach. In a country that refused to believe in serial killers, how can one man fight against a system that would stop at nothing to keep him quiet?
When we first meet Demidov he is right on track with both his political and social life. He tows the party line and believes in the great communist state down to his very bones. He is very good at his job and this above all is also his greatest weakness. It is his bullheadedness that will lead him into harms way and straight into the sights of the party and a country. Demidov is by no means a nice guy, and I can't really say I liked him all that much. He has a way of causing suffering to those around him and at times has little thought of where is actions will take him. He is however an interesting person to follow through this book. This is a man who is a product of his upbringing, Through a series of flashback, we get to learn how he was molded into the man he becomes. Along the way, he drags his long-suffering wife Raisa with him as he is bounced from one side of Russia to the next. In such a big book I think she could have done with a little more fleshing out. While I got to learn a little more about her there were times when it felt as if she was there to serve as another form of pressure added to Demidov's life.
This is a book of complex and intertwining plot lines all the while wrapped up in the politics of the time. It was fascinating to see how justice for the victims was not as straightforward as solving the crime and bring the perpetrator in. This is as bleak a book as I think I have ever read, there are no moments of joy or laughter to break up our heroes path. When you take into mind the setting I think it serves to stay true to the heart of Soviet Russia. It's this realism which aids in bringing the story off the page. It walks a fine balance when it comes to the murders themselves giving the reader enough details of the horrific crimes without the need to stray too far into over dramatic prose. This book also like a character study of people in fifties Russia. How the harsh condition formed a national psyche the meant the could cope with the reality of there everyday life. On top of this, the corruption that runs through the government seeps its way into every corner. In its paranoia to control everything lives get torn apart and crimes, the could have been solved quicker get dragged out as victims pile up.
In this not so easy or quick read thing can become complicated. I would be hard pushed to say feel great joy in reading this book. And I don't think that's the point, It does have a great mystery in its depth and trying to solve it is a workout for your brain. Due to its constant shifting it never seemed to get bogged down and by the end, you are left feeling satisfied even if you don't get relief.
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