Cat reviews Jihadi: A Love Story
They promised me tuna if I wrote this, so
whatever.
As you may recall, I had to reach out to
the author to get even the barest idea of what this book was about. He sent me
a PDF but I deleted it. At which point I demanded a physical book. Which I got.
Anyway I was led to believe the thing was about cats.
Guess what. There’s only one cat with a
name in the whole story. There’s a bunch of other cats who show up later, but
none of them have names.
Why Word Boy thinks he can get away with
putting cats in a story without giving each one a name is beyond me.
Now. The deal was, one OPENED can of tuna,
placed directly in front of me, for a review of 200 words. Not counting the
headline. 143.
So. Don’t read this book if you expect a
story in which all the cats get names. 161.
The one cat who does have a name
has a stupid one, in my opinion. 177.
I do prefer John West chunks. In brine.
186.
I’m supposed to turn this in tonight. Need a few more words.
There. 200.
And now, here's MY review of Jihadi: A Love Story
Jihadi: A Love Story
By Yusuf Toropov
Published by Orenda Books (Kindle - 24 December 2015; Paperback - 15 February 2016)
ISBN: 978-1910633311
Publisher's description
A former intelligence agent stands accused
of terrorism, held without charge in a secret overseas prison. His memoir is in
the hands of a brilliant but erratic psychologist whose annotations paint a
much darker picture. As the story unravels, we are forced to assess the truth
for ourselves, and decide not only what really happened on one fateful overseas
assignment but who is the real terrorist. Peopled by a diverse and
unforgettable cast of characters, whose reliability as narrators is always
questioned, and with a multi-layered plot heaving with unexpected and often
shocking developments, Jihadi: A Love Story is an intelligent thriller that
asks big questions.
My verdict
Jihadi is an intelligently written novel that wasn't always an easy read, mainly because of the vivid descriptions that shocked and evoked some powerful emotions. It's definitely a book that needs to be read slowly, so you can digest it one step at a time.
Yusuf Toropov has written a very modern highly-topical novel focusing on a former US intelligence agent who has been accused of terrorism. But this isn't a straightforward 'innocent or guilty' story - his memoir is being read and annotated by a seemingly unstable psychologist with an agenda of their own. At first, readers may struggle with the two voices, but it soon becomes clear how they are connected and why there is conflict.
Jihadi is intriguing, addictive, brutal, gripping, tragic and brilliant, with several strands that come together seamlessly by the end of the book. It's written in an almost-rhythmic way that enabled me to get inside the characters' heads. Yet it left me unsure who to trust or believe. Maybe the true account isn't really the true account at all. And will anyone ever know the truth?
The book is subtitled 'A Love Story' but it made me question who this 'love' was between. Lovers? Husbands and wives? Parents and children? Friends? Colleagues? People and their religion, government or country? The book demonstrates how propaganda can cause conflict and distort the truth - and how people (from both sides) can be manipulated to believe whatever they are being led to believe - whether it's the truth or not. This is also a book about faith and belief - in people, our country, ourselves... - and how both can deceive our judgement and influence our actions.
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Yusuf Toropov has written a very modern highly-topical novel focusing on a former US intelligence agent who has been accused of terrorism. But this isn't a straightforward 'innocent or guilty' story - his memoir is being read and annotated by a seemingly unstable psychologist with an agenda of their own. At first, readers may struggle with the two voices, but it soon becomes clear how they are connected and why there is conflict.
Jihadi is intriguing, addictive, brutal, gripping, tragic and brilliant, with several strands that come together seamlessly by the end of the book. It's written in an almost-rhythmic way that enabled me to get inside the characters' heads. Yet it left me unsure who to trust or believe. Maybe the true account isn't really the true account at all. And will anyone ever know the truth?
The book is subtitled 'A Love Story' but it made me question who this 'love' was between. Lovers? Husbands and wives? Parents and children? Friends? Colleagues? People and their religion, government or country? The book demonstrates how propaganda can cause conflict and distort the truth - and how people (from both sides) can be manipulated to believe whatever they are being led to believe - whether it's the truth or not. This is also a book about faith and belief - in people, our country, ourselves... - and how both can deceive our judgement and influence our actions.
I received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
