It is 1992 in Warsaw, Poland, and the communist era has just ended. A series of grisly murders suddenly becomes an international case when it's feared that the victims may have been couriers smuggling nuclear material out of the defunct Soviet Union. The FBI sends an agent to help with the investigation. When he learns that a Russian physicist who designed a portable atomic bomb has disappeared, the race is on to find him—and the bomb—before it ends up in the wrong hands.
Smith’s depiction of post-cold war Poland is gloomily atmospheric and murky in a world where nothing is quite as it seems. Suspenseful, thrilling, and smart, The Fourth Courier brings together a straight white FBI agent and gay black CIA officer as they team up to uncover a gruesome plot involving murder, radioactive contraband, narcissistic government leaders, and unconscionable greed.
DNF - 49%
Part of it was me and part of it was the writing style. All of it was 100% disappointing because I love suspense thrillers and was virtually bouncing up and down to read this. To be fair, Smith clearly knows Poland and that shows in the writing.
What I had anticipated was a good, juicy thriller that I could sink my teeth into but this is more focused on creating an atmosphere rather than the investigative aspects of the genre that I enjoy. I found the pacing glacial, so I threw the towel in, something I strive to avoid with ARCs but I just don't care how this ends. Additionally, the head hopping was too much for me. Dr. Ustinov was particularly grating with his endless "Ha!"ing.
Jay is an FBI agent sent to assist the Polish police/government in its investigation of a series of murders, one of whom was found with radioactive residue on his hands. Up to this point, Jay has made exactly one trip to Polish police headquarters and two to his own when I threw the towel in at nearly half way!
Jay seems far more interested in hooking up with Lilka than finding a killer. How are you going to help solve a series of murders whilst enjoying Madame Butterfly or getting blotto with Lilka's family? Doesn't seem like an efficient use of one's time to me. And as long as I'm touching on the sex, all of it made me low-grade uncomfortable either because of the casual misogyny tossed around by multiple characters or the awkwardness of the act itself or simply the crassness with which it is discussed. None of it's explicit but it still somehow felt gratuitous. Perhaps it's in an effort to fully realize these characters but it backfired for me and made me dislike them.
There also seems to be an underlying bigotry against Russians which I understand given the time period but I can't shake the feeling that it could've been finessed better.
There are gay characters sprinkled throughout the narrative which is how it was marketed to the blog but I will say the one that's mentioned in the blurb has, thus far, introduced himself as the Acting Regional Security Officer which translates to him being a CIA operative. Great! At their second meeting, in 1992 post Cold War Poland, which is still mostly communist, he casually outs himself to Jay. I'm not saying it couldn't happen but... really? Really? '92 is still tail end of the AIDS epidemic and you're right next door to mother Russia who are still surveilling everything AND why out yourself to some random? I mean, good for him for owning it but... *side eyes* #weirdness
However, reviews thus far are mostly positive so I clearly read it wrong. Not recommended but my opinions are my own and YMMV.
An ARC was provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment