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Originally Posted by Bookpossum
I have just managed to finish this, having taken far too long over it for various reasons, not least our adopting a dog last week!
I enjoyed it very much indeed. I really liked Banville's writing style and I thought the ending was terrific.
I find it hard to get my mind around the apparent fact that these men could go on spying for the USSR when they knew the dreadful things that were happening under Stalin, and the terrible fate that awaited those who were summoned to return after some blunder, real or perceived.
I understand how they could get pulled in back in the 1930s with fascism on the rise and their own country standing by and doing nothing, when the ideals of Communism sounded so wonderful to a socialist. But to have even a slight idea of the horrors being perpetrated and to continue to support the system? It is beyond my comprehension.
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Congratulations on adopting a dog.
I too have just finished this book after taking too long to receive it from the library and then what seemed like an inordinate amount of time to read it as well.
Support of communism as an ideal versus how it panned out in practice are two entirely separate issues. What happened with fascism was not communism really, but that is all I am going to say on this outside of many political and religious systems could work well in an ideal state, but when you add real people, well there's your trouble.
I really enjoyed the writing style and the story. A really nice book club selection.