John LeCarre is known for his Cold War stories, but because the Cold War and WWII in general may have become a tired subject by now he wrote a new book. A Most Wanted Man incorporates LeCarre's action packed yet still mysterious style of writing into a new time. The book takes place in modern days, in Hamburg, Germany. A mysterious man turns up in Hamburg and begs a family for a place to stay. The man claims to be named Issa, and says he is from Russia, where he escaped from prison and traveled to Hamburg in a container on a cargo ship. His only dream is to become a medical student to help save lives. The family doesn't believe this story, but they take him in because they believe it is the right thing to do. They learn more about the man during his stay.
Meanwhile, a wealthy banker named Brue who has inherited the bank from his father learns of a deal his father made with a crooked Russian Colonel. A lawyer contacts Brue about a client that believes they have the right to this dirty money. Brue decides to meet with the client to discuss the money, and guess who it is.
It's Issa! Apparently the Russian Colonel was Issa's father, and Brue's father was friend with the Colonel in the past. Brue's father allowed the Colonel to store dirty money in his bank in what they call the Lipizzaner account. Why it is named after the dancing horses is not apparent yet.
Issa still keeps secrets though, because he doesn't trust anybody. We discover he was tortured in prison, and this causes his fear. Issa is so nervous that he gets scared when a person in a suit is near him, because he thinks they are secret policemen. This habit leads to suspicion about his background. Suspicion that is shared between the reader and Brue.
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2 comments:
Fun fun-- suspicion and betrayal and the slow development of trust. Or not, and they both end up dead. I really like how your post builds up the mood created by the title, "A Most Wanted Man" and lets us see deeper into what looks to be a fascinating person. I'd be interested to see what kind of statement this book makes on torture, though I believe I can already see the direction it's headed ;) Will he recover? Will they both confront their histories and pasts? Such mystery...
This book seems like a mystery. In the beginning when a mysterious man shows up at a family's house. I am surprised that the family let a random man stay in their home. Especially if they don't believe his story of wanting to be a medical student. This book sounds fun, yet sinical.
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