Books Set in Europe and North America: England, Russia and United States

Heads You Win, by Jeffrey Archer (2018)

This novel begins in 1968 when Alexander Karpenko is a 16-year-old living in Leningrad, Russia with his parents.  His father has plans to form a union for dockworkers, but his plans are thwarted when he is assassinated by the KGB.  Alexander suspects that his former friend, Vladimir may have had a hand in the assassination.

Knowing that their lives are in danger, Alexander and his mother must escape Russia.  Alexander’s uncle has a plan for their escape ~ to hide in a crate intended for a container ship.  Alexander flips a coin, which will determine their destination ~ England or America.

From here, the story takes a turn.  We go back and forth between both alternatives.  One alternative finds Alexander, now known as Sasha, in England.  His mother starts her life as a cook, and ultimately the owner of several restaurants.  Alexander is a stellar student and finds himself at Cambridge University.  Eventually, he enters politics and becomes a member of parliament.

In the other alternative, Alexander, lands in New York City and becomes known as Alex.  Life in New York is more hard-scrabbled.  He quickly becomes a hustler and runs several stalls in a market, before being shipped to Vietnam in the war.  After his stint in the army, he becomes involved in the banking industry.

Both versions of Alexander, however, retain an interest in the political intrigue occurring in his native Russia.  After 30 years, both feel the pull to return.

There is a “surprise” ending, however, all the hints to the ending are scattered throughout the novel and I guessed the end.  Alexander's former childhood friend turned out to be Vladimir Putin.

This was a fun read.  Not high literature, but an easy and enjoyable book.

Read:  March 29, 2019

4 Stars

Books Set in Asia: North Korea

The Orphan Master’s Son, by Adam Johnson (2012)

I purchase this book several years ago, but it just sat on my bookshelf until recently.  I had no idea what the book was about, so it is just serendipity that it is about North Korea, just at a time that the United States President has been meeting with the leader of that country.

The novel follow the live of Pak Jun Do, whom we first meet when he is a young boy living in a work camp orphanage.  He claims that he is not really an orphan, though ~ he claims that his mother is a beautiful singer and his father is the master of the orphanage.  Why else would his father take pains to treat him in a manner not show him special treatment among the other boys in the orphanage.

People are told what to do and learn not to question. As a young man, Jun Do catches the eye of the government and is trusted for his loyalty to the Dear Leader.  He is placed on a fishing boat even though he knows nothing of fishing.  His job on the boat is to become a professional kidnapper for the government. While on the ship, he listens on the boat’s radio and follows the adventures of two young American girls who, while rowing around the world, some into North Korean waters.

The other sailors on the boat have images of their wives tattooed on their chests.  Jun Do isn’t married, so has no such tattoo.  His shipmates decide to give him a tattoo of Sun Moon, North Korea’s most beautiful singer and actress.  She is also the wife of Commander Ga, an elite member of the Dear Leader’s inner circle and Minister of the Mines.

As the author describes North Korea, the citizens are routinely terrorized and fed propaganda through daily announcements blasted through loud speakers.  People occasionally “disappear” and the surviving spouse may be given a “replacement” spouse.

Thus, due to his tattoo of Sun Moon, Jun Do find himself her replacement husband.  Due to his new high rank in the government, he is sent on a mission the United States to meet with a Texan Senator.  This gives him ideas of defection.

Although this book is rather dark, I found in very intriguing and hard to put down.

Read:  March 21, 2019

4.5 Stars