Pavel & I
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Review
'Writing in the tradition of Graham Greene and John le Carre, Vyleta throws a nod to Oliver Twist and Albert Camus in this stylish update of the Cold War spy thriller ... a proper page-turner' Metro 'A gripping espionage thriller very much in the uncertain, paranoid vein of The Third Man ... It keeps you hooked on its mysteries by rationing the truth more severely than its characters' coffee ... an entirely guilt-free treat' Independent 'An espionage thriller, complete with double-crosses, torture, prostitution, a monkey and summary executions ... There is much to like about this book' The Times 'Pavel & I is a hybrid of literary writing and spy novel - a kind of postmodern pastiche of Raymond Chandler that is irreverently humorous and inventive with language' Time Out
Review
'This remarkable debut from Vyleta ... is a very different and very subtle novel, and deserves to be pulled out of the pack ... it's high quality and he doles it out elegantly. Vyleta is a writer to watch' Globe and Mail 'Every so often... a Canadian debut novel appears which restores ones faith in the possibility of new writing in this country, a book so striking, so original, and so very fine as to remind readers of what they have long been missing ... Pavel & I is a masterful work, a truly impressive debut' Edmonton Journal
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It's very hard to believe that this is Dan Vyleta's first novel, and more surprising when you find out that he's German and he wrote it in English.
It tells the story of ex US army officer Pavel, as enigmatic a protagonist as I've come across in a long time, and his entanglement in a conspiracy in occupied Berlin in the bitterly cold winter of 1946. There is a thriller element to the story that draws in an extraordinary range of characters: street urchins straight out of Oliver Twist, a dead Soviet midget, a beautiful and beguiling prostitute and a grotesque British Army Colonel. That said, it would be wrong to describe it as an out-and-out thriller.
What Pavel & I is, is an amazing pageturning literary novel, a rare combination in this day and age when so many "literary" writers seem almost plot-phobic. And it has atmosphere and a sense of place in spades - reminiscent of the haunting cinematography of Carol Reed's filming of Greene's The Third Man. It's the best first novel I've read in a long time, and will haunt you long after final page is turned.
It tells the story of ex US army officer Pavel, as enigmatic a protagonist as I've come across in a long time, and his entanglement in a conspiracy in occupied Berlin in the bitterly cold winter of 1946. There is a thriller element to the story that draws in an extraordinary range of characters: street urchins straight out of Oliver Twist, a dead Soviet midget, a beautiful and beguiling prostitute and a grotesque British Army Colonel. That said, it would be wrong to describe it as an out-and-out thriller.
What Pavel & I is, is an amazing pageturning literary novel, a rare combination in this day and age when so many "literary" writers seem almost plot-phobic. And it has atmosphere and a sense of place in spades - reminiscent of the haunting cinematography of Carol Reed's filming of Greene's The Third Man. It's the best first novel I've read in a long time, and will haunt you long after final page is turned.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was enthralled by the characters in this first novel from Dan Vyleta. In the freezing winter of 1946 food and medicines as well as human kindness were in short supply. We are kept guessing until the end about who exactly Pavel Richter is and the motivations of the other myriad of characters-a midget Russian spy, prostitutes, street urchins, a British colonel and a Soviet general. This story has descriptions which are raw in their langauge and subjects. Ultimately the key questions about loyalty and love are answered...or are they? In short, I couldn't put it down.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This recreates 1946 Berlin in the aftermath of war, with buildings and lives smashed, and law and order barely held in place by the Allied forces united in name alone. People have been brutalised by suffering yet still retain a powerful will to survive and the capacity to undertake at times unexpected acts of humanity.
Pavel is presented from the outset as an enigma, a sick American, fluent in German and Russian, hiding away with a large store of books he refuses to sell to obtain much-needed medicine and food, and giving shelter to Anders, a ragged and superficially unappealing street urchin.
This well-written, fast-moving drama in which the author still finds time to develop a large cast of characters as distinct individuals, begins with Pavel receiving an unwelcome visit from his friend Boyd, once soldier, now pimp and racketeer, who dumps on him the body of a well-dressed midget concealed in a suitcase. It soon becomes clear that the midget possessed something of strategic interest to each of the Allies jockeying for power in Berlin.
There ensues a complex Grahame Greene-cum-Chandler tale in which nothing is ever quite what it first seems, and actions tend to have unintended consequences. The tone is often brutal and cynical, but leavened with wry humour: this is illustrated by the recurring references to the pet monkey which the sinister Colonel Fosko (reminded me of Count Fosco in the Woman in White) foists on Sonia, the elegant tart with a heart. It is also evident in the descriptions of the street urchins organised by Paulchen, and the casual deciding of their fate.
An unusual aspect is the third person narration which, with growing frequency, lapses into the first person - a one-eyed Brit called Peterson - sometimes merely confiding with the reader in sly asides, at others even getting fully involved in the plot. The shifting viewpoint could be irritating, and reduce one's engagement with the characters, but I quite like this device.
There are, as Peterson himself admits, a few holes in the plot, but overall the complex chain of events links together quite well. There are moments of real tension, when a character seems to be going to his death, and you know the author is ruthless enough to eliminate any member of the cast, and to let bad win out over good.
I thought the ending a little too inconclusive and disappointing - perhaps as is often the case a bit too condensed. I also found it unclear why Pavel exerted such a charismatic power over most of the people he met, and would have liked to know a little more about "what made him tick" and exactly what he had been up to.
If this is a first novel, it suggests an impressive talent, and I shall look out for further novels by Dan Vyleta.
Pavel is presented from the outset as an enigma, a sick American, fluent in German and Russian, hiding away with a large store of books he refuses to sell to obtain much-needed medicine and food, and giving shelter to Anders, a ragged and superficially unappealing street urchin.
This well-written, fast-moving drama in which the author still finds time to develop a large cast of characters as distinct individuals, begins with Pavel receiving an unwelcome visit from his friend Boyd, once soldier, now pimp and racketeer, who dumps on him the body of a well-dressed midget concealed in a suitcase. It soon becomes clear that the midget possessed something of strategic interest to each of the Allies jockeying for power in Berlin.
There ensues a complex Grahame Greene-cum-Chandler tale in which nothing is ever quite what it first seems, and actions tend to have unintended consequences. The tone is often brutal and cynical, but leavened with wry humour: this is illustrated by the recurring references to the pet monkey which the sinister Colonel Fosko (reminded me of Count Fosco in the Woman in White) foists on Sonia, the elegant tart with a heart. It is also evident in the descriptions of the street urchins organised by Paulchen, and the casual deciding of their fate.
An unusual aspect is the third person narration which, with growing frequency, lapses into the first person - a one-eyed Brit called Peterson - sometimes merely confiding with the reader in sly asides, at others even getting fully involved in the plot. The shifting viewpoint could be irritating, and reduce one's engagement with the characters, but I quite like this device.
There are, as Peterson himself admits, a few holes in the plot, but overall the complex chain of events links together quite well. There are moments of real tension, when a character seems to be going to his death, and you know the author is ruthless enough to eliminate any member of the cast, and to let bad win out over good.
I thought the ending a little too inconclusive and disappointing - perhaps as is often the case a bit too condensed. I also found it unclear why Pavel exerted such a charismatic power over most of the people he met, and would have liked to know a little more about "what made him tick" and exactly what he had been up to.
If this is a first novel, it suggests an impressive talent, and I shall look out for further novels by Dan Vyleta.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
intriguing post war thriller
I choose this book to take to read on a trip to Berlin and it was perfect. There is mystery, suspense and a clear sense of reality. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Sylvia Hen
Still waiting for the action
This book was reviewed on radio 4 book club and got rave reviews. I listen to the programme but don't take much notice of what most of them say but this one seemed to interest me. Read more
Published 23 days ago by DaveC
Brutal spy thriller
I highly recommend this book. An extremely well written and highly evocative account of life in post war Berlin coupled with a great spy yarn. Read more
Published 1 month ago by K. Munro
ENERGETIC AND GRIPPING READ
I heard about this on Radio 4's "A good read" (an excellent show) where it was highly recommended.
The big grips right from the off - with a dead body,hurried drama and... Read more
The big grips right from the off - with a dead body,hurried drama and... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rocke Harder
interestingly different
Fresh approach to spy intrigue. You'll like Pavel and the narrator by the time you're half way through. You shouldn't because they're nasty characters, but you will
Published 1 month ago by JMcK
A joy from begining to end
One of the best books I have read in years. Great characterisation gripping and I loved every page of it.
Published 1 month ago by Ever a student
excellent and original
Really original, interesting and entertaining book. Mixes depictions of a fairly horrific berlin just after the war with sentences of black humour that are brilliant! Read more
Published 1 month ago by marklelapin
Good but not Philip Kerr or David Downing
This was Vyletta's first book and I had picked it from R4 book review ........... it has been much raved about by the usual pundits. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Danny der Rote
Pavel and I, by Dan Vyleta
Dan Vyleta studied history, and this impressive novel embodies the idea that we can never truly know past events, but only infer them from reports of others. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bob
Disappointing
The idea, the characters and particularly the setting made this a promising read, but sadly it proved to be one of the most disappointing books I have read in recent months. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Mr. Edward R. Addison
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