by Julia Donaldson
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Sami Amir arrives in Brooklyn via Iran, and enters a universe of militants, spies and arms suppliers. Unsure of his true purpose, he is sent into New York to investigate dark rumours of terrorist plots set to erupt in Times Square on New Year's Eve. This is Salar Abdoh's first novel and was written in 1999.
In this atmospheric, complex novel, Salar Abdoh breathes new life into the espionage genre. Abdoh's story unfolds in New York in the wake of the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. Sami Amir arrives in the city on behalf of Iranian counter-intelligence, with a mission to infiltrate Section Nineteen, a Muslim group whose interests have become increasingly terror-led. Over the course of his investigations, Amir falls in love with another agent and realizes that he has been set up. The novel is densely plotted and offers many insights into the tensions between Muslim nations. Abdoh plays cat and mouse with both the characters and the reader. Amir's grasp on the truth shifts constantly, and this maintains a relentless tension throughout the novel which culminates in a deft showdown. Abdoh's characterization is ambitious: he depicts a number of people who are torn between worlds, ethics and loyalties. Half-American, Amir's identity crisis is used to reflect many of the wider problems faced by both East and West. Ellena, his lover, is vividly drawn as a woman overpowered by her own defiance. Abdoh's other characters are troubled and often treacherous. As a result, the novel takes on a dark, desperate quality. New York creeps coldly and eccentrically into the characters' lives; Abdoh's observations of the street life are detailed and his understanding of the city's paranoia keen. Written with terse economy, this is a forceful debut exploring the tensions which continue to shape our modern world. (Kirkus UK) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
In this atmospheric, complex novel, Salar Abdoh breathes new life into the espionage genre. Abdoh's story unfolds in New York in the wake of the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. Sami Amir arrives in the city on behalf of Iranian counter-intelligence, with a mission to infiltrate Section Nineteen, a Muslim group whose interests have become increasingly terror-led. Over the course of his investigations, Amir falls in love with another agent and realizes that he has been set up. The novel is densely plotted and offers many insights into the tensions between Muslim nations. Abdoh plays cat and mouse with both the characters and the reader. Amir's grasp on the truth shifts constantly, and this maintains a relentless tension throughout the novel which culminates in a deft showdown. Abdoh's characterization is ambitious: he depicts a number of people who are torn between worlds, ethics and loyalties. Half-American, Amir's identity crisis is used to reflect many of the wider problems faced by both East and West. Ellena, his lover, is vividly drawn as a woman overpowered by her own defiance. Abdoh's other characters are troubled and often treacherous. As a result, the novel takes on a dark, desperate quality. New York creeps coldly and eccentrically into the characters' lives; Abdoh's observations of the street life are detailed and his understanding of the city's paranoia keen. Written with terse economy, this is a forceful debut exploring the tensions which continue to shape our modern world. (Kirkus UK) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
New York Times Book Review
Ornate and ambitious... A complex, politically sophisticated story.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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