3.5 I love a good spy novel. Some of the protagonist's ruminations fell flat but the descriptions of political corruption and world events controlled by a kleptocracy are the strength of the novel - it felt real and timely. ( )

This is a short but very powerful novel, taking the form of alternating narratives. The first of these is set in 2004, in the immediate aftermath of the Ukrainian presidential elections of 2004, which led to widespread condemnation from Western countries, and sustained demonstrations within the country. The second narrative is from twelve years later, and follows disgraced diplomat Simon Davey, whose life had fallen apart as a consequence of the fallout what had happened following that election.

In 2004, Simon Davey had been a senior figure within the British Embassy in Kiev, and was looking ahead to greater career success, culminating in his own ambassadorial post shortly in the future. During the period of uncertainty and unrest following the election he becomes acquainted with two local figures. Olyesa is a beautiful young student, and one of the more articulate of the demonstrators, moved by genuine outage over the corrupt mismanagement of the ballet rather than more political opportunism. Misha Kovrin is a businessman … well, oligarch, really, I suppose … who had acquired immense wealth during the period immediately following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the early days of Ukrainian independence. He is a political opportunist, with far more to lose, and he seems to have thrown his hand in with the Russian back candidate.

Despite the brevity of the novel, the characters are finely and authentically drawn, and immensely plausible. The relationship between the three central characters is intense, though subject to tunnel vision from all the participants. Twelve years later, with his once successful life now a fading memory, Davey suddenly encounters Olyesa again, and resolves to explore what had happened to him, and why.

Miller writes with an austere elegance, with not a single word wasted, and dissects the protagonists’ personalities with rapier sharpness. ( )

Twelve years ago Ukraine was newly independent and Simon was a rising star in the British embassy. Then he acted to prevent a tragedy and his life was ruined. One day on the Tube in London Simon sees Olyesa, the woman at the centre of it all, and following her, Simon is plunged once more into a world he left behind.
Miller has a knack of writing international thrillers with deep human emotions at the heart. Here Simon's happy family life is ripped apart as he tries to do the right thing and his downward spiral is treated very gently. The story is sad and also uplifting as it parallels one man's life with the birth of an independent nation. ( )