Presented as the thriller of the summer 2012 would be almost an insult to this novel. We have to do a page turner, but it is a thought that has a sacred substance. This plot is excavated, dense and takes the risk to take us in the recent past (the 90s) rather than the usual contemporary period. This is one of the great forces of history, we dive in the geopolitical context of the time, never losing sight of the intrigue and always remaining very accessible. We travel with the characters, geographically (and what a diversity of landscapes) and emotionally. It is well documented, it is immersed in the intricacies of the state and its "soldiers" (merrily we go from thriller spy novel). The result is a totally eclectic history, in which we will know only in the end to where the author wants to lead us. It starts in every sense, too much sometimes, some shortcuts could have been avoided, but that does not take away the pleasure of reading. The downside for me will remain the last part, too quickly shipped to my taste, such a history deserved a few dozen more pages. Delafosse is an author to follow, his style is nothing special, his writing is simple, but it's a real storyteller.
