Scan barcode
tomwyllie's review
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
barrytho's review against another edition
5.0
Fictionalised version of the nonetheless fairly mind boggling true story of the Dreyfus Affair. Thrilling.
benjamstev's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent "historical fiction" on the Dreyfus Affair, in quotes because it doesn't stray far from the facts. Harris's best? Maybe.
hungerford's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
skmiles's review against another edition
4.0
Engrossing and fascinating, Harris presents a portrait of the famous Dreyfus affair from the eyes of one of the men who helped reveal his innocence. Harris' tale is historically accurate (obviously with some fictional license) and he goes to great lengths to bring you into the tale and make you want to keep reading--even if you already know the outcome.
topdragon's review against another edition
5.0
I confess to not knowing much about the historical event, the “Dreyfus Affair” prior to discovering this novel. But this, my friends, is why I so much enjoy historical novels. It is possible to gain keen insights into historical events through the format of a novel, so much more so than through text books or encyclopedia entries. Robert Harris has once again, through formidable research, allowed readers to travel back in time and be an eyewitness to a remarkable story.
The “Dreyfus Affair” was a French political scandal that divided the country from the affair's beginnings in 1894 until its resolution in 1906. Today we view the affair as a modern and universal symbol of injustice and one of the most striking examples of a complex miscarriage of justice where a major role was played by both the press and public opinion. We get to witness this incredible story through the first person point of view of French Army Lt Colonel Georges Picquart who takes over as spymaster just after the arrest of Alfred Dreyfus for high treason. During the course of his duties, Colonel Picquart discovers the identity of the real traitor but all efforts to correct the miscarriage of justice fail. This is the essence of the novel. It’s not so much about Dreyfus as it is about Picquart and his relentless efforts to do his duty to get the truth out.
This is a complex novel as is the historical event, itself. It is also a bit of a genre-bender in that it combines elements of spy novels, courtroom dramas, and an intriguing mystery. Because of the author’s meticulous research, I felt comfortable with the novel’s accuracy. The characters here are real historical figures and must act accordingly. But it is a novelization so, of course, those characters have to come alive for the reader and Harris does a marvelous job of that. The plot, the characters, the setting, the unfolding mystery all combine to make this a page turner even though most would characterize the book as a literary novel. That’s quite a feat.
Highly recommended.
The “Dreyfus Affair” was a French political scandal that divided the country from the affair's beginnings in 1894 until its resolution in 1906. Today we view the affair as a modern and universal symbol of injustice and one of the most striking examples of a complex miscarriage of justice where a major role was played by both the press and public opinion. We get to witness this incredible story through the first person point of view of French Army Lt Colonel Georges Picquart who takes over as spymaster just after the arrest of Alfred Dreyfus for high treason. During the course of his duties, Colonel Picquart discovers the identity of the real traitor but all efforts to correct the miscarriage of justice fail. This is the essence of the novel. It’s not so much about Dreyfus as it is about Picquart and his relentless efforts to do his duty to get the truth out.
This is a complex novel as is the historical event, itself. It is also a bit of a genre-bender in that it combines elements of spy novels, courtroom dramas, and an intriguing mystery. Because of the author’s meticulous research, I felt comfortable with the novel’s accuracy. The characters here are real historical figures and must act accordingly. But it is a novelization so, of course, those characters have to come alive for the reader and Harris does a marvelous job of that. The plot, the characters, the setting, the unfolding mystery all combine to make this a page turner even though most would characterize the book as a literary novel. That’s quite a feat.
Highly recommended.
emielwaerniers's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
tommcdonough55's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ljm57's review against another edition
4.0
A work of fiction that retells the true story of Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army who was arrested and wrongly convicted of treason in 1895. Dreyfus’s treatment was severe and unreasonable, being tortured and exiled to solitary confinement on a remote tropical island despite always proclaiming his innocence. The story is told from the point of view of Georges Picquart who has just been promoted to Colonel and made Officer in Charge of the French Military Intelligence unit. Picquart revisits the case when he uncovers irregularities in the evidence in what was supposed to be an open and shut case. The further he investigates, the more he’s convinced of Dreyfus’s innocence and that it is another serving officer who is the traitor. He is thwarted at every turn in trying to get to the truth. But the conspiracy to make Dreyfus the scapegoat runs so deep through the military hierarchy that Picquart himself becomes a pariah and has to fight for his own reputation and career. This was a political scandal of epic proportion and makes fascinating reading. Terrific historical/espionage fiction.