Child 44, The Secret Speech

These two delightful Russian spy novels, by the delightful non-Russian spy author Tom Rob Smith, are two of my new favorite books. I have chosen to group them together, dear reader, because they follow the same characters, have very similar writing structure, and have the same sort of madcap adrenaline-infused feeling to them. Most importantly, the reader can drink the same sorts of teas while reading both.

Smith's debut, "Child 44", was a book I checked out of the local library after hearing it mentioned on NPR. I checked out the sequel, "The Secret Speech", almost immediately after finishing its predecessor. Smith's books are both set in mid-20th century Russia, and he had performed meticulous research on this world. From a starving town on the Russian steppes to a prison ship bound for the Gulags, every setting in the books is vivid and true. It is a very educated reader that emerges on the other side of Smith's books.

And yet, Smith has managed to convey all this historical information in the most heart-pounding of manners. His characters are delightfully robust, his crimes deliciously depraved, and his plot twists (usually) caught me off-guard. Best of all, the pace is so quick that I was never left bored for even a paragraph. Despite my various work and school-related obligations, I devoured each book in just a few days.

Of course, the books do have their flaws. The breakneck pace leaves little room for flowery prose, so the reader's inner poet is left somewhat neglected. The plot twists are a little too neatly executed at times, and the characters occasionally act irrationally (for example, I will never quite undersand Fraera's actions in the last few chapters of "The Secret Speech"). Despite these minor flaws, however, I enjoyed both books heartily and would unreservedly recommend them to anyone looking for a good action read.

Rating: 7.5/8

Tea: The masculine severity of these books merits something powerful and bitter, like strong black tea without milk or sugar. Hu Kwa, although certainly not geographically accurate, suits the mood, adding a mysterious smokey hint to the tea (and the books). Don't stress out too much over the tea, though -- I love these books so much that I doubt even the most egregious tea choice could ruin the experience.