After the last few books it was a pleasure to find this one – a more cerebral look at someone at a turning point in their lives, observing and trying to understand the situations they find themselves in.
We don’t know much about the main character, but she is getting settled into The Hague, working for the UN Court for High Crimes as an interpreter. There are a lot of cultures represented in this very international city, and the insights into language and culture are insightful.
The writing style is sort of dreamlike, and dialogue flows into description in a way that carries the story forward from the first person view. Compared to other books written in the first person, this main character spends a lot of time in her head speculating on others and wondering, imagining, and considering. The book is relatively short and the events take place over a month or two, but I enjoyed the author’s attention to detail and the pacing of the book.
Our short visit to The Hague a few years ago made the story more interesting, but I think people who haven’t been there would still feel a strange blend of lonely/Europe/clean/undercurrent that makes for a great setting.
Next I’m reading Spook by Mary Roach.
