When I picked up this book, I didn't
know what to expect. I had no idea what Ratlines were. All I knew was
what I read on the back of the Advance Uncopyedited Edition I was
looking at. Ireland, in the 1960's, and Nazis. I'm Irish, and I enjoy
historical fiction. I figured I'd give it a go. And I was very
pleasantly rewarded. The story follows Lieutenant Albert Ryan as he
investigates murders of foreign nationals (Nazis and Nazi
sympathizers) living in Ireland. Tasked with protecting the people he
fought against in World War II, he deals with incredible moral and
ethical choices. I absolutely loved the protagonists. Neville created
characters that you can sympathize with, and characters that you can
vilify. I loved Albert Ryan, and hated Otto Skorzeny. I found the
Minister of Justice, Charles Haughey, to be an ass, but respected him
for his desire to make Ireland great. But what I really loved was how
difficult the choices that had to be made were. How do you handle
being a lower class working man's son, who's protestant in a still
very young Republic of Ireland, who volunteered to fight in World War
II despite Ireland's firm stance of neutrality, and then come back to
work for the government that allowed nazi refugees, and wind up
rubbing elbows with the upper crust of government and society while
doing so? Oh, and don't get killed, or allow any more murders to
happen...
Overall, I give the book a 8.5 out of
10. It was very well written and a great story. But it was a little
long for what initially felt like a mystery novel. It is more of a
crime story than it is a mystery. Think of the difference between a
Law and Order episode vs a Nero Wolfe episode. I definitely recommend
reading it, but if you're not a fan of crime stories, or historical
fiction, this one might not be for you.
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