Not his best book, but still really well written. It pulls you along, and there are some interesting ideas, but at times you can see him thinking too hard and trying to show off his research too much. I also thought the ending was quite weak for him. ( )

Augustus Rose, mixed race American and member of an anti-terrorist terrorist cell, has been captured and is being tortured (mostly left undescribed, thankfully) to reveal all he knows about his accomplices and his targets. He was recruited by an organisation called Sentinel after he lost someone dear to him in a terrorist attack while he was in Barcelona. He was being used to infiltrate the group responsible to get the information that will lead to some kind of justice in a vigilante kind of way when he was taken. During the period of his torture the only thing he can hold on to to blot out the pain are the memories of the loves of his life. The greatest of these being Selina whom he was first captivated by when their love was still considered taboo. A black man could not get together with a white woman at the time no matter his own Italian blood. As well as the memories we also get to see the relationship that forms between Augustus and Harper, his interrogator, and the burgeoning respect of these two men.

The narrative is quite fragmented as you get the memories interspersed with the interrogation and also a look ahead to what happens afterwards but this doesn't make the story any less riveting. You can't help but ponder the moral implications involved in the events of this story and Mr. Duncan again shows what a talent he is and who doesn't shy away from the unpleasant questions that life throws up. ( )

A cleverly written and insightful novel. Very relevant for our times, it deals with the torture of Augustus Rose, a terrorist group member. It's style is purposely fragmented, as Augustus attempts to "zone out" from the pain and dwell on the women in his past life. Therefore...... narrative changes within paragraphs...... between his experiences and the stark, brutal world he now finds himself in.

Augustus forms a "relationship" with his interrogator and you sense a feeling of respect towards Augustus which flows though the story, complimenting his recall of the love of his life....Selina. We ultimately find the real reason for Augustus's involvement in terrorism.

There is no gratuitous violence and it is largely left to the reader to imagine the horrors of what goes on in that room for a day and a night and a day.

I was very impressed with this novel. ( )