I just finished reading this book. I really liked it. I started it 4 days ago and had trouble putting it down when I needed to (to go to sleep!)
I only heard of it because of Roman Polanski making his movie adaptation. I like the actors in it and the TV ad for the movie looked good but I will wait for DVD since I am not a fan of Polanski. Feel bad for the brutal loss of his wife and unborn baby at the hands of psychos but doesn’t get him a free pass to drug and date rape little girls.
Anyway, so I figured I’d read the book first. Glad I did. Can’t see how a 2-hour movie will cover everything so I’m happy to have the full story from the book.
It’s a *fictional* tale of political intrigue aimed at Tony Blair. I think (without knowing all that much about Tony Blair and his wife’s past) that the author meshed the Clintons in with his Prime Minister and wife characters. If not, they sure have a lot in common with these 2 main characters (and the Blairs I suppose.) Of course, the US government and CIA are center stage as well.
The main character is a ghostwriter hired to “help” write the memoirs of the former British Prime Minister. Throw in a dead body or 2, the CIA and the people that surround a larger than life politician (former or not) and you’ve got yourself a great story. I figured out pretty quickly where it would lead but it was fun figuring out how they’d all get there.
Plus a large part of the story takes place in Martha’s Vineyard and MA and it was fun remembering some of the places that I saw when I visited there. I definitely want to go back! Although in the summer, and not the winter like in this story.
I love stories like this. I will now search out the author’s other books! As well as make sure the movie is in my Netflix queue. I highly recommend the book :)
7:27 am on April 2nd, 2010
Have you ever watched MI5? I think it’s on either PBS or BBC America in the US – it’s called “Spooks” in the UK and Canada -but it’s a UK show about the MI5 – I think you’d probably like it -it’s fast paced and has all that intrigue and it’s one of my fave shows.
I find that when books get adapted into movies – I tend to want to read the book first before I see the movie -if I watch the movie first then I probably won’t read the book because someone else’s images are now in my head.
Cheers.
10:51 am on April 2nd, 2010
I have not heard of that show – should check it out.
I typically prefer to read the book first as they usually have much more to them. But sometimes don’t realize my movie came from a book until after so I really liked the film, will still go read the book. But you are right – you have the actors/visuals in your head as you read them.