Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I first put this book on my 'to read' list at least a year or so ago, just from seeing it while at work. It was recently on sale for 99 cents on my Nook (what a bargain!) so I couldn't say no. And now, after having finished it, I can say that this was one of the best dollar Nook books I've bought so far.

I've never read much about or set in the Soviet Union, and as such was a little nervous picking up this book, taking place in Stalinist and post-Stalin Russia. The politics got a little intense at times, but clearly only to emphasize how politics really were. Everyone mistrustful of everyone else, people constantly arrested and never seen again for off-color comments about the state of their country, or simply because someone in a position of power/authority didn't like them. I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been to have lived in such times.

Child 44 is a phenomenal combination of history and politics, true crime and psychological/detective thriller. All of the mini-stories in the beginning, each about a different child, *almost* completely unrelated to each other, are all tied up by the end of the book. And you can't help but get swept into the thrill of this book. I am incredibly pleased with this book, and am looking forward to picking up the next book by Tom Rob Smith, called Agent 6.

Oh and PS, turns out this story was loosely based on the true story of Andrei Chikatilo, nicknamed the Rostov Ripper, who murdered at least 52 women and children between 1978 and 1990. Chills are going down my spine, just from reading this Wikipedia page. Seriously, do yourself a favor and go read this book.



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