LitPick Review
Age at time of review - 37
Reviewer's Location -
Neptune City,
NJ,
United States
View Lizand31's profile
In the small town of Desoto, Georgia, a thrilling tale unfolds involving a Russian spy, Daryl, and a high school senior, Haskell. A senior prank gone wrong lands Haskell with community service hours to be completed at the local library. There, he notices Daryl's daily routine of checking the papers' classified advertisements, which spark suspicion and curiosity. Taking place towards the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis, tensions are high. After losing his mother in a tragic accident, Haskell must navigate his strained relationship with his disabled twin brother. As the mystery deepens, will Haskell uncover the truth about this stranger before it is too late?
Opinion:
The writing style of this book was unique, offering multiple characters' first person point of view . Majority of the chapters were written from either Daryl's or Haskell's perspective. Throughout these chapters, the backgrounds of both characters are gradually revealed until they cross paths in the present day. Their thoughts and relationships are explored in depth, adding a personal and intimate layer to their story.
Several chapters also provide historical context on Russia and the upcoming Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union was becoming a nuclear epicenter with Stalin in leadership. This background knowledge helped me understand the historic setting and the tensions at the time. In the author's notes following the book, questions about the U.S Korean War and Russian intelligence are addressed. I found that history interesting and added to the storyline of Daryl, particularly his marriage to a Russian woman and eventually becoming a spy for Russia.
I also liked the title of the book The Imperfect Hand of Fate. The play on words with Haskell Hand's last name and the fact that he came upon a Russian bomb was clever.
No characters in the book were perfect and did not pretend to be. In fact, several of the character flaws were written about and on display throughout the book. Haskell was sentenced to community service hours for ruining the senior graduation ceremony and was placed in the local library. Without this punishment, he would have never seen Daryl, the Russian spy, looking through the classified advertisements. Following his instincts, Haskell's fate ultimately allowed him, his friends, and brother to save the day.
This book was exciting and a page-turner. I would recommend it to those looking for a thriller or a spy book.
Explain your content rating:
It explains the loss of a mother and war.
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