The Man from Beijing

Having read the mixed reviews on this book, I wasn't quite sure what to expect--but I definitely wanted to like this book, given how much I enjoyed the Millennium Trilogy from Steig Larsson. Mankell takes a while to pull all of the different pieces of his plot together, and it isn't until 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through the book that everything starts falling into place. During that time, it's hard to know what is the main plot of the book and what's secondary. (This is not a book for the impatient!) The prose is a bit stiff--maybe due to translation issues--so it was hard for me to lose myself in this, book the way I can with others. But I'm glad that I stuck with it, as I found Mankell's views on China's politics today quite interesting. Not sure that I agree with it, but definitely a new way of looking at things that I had not considered before. I like that he tried to present both sides, although it seems he favors one. The fact that the protagonist has a "red" background is also interesting way to introduce history and views into the novel. In the end, I recommend this book for those who like a good thriller with nice plot twists and/or have an interest in China. Just make sure you give yourself time with the book.

A fun read, but I thought Mankell was supposed to be a bit more literary. The plot is silly - more Ian Fleming than le Carré. I suppose twisting in Africa was an afterthought as Mankell apparently lives part time in Mozambique - in the end you get the feeling this is a novel put together from years of notes and ideas for several different books.

Well written with a plot that both engages you and makes you question your assumptions about how the world is versus how we think it is.