Last week I mentioned
my weekend in Brussels. A 400 mile trip across a massive section of France
calls for a long train journey, and a long journey calls for a great book.
Luckily I had this gem
in my bag waiting to be opened on the train. William Boyd is one of my
favourite authors at the minute – his attention to historical, geographical and
character detail, in particular, is second to none. On the subject, I’ve never
read any of the James Bond books but was so excited to hear that Boyd has taken
over the writing of the series and have been meaning to get my hands on Solo ever since. If you’ve read it, I’d
love to hear your thoughts on how this spy novel measures up to Fleming’s
originals!
Back to Waiting for Sunrise, and I was gripped
from the start. The novel opens in early 20th-century Vienna, where
Boyd’s protagonist Lysander is being treated for a personal psychological problem
by a protégé of Freud. In the waiting room, he meets Hettie Bull, with whom he
begins an intense and incredibly problematic affair. Later he is arrested but
placed under the supervision of the British Embassy on bail and flees.
Indebted to the
British government, the next year Lysander has gone from established theatre
actor to a spy in the war. But his seemingly simple mission has more links,
danger and consequences than he Lysander could have anticipated. In the midst
of the intelligence events Hettie returns and Lysander becomes caught up in yet
more trouble.
Boyd retains the
unfailing momentum of the plot by weaving adeptly between family life, wartime
events, sex and scandal. He has evidently taken inspiration from the events of
the time, including scientific developments, and used them to deftly craft a
work bringing together mystery, drama and love. Electricity and peril runs from
beginning to end – a wholly satisfying and riveting read. I’m already looking
forward to reading my next Boyd novel.
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