A book a day: David McCloskey: Damascus Station

Original Language: English

Títutulu Original: Damascus Station

Year of publication: 2021

Translation: Jofre Homedes

Valoración: indigestible

If there were a standard list of ticks to mark that they will fit with the definition of best sellersubgenre “spy novel“, Damascus station I would fulfill them. From its extension and format, so suitable to dispatch it in a short period of vacation somewhere with a moderate bustle, to its structure, with short chapters that look like scenes and that they could always satisfy the ego of the author translating themselves into juicy contracts if any chain manager of chain of streaming Little demanding would decide to get some audiovisual benefit. Of course, references such as John Le Carré or Graham Greene or a long list of authors of those who base their books on their previous – military, police, elite bodies, etc. – are quickly identifiable.

At this point, therefore, we would have to start questioning that this is enough for one to become a writer, beyond the constant appeal to the morbidity and a stereotyped narrative to the satiety, consisting of a click pile thrilling “). And here you have to get serious: five hundred thirty pages of comings and constant goings for the usual global scenarios – Syria, Italy, France, United States – around the figure of Samuel Joseph, a member of the CIA who, thirsty for revenge for the death of another agent at the hands of a bloodthirsty Syrian torturer of the government of Al Asad, tries He presses dissidents, to turn it into a collaborator, which would become the double agent of a lifetime, but, oh, despite the fact that both are high -ranking professionals capable of handling in arms, melee fight, mental and physical resistance to the most cruel torture, the passion between them arises, something quite curious and discouraged in an environment as agitated as a damask in the middle of the endless stir after the endless stir Arab spring.

It arises, one after another, each of the classic favorite enemies, from jihad in its multiple forms, to Russia or even the bureaucracy itself that prevents specialists from solving things in their own way. All precipitate, turbulent and full of prints that we would visually link with things like Homeland o The Americans. The narrative, let me remind you that there are more than 500 pages, it is entangled to tote the reader with possible betrayals, ambiguous loyalties, truculence, confused dialogues intermingled with almost laughible coincidences (can you talk about an attack with toxic weapons to shouts in a sink? Terminology for the author to take his chest from his deep knowledge of the “agency”, which turns the book into an adventurilla of superheroes somewhat outdated and already very seen. With updated scenarios, technology and enemies, of course, but without the minimum intention of depth or subtlety.

From there to consider it literature or something that pretends beyond a little farra insubstantial entertainment …