Customer Reviews

Polar Star / Rose

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Six Stars!

Martin Cruz Smith proves his mettle as a novelist in this unusual outing. If you are like me, you are probably expecting another novel along the lines of Gorky Park, Polar Star, and Red Square. And one in sense you would be right, and in another sense, wrong. The skills and qualities of those books are present here, but the setting isn't.

Instead of the Soviet state, you are transported to a sooty coal mining community in 1872 where you get to meet a cross section of characters from those times. In some ways, this books reminds one of Germinal, except the core here is the solution of a mystery about the disappearance of a cleric who was engaged to the owner's daughter.

The mystery is not the reason to read this book. So if you want the best mystery you could ever hope to find, go read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. The mystery's okay here, but just barely.

The really interesting aspect of the book is the view of how a class structure can be harmful to everyone in a society. Although some are rich and comfortable, they are hardly leading exemplary lives. The poor are really down-trodden. The working conditions are appalling.

At the core of this story is an examination of love, something that can and should bind us together. Smith lets that magic emotion work its power over the characters and us. The results are irresistible and unforgettable.

This book has the potential to become a classic, quite an accomplishment for a writer of detective-like fiction. Have a great time in Wigan! You'll be the only one who does!