The Moment by Douglas KennedyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Whilst not a psychological thriller as such, this book contains many 'psychological' themes! Kennedy's books have been described as 'page-turners that make you think' - a fitting tagline in my view.
Swept along by the author's beautiful and fluid language, I was very quickly wrapped up in and mesmerised by the characters and storyline of 'The Moment'. An author, Thomas, receives a surprising package that takes him back to another period in his life. A time when he was on location in Berlin close to ‘the wall’ (mid 1980s), poised to write a non-fiction book about divided Germany. The reader goes back in time with him and follows his daily life as he 'crosses over' - stepping into and back out of the grim existence at that time. On the Western side, we observe him adapting to a quirky bohemian lifestyle, rubbing shoulders with artists and free-thinkers. Then he meets a woman who carries a traumatic and complex history with her.
The book becomes their story and not all is as it seems - an engrossing tale about love, choices, loss and most importantly, the handling of betrayal.
Yes, it probably is a bit too long as noted by other readers. The part where we see a section of the story through the eyes of another narrator, does not add enough in my view, especially as we already know the outcome of events from the first narrator.
Nevertheless, there are twists and unexpected turns in the story and a solid ending. Moments of self-awareness and psychological/philosophical insights sit like little gems within the pages. I have read Douglas Kennedy before and I will be reading more of him.
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