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paul_cornelius's review
5.0
This second book in the Mr. Moto series is a solid step up over the first one. Here is a much more intense story and more psychologically developed main characters. As with the first book, No Hero, Mr. Moto is a secondary figure to the main protagonist, Tom Nelson, and Eleanor Joyce, an art dealer who has beguiled Nelson and leads him into a nest of spies.
But Moto, too, is much more fully fleshed out than in No Hero. In fact, the entire issue of Japan's occupation of China becomes much more complex and hard to define. Marquand actually expresses some degree of understanding for Japan's "manifest destiny" to rule over at least parts of China and the Asian mainland. The only issue is whether that colonialization will be done at the hands of radicals or more moderate Japanese figures. Mr. Moto is made to represent the more moderate and even friendly face of Japan, although once again, as in No Hero, Moto is also depicted as a ruthless killer, if need be.
The scope of the story takes place over only a couple of days in Peking. But Tom Nelson is changed forever during this time. From being an expatriate satisfied with his easy life in China, he reacquires his loyalty to his country. He also comes to see that there will always be a divide, racially, culturally, and spiritually, between the West and the East.
Addendum 26 October 2022: Reading Paul French's Destination Peking, I see that he often refers to Marquand's stay in Peking and how it influenced this book. Well worth reading French for anyone interested in Marquand's Mr. Moto.
But Moto, too, is much more fully fleshed out than in No Hero. In fact, the entire issue of Japan's occupation of China becomes much more complex and hard to define. Marquand actually expresses some degree of understanding for Japan's "manifest destiny" to rule over at least parts of China and the Asian mainland. The only issue is whether that colonialization will be done at the hands of radicals or more moderate Japanese figures. Mr. Moto is made to represent the more moderate and even friendly face of Japan, although once again, as in No Hero, Moto is also depicted as a ruthless killer, if need be.
The scope of the story takes place over only a couple of days in Peking. But Tom Nelson is changed forever during this time. From being an expatriate satisfied with his easy life in China, he reacquires his loyalty to his country. He also comes to see that there will always be a divide, racially, culturally, and spiritually, between the West and the East.
Addendum 26 October 2022: Reading Paul French's Destination Peking, I see that he often refers to Marquand's stay in Peking and how it influenced this book. Well worth reading French for anyone interested in Marquand's Mr. Moto.
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