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thepentheimk 's review for:

The 39 Steps by John Buchan
1.0

Putting aside the virulent antisemitism...

Wait. I don't WANT to put that aside.

It's not that this book would be good even if it didn't lean heavily into Elders of Zion conspiracy bullshit? But, y'know. Didn't help.

This is very much a book that people are told to read because it was an early example of a genre and did brand new things, but as a story itself? Sucks. Writing? Workmanlike. Protagonist? 'Everyman...except really good at everything too somehow'. Plot? Nonsensical. Contrivances? Plenty. It'd be a low two stars but I'm yanking that star away for, y'know. The virulent antisemitism.