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griotron313 's review for:
American Spy
by Lauren Wilkinson
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
At its core, "American Spy" bills itself as a thriller set during the waning days of the Cold War from a perspective rarely seen during that time. It's a spy story about a black woman who at times feels as if she's been cornered into the decisions she's made. But "American Spy" is also a study in generational trauma, broken relationships, and even loneliness. As Marie speaks to her children through the letter she's writing them, she knows that she likely doesn't have much time left. As such, we get flashbacks of Marie's complicated relationships with her family, her abandonment issues caused by her mother, and living in the shadow of her sister. All of these things worked to shape Marie into an ambitious federal agent hungry to prove herself in the field. And soon, she gets that chance by being assigned to spy on and eventually take out a president slipping further into dictatorship. It was refreshing to see a Jason Bourne-type of story with a black woman at the center: Marie is whip-smart and determined, but what's really great about the novel is that we get a snapshot of Marie at each difficult stage of her life with lots of honesty and empathy. She's not overly-perfect, nor is she a complete tool. As she struggles with not only her own demons but also those of her mother and father, Wilkerson eases us into caring for Marie and wanting to strangle her at times. The only complaint I had about "American Spy" is that I'd love to have seen how the relationship between Marie and all of those closest to her had the chance to grow and evolve beyond many complications and trials. Even those with her FBI counterparts. But I enjoyed "American Spy" because of how it combined family and relationship drama so well with the drama we tend to find on our jobs, and how we tend to carry those burdens with us regardless of what line of work we're in. And this is especially true for black women who constantly get passed over and shunned for what they really deserve.