Independence Square

Reviews

One of the most important books of the last twenty years. Utterly gripping, a novel with its finger on the pulse of geopolitics that still manages to move deeply. At its best, Independence Square made me think of a 21st-century Graham Greene novel, an absorbing thriller informed by emotional intelligence and a deep understanding of geopolitics. Miller’s gripping novel, about truth, lies and power is a searing indictment of our times...a book about dirty money and the manipulation of politics, about a world where anything is possible and where even a war can be ‘hallucinated into reality’. And it is about power... This, then, is a story not about a revolution in Eastern Europe but about the way we live now. A tremendous novel - taut, compelling, reeking of authenticity. A.D. Miller writes with exemplary precision and sophistication. Independence Square is an unsparing examination of human beings caught up and destroyed by historical forces they can barely comprehend. Miller writes terse, memorable prose with well sketched characters...the historic action has the tone of a spy thriller and the 2017 part is filled with tense personal drama. A captivating study of corruption, betrayal and the abuse of power...intricately structured and thick with intrigue and suspense...Only at the end, after piecing together each segment of the story, does the reader get the full devastating picture...a vivid and highly charged tale of misplaced trust and tarnished dreams. A.D. Miller recreates the heady days of the Orange Revolution in evocative detail. As Davey gradually unpicks his past, unexpected shifts in perspective add depth and tension. Miller conveys a rich understanding of the calculus of protest. Beneath the simplistic summaries on the mainstream news, Miller spins the chaotic exuberance of the scene. The novel’s greater tragedy extends out to the world Davey once thought he could guide toward nobility and fairness. A. D. Miller has woven an intriguing, evocative tale of betrayal, revolution and heartbreak. In subtle, sinuous prose, he shows us a man haunted by a fateful mistake - and shows us how even the most noble political moments turn on dark secrets and human frailties. After his magnificent debut, Snowdrops, expectations were high for Miller: with Independence Square he delivers handsomely. Expand reviews