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Oct 29, 2018Manuel rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A truly fascinating account of the after-effects of the decision to condemn Alfred Dreyfus to a lifetime of exile on Devil's Island. All the characters are real, as are all or most of the events. Robert Harris' portrayal of the higher-ups in the French army of the time are harrowing, to say the least, because he has, perhaps unwittingly, predicted today's events in such places as the United States: contrary to being a paragon of sense, honesty and truth, the French army's generals are determined "at all costs" to leave Dreyfus to rot on Devil's Island. We know the outcome: Dreyfus was eventually exonerated, mainly due to the untiring efforts of Col. Georges Picquart, to say nothing of Émile Zola. The anti-Semitic nature of the French society of the time is accurately drawn. Harris has done a really masterful job with this historical fiction. At first, I was unsure if I would continue with the book (I don't much like thrillers), but as I read page after page I became drawn into the story, and I'm very glad that I did! Easily a 5-star book.