Sword by Bogdan Teodorescu

Published on by Margaret

I haven’t read anything set in Romania before and so when fellow blogger Marina Sofia, who has translated Sword from Romanian, told me about this book by Bogdan Teodorescu, a journalist and political analyst, I was keen to read it. Unusually it is crime fiction in which a serial killer is on the loose, but with a difference – it’s a complex novel, a political thriller focusing on the political and social dimensions of the racial conflict between the Romanians and the Roma or ‘gypsies’. The killer is hunting down his victims from the minority Roma community. As the racial conflict continues the ethnic tension rises highlighting the corruption and manipulation by the politicians and by the mass media in particular.

The book opens with a scene in Bucharest’s Obor Market as The Fly, a con man, playing his card and shell games, is killed by a person who suddenly appeared, brandishing a sword which he then plunged into his throat. This is followed by more killings – all of them of gypsies. Despite the number and method of the murders it is not gory or too graphic.

Written in a clear, journalistic style, there is a large cast of characters, listed at the end of the book including politicians and their advisors, journalists and media moguls, victims and police. The narrative moves between them as they give speeches, discuss the situation in numerous meetings, phone calls and media broadcasts. It reveals how Romania had moved on since Ceaușescu‘s Communist reign overthrown by the 1989 Revolution. In places I found the amount of dialogue and speeches slowed the narrative down more than I preferred.

At 272 pages it is not long, but it is not a quick read, partly because of the large cast and partly because it took me a while to sort out the unfamiliar names and partly because of the number of speeches. That said, I throughly enjoyed Sword, especially the setting and the unique (for me at least) focus on the political and cultural scene in Romania – and the murder mystery.

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 908 KB
  • Print Length: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Corylus Books Ltd (8 May 2020)
  • Source: I bought my copy
  • My Rating: 4*

6 thoughts on “Sword by Bogdan Teodorescu”

  1. Marina Sofia’s post got me interested in this book, too, Margaret. It sounds as though it’s an intelligent and well-written book, and that it addresses some complex issues. This one is on my wish list, and after reading your fine post, I’m even more interested in it.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Yes, the character list was my idea, as I thought all the unfamiliar Romanian names (and the vast cast of characters who sometimes only appear for a chapter or two) would be overwhelming. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Margaret. It is an unusual book, that’s for sure, and hardcore crime fiction may be puzzled because it does not fit the traditional format.

    Like

    1. Well I’m glad you did – I was struggling with the names so it was essential! A great addition to the book. And thanks for telling me about it.

      Like

Comments are closed.