The Innocent by David Szalay

This book is about how the development of communism has affected the lives of ordinary Russian people and shaped the national psyche after the 1917 Revolution and before the break up of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. It is also about episodes in the life of the protagonist.

The protagonist, an official in the MGB (forerunner of the KGB), in 1972 thinks back in 1972 over the past events in his life and types a testimonial of the things that have happened to him over the years later on after the Russian Revolution. There is strong use of symbolism, and criticism of the system by the use of little anecdotes that describe how things were then.

Throughout the novel, the distinct hallmarks of Szalay's writing can be recognised. Cynicism, blankness, bareness, and empty relationships are all there. Also Szalay's black sense of humour shines through. For example our protagonist is listening to the radio and the news reader comments on a visit of Kissinger to Moscow and reads

“...trade. In other words, the integration of the USSR into the international financial system, as a prelude to the re-introduction of free market principles to the soviet economy....”
Still very hungover, he does not feel strong enough to face this sort of thing and switches off the radio...

I laughed out loud when I read this.

There is some beautiful language written:

he lights the stove, the hissing blue teeth, sets the pan over it to make his tea

and

The rain falling steadily. Time was so extended, so open-ended

and

It simply lacked the sense of taking place in an isolated oxbow of time.
and some clouded

and

What they did together was still a secret from her family. She had instigated it, one afternoon when they were alone in the flat. Unlike him, she was not a virgin.

It took me two readings to really appreciate the book; on one level the critique of the Russian system, and on another the way Szalay just writes so cleverly and beautifully.
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it to you.