This is a brilliant but disturbing book, especially given all
the political
and media hype at the
moment, regarding would-be terrorist activity and the need for
draconian laws to stifle it.
Although
beautifully written, the first part, set in a pole-dancing club,
feels a little like the cold channel of deep water that has to be
navigated before reaching the sandbank and the breakers beyond.
Initially, I wondered at the need for such detail, which, at times,
seems almost voyeuristic;
however, I later realized that it was necessary in order to put the
rest of the novel into perspective.
There is also, I feel, a
parallel between how the men at the club mindlessly gorge
their senses on the
semi-naked women and the way the general public are titillated by all
the small details related to
a suspected terrorist.
As
we are told more and more of Gina's story, we realize that she is an
ordinary person who, after a difficult start in life, is set on
turning her life around. Like most of the characters in the book, she
has ambition, but it is more genuine and more human. She looks on
herself as a realist, but, as Flanagan notes: Realism is the embrace
of disappointment, in order no longer to be disappointed. (p.9)
After
the introduction in the Chairman's Lounge, fear
is poured into the mix, and like when
red ink is
added to water everything
gradually changes
colour. Flanagan
wrote: “People like fear. We all want to be frightened and we all
want someone to tell us how to live…” (p.166)
and, in the words of the
ASIO character: “… unless they're terrified, they (the people) won't agree with what we do and why we do it… ” (p.272)
The politicians, the
media, the police, the security services all feed the people this
fear, not only to keep the people where they want them but also to
further their own careers – no one (except, perhaps, the policeman
Nick Loukakis) gives any thought to the victim who is being
sacrificed.
In
the end, everyone is at fault: the politicians and the media for
creating the situation and the public for not having the brains to be
able to see through the deceit. The terrifying thing is that this is
where we are at the moment, and no one seems to understand what
is happening. Terrorism is a definite threat to present-day society,
but when concocted threats
are used for political and
personal gain then one has to wonder
who are the terrorists and whether or not there is any way of
salvaging our society.