“Johnston has without a doubt changed my opinion of historical fiction”
Trevor Sawler, who teaches at St Thomas University, has written an in-depth review of A.J.B. Johnston’s historical novel Thomas: A Secret Life. The review was published in issue 173 of The Antigonish Review.
Sawler writes, “This is a fine novel, one that strikes just the right balance between fact and fiction.”
He continues, “Rather than an historical figure who is defined solely by his espionage-related activities later in life, [Thomas] becomes a fully developed, engaging character.”
Sawler admits he was skeptical at first, and doesn’t usually like historical fiction, but he says that “The blending of history and fiction that Johnston gives us, and which I thought would be the book’s greatest weakness, is exceptionally well handled.”
Watch for news about The Maze, another Thomas Pichon novel, set to come out in June 2014.