The Half Life of Valery K

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       July 1, 2022

 

Author  Natasha Pulley

Distributor:      Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN:                 9781408885222
Publisher:         Bloomsbury Publishing
Release Date:   July 2022  

   Website:   https://www.bloomsbury.com

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What a fantastic read! Natasha Pulley has again produced an unforgettable story in The Half Life of Valery K. Set in Russia before the second world war and moving through until the cold war, it is a piece of history little known. Although the facts are raw and brutal, she has woven a deep love and a little magic, to lend heart into the story. The author’s notes tell us that although the characters are fictional all the other details are true.

The intrigue and convoluted thinking of the times has the reader on edge, and although the main character, Valery, is guilty of crimes, we see his integrity and compassion shine through. Again, Natasha Pulley has chosen her main characters to be people of the highest intellect, and we see the way they rationalise their thoughts. Valery is a physicist who has studied the effects of radiation and is a foremost expert in the field. From his short exchange into Germany while an undergraduate, to his imprisonment in a Gulag, his life is a challenge.

When the KGB step in and place Valery in a wire enclosed town to help with radiation studies, he is challenged as never before. As he gradually realises the full extent and implications of the study, he realises he needs the most exquisite timing and planning to make a difference. With help, he evades the ever-watchful KGB.

Even though there are technical terms used, the author has placed them in context for ease of understanding. She is superb in her development of characters and presents their deepest emotions so beautifully. The Half Life of Valery K will be a story to remember always. The love, the magic, the man.