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MWSA Review
Ward Anderson’s Putin's Interpreter blurs the line between fact and fiction by featuring characters with the names of current political figures. This intriguing premise invites the reader to ponder: What if the secret conversations between two political opponents were actually plots to further their own power? Dmitri Petrov, a fictional character, claims to have recorded these clandestine discussions between Putin and Trump, and he offers to hand them over to the CIA in exchange for political asylum. This sets the stage for a thrilling narrative that challenges the boundaries between truth and fiction.
The story begins with Foreign Services Officer Gavin Benson’s daring plan to extract Petrov and his family from Russia. Benson’s longtime friend, retired Navy captain Nick Lawrence, initially dismisses the idea. However, the insurrection of January 6, 2021, heightens security concerns, prompting Lawrence to reconsider. This sets the stage for Operation Blue Skylark, a suspenseful mission that underscores the integrity and expertise of military personnel. Petrov embodies the tension between duty and survival. His interactions with Benson reveal the complexities of loyalty and the moral dilemmas of those in power.
The author intertwines historical and geographical contexts to bridge the past and present. The skillful dialogue between Russian and U.S. family members highlights how the actions of those in power directly affect the lives of ordinary people. A poignant example is when Dmitri’s son, Genrich, is ordered to steal helicopter engine drawings from Ukraine’s Motor Sich plant and relocate his factory to Russia. His wife, a speed skater disillusioned by blood doping during the Sochi Olympics, questions the morality of the act. Genrich’s response, “Motor Sich steals from Dassault Aviation in France. The Russians steal from Boeing in the U.S. It’s nothing new,” underscores the pervasive nature of ethical compromises in the pursuit of power. As our world teeters between authoritarianism and liberalism, the novel prompts deep reflection on the impact of political actions on individual lives.
Review by Janette Stone (February 2025)
Author's Synopsis
Author's Synopsis: An alternate history of the election interference of 2020, Anderson's second literary fiction about Ukraine is a political thriller that mixes real world and fictional events. A writing style akin to Phillip Rucker, Anderson's protagonists, a retired U.S. Navy fighter pilot and a Foreign Service Officer, delve into secret meetings between Presidents Putin and Trump at summits, intent to learn of any duplicity by Trump regarding Ukraine. When Putin's longtime interpreter, Dmitri Petrov, hints at his defection, a plan is set in motion to convince candidate Biden, if elected, to approve Petrov's escape. Anderson takes us from Annapolis, Maryland to Washington D.C., to Moscow, and Latvia, where the CIA is to deliver Petrov. After hours of tension and disappointment, Petrov delivers a digital recording of Putin and Trump discussing how to undermine Ukraine. The revelations are so consequential that President Biden delivers an urgent letter for Senator Leahy to read before he calls for the Senate vote at Trump's second impeachment trial.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 157
Word Count: 48,380