This book was my introduction to Leavitt, I am sorry to say. I enjoyed the book so much I read it in two sittings. I could not put it down because the characters are so honestly created. I found myself laughing within and often out loud. I love the way he unfolds a tale and use very human people for his heroes and villains. His portrayal of the way the UK famously denies the obvious in favor of a stack of worn out platitudes called the 'English way' is chilling in its accuracy. Now that I am a fan I hope he has more tales to tell.
It's hard to separate my feelings about how well the book is written from my dislike of the hero. Add to that the specter of plagiarism the book was enveloped in when first published. (I believe I was reading an original version since I managed to find offending text noted in an article about this.) It was a compelling read with a few extraneous side-trips thrown in. Not really an in depth look at the Spanish Civil War, more so about English views on homosexuality and how far a man goes to shed his natural desires and the tragic consequences of his efforts.
