King of Warsaw

Where do I start? I ordered this novel on a whim and it did not disappoint. Szczepan Twardoch's The King of Warsaw is simply a tour de force. I didn't know what I was getting into when I first began reading it nearly a week or so ago. The novel is as hard-boiled and noir as it gets. It absolutely delivered.

I realized after only reading a few pages that the interrelated subjects of the book such as Polish Jewry, Israel, boxing, socialism, crime, corruption, and the overall Warsaw cityscape in the prelude to the Second World War would make for a captivating read. These are topics that are right up my personal interests and up until now I hadn't encountered them connected all within one novel. I'm grateful that this book was translated and published in English. The in-depth angles that Twardoch explores through characters like Jakub Szapiro, Mojzesz Bernsztajn, Kaplica, Emilia, Pantaleon, Anna, and others are both chilling and heart wrenching. All portrayals are haunting and vividly brought to life. The various narrative voices throughout the book are very powerful and the story telling techniques applied by Twardoch make for a cracking and riveting read. The book is not necessarily easy to get through. Its emotional weight and graphic descriptions of violence can leave the reader ill at ease, but it is groundbreaking among recent noir titles and one that I highly recommend.