Perestroika

 Joao Cerqueira has written eight novels, and his most recent, due for publication on 1/24/24 in the UK and Canada, is entitled Perestroika: An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth. He has received numerous awards for his prior books. In a private correspondence to me, he wrote, “Because of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the threat of a third world war, I think this book addresses issues of critical interest in discussion on the problems of today’s world.” In my opinion, Mr. Cerqueira has achieved his goal of producing just such a historical novel. In addressing the element of war between real information and disinformation to which the world is now subjected, the author began his novel with a question that Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”

 

He writes of a fictional country Slavia which is located in part of the territory of current day Slovakia and The Czech Republic. The country was under the control of the Soviet Union until it’s disintegration and was then subjected to the disorganization and criminal control that followed. Along the lines of recent European history, the author writes “this is a novel of revenge, redemption, and catharsis.” The character who became the president of the Slavia had been a criminal before and after Perestroika (greater awareness of economic markets and the ending of central planning). He used well-developed characters that were compelling, some who were in positions of authority and others who were just victims of those in power. In addition to history and politics, the novel incorporated arts, tragedy, humor, and human rights. The criminal president, Ivan Fiorov was inspired by both Putin and Trump.

 

Cerqueira’s novel is an important story, and it brings to life the suffering that is inherent with such a totalitarian state. It was often times painful to read about the tragedies and inhumanities of the times, but I thought the telling of this story was believable and authentic.