In 1961 an American publisher, Simon Weeks, travels to Moscow to meet his brother Frank. The two men have not seen each other in over a decade, since Frank was discovered to be a KGB agent and he and his wife, Jo, escaped to Russia. Frank has written a memoir and wants Simon to publish it, and the trip is ostensibly for editing purposes. At the first opportunity though, Frank asks for Simon's help. He wants to return to America and is willing to trade Soviet State secrets for help.
The Defectors is wonderfully tense and atmospheric. It kept me guessing right to the very end, especially about Frank and his motives. I had never really thought about what it is like to be left behind when someone defects, what it feels like when someone you love and thought you knew just vanishes, and by their own choice. Conversely, Kanon's portrayal of the defectors, both British and American, now living in Russia is also fascinating. Held up as heroes to the cause, but not actually ever fully accepted into society or trusted, they live an oddly isolated life, really just mixing amongst themselves.
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