The Peacock and the Sparrow: A Novel Paperback – Big Book, 16 April 2024

The first impression of author I S Berry’s debut book is that it is a literary espionage masterpiece. As a reader you are submerged in the overwhelming, visceral intricacies with which she describes each place, person and scene. It’s the equivalent of being hurled into that moment, the words bring forth sights, smells and sounds, recalling, especially for this reader, times in the Arabian Gulf with absolute crystal clarity. Ms Berry delivers a sensory extravaganza, suffusing within the slow burning storytelling, a captivating, powerful espionage epic.Good writing always transports you to the place you’re reading about. Mr Berry’s writing talent catapults the reader into tumultuous times during the Arab Spring uprising in Bahrain. The real events of the uprisings in 2011 across the Middle East form the backdrop for the clandestine activities and the body of the story. Bahrain’s actual unrest has been amplified to create the underlying feeling in the book, of a nation state facing an oncoming revolution. It lends a taut, tense atmosphere to everything; a tangible uneasiness whereby rich ex-pats can no longer trust those employed in their service, and fancy facades hold an expiry date. Ms Berry captures this ripple of discontent and denial so well, the reader senses a deeper, more inherent understanding that the author has for such situations, and thus, authenticity shines through.The story follows a jaded, divorced CIA Case Officer, Shane Collins, approaching the end of his tour in Bahrain, and counting down to retiring out of the Agency. He’s a fascinating, somewhat broken character, written from a first-person point of view by Ms Berry. This narrative allows insight into Collins’ life, in the same manner as those snippets of intel gleaned from his informant agents. Sporadic, partial and not quite formed, but sufficient enough when looked at as a whole, to construct a picture of Collins’ past life and future hopes. Much like the fragmented pieces that another central character Almaisa uses to create her mosaic art installations. In fact, the mosaic is an allegorical representation of the nature of intelligence; a collection of discrete, often disparate data, but when viewed holistically depict a potential picture that can be interpreted. The caveat being, the need to connect the pieces in the right way following a discernible pattern, that leads to real actionable intel.Collins’ character embodies the typical traits of a professional, long-in-the-tooth spy, questioning whether what they offer is valid, and if their skills have currency anymore. Playing second fiddle to hot-shot upstart and Ivy League boy, Witney Alden Mitchell, the youngest CIA Head of Station in Bahrain (and the world). A man who appears to have all the opportunities and all the answers that Collins does not, and whom Collins tolerates but internally despises. His hatred of Witney is exemplified when, in a drunken rage, Collins hits out physically at the Station Chief, without regard for the consequences.When the reader meets Collins, he’s a sinking, disillusioned man, absorbed within the rich ex-pat Gulf luxury lifestyle, living the ‘life in the sun’ dream, but all the time knowing it’s all a mirage. He finds meaningless entertainment in the arms of his colleague’s bored housewife, Poppy, but it's just lustful action without soul.The spycraft is excellent, depicted realistically, and what you’d expect, given Ms Berry’s former CIA Case Officer credentials. In the book, Collins goes through the operational motions; dead-drops, clandestine meetings with informants, particularly his agent Rashid, an informant from the Opposition and a revolutionary providing him intel scraps, undertaking surveillance detection routes, creating, handling and using fake identities with assurance, writing case reports for Langley, and most of all, interpreting intel by connecting the dots, and forming a perception of what the truth really is, and importantly, who is lying. But Collins initiates all of these activities with the interest of someone who knows the spy game has long lost its sparkle. His low self-esteem is evident. Several times in the book Collins asserts to himself, ‘I am a good spy’, as if he still has to convince himself, despite being in Whitney’s shadow, he still has the capability to achieve operational objectives.It is clear Collins knows his job, but he’s searching for more purpose, an act he’s doing at an almost subconscious level. The realization of this need for ‘more’ becomes apparent during one of the many society parties he attends with Station Chief Witney, where he finally knows he’s ’sold out’ to ex-pat excess, and it’s why his relationship with the mysterious Almaisa becomes so intense and affecting and shapes Collins into the man he still believes he could be.Almaisa, as a character is extraordinary. She is a living, breathing contradiction – a walking dichotomy. She’s beautiful but has a scarred face; she’s exuberant in her colorful clothes but submits to dour, religious doctrine; she courts affluent society but holds a primal hatred of their mores; she maintains a seemingly subjugated position but still stands aloof, abstracted, at a higher level than those of wealth and power, and boldly, she craves attention but shyly, she persists in covered convention. Her subtlety in movement, her absolute alignment with her own body and the world around her, as Collins’ states ‘Her body exquisitely calibrated; if you watched long enough you forgot she was moving at all.’ Almaisa – nature’s conclusion of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Her voice, deep and resonating, a virtually unfeminine sound when compared to the inane twittering from ex-pat society wives, but still intrinsically, womanly, touches a primeval point inside of Collins, and captivates him. The CIA officer has no chance, as Almaisa allures him, drags him into her world, as layered and veiled as the hijab scarf she wears. A secret existence, where disabled children are kept hidden from view of an evil king, and charitable duties and artistic exposition clash for equivalence of meaning. Collins is intrigued by Almaisa, a woman whose intellect and talent as an artist matches her stunning beauty and radiating presence.The story unfolds, and the reader learns more of Almaisa’s background, however Ms Berry consciously mirrors the enigmatic nature of Almaisa in the storytelling of who she is. That may sound obvious as Ms Berry is writing the story, but she is writing more than just words. Ms Berry has imbued within the words themselves, the very nature and mysterious resonance that is the heart of Almaisa. The way in which Almaisa is framed creates a ‘perception of reality’ that we, as the reader, acknowledges as truth, but still its whole cannot clearly be defined. It’s an ingenious way of writing, made even more powerful by the story being written through Collins’ eyes. The person who is perceiving the reality the way Almaisa decrees it to be.In the book, Almaisa creates an amazing mosaic for the new Opera House, entitled ‘The Peacock and The Sparrow’. Almaisa explains to Collins the story the mosaic depicts. At its centre, it is about hate generated by false hope. In the tale, foretold by Almaisa, the king Peacock warns his loyal assistant, the Sparrow - who is afraid of being caught in nearby net - not to stray from his path to home and the palace, but despite his best intentions, the Sparrow does stray, to break up a neighborhood fight – an act of good – and invariably becomes trapped in the net he’d feared all his life. The sparrow then turns to hate the king for the false hope he generated in him. Almaisa states, ‘Precautions are useless against destiny.’ In those words, everything that makes the book so spectacular is displayed. The character echoes the inevitability of a life destined to follow a pre-defined, immutable path. A path made real by the sparrow’s own self-imposed, obsessive prophecy.To say further, would give away spoilers, but this reader has deliberated considerably upon who was the sparrow and who was the peacock. I’ve come to the conclusion that Almaisa and Collins held both states, an entangled duality, that delivered one state or the other according to the perception of the other person. And both states had an inevitable destiny.I loved The Peacock and The Sparrow, and feel that those searching for an intelligent, thought-provoking literary espionage novel that touches the heart and soul in equal measure, delivering a jaw-dropping denouement that stays with the reader, should snatch up a copy of this book immediately. I recommend it at the highest possible level.

他にも多くBest Book of the Yearと称されている、実際に舞台となっているバーレーンのアラブの春を体験した元CIAの作者の作品です。バーレーンの話もアラブの春の話も初めてだったので興味深く読みました。描写がていねいで比較的淡々と進行していく印象を持ちました。

When I started the book I was slightly put off by the descriptive writing; but it grew on me, putting me right into the streets where the action was occurring. Liked the use of occasional Arabic - couple of words had to be looked up to bolster my 60 odd years old and now rarely used Yemeni Arabic, but its all there.The storyline is excellent, no description from me as you'll have to read the book to discover the characters and movements. Loved the description of the darker side of Cambodia, another place I've been, just as I remember it, including the references to Angkor Beer and certain stuff up back alleys [mind you Bahrain can be like that as well]. Nice building for the US Embassy, by the way.Certainly tradecraft descriptions here and the writer has excelled herself in telling the story without really giving anything away.An excellent book and worth reading. I generally lend my books out at Cricket, but this one will stay on my bookshelf and never see the wicket.

If you’re a fan of the classic spy fiction of Graham Greene, John le Carre, and Len Deighton, you are in for a treat. I.S. Berry’s debut novel is as good as anything those novelists ever published. An amazing story about a veteran CIA spy in Bahrain struggling with fatalistic alcoholism, burnout, and the desire to pack it all in for good. Turns out, he still has some tradecraft moves much needed for an operation he gets embroiled in. Shoot outs, car crashes, and chases are not the thing here. This is serious spy fiction wrapped in some of the most beautiful prose I’ve ever read. Bordering on poetry at times, Berry’s writing is the real deal. Highly recommended. The best novel I’ve read in 2024.

I read this book because I was attending a book club with the author. The book has surprising twists and turns. One of the book club members remarked that none of the characters were likable and Berry responded by agreeing with her, saying that was purposeful. In the spy world, she hadn’t found many people likable, nature of the job. Berry writes detailed descriptions of the country and the people, sometimes those descriptions got in the way of the story for me, but she explained that to her Bahrain was as much a character in the story as the main spy Collins. I think keeping that point in mind will make the novel a better story. It’s a good read with a surprising ending. I look forward to seeing what Berry writes next!