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Behr, Edward. Kiss the Hand You Cannot Bite: The Rise and Fall of the Ceausescus. Edited by P. Gethers, Villard Books, 1991.
Nevertheless, on December 8, 1967, she obtained a PhD in chemistry after defending her thesis on the "Stereospecific Polymerization of Isoprene on the Stabilization of Synthetic Rubbers on Copolymerization." Romanian law decreed that doctoral candidates had to publicly defend their theses. To avoid the public defense of a thesis that she likely did not write, the law was changed so that she only needed to submit a written defense. The plot twists were strong and the entire read felt like whirlwind. I can't lie, I did read in one sitting because I couldn't bare to put the book down. The emotional trauma of the protagonist, the manipulation of the accused and the deep-rooted betrayal could easily be taken out of the book and applied to so many external, real-world scenarios. I love a good historical fiction. I definitely recommend. I know the phrase “will have you reading long into the night” gets thrown about an awful lot, but it is completely true for this book.The sense of place is fabulous, and the juxtaposition of the bleak streets of Yanussia where people are starving and freezing, with the opulence of the home of Marija Popa highlighted the stark difference between those in power and their people. If you want to look at the influence of a first lady’s style, look no further than Vogue, says Berry, , pointing to the image-making moment of Jill Biden’s first cover on the high fashion magazine. The 70-year-old is seen smiling, wearing a floral-patterned blue dress, leaning against a White House balcony – a wholesome contrast to Melania Trump’s opulent couture. A fascinating exploration of absolute power, female agency and the complexities of complicity. Atmospheric, claustrophobic and so elegantly written'-- ELLERY LLOYD
Marija stands accused of human rights abuses, money laundering, and as an accomplice to numerous crimes committed by Constantin, but was she complicit, and is she guilty? Young lawyer Laura Lăzărescu has been assigned to a high-profile case that could make her career. Having grown up in England as the child of immigrants, she’s completely disconnected from her family’s heritage, but with the trial taking place in her parents’ homeland of Yanussia, Laura hopes she can finally find answers to the questions that have been plaguing her for years. Why did her parents flee Yanussia when she was a child? What was so terrible that it left both of them – particular Laura’s once-vibrant mother – traumatised and unable to show their only daughter love? And why did they erase every connection to their homeland, forcing Laura to feel unmoored in her own home? Laura travels to Yanussia accompanied by two senior associates, Cristian Pavel and Jude Greenwood. It soon transpires that it wasn’t a coincidence that Laura was sent there. It seems that Marija personally requested Laura’s presence.
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Visceral and thought provoking, powerful and emotional, haunting and heartbreaking, The Dictator's Wife will hold you in its grip until its gut-wrenching conclusion. Demands to be devoured in one sitting. S umptuously written... One of the most compelling literary debuts of the year ' GLAMOUR
The book's pace slows considerably through the middle section even though some new considerations and red herrings are thrown into the mix. However, there is a reasonably late revelation that does deliver some sense of closure. The beautiful, enigmatic wife of a feared dictator stands trial for her late husband’s crimes against the people. The world will finally know the truth. But whose?
Most of the novel is set in 1993 when Laura Lazarescu, a young London lawyer of Yanussian descent, travels to Yanussia as part of the legal team called in to defend Marija Popa, wife of the former dictator, Constantin Popa. Marija is charged with money laundering, bribery, fraud and corruption. The story is book-ended by events in 2018, when Marija dies and Laura reflects on earlier events. The story is told in the first person by Laura. I have so much to say about this book!! It's supremely clever with an intelligent writing style and perfect pacing but I loved the world building. Yanussia felt like a real country to me and I wonder if the author did research into once oppressed regimes. The everyday people the lawyers meet tell them how western things have arrived but nobody has the money for them. Before Popa told them how many kids to have and promoted child labour. A gripping, intelligent, utterly-of-the-moment thriller’EMMA STONEX, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamplighters
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