"The Wild Date Palm" by Diane Armstrong is an exasperating read, plagued by shrill, egotistical central characters and clumsy, indiscreet espionage. From the very start, it's clear that Armstrong's spies are the most blatant you could ever hope (or rather, not hope) to encounter. If these characters are meant to be covert operatives, they are certainly going about their spying in the most obvious, ridiculous ways possible.

The writing itself is pedestrian at best, lacking the nuance or elegance that could have saved the book from its narrative pitfalls. Armstrong's prose is flat and uninspired, failing to elevate the plot or add any real depth to the setting or themes. The characters, meanwhile, are simplistic and lazily stereotypical, devoid of the complexity or intrigue that might make them memorable. Instead, we're left with a group of one-dimensional figures whose actions often border on the absurd. It's hard to believe these characters are capable of any genuine espionage when they behave like bumbling amateurs stumbling through a series of predictable, lacklustre events.

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