I very rarely indulge in espionage thriller but I Am Pilgrim has convinced me to read more from this genre. Written by Terry Hayes in 2014, this chunky book is a gripping read that surpassed my expectations. It didn’t take me long to learn that Hayes is a fantastic writer. There were so many good dialogues in the book that I wanted to annotate them all. The protagonist is built in a way that is bound to impress its readers and obviously so, because where’s the fun if he comes with a boring past and a normal family? He has many names but in the end only one of them will matter. Pilgrim.

When a regular homicide turns into something more complicated, the FBI seeks out Pilgrim’s help to crack the case. This sets things into motion and eventually turns into a rabbit hole situation where Pilgrim will meet his greatest challenge till date. Spanning across, Europe, America and the Middle East, we see Pilgrim in pursuit of a ghost of a man equipped with the deadliest weapon and a burning vengeance. This intimidating novel of over 700 pages is a carefully crafted book that covers many complex background stories. Pilgrim is far from a perfect man and comes with his own set of flaws. He lives a reclusive life and maintains no relationships apart from an unexpected friendship with an FBI officer.

I Am Pilgrim is a wild ride, one that is long but worthwhile. It now makes sense that this book has been considered a classic in the genre. Now, almost 9 years later Terry Hayes is back with The Year of the Locust and I, for one, can’t wait to read it.

Thank you for the review copy @penguinindia