Review by Flocyn -- Escape by Belle Ami
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Review by Flocyn -- Escape by Belle Ami
[Following is a volunteer review of "Escape" by Belle Ami.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Escape is a romantic thriller written by Tema Merback under the pseudonym, Belle Ami. As the title suggests, the novel is about the flight of the two protagonists, Layla Wallace and Cyrus Hassani, her rescuer-turned-lover, to Iran as they escape the wrath of the Oghab2, the nuclear watchdog of Iran’s Islamic Republic and the counterintelligence center of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). The author tempers the suspense of their escape with detailed descriptions of their steamy romance.
Layla, a Jewish-American Harvard student and the daughter of Aleck Wallace – a professor of nuclear physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is on vacation in Dubai with her Saudi boyfriend, Zamir Kamel, when the two are kidnapped by members of the Quds Force and detained at Evin Prison in Tehran. The kidnappers’ intention is to demand a ransom from Omar Kamel, the father of Zamir and an affluent Saudi businessman, to help the Oghab2 in developing Iran’s nuclear arsenal. The accidental capture of Layla presents a viable opportunity for Iran to blackmail the United States. For this reason, Jalal Rahimi, the deputy director of the Oghab2, charges his assistant, Cyrus, with the responsibility of getting Layla out of Evin Prison, where her life is in danger. However, Cyrus is also an undercover agent of Israel’s MOSSAD, which is opposed to Iran’s nuclear arms race and its intent to use Layla as bait. He has to save Layla and get her out of Iran or assassinate her. He rescues her, but ends up falling in love with her and betraying Jalal, the Oghab2, and Iran. Jalal pursues Cyrus with the intent to murder him. The MOSSAD intervenes, kills Jalal, and flies Cyrus and Layla to Israel.
The book is captivating in that it makes the reader continue reading to find out whether the escapees succeed eventually while keeping their love alive. Moreover, Belle Ami fits the parts of the story into their local context to make the novel more realistic. For instance, in the second chapter, which is set in Iran, she describes Islam’s five pillars: “Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Saum, and Hajj” and prayer rituals, such as “wudu, namaz, ruku, sajdeh, rak’as, and taslima.” The author also uses the local language (Arabic) to refer to other cultural elements, such as greetings and attire. Examples are salaam alaikum (“peace be unto you”) and chadar (a robe worn by Iranian women). Furthermore, the book is relevant for its time. I like how Belle Ami weaves present-day concerns into the plot. Specifically, she makes reference to current sociopolitical issues, such as the hostile Iran-Israel and Iran-U.S. relations, the growing ties between Iran and Russia, terrorism, the global nuclear threat posed by Iran, human rights abuses in the form of prison violence (rape, torture, and murder), anti-Semitism, and the crux of interracial marriages, in this case, between Muslim Arabs and Jews. At the same time, the author links the present with the past by mentioning events of historical significance such as the Holocaust. However, the description of uranium enrichment processes at the Fordow nuclear power plant is too technical for a layperson to understand.
I think that other forms of escape are intertwined with the main theme, which is the physical flight of Cyrus and Layla to Israel. For instance, Layla’s father is a workaholic; he buries himself in his work after his wife’s death. Thus, his job serves as a form of escape from his loneliness. In contrast, Cyrus uses his secret romantic liaison with Zahra, his lover, as an escape from his heartless job as a trained spy and killer. Similarly, his romantic relationship with Layla allows him to forget, even temporarily, about the pressures of his mission and to lead a close to normal life.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I didn't give it 4 because of occasional typo errors, and I didn't give it 2 because the author creates such suspense that she keeps the reader wanting to know how the story ends. I think that the book would appeal the most to readers who love a thrilling adventure and are conversant with the current political climate in the Middle East, but it would not be a favorite among readers who are not romance fanatics. I would recommend it to other readers, but caution them about the violent imagery of certain scenes and the use of foul language.
******
Escape
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3 out of 4 stars
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Escape is a romantic thriller written by Tema Merback under the pseudonym, Belle Ami. As the title suggests, the novel is about the flight of the two protagonists, Layla Wallace and Cyrus Hassani, her rescuer-turned-lover, to Iran as they escape the wrath of the Oghab2, the nuclear watchdog of Iran’s Islamic Republic and the counterintelligence center of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). The author tempers the suspense of their escape with detailed descriptions of their steamy romance.
Layla, a Jewish-American Harvard student and the daughter of Aleck Wallace – a professor of nuclear physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is on vacation in Dubai with her Saudi boyfriend, Zamir Kamel, when the two are kidnapped by members of the Quds Force and detained at Evin Prison in Tehran. The kidnappers’ intention is to demand a ransom from Omar Kamel, the father of Zamir and an affluent Saudi businessman, to help the Oghab2 in developing Iran’s nuclear arsenal. The accidental capture of Layla presents a viable opportunity for Iran to blackmail the United States. For this reason, Jalal Rahimi, the deputy director of the Oghab2, charges his assistant, Cyrus, with the responsibility of getting Layla out of Evin Prison, where her life is in danger. However, Cyrus is also an undercover agent of Israel’s MOSSAD, which is opposed to Iran’s nuclear arms race and its intent to use Layla as bait. He has to save Layla and get her out of Iran or assassinate her. He rescues her, but ends up falling in love with her and betraying Jalal, the Oghab2, and Iran. Jalal pursues Cyrus with the intent to murder him. The MOSSAD intervenes, kills Jalal, and flies Cyrus and Layla to Israel.
The book is captivating in that it makes the reader continue reading to find out whether the escapees succeed eventually while keeping their love alive. Moreover, Belle Ami fits the parts of the story into their local context to make the novel more realistic. For instance, in the second chapter, which is set in Iran, she describes Islam’s five pillars: “Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Saum, and Hajj” and prayer rituals, such as “wudu, namaz, ruku, sajdeh, rak’as, and taslima.” The author also uses the local language (Arabic) to refer to other cultural elements, such as greetings and attire. Examples are salaam alaikum (“peace be unto you”) and chadar (a robe worn by Iranian women). Furthermore, the book is relevant for its time. I like how Belle Ami weaves present-day concerns into the plot. Specifically, she makes reference to current sociopolitical issues, such as the hostile Iran-Israel and Iran-U.S. relations, the growing ties between Iran and Russia, terrorism, the global nuclear threat posed by Iran, human rights abuses in the form of prison violence (rape, torture, and murder), anti-Semitism, and the crux of interracial marriages, in this case, between Muslim Arabs and Jews. At the same time, the author links the present with the past by mentioning events of historical significance such as the Holocaust. However, the description of uranium enrichment processes at the Fordow nuclear power plant is too technical for a layperson to understand.
I think that other forms of escape are intertwined with the main theme, which is the physical flight of Cyrus and Layla to Israel. For instance, Layla’s father is a workaholic; he buries himself in his work after his wife’s death. Thus, his job serves as a form of escape from his loneliness. In contrast, Cyrus uses his secret romantic liaison with Zahra, his lover, as an escape from his heartless job as a trained spy and killer. Similarly, his romantic relationship with Layla allows him to forget, even temporarily, about the pressures of his mission and to lead a close to normal life.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I didn't give it 4 because of occasional typo errors, and I didn't give it 2 because the author creates such suspense that she keeps the reader wanting to know how the story ends. I think that the book would appeal the most to readers who love a thrilling adventure and are conversant with the current political climate in the Middle East, but it would not be a favorite among readers who are not romance fanatics. I would recommend it to other readers, but caution them about the violent imagery of certain scenes and the use of foul language.
******
Escape
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
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