I found her naive about the role of the FBI and CIA in destroying governments and ending lives did you think they’ve been doing this whole time? Girl! That’s the whole reason why you work for the FBI!Īll Marie will definitively say about her political ideology is that she is anti-communist. I suppose it’s the nature of a spy to be facetious and have no integrity, but I couldn’t get down with Marie AT ALL. My biggest issue with this book is that there are no strong opinions about anything.

I loved that the novel is a love letter to Marie’s sons, whom she may not see grow up if the US govt catches her. Lots of people who gave this book not-so-good reviews were put off by the narrative style, which I thought was original and interesting. The perfect opportunity to delve into imperialism, anti-Blackness, and Black American identity during the 80s.YET! This is a face of the Cold War you've never seen before, and it introduces a powerful new literary voice.Īh, where to even start with this book? With an intriguing and original subject, American Spy examines the life of a Black woman spy from the US who’s sent to essentially ruin the government of Burkina Faso during the Cold War. Inspired by true events - Thomas Sankara is known as “Africa's Che Guevara” - this novel knits together a gripping spy thriller, a heartbreaking family drama, and a passionate romance.

But doing so will change everything she believes about what it means to be a spy, a lover, a sister, and a good American. In the year that follows, Marie will observe Thomas, seduce him, and ultimately have a hand in the coup that will bring him down. Yes, even though a furious part of her suspects she's being offered the job because of her appearance and not her talent. Yes, even though she is still grieving over the mysterious death of her sister, whose example led Marie to this career path in the first place. Yes, even though she secretly admires the work Thomas is doing for his country. So when she's given the opportunity to join a shadowy task force aimed at undermining Thomas Sankara, the charismatic, revolutionary president of Burkina Faso whose Communist ideology has made him a target for American intervention, she says yes.

Her career has stalled out, she's overlooked for every high-profile squad, and her days are filled with monotonous paperwork. She's brilliant, but she's also a young black woman working in an old boys' club. It's 1986, the heart of the Cold War, and Marie Mitchell is an intelligence officer with the FBI. What if your sense of duty required you to betray the man you love? One woman struggles to choose between her honor and her heart in this enthralling espionage drama that deftly hops between New York and West Africa.

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson