Spy of the Vatican – Piet Kuijper

My book review of “Spion van het Vaticaan” written by Piet Kuijper

Title: Spion van het Vaticaan [original] / Spy of the Vatican
Author: Piet Kuijper
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 978 90 8865 286 8
NUR: 285 – Fiction 15+
Publisher: De Groot Goudriaan
Year 1st edition & read edition: 2013
Year read: 2015
Original language: Dutch
Read language: Dutch
Pages: 220
Rating: 5/5

In my view…

What was it a delightful book to read! This is a fiction book based on probably a few true fact. But which ones and etcetera is unclear. It’s about an ordinary young man who lives with his family in Switzerland. He is smart, clever and has the same ambition has hist father – and his best friend – to become a doctor. It is the year 1944, where the neighbouring countries of Switzerland are involved in the famous World War II. He becomes by circumstances Gardist at the Vatican (yes you also have the Gendarmerie but that is a function for everything in the buildings). The Guards are the guardians of the accesses to the Vatican city, buildings and provide for the travel of key people like cardinals in Rome. Very interesting to read how this all works. And the people in the WWII played an important role in spite of their profession or duties.
A must read for anyone who likes a bit of fiction combined with historical facts. The tension curves are not big enough to call it a thriller. Well, in my view you can call it a historical novel if there are true facts – and for the novel also fake facts as always happens to complete a story.

Greetings by Sophie