Exile by Richard North Patterson
Tremendous Work - Brilliant
From one of America’s most compelling novelists comes the mesmerizing
story of a lawyer who must defend the woman he loves against a charge of
conspiring to assassinate the prime minister of Israel
David Wolfe’s life is approaching an exhilarating peak: he’s a successful
San Francisco lawyer, he’s about to get married, and he’s being primed for
a run for Congress. But when the phone rings and he hears the voice of
Hana Arif—the Palestinian woman with whom he had a secret affair in law
school—he begins a completely unexpected journey. The next day, the
prime minister of Israel is assassinated by a suicide bomber while visiting
San Francisco; soon, Hana herself is accused of being the mastermind
behind the murder. Now David faces an agonizing choice: Will he, a Jew,
represent Hana—who may well be guilty—or will he turn away the one
woman he can never forget? The most challenging case of David’s career
requires that he delve deep into the lives of Hana Arif and her militant
Palestinian husband, both of whom have always lived in exile. Ultimately,
David’s quest takes him to Israel and the West Bank, where, in a series of
harrowing encounters, he learns that appearances are not at all what they
seem. Culminating in a tense and startling trial with international
ramifications, Exile is that rare novel that both entertains and enlightens. At
once an intricate tale of betrayal and deception, a moving love story, and a

fascinating journey into the lethal politics of the Middle East, this is Richard
North Patterson at his most brilliant and engrossing.
Personal Review: Exile by Richard North Patterson
I really can't understand how anyone can call such a deeply researched
novel only "average". Maybe because it doesn't agree with (or offends) a
political bias or personal feeling? Or maybe it's just too much information
for people who don't have patience or capacity or desire to deal with the
full story about anything. In my mind, anyone who honestly wants to
understand more about current affairs should put Exile at the top of his or
her reading list.
Early in this book I formed the opinion (and Patterson confirmed in his
ending notes) that Exile is as much about the political and human issues of
Israel and the West Bank as the story itself. As an older man with military
experience that ranges from the Vietnam Era to Desert Storm and a lot
more in between, I found that this book represents one of the most
complete on-the-ground investigations and resulting political theses that
I've ever read. I think Patterson deserves a huge amount of credit for the
extensive research and hard work that he obviously invested in
backgrounding and writing this book.
Patterson finished writing this book in early 2006. Obviously there is
"future history", as there always is with novels like this. Any rational reader
should easily be able to adapt to that expectation, appreciate the book
within its own context, and then hopefully refrain from criticizing the fact
that neither Mr. Patterson nor anyone else can predict the future.
As for the love interest, who has ever been able to define or rationalize
why two people fall in love? Actually and honestly, the history between
David and Hana was very easy for me to relate to. If one can accept that
on its face, then it adds flavor and some necessary tension (suspense) to
the story. As for the ending, I was satisfied. I've read too many great
novels that either fall completely flat or explode into totally unreasonable
incredulity at the end, so I was braced for disappointment. But in this case,
I think there was a logical and rational conclusion - much more preferable
than something outlandishly shocking or unbelievable. I think Patterson
accomplished his purpose very well, even with a certain grace.
Too often I think critics expect a template or "formula" for this or that, and if
a story doesn't fit their individually defined and customized expectations,
then it's essentially worthless. Exile is plainly NOT an action thiller like The
Hunt For Red October or The Bourne Ultimatum, and no one should
expect that. This book requires to much thought; it takes time to read,
absorb, feel, and assimilate into the fiber of one's consciousness. And I
thought the length (about 650 pages including Notes) was just about
perfect.

I personally feel that Patterson's Exile is one of the best novels I've ever
read. This book was recommended to me by a close friend who defected
from Communist Poland in 1981 (and a bit familiar with certain facts
concerning the Holocaust) and I've recommended it without reservation to
a Jewish friend. Even more, I'm recommending it to an Egyptian Muslim
friend if she hasn't read it already. In my mind, Exile is just that good.
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