The Judgment of Richard Richter

I found this book about a famous writer and journalist, Richard Richter, who travels to war-torn Sarajevo to find the father he'd never known, profoundly moving and unforgettable. His tragic quest—brought about by the shocking discovery of his mother's notebook—leads him to a passionate love affair, a shocking revelation, and ultimately to the decision to take his own life. Although the plot is transparent early on, that fact doesn't deter the reader from anxiously turning the pages to share Richard's joys and disappointments along his road to self-discovery. The characters are wonderful and the detailed narrative of the horrific destruction of Sarajevo fairly jumps off the page. When Richard is running through the streets, dodging shrapnel, bombs, and snipers, I felt myself running alongside him, hoping for a miracle. The author's ability to compare this modern story to the old Greek tragedies was interesting and tied into the plot nicely as Richard felt himself being swept along by his own tragic destiny, which ultimately leads to finding a father too late, discovering an unforgiveable act of betrayal, and experiencing a love fated to die before it had really begun. I highly recommend this book it to anyone who loves a passionate story filled with characters that will haunt you long after the reading is done.