The Angolan Clan

Review of The Angolan Clan by Christopher Lowery                           4 stars

This was a long book that for the very most part was extremely interesting as well as compelling. It is about two connected stories that take place in 1970’s and the early stages of the 2000’s. The settings are in many countries, but primarily in Spain, Angola and Portugal. It is a weaving mystery of sorts but more important for me, it involved a succinct history of the Portuguese revolution that was taken over and misdirected by communist Russia and Cuba. There are murders, lots of diamond smuggling and a multitude of interesting characters. 

The methodology used by the author in transitioning back and forth in time was almost seamless. A reader was able to grow with the characters and feel them mature and become wiser or stupider as the case may have been.  In other novels I have read this technique was used but certainly not as affectively as was pulled out in The Angolan Clan.

The Portuguese Revolution known as the Carnation Revolution took place in April, 1975 and caused an extreme upheaval in not only Portugal but also in its principals colonies of Angola, Mozambique and Guinea. This story opens with the future leaders of this revolution escaping from a Portuguese prison by way of a Russian submarine. Years later these same escapees are returned to Portugal by the Russian government in an effort to inject and spread communism first in Portugal and then hopefully throughout Europe.

The lead characters in this novel are all successful capitalists that flee this revolution with a plan that involves the smuggling of rich Angolan diamonds in an effort for them to start their lives a new in another capitalist society. They all agree to sell these diamonds in a slow and methodical manner over a period of thirty years so as not to draw attention to them. This group becomes known as the Angolan Clan.

Over the pending years, some of the Clan members die and their heirs take over the deceased members positions in the Clan. Finally the members decided to rid themselves of the remaining diamond booty and in doing so, the story picks up momentum and intrigue throughout the every end. This was a fascinating tale that to me became quite believable, a quality I feel is a necessary element in any successful novel.

As I previously mentioned, this was a long read but my attention was held all the way through. I am sure if I were to read it a second and third time, I would mist definitely see and understand elements that I may have missed or even forgotten during my initial first pass. I would highly recommend this to anyone who looks for a sense of history and believability in a novel.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this fine novel that I hope will be a winner for all involved.
Gordon Reiselt Albuquerque, New Mexico December 13, 2014