Kitty and Virgil

Paul Bailey

Virgil is a Romanian poet, who escapes the country just before the revolution which topples Ceaucescu, and Kitty is the woman he starts a relationship with. The book is a nicely written love story, and you like both characters. Flashbacks in the book illustrate the reasons for Virgil’s departure from Romania, involving a poem critical of “the leader” and a very unpleasant visitor). There are plenty of good Ceaucescu stories and good jokes, but perhaps Virgil’s poetry is less enthralling.

The book gives a good take on the human side of the events in Romania, and has a sad ending. It's “sort of OK” – good if you like Paul Bailey.
Doreen 7/11/99

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