'Ear' by Jan Prochazka

Ear, Jan Prochazka (4)

The Ear in the title of this novel refers to the Soviet listening devices prevalent in Czechoslovakia in the 1950’s. The author was a famous novelist and screenwriter who wrote fiction about the very real happenings of the time after WWII when Czechoslovakia was part of the Soviet Union. It was hard to get into this book as it is written much like a screenplay – jumping from one scene to another with little description. Barring that, once you get into the groove of the prose, it is riveting. Mainly focusing on two characters, a deputy minister and his wife, the story unfolds as they get home from a dinner. The tension mounts as the husband starts to believe they are being watched and listened to by the ‘authorities’. Unfortunately, his wife is not on the same page and the scene progresses very much like the night in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?’- much misunderstanding and arguing as they start to realize the danger they may be in. If you like that play/movie, this book adds another element of real danger.