The October Circle by Robert Littell

First published in 1975

Although it was written by a spy novelist, The October Circle isn't a conventional spy novel. In fact, it isn't a spy novel at all. Nor is it an action novel. Through much of the story, nothing of consequence happens. The October Circle is instead a novel of characters and ideas. Taken for what it is, The October Circle is both enjoyable and inspirational.

The celebrated members of the October Circle are Bulgarian patriots. The Flag Holder is known for his bravery in battling German invaders in 1944. The Racer set the world record for speed on a bicycle. Both are pictured in Bulgarian history texts. Along with a magician, a dwarf, a trash collector, an opera singer, and a painter, they are notable supporters of the uprising that abolished monarchist rule in Bulgaria, and strong believers in communist principles. When Soviet troops cross into Czechoslovakia in 1968 to suppress reforms instituted by communist leader Alexander Dubček, they feel that those principles have been betrayed. Given their prominence in Bulgarian society, they consider themselves uniquely situated to make a statement in opposition to Soviet aggression. But what form should the statement take? One suggests writing a poem, carefully shrouding political criticism in metaphor to avoid political repercussions. Another suggests writing a letter to a newspaper while another wants to petition the government. Since none of those tactics are likely to be noticed, they finally settle on a demonstration. Not only does it prove to be ineffective, but it leads to the imprisonment of one of the Circle's members.

Betrayal is one of the novel's large themes. In times of repression, the weak and fearful betray each other to protect their positions. Even worse, they betray themselves, subordinating their ideals to the whims of a totalitarian state. This the magician learns during a sham trial as friends take the stand to testify against him. His fate leads the other members of the Circle to consider more drastic forms of protest, but none of them anticipate the actions of the Flag Holder who, weary of betrayal, makes a grand gesture. At this point -- well into the book, when the plot begins to soar -- Robert Littell creates an inspired story of political repression and individual idealism. The Bulgarian government does everything it can to erase the Flag Holder's defiance from the public record, while the Racer does everything he can to honor his friend's memory by making sure the Flag Holder's protest will not go unnoticed.

Littell's great strength is his masterful ability to create memorable characters. From a witch whose prophecies shape the Racer's life to a trash collector who creates poetry from lists of broken and discarded items, Littell's characters carry the novel. The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia inspires what might loosely be termed a plot, but it is the enduring friendships of the characters, their loyalty not just to Bulgaria and their shared belief in an ideology but to each other, that makes The October Circle so likable.

In the end, The October Circle is a stirring tale of one man's determination to hold true to his ideals, to stand his ground (not just on his own behalf, but on behalf of his compatriots) against the seemingly unlimited power of repression. In a sense, the novel's message is realistically bleak: neither the Soviet government nor western democracies have any use for the purity of idealism if it gets in the way of political propaganda. Yet the novel's last few paragraphs are a stirring reminder that ideas cannot be forever suppressed, and that idealism survives short-term setbacks, even if the idealist does not. 

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