The Man Who Was Thursday

by G.K. Chesterton

Genres: Classics, Mystery
Pages: 224
Rating:

Synopsis:

In a park in London, secret policeman Gabriel Syme strikes up a conversation with an anarchist. Sworn to do his duty, Syme uses his new acquaintance to go undercover in Europe's Central Anarchist Council and infiltrate their deadly mission, even managing to have himself voted to the position of 'Thursday'. When Syme discovers another undercover policeman on the Council, however, he starts to question his role in their operations. And as a desperate chase across Europe begins, his confusion grows, as well as his confidence in his ability to outwit his enemies. But he has still to face the greatest terror that the Council has: a man named Sunday, whose true nature is worse than Syme could ever have imagined...

I don’t know quite what I expected from G.K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday. It’s a book I’ve known about for a long time, but I had no idea about any details, other than that it was kind of a thriller and that it was pretty influential (or at least popular or talked about).

Having read it now, I wouldn’t have pegged it as being by the same guy as the Father Brown stories. I also still couldn’t tell you entirely what I think it’s about: it does have thriller elements, as Syme and later others go up against anarchists, culminating in a weird chase across the country (twice). I know it’s a spoiler, but it’s hard to explain how weird this book is without adding that of course it later turns out to have all been a dream.

It’s hard to know how to take it all in part because it all turns out to have been a dream. There are parts which are pretty funny, but then there are also moments where Syme’s repugnance really comes through and it feels almost horrifying.

Such a weird mix, and I don’t think I enjoyed it, though it’s interesting to have read it and have it logged as context somewhere in the back of my mind when people write about it or mention it in passing.

Rating: 2/5 (“it was okay”)