A review by littletaiko
The Comedians by Graham Greene

3.0

My first introduction to Greene's novel turned out to be a nice solid story though maybe just a tad slow. Set in Haiti during the early 1960's, life is a bit grim for the people living there. Papa Doc is in charge with his squad the Tonton Macoute harassing and killing people for political reasons. Into this turmoil come three men, Brown (our narrator), Smith (the Presidential candidate), and Jones (the unknown factor). They met on the ship into Haiti and find their paths crossing throughout the course of the book. Brown is a cynic who has some trust issues with his mistress. Smith and his wife are relentless optimists who aren't afraid of a little realism though. Jones starts to reveal his true self throughout the course of the book. The Smiths were my favorite characters in the book with their determination to do what they think is right. There were a lot of wry observations and lines that showed what a skilled writer Greene was. I look forward to trying more of his books in the future.