The strength of this novel is the same as that of its predecessor - the probing, sensitive, educated and droll mind of its narrator, who perceives power dynamics that few examine. The plot of "The Committed" is action-packed with sex, drugs and violence, but those events don't characterize the essence of the book. As he explores Paris, his insignificance to those he's observing allows him to draw keen conclusions, such as why the French so love American jazz: "partially because every sweet note reminded them of American racism, which conveniently let them forget their own racism." The narrator realizes his best prospect for employment is selling hashish. This potent friendship triangle drives the plot.Īlthough Nguyen foreshadows the showdown between the three "blood brothers" from the first page, he doesn't rush it, first plunging his characters into the Parisian gangster demimonde. Bon aims to kill Man, whose napalm-melted face conceals his true identity. In "The Committed," the narrator is no longer a spy, but remains relentlessly loyal to Bon, who resettles from a refugee camp with him to Paris, still knowing few of his secrets.
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