Under Western Eyes (Joseph Conrad, 1911)

Conrad remains one of my favorite authors; almost in the zone with Dostoevsky, Mann, Solzhenitsyn.

Had never heard of this book but recently saw a favorable review in WSJ.  Many overlaps with this book (published 39 years earlier, surprisingly enough - the themes endured in Russia).

Protagonist (Razumov) is a student in St. Petersburg unwittingly drawn into an assassination situation when the assassin (fellow student Haldin) shows up in Razumov's room shortly after the deed, seeking safety until he can make his escape.  Haldin ends up getting arrested and executed in pretty short order.

All this puts Razumov - getting attention from anarchists and police alike - in a very difficult situation; he seeks to cope throughout the story.

Razumov is the illegitimate son of Russian noble who has a small role in the tale; Razumov grew up without family and very much a loner; this plays into his handling of the situations he encounters.  Razumov had simply wanted to thrive in his schooling and get a decent job - this avenue was now completely closed.

Razumov is whisked out of Russia and into Switzerland shortly after the assassination.  Where he encounters the assassin's sister and mother - previously sent abroad by Haldin in anticipation of trouble for them should he succeed in the assassination.  These two quite naturally are most interested in what happened to Haldin (who was the shining star of the family).  Haldin's sister (Nathalie) is a strong character though inexperienced.  Razumov also encounters various Russian emigres, many involved in plotting against the government "back home" and anxious to employ both Razumov and Nathalie.

Conrad does a great job with this.  The story is told through the "Western eyes" of a middle-aged Englishman resident in Geneva who had come to know Haldin's sister (as her English teacher); he stays involved as things unfold and eventually has access to Razumov's diary.  The protagonist's struggles are really well done.

Conrad makes quite a lot of the inability of "Western eyes" to see/understand what was going on in Russia, and between Russians.  Not quite sure what to make of that.  Conrad was Polish - though moved to England and wrote in English - and had family experience with Tsarist-repression.  So there are several layers going on here.