Child 44 Themes

In Child 44, our hero Leo Demidov's got 99 problems, but at least his fam ain't one. Let's run down the list, shall we? He's just been fired from his high-ranking position in the Soviet secret poli...

As a high-ranking member of the Soviet secret police, Leo Demidov knows a thing or two about power. He knows that fear can bring down even the strongest men; he knows that being right is less impor...

As an unholy hybrid between James Bond and Dexter, Child 44 features no shortage of violence. Sometimes we see the Soviet government use violence to control and subjugate its citizens. Sometimes we...

If they let us name Child 44, we'd definitely go with Patriots Gone Wild. In the novel, we're taken to the heart of the Soviet Union in an era when even thinking something negative about the govern...

Set during some of the worst years of life in the Soviet Union, Child 44 depicts a world where justice has been turned topsy-turvy. This is a system where finding the truth matters less than securi...

As a Soviet secret agent, Leo Demidov is an expert in the art of deception. Sometimes he tricks regular citizens into willingly giving away their freedom. Sometimes he lies to his family to cover u...

There are two different Russias in Child 44. On the one hand, there's Moscow: a heavily populated urban center under the tight control of Soviet authorities. On the other hand, there are tons of is...

There's nothing to fear except fear itself—except if you're having a run-in with the Soviet secret police. In that case, feel free to get terrified to your heart's content. We see it all in Child...