Our book group choice for December 2016 is The Ministry of Fear by Graham Greene. For Arthur Rowe, the trip to the charity fête was a joyful step back into adolescence.
The year is 1941, and London is under attack by the Nazis. Arthur Rowe, a mild-mannered man who has just been released from a psychiatric prison, is trying to piece his life back together. He is haunted by the memory of his wife, whom he killed in a mercy killing, and he is struggling to cope with the guilt and trauma of his past.
One day, Rowe attends a charity fête in Bloomsbury. While there, he meets a fortune-teller who tells him to enter a contest and guess the weight of a cake. Rowe does so, and he wins the cake. However, as he is leaving the fête, he is accosted by a group of men who demand that he give them the cake. Rowe refuses, and the men threaten him.
Rowe decides to go to the police, but they are unable to help him. The next day, Rowe is visited by a man named Willi Hilfe, who claims to be a friend of the fortune-teller. Hilfe tells Rowe that the cake is actually a very important document, and that the men who tried to steal it are working for the Nazis.
Rowe is reluctant to believe Hilfe, but he soon finds himself drawn into a web of intrigue. He is attacked by the Nazis, and he is framed for murder. He is also forced to confront his own past, and to come to terms with the guilt that he has been carrying around for so long.
As Rowe gets closer to the truth, he realizes that the Nazis are planning a major attack on London. He must race against time to stop them, and to clear his name. Along the way, he must also come to terms with his own fears, and to find the courage to face his past.
The Ministry of Fear is a dark and suspenseful novel that explores the themes of fear, guilt, and redemption. It is a classic of the spy thriller genre, and it is one of Graham Greene’s most acclaimed novels.
The novel is set in London during the Blitz, and the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty is palpable. The Nazis are bombing the city, and the threat of death is ever-present. This sense of danger adds to the suspense of the novel, and it makes the reader feel as if they are in the midst of the action.
The novel also explores the themes of fear and guilt in a complex and nuanced way. Rowe is a man who is haunted by his past, and he is constantly struggling with feelings of guilt and self-doubt. This inner turmoil makes him a sympathetic and relatable character, and it helps to drive the plot of the novel.
The Ministry of Fear is a well-crafted and suspenseful novel that explores the themes of fear, guilt, and redemption in a complex and nuanced way. It is a classic of the spy thriller genre, and it is one of Graham Greene’s most acclaimed novels.
Discussion Questions The Ministry of Fear
- What did you make of the opening scene? How did it set up the rest of the book?
- The emotion of pity plays a central role in the novel. What is Greene saying about how pity affects our decision making?
- How does the book’s four-part structure impact character development? Does it work?
- Much of the action of the story revolves around Appearance vs Reality. What is Greene saying through this approach?
- How does this book compare to other wartime dramas we have read?
- Were you satisfied with how the ending resolved?
- Is this entire narrative a function of happenstance? How does the consequences of chance factor into the novel?
- What role does the War occupy in the book?
- To whom would you recommend the book?
Individual Ratings
DKB's Rating 
Anthony Rating
Sue's Rating
Jo's Rating
EmmaT's Rating
Baljit's Rating
Catherine's Rating
Willow's Rating