Sunday Books & Culture - "The Bombshell"
THE BOMBSHELL
By Darrow Farr
Published by Pamela Dorman Books, Viking (May 27, 2025)
Paperback $25.13
Audiobook $14.25
Reviewed by Ashley Riggleson
I was so excited to read Darrow Farr’s debut novel, The Bombshell, for a simple reason. It seemed, based on the synopsis, to have everything I look for in my favorite books. And it did not disappoint—The Bombshell is my favorite book of the year so far!
The Bombshell follows a headstrong 17-year-old girl named Severine who, as the novel opens, is a bored French teenager living in Corsica in 1993. Corsica is, at that time, an island ruled by the French, and many militant groups are fighting for the island’s independence.
Because Severine’s father is an agent for the French government with a great deal of power, Severine is soon caught in the middle of things in a way no one would anticipate. Which is to say that she is kidnapped by one such militant organization and held for ransom.
This small cell expects that its demands, which include a large sum of money and the release of a particular political prisoner, will be met. But that is not the case, and Severine is held for much longer than originally planned.
In the beginning of her captivity, Severine attempts to gain the men’s trust, hoping that her manipulations will win her some advantage. But soon she gets more than she bargained for and finds, among the men, friendship and even an uncomfortable (for the reader) sort of love. And readers quickly find Severine more involved in the Corsican Independence movement and the activities of this group than anyone would have expected.
When I first heard about this novel, I thought The Bombshell would look at trauma in the aftermath of a kidnapping. And while I would not say that this theme is absent, The Bombshell is much more about power, both in the micro and macro senses of the word. Farr first asks us to consider Severine’s power. In her situation, does she have it or not, and is the power she believes she has, that of her body and the ability to seduce men, really power at all?
Yet Farr is also exploring the power dynamic between Corsica and the French state. In many ways the dynamic between these two entities mirrors the relationship between Severine and her kidnappers. The question, then, becomes, “Who has more power, and who, if anyone, wins in the end?”
The Bombshell is a perfect novel for the intellectually curious, who will find much to ponder in Farr’s rich characters and intricate thematic development. There are, as is probably obvious, no easy answers here. This novel is also wildly entertaining, and those simply looking for a good yarn will also love this book.
Severine, though intelligent, can also be reckless and often creates her own problems. And while Farr is, indeed, looking at serious issues, the characters here are so vividly imagined that readers will love to follow them, even without sharing their beliefs or condoning their actions.
This immersive work astounded me, and, although I had some quibbles about the ending, The Bombshell strikes me as a text I would like to reread. High praise, considering I rarely reread anything. In short, Darrow Farr has achieved a huge feat of imagination, and readers would be remiss to miss it.
Ashley Riggleson is a free-lance book reviewer from Rappahannock County. When she is not reading or writing book reviews, she can usually be found playing with her pets, listening to podcasts, or watching television with friends and family.
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