Not nearly as good as Mating, but stunning writing at points, and a reasonably compelling intrigue at the center of the story. First half is tremendous, as is the coda at the end; action scenes towards the last third are less compelling. ( )

I read this book on the strength of Rush's prior book, Mating. Mating remains in my mind as an extraordinary work, engaging and successful on many levels, not least the author's ability to tell a first person narrative from the POV of his remarkable heroine. Mortals is not in the same class, although my three stars is a measure of its success against Mating, not as a general comment. It is itself a good and engaging story, but it is not worth more than three stars compared to Mating.
I found it a bit slow at the beginning, although the pace picked up quite a bit and ultimately carried me through the end.
I am not quite sure about it. The protagonist, Ray, is a 48 year old English teacher in a school in Gabarone, Botswanna. He is married to a woman he loves absolutely, and their relationship is at the heart of the story, although the plot is also driven by his role as a contract agent for the CIA, Botswanan and South African politics and other topical events and issues.
I was convinced of the fundamental fact of Ray's love for his wife. I was not convinced that his wife is a particularly remarkable person. A puzzle for me is whether Rush believes she is, or whether Ray is a reliable narrator in this respect. I would like to give Rush credit for the art of creating a relationship that is compelling and convincing for the couple but that the reader has distance from. But my doubt about this issue makes the book not ultimately as successful for me as Mating. I have the idea that Rush may have thought Iris was pretty much an ideal character. She is a believable human being and I understood Ray's feelings for her but i did not find her extraordinary. Male readers may disagree with me on this :)
I also felt that Rush used the book as a vehicle through which to express his own feelings about the CIA and its actions around the world - legitimate concerns but the politics interfered a bit for me, although admittedly they were relevant and necessary for the plot.
So, on the whole, this was a pretty good book, but not his best work by a fair margin. ( )

Beautifully realized characters. Some insight into the craziness of the politics of an African nation. ( )