Summary and Reviews of The Spanish Game by Charles Cumming

1 E x i l e

The door leading into the hotel is already open and I walk through it into a low, wide lobby. Two South American teenagers are playing Gameboys on a sofa near reception, kicking back in hundred-dollar trainers while Daddy picks up the bill. The older of them swears loudly in Spanish and then catches his brother square on the knot of his shoulder with a dead arm that makes him wince in pain. A passing waiter looks down, shrugs, and empties an ashtray at their table. There’s a general atmosphere of listless indifference, of time passing by to no end, the prerush lull of late afternoons.

"Buenas tardes, señor."

The receptionist is wide shouldered and artificially blond and I play the part of a tourist, making no effort to speak to her in Spanish.

"Good afternoon. I have a reservation here today."

"The name, sir?"

"Alec Milius."

"Yes, sir."

She ducks down and taps something into a computer. Then there’s a smile, a little nod of recognition, and...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Did you like Alec Milius as a central character? If not, did your opinion of Alec affect your enjoyment of the book?
   


2. Did the setting of the story - Spain, particularly Madrid - affect your enjoyment of the novel? What did you like about it? Dislike?
   


3. The Spanish Game is written in the first person. What are the advantages and disadvantages of telling the story this way?
   


4. Charles Cumming is a British author. Do you think American authors take a different approach to writing spy fiction?
   


5. The issue of Basque separatism is central to the novel. Does this issue feel more, or less, relevant to you given the current state of international affairs?