Tipping the Scale by Sami Wehbe is a novel about protesting corruption. Adel Safadi is a young man from a former soviet republic now called Berovia. Having left the country to pursue a career as an international lawyer he is asked to return to prosecute a case of corruption due to his impeccable reputation of fighting against corruption. Though he agrees to do so he is also convinced, rightfully so, that there is more going on than just this one case and that he needs to investigate beyond what the government has provided him in terms of evidence. As he starts digging he realizes that this may very well go all the way to the top of the political pile and that he should probably start taking precautions in case his work is discovered. However, he continues to work as he is also convinced that this may be the only way to fight back against the systemic corruption present in Berovia.
I may not know exactly what this story was written to protest but I want to admit right from the get go that this story would definitely fit that bill and do a good job of doing it. The picture it paints of the corruption and just how deep it goes in the government of Berovia is extremely disheartening to see and read about so I can only imagine what it would be like in real life. The character of Adel Sadafi is interesting as well. He is the perfect person to push things in just the right way to achieve the fight against corruption but I must also admit that I am not entirely sure how likable he is. The extreme determination he shows also is showcased in some of his tactics which are not necessarily bad but also not entirely good either. Perhaps that is just my perspective though as he does a great job serving as the protagonist of the story. My only real issue with the story itself is the iffy sense of chronology that is sometimes present, especially towards the beginning. The timeline around how and when Adel travels to Berovia is mildly confusing and I am not sure how some of that actually played out. Other than that the story was pretty good and I enjoyed reading it. The book gets three out of five stars from me.
I would consider this book to be a bit of a political thriller and would probably hold the most appeal for readers who enjoy a good political thriller or even just a good thriller. At the same time I highly doubt that it would appeal to readers who don’t enjoy thrillers of some sort. There is some mild violence and a whole slew of other interesting content considering the theme but I would not consider any of it to be concerning or something to worry about. A good story though and I hope you will consider trying it and really thinking about the type of country and government it portrays. If you do decide to try it, consider sharing your thoughts in the comments. This book was acquired through the Reedsy Discovery program and you can also find a copy of my review there.