Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals

Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals follows a group of young idealists who travel from London to Bosnia in 1994 during the Yugoslav Wars. They load up a transit van with supplies and set off with plans to stage anti-war theater performances in the conflict zone. The story centers on Andrew, a working-class student who joins the mission partly out of conviction but mainly to pursue Shannon, an alluring activist he barely knows. The group's journey through Europe becomes increasingly complex as they encounter the harsh realities of a war zone and their own conflicting motivations. Their theatrical ambitions collide with the brutal facts of the Bosnian conflict, testing relationships and forcing each character to confront their true reasons for being there. The narrative maintains tension between comedy and danger as the protagonists navigate both physical threats and emotional entanglements. The book examines the gap between youthful idealism and reality, while questioning the role of art and activism in conflict zones. Through its blend of romance and war story, it explores how personal desires often underpin supposedly selfless acts.

Readers found the book offers dark comedy about idealistic young Brits traveling to Bosnia during the 1990s war. The humor and witty dialogue received praise, with several reviews noting it captures both the naivety of youth activism and the grim realities of conflict zones. Liked: - Sharp satirical observations - Authentic 90s period details - Balance of comedy with serious themes Disliked: - Plot meanders in middle sections - Some found the protagonist frustrating - Comedy occasionally feels forced amid war setting Ratings: Goodreads: 3.4/5 (236 ratings) Amazon UK: 3.7/5 (42 ratings) From reviews: "Manages to find humor in an impossible situation without minimizing the tragedy" - Goodreads reviewer "The dialogue crackles but the story loses momentum" - Amazon UK review "Character development feels uneven and rushed toward the end" - LibraryThing review

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🔹 Jesse Armstrong is the co-creator and showrunner of HBO's hit series "Succession" and previously co-created the acclaimed British comedy series "Peep Show" 🔹 The novel takes place during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, following idealistic young Brits who drive a van from London to Bosnia hoping to stop the conflict through the power of theatre 🔹 This was Armstrong's debut novel, published in 2015, after establishing himself as a successful television writer for shows like "The Thick of It" and "Fresh Meat" 🔹 The book combines elements of dark comedy with serious themes about war, drawing on Armstrong's experience as a student who traveled to Eastern Europe in the 1990s 🔹 The story's mix of idealism and cynicism mirrors themes Armstrong would later explore in "Succession," particularly regarding privileged people trying to influence world events