Book Review: “The Day of the Jackal” by Frederick Forsyth – By Wimal Kannangara
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Source : Dæhæna – July 2025
The thought of writing a review of “The Day of the Jackal” came to my mind with the passing away of its author, Frederick Forsyth, on 9 June 2025, aged 86 years.
A Royal Airforce Pilot flying “de Havilland Vampire” aircraft, an unpaid MI6 agent in Biafra (Nigeria) and a journalist for the BBC, Forsyth was well placed to write a story such as “The Day of the Jackal”, his first novel.
First published in 1971, it is a gripping political thriller that has since been made to a movie of the same name. Set primarily in France during the early 1960s, the novel combines meticulous research, intricate plotting, and relentless suspense to tell the story of an anonymous assassin hired to kill French President Charles de Gaulle.
The story begins with a historical backdrop – the failed attempt by the Organisation de l’Armée Secrète (OAS), a far-right paramilitary group, to assassinate de Gaulle in 1962. Humiliated by their failure and under constant pressure from French security services, the OAS decides to hire a professional assassin, known only by the codename “The Jackal.” The novel follows two parallel threads: the Jackal’s careful, methodical preparations for the assassination, and the dogged efforts of French authorities, led by Commissioner Claude Lebel, to uncover and stop him.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its realism. Forsyth, using his journalist skills, employs a documentary style that gives an air of authenticity. His descriptions of security protocols, forged documents, weapon modifications, and police procedures are precise.
The tension builds not through action-packed sequences but through the step-by-step depiction of both the hunter and the
hunted. Readers are drawn into the high-stakes cat-and-mouse game, knowing from history that de Gaulle survived, yet unable to put the book down as they wonder how the plot will unfold.
The Jackal is portrayed as a brilliant, cold-blooded professional, motivated not by ideology but by money and the challenge of his task. His anonymity enhances his mystique, turning him into a chilling figure. On the other side, Lebel emerges as a quietly heroic figure – modest, unassuming, but relentless in his pursuit of the truth. The contrast between the two: one driven by duty, the other by greed adds depth to the novel’s moral landscape.
The Day of the Jackal remains a superb example of the thriller. Intelligent, meticulously crafted, and utterly compelling. It set a high standard for political and espionage fiction, and more than 50 years after its publication, it continues to captivate readers with its timeless story of pursuit and evasion.
Wimal Kannangara
