This is my first spy novel, so I thought I’d start with something by a master of spy fiction. John le Carré doesn’t disappoint: the characters and settings are very evocative of their time, and a very unglamorous world of espionage is well portrayed.
I was only vaguely aware of the Smiley stories, so had no expectations. The character of George Smiley, as an aging intelligence officer no longer in his operational prime, is sympathetic and engaging - and I cared what happened to him.
This isn’t an action story: the plot has some pleasing twists and turns, with the expected deception and misdirection from some of the characters, but it’s a slow burn rather than a page turner.
I was a bit conflicted about rating this book. It’s almost certainly a good example of the genre (despite my lack of experience), hence the 4 star review. But it’s a genre that I don’t think I’ll engage with. This was one of the reasons I wanted to start with a classic - so that I’d have a good example to decide whether or not I want to read more spy novels. It turns out that I don’t.
My rating: ★★★★☆
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