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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Both Le Carré’s heavily autobiographical confession of sorts, and an attempt to craft a truly “classic” spy novel in so much as it feels heavily indebted to much canonical literature. A fine work, but not quite as searing or suspenseful as his very best.
I found this one hard to get through. The story line is complicated enough and the vocabulary is robust (both of which I like), but I found the switching among the characters to be confusing and I never really developed a solid mental picture for Tom, the protagonist's son. Consequently, I was frequently lost.
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I understand some of the dislike for this book -- it takes awhile to figure out who's talking, what point of view is being presented, etc. -- but I can't share it. I thought it was brilliant, whether it's the understanding of the protagonist's psychology or the little asides le Carre works in about cities and churches and America.
Let it wash over you. Le Carre is a master.
Let it wash over you. Le Carre is a master.
Exceptional. I haven’t read many L eCarre, expecting maybe formulaic spy stories. Having read spy who came in from the cold which was excellent, what a change of pace and style to read perfect spy - the immediate events around the main protagonist being the start of a biography of his life - a great gripping read
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
It's vintage le Carré, set in the same world as the Smiley books but with different characters. I was rooting hard for Mary and could have done with less of the odious Rick. But of course his personality is key to the story so I understand why he gets so much airtime. A long but rewarding read.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
This is a difficult book for me to rate, because although I enjoyed parts of it a great deal, I also found it to be really hard work at times. A difficult book - for me anyway - but I'm glad I read it, and overall I did enjoy it, and I appreciate that it is very well done.