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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, War
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Tiene sus buenos momentos, pero no es de los mejores del autor. Otro libro de espionaje en Londres, pero no tan bueno como El ministerio del miedo. Creo que prefiero los que se ubican en "países exóticos" o en tiempos de guerra. Este no tiene ni lo uno ni lo otro y por eso es bastante tranqui.
Again and again. Greene always strikes a chord. Always. Loved this one too.
Castle is approaching retirement from MI6 where he has been an officer in the Africa section for a number of years following active service in the continent. He is married to a black South African lady who he helped escape from the apartheid regime. He is enjoying his quiet and uneventful life, when him and his assistant, Davis, are interviewed following the discovery of a leak in the service that has been traced back to his department. The investigation concludes that Davis is the source of the leak and action is taken, but the cloud of suspicion still hangs over Castle and he realises that he may have to make a greater sacrifice to save all that he cherishes.
To write this tense thriller Green drew on all his experience and knowledge from his time at MI6 during the Second World War. It is a bleak story, that is very cleverly written too, as he has managed to get across the mundaneness of the bureaucrat’s job in the service, whilst examining the larger question of loyalty to family or to country. I really liked the subtlety of the writing too. It doesn’t have the glamour and excitement of some spy fiction, but it does have the drama.
To write this tense thriller Green drew on all his experience and knowledge from his time at MI6 during the Second World War. It is a bleak story, that is very cleverly written too, as he has managed to get across the mundaneness of the bureaucrat’s job in the service, whilst examining the larger question of loyalty to family or to country. I really liked the subtlety of the writing too. It doesn’t have the glamour and excitement of some spy fiction, but it does have the drama.
There is a lot of side chatter in the story which makes it very cluttered. Once you get used to that and read between the lines there are little clues everywhere to make you feel a bit like a spy on the ongoing investigation. Sadly, the wrong guy gets murdered in suspicion of treason, but the speculative way they come to their conclusion is interesting to follow. After that the story becomes more forthcoming and less cluttered, but still the promised excitement is lacking. The human factor is a good title though, as most of the story is driven by sometimes little and sometimes big human emotions and thoughts. There is also no happy ending, which makes it rather believable. Still, I can't help to feel a bit disappointed.
I love Greene's subtle touch. Greene is a master at the muddy nature of man. He is able to tell an absolutely non-traditional espionage story that takes one of man's greatest virtues (gratitude) and shows that even this can be used/abused in a world full of bureaucratic vipers who are all comfortable in Weber's "polar night of icy darkness". Greene's plot erodes the romance and violence of the majority of spy novels and replaces it with amoral bureaucratic impulses.
When reading any of Greene's spy novels, it is important to remember the answers are never easy and sometimes written with smoke. The poetry, however, of Greene's language slowly builds his arguments and counter-arguments and weaves a powerful morality play that left me feeling just as limited and corrupt as the rest of the world's pension-seeking spy-masters.
When reading any of Greene's spy novels, it is important to remember the answers are never easy and sometimes written with smoke. The poetry, however, of Greene's language slowly builds his arguments and counter-arguments and weaves a powerful morality play that left me feeling just as limited and corrupt as the rest of the world's pension-seeking spy-masters.
I like spy novels, especially from authors who know the biz from the inside. I really liked one surprising (to me, at least) twist in one of the character's identity, and appreciated the realistic ending.