Reviews

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré

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janp's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sky1um's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

dracunculus's review against another edition

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5.0

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a cat and mouse game, set at the height of the cold war, when George Smiley (who was made to retire following a blown mission) is sent to catch a double agent in the heart of British intelligence. No jet set play boys with weird and wonderful secret weapons or large amounts of excessive violence. Just a middle aged slightly portly man, Smiley, who has to pull the evidence together and unmask the “mole” who has been selling out the British during the heart of the cold war. Much of the story is told through the reading of files that spark reminiscences of events that at the time held no importance at the time, interviewing of witnesses to these events to reach the eventual conclusion.

Le Carre has written a dark book, set mainly in the shadows of the night, where a watcher watches the watchers. Characters are full and detailed, struggling to cope with the weight of principles and loyalties that attempt to pull them apart. He has created a dark novel full of detail and feeling, where all the words need reading in order to appreciate and understand the plot.