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bibliotecabecca's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
josheroony's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-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
3.5
8797999's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable read, entertaining and light. Quite humourous in places and not too heavy. A good cast of characters and a satisfying conclusion.
A novel of it's time given some of the discritoions of the porno card sellers.
Happy to have finally got around to reading this, Monsignor Quixote up next for my next Graham Greene book.
A novel of it's time given some of the discritoions of the porno card sellers.
Happy to have finally got around to reading this, Monsignor Quixote up next for my next Graham Greene book.
peteroneill's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
niallantony's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
wintrovia's review against another edition
4.0
Graham Greene writes a spy thriller about a British vacuum salesman living in Cuba. The writing is beautiful, the characters are well observed and there's more action than a typical Graham Greene story.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Book on CD performed by Jeremy Northam
Jim Wormold is not very successful as a vacuum cleaner salesman in Havana. His chief accomplishment is his lovely daughter, Milly, who attend a private Catholic school and has developed expensive tastes, and attracted the romantic attention of Police Captain Segura. He happens to meet Hawthorne, a man who is a British intelligence agent, and who recruits him to spy for the mother country. It comes with a reasonable salary, as well as an expense account, and the promise of more as Wormold signs up additional local sources / agents. Before long Wormold is inventing a string of sources, sending amateur sketches of a nefarious weapon (really vacuum cleaner parts), and finding his life really in danger.
This delightful send-up of espionage / spy thrillers was published in 1958, just a few months before Castro’s successful revolution and takeover in January 1959. Greene gives us a wonderful supporting cast of shady characters, corrupt police officials, and clueless bureaucrats, a nice romantic twist and a not-to-be-believed ending. Great fun, though the British humor is a bit dry. I've never seen the movie, but kept picturing Sir Alec Guinness in the lead role.
Jeremy Northam does a fine job performing the audio version. He was able to give the many characters sufficiently unique voices so I could keep the story straight. He was a little less successful differentiating between Milly and Beatrice, but they don’t have many scenes together so that wasn’t a major problem.
Jim Wormold is not very successful as a vacuum cleaner salesman in Havana. His chief accomplishment is his lovely daughter, Milly, who attend a private Catholic school and has developed expensive tastes, and attracted the romantic attention of Police Captain Segura. He happens to meet Hawthorne, a man who is a British intelligence agent, and who recruits him to spy for the mother country. It comes with a reasonable salary, as well as an expense account, and the promise of more as Wormold signs up additional local sources / agents. Before long Wormold is inventing a string of sources, sending amateur sketches of a nefarious weapon (really vacuum cleaner parts), and finding his life really in danger.
This delightful send-up of espionage / spy thrillers was published in 1958, just a few months before Castro’s successful revolution and takeover in January 1959. Greene gives us a wonderful supporting cast of shady characters, corrupt police officials, and clueless bureaucrats, a nice romantic twist and a not-to-be-believed ending. Great fun, though the British humor is a bit dry. I've never seen the movie, but kept picturing Sir Alec Guinness in the lead role.
Jeremy Northam does a fine job performing the audio version. He was able to give the many characters sufficiently unique voices so I could keep the story straight. He was a little less successful differentiating between Milly and Beatrice, but they don’t have many scenes together so that wasn’t a major problem.
csgiansante's review against another edition
3.0
A little bit irreverent. There were some fun bits, but the end of the book lost me.
evthomo's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5