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mtesterman's review
4.0
Another audio book version, this time read by LeCarre himself.
This was really fascinating because it takes place largly in Germany, and the charecters spend a significant amount of time in Heidelberg.
LeCarre mentions a language academy, and describes it's location, but never names it. According to the description (up in an attic, 1 block from the Max Weber Haus, castle view, on the side of the mountain) I could say that the academy was at my house!
This was really fascinating because it takes place largly in Germany, and the charecters spend a significant amount of time in Heidelberg.
LeCarre mentions a language academy, and describes it's location, but never names it. According to the description (up in an attic, 1 block from the Max Weber Haus, castle view, on the side of the mountain) I could say that the academy was at my house!
nedhayes's review
5.0
Highly recommended "spy" fiction that reaches toward great literature.
In 2002, right after 9-11, John Le Carre embarked on this prescient project. He saw the lack of cooperation on the part of Old Europe in the War on Terror (remember the unwarranted invasion of Iraq?) and Le Carre wrote the definitive account of American betrayal of all their alliances and ideals in the service of realpolitik and neo-Christian fundamentalist American naivete.
In this work of near-historical fiction, even the title and the main character's extended decades-long relationship serve as a brilliant synedoche for the global politics and the tensions of the post 9-11 era. The way Germany and Britain and maintained an uneasy and fraught alliance since World War II is described not only in terms of overt politics, but also on a microcosmic level in the friendship of the two main characters, Sasha and Mundy. Le Carre exploits that dual relationship (Germany/England AND Sasha/Mundy) with careful thrusts that hit precisely perfect on the historical notes, but also demonstrates how carefully formed and fully fleshed his characters have become in the hands of a fiction master.
As is so often the case in Le Carre's writing, these seem to be real human beings we are reading about, not fictional phantasms.
Le Carre's mastery is in allowing his story to play out in all of its complicated rhythm, instead of truncating it to fit a Twitter-esque age. He makes us believe deeply in his characters, in order to demonstrate the true weight of catastrophic destruction that occurred in the War on Terror.
A masterwork, written presciently in a time of cultural frisson.
In 2002, right after 9-11, John Le Carre embarked on this prescient project. He saw the lack of cooperation on the part of Old Europe in the War on Terror (remember the unwarranted invasion of Iraq?) and Le Carre wrote the definitive account of American betrayal of all their alliances and ideals in the service of realpolitik and neo-Christian fundamentalist American naivete.
In this work of near-historical fiction, even the title and the main character's extended decades-long relationship serve as a brilliant synedoche for the global politics and the tensions of the post 9-11 era. The way Germany and Britain and maintained an uneasy and fraught alliance since World War II is described not only in terms of overt politics, but also on a microcosmic level in the friendship of the two main characters, Sasha and Mundy. Le Carre exploits that dual relationship (Germany/England AND Sasha/Mundy) with careful thrusts that hit precisely perfect on the historical notes, but also demonstrates how carefully formed and fully fleshed his characters have become in the hands of a fiction master.
As is so often the case in Le Carre's writing, these seem to be real human beings we are reading about, not fictional phantasms.
Le Carre's mastery is in allowing his story to play out in all of its complicated rhythm, instead of truncating it to fit a Twitter-esque age. He makes us believe deeply in his characters, in order to demonstrate the true weight of catastrophic destruction that occurred in the War on Terror.
A masterwork, written presciently in a time of cultural frisson.
wwatts1734's review
4.0
John LeCarre is one of the best writers of espionage thrillers out there, although his reputation was made in the 1970s and 80s with the Cold War motif. In Absolute Friends, LeCarre seeks to shore up his creditials in the post-Cold War world, and for the most part he does well. This is a great work of modern espionage drama.
Starting in the 1960s in West Germany among the idealistic youth movement of the time, two friends, Mundy and Sasha, a British and a German student, exchange ideas and become friends. Their friendship would extend for over three decades, into the Al Qaeda infused world of global politics in the first decade of the 21st Century. LeCarre, as always, takes the espionage novel beyond the "spy versus spy" motif. He brings in all of the intricate details of the world of international politics, from the international corporations that increasingly determine international relations to the arts and culture aspect of international exchange. Through the years, the two friends interact on several occasions, usually without success. Their relationship is complicated, and the situations that face are far from simple. The novel keeps the reader's attention and teaches a lot about international relations.
My only criticism of this novel is that it seems that LeCarre is too nostalgic and a little bitter in it. He dwells on the Cold War setting in this novel, perhaps at the expense of its relevance to the modern world. And LeCarre is obviously not happy with the direction of international relations, especially in the Bush era of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. His bitterness colors this novel a bit too much. I think that LeCarre could have used the corporate aspect of his plot to make the later part of the story more interesting. Still, this novel is worth reading. It is a great work from one of the greatest espionage writers in history.
Starting in the 1960s in West Germany among the idealistic youth movement of the time, two friends, Mundy and Sasha, a British and a German student, exchange ideas and become friends. Their friendship would extend for over three decades, into the Al Qaeda infused world of global politics in the first decade of the 21st Century. LeCarre, as always, takes the espionage novel beyond the "spy versus spy" motif. He brings in all of the intricate details of the world of international politics, from the international corporations that increasingly determine international relations to the arts and culture aspect of international exchange. Through the years, the two friends interact on several occasions, usually without success. Their relationship is complicated, and the situations that face are far from simple. The novel keeps the reader's attention and teaches a lot about international relations.
My only criticism of this novel is that it seems that LeCarre is too nostalgic and a little bitter in it. He dwells on the Cold War setting in this novel, perhaps at the expense of its relevance to the modern world. And LeCarre is obviously not happy with the direction of international relations, especially in the Bush era of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. His bitterness colors this novel a bit too much. I think that LeCarre could have used the corporate aspect of his plot to make the later part of the story more interesting. Still, this novel is worth reading. It is a great work from one of the greatest espionage writers in history.
captainpash's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jazzypizzaz's review
3.0
I forgot how much I love le Carré's writing. This one begs to be read with a bingo card of all his particular tropes and themes (for better and for worse). I zoned out for the ending, so I'm not entirely sure why what happened did happen.
cuavia's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
The style is particularly difficult to follow, and even if the story it's very interesting the ending was not what I was hopping for.
technomage's review
4.0
I like to think that I have read most of John Le Carre's works but I didn't know about it until I found it in my local library. I really enjoyed it and it reminded me a bit of the tailor of panama with a bit of our game thrown.
It is, as the title suggests about friends Ted and Sasha met in the communes of Berlin, parted, met again, spied for each other, parted then met once more. It is very readable and quite sad but definitely a top notch Le Carre work.
It is, as the title suggests about friends Ted and Sasha met in the communes of Berlin, parted, met again, spied for each other, parted then met once more. It is very readable and quite sad but definitely a top notch Le Carre work.
lawrencetallon's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hannahcathie's review
3.0
This was my first le Carre novel. It was ok. I was really enjoying it for the first 4/5ths of the book, which was the whole build up, but the supposed climax and resolution was super quick and a bit of a disappointment.
margaret_j_c's review
5.0
This one was up there with the Karla books. Phenomenally well-executed.
Le Carré’s books aren’t spy stories, they’re stories about spies. They’re for those of us who have wondered what it is like to live a life of deception and intrigue, a life that is not your own. The answer is compromise, dissonance, loss of self. Le Carré's characters are all forced to develop identity after identity for the sake of survival and the cause they have been caught in. They find themselves in the same position as Mundy, who is "made up of all the odd bits of of his life that are left over after he has given the rest of himself away." Good side, bad side, there are no winners. Le Carré makes this painfully clear time after time.
Le Carré’s books aren’t spy stories, they’re stories about spies. They’re for those of us who have wondered what it is like to live a life of deception and intrigue, a life that is not your own. The answer is compromise, dissonance, loss of self. Le Carré's characters are all forced to develop identity after identity for the sake of survival and the cause they have been caught in. They find themselves in the same position as Mundy, who is "made up of all the odd bits of of his life that are left over after he has given the rest of himself away." Good side, bad side, there are no winners. Le Carré makes this painfully clear time after time.