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thisisstephenbetts's review against another edition
4.0
A slightly strange Le Carré, this. Actually felt like the most James Bondish of the ones that I've read to date - there are the exotic locations, a damsel in sort-of-voluntary distress involved with the villains, the main character even chooses to carry a small Walther handgun (that must have been a deliberate reference!) Basically it just felt more glamorous, exotic and adventure-filled than earlier books.
There was also a lot of politics, and one or two rogue operators - reminded me a bit more of James Ellroy novels (pleasantly - not always a given with Ellroy).
There's still plenty of the digging away in the vaults by the eccentric characters at the Circus, and lots of political jockeying in London. Smiley is still as engaging as ever, but I didn't have the same through and through enjoyment of earlier LeCarrés. Looking forward to Smiley's People though.
There was also a lot of politics, and one or two rogue operators - reminded me a bit more of James Ellroy novels (pleasantly - not always a given with Ellroy).
There's still plenty of the digging away in the vaults by the eccentric characters at the Circus, and lots of political jockeying in London. Smiley is still as engaging as ever, but I didn't have the same through and through enjoyment of earlier LeCarrés. Looking forward to Smiley's People though.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh, why did you make me do this, John le Carré? After the brilliant, genre-defining Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, le Carré inexplicably chose to give us a deep dive into Gerald Westerby and sideline George Smiley and crew.
There is no doubt that Westerby serves as a great example of how the characteristics that make someone a great spy also make them unreliable and disobedient. I was reminded of the British spy Eddie Chapman, whose exploits are chronicled in Ben Macintyre's Agent Zigzag. Chapman was an incredible spy, but he was also erratic and impossible to control. I imagine that le Carré wanted to show this aspect of espionage -- but he didn't need to build a whole book around it.
It's hard to overstate how little I cared about Westerby. His comrades in Hong Kong were flat and cartoonish (including Luke, whose death I could not care less about) and his obsession with Lizzie is boring. I was freshly irritated every time the narration returned to his point of view and glad when it was over. Hoping this one was an aberration.
There is no doubt that Westerby serves as a great example of how the characteristics that make someone a great spy also make them unreliable and disobedient. I was reminded of the British spy Eddie Chapman, whose exploits are chronicled in Ben Macintyre's Agent Zigzag. Chapman was an incredible spy, but he was also erratic and impossible to control. I imagine that le Carré wanted to show this aspect of espionage -- but he didn't need to build a whole book around it.
It's hard to overstate how little I cared about Westerby. His comrades in Hong Kong were flat and cartoonish (including Luke, whose death I could not care less about) and his obsession with Lizzie is boring. I was freshly irritated every time the narration returned to his point of view and glad when it was over. Hoping this one was an aberration.
nath234's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
rc90041's review against another edition
5.0
Just spectacular. The scenes in Cambodia in particular are brilliantly realized: the Charlie Marshall character, as seen piloting a battered DC-4 Carvair, is one of the most memorable I've come across in years. As in other le Carré novels that I've read, the plot developments seem almost purposefully obfuscated at times, but that's part of the pleasure of trying to follow Smiley's methods and thinking, just as all of the other characters in the books seem to be trying to do. The writing is beautiful, at times startlingly so. Le Carré apparently made four trips to Southeast Asia to research this book, and it shows, in the spectacularly vivid scenes set there. Fiction doesn't get much better than this -- in any genre.
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the writing, the setting, and the overall atmosphere but the plot was not the tightest and at times I wondered how it would all come together in the end. I listened to the audio version which was read by Michael Jayston who did an excellent job.
adbond's review against another edition
3.0
A little easier to follow than Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy but still rife with twists and turns and Le Carre is not afraid to keep you guessing on exactly who knows what until her is ready to reveal. I liked it better than TInker, but not as much as The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.
krep___'s review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
franklyfrank's review against another edition
1.0
Painful. This book made me rethink if I should continue reading this series.
adamrshields's review against another edition
3.0
Short Review: The Honorable Schoolboy: A George Smiley Novel by John le Carré - the second in the informal Karla Trilogy. It could have been edited down a little bit, but I still like the realistic feel and the slow burn method of le Carre. Clear turn in the writing to be more against the excesses of the western world instead of the communism of the east. Grounded in the history of the end of the Vietnam war, although never about that. Worth reading in context of le Carre's other work, but not my favorite of the le Carre books I have read so far.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-honorable-schoolboy/
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-honorable-schoolboy/
nowwearealltom's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly I found this book kind of a slog but the ending was really good so I'm still glad I read it.