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sandin954's review against another edition
5.0
While this is billed as a George Smiley novel he is just used as a framing device for the narrator, Ned (last seen in [b:The Russia House|270521|The Russia House|John le Carré|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348229603l/270521._SY75_.jpg|1129195]), to reflect back on his career in the clandestine service. Very episodic but well written in the usual le Carre style and the audio narration by Michael Jayston was excellent.
rhihill's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bdhoffmeister's review
4.0
"The evil was not in the system, but in the man."
This isn't so much a novel as a series of loosely connected short stories centered on the same protagonist, a British Secret Service officer known only as Ned, told through a framing device involving Le Carre's most famous creation, George Smiley. The novel is essentially an elegy for the cold war era of espionage and Le Carre's writing about it, touching upon many themes that are prevalent in works like "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and others. The loneliness of spying, the disconnection from normal human relationships, the cynicism resulting from corruption in a system that is nominally supposed to be "the good guys," and questioning the higher purpose of what you're doing -- all these are woven throughout The Secret Pilgrim.
Le Carre ends on a note questioning whether the good guys actually did win the cold war -- or if there were any winners at all. Recent history would seem to indicate these are still open questions. But ultimately he does show a glimmer of hope in the above quote. Ned seemed to be trying to be one of the good guys, as was George Smiley ahead of him, ultimately learning the lesson that it's the evils and corruptions of individuals that prove to be the downfall of any system.
This isn't so much a novel as a series of loosely connected short stories centered on the same protagonist, a British Secret Service officer known only as Ned, told through a framing device involving Le Carre's most famous creation, George Smiley. The novel is essentially an elegy for the cold war era of espionage and Le Carre's writing about it, touching upon many themes that are prevalent in works like "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and others. The loneliness of spying, the disconnection from normal human relationships, the cynicism resulting from corruption in a system that is nominally supposed to be "the good guys," and questioning the higher purpose of what you're doing -- all these are woven throughout The Secret Pilgrim.
Le Carre ends on a note questioning whether the good guys actually did win the cold war -- or if there were any winners at all. Recent history would seem to indicate these are still open questions. But ultimately he does show a glimmer of hope in the above quote. Ned seemed to be trying to be one of the good guys, as was George Smiley ahead of him, ultimately learning the lesson that it's the evils and corruptions of individuals that prove to be the downfall of any system.
inquisitive_chap's review against another edition
4.0
This was one of my favourite Le Carré novels. It is a selection of short stories that an agent has eperienced in his life, within a broader narrative about the impact those experiences had on the agent in terms of his understanding of humanity, what is right and wrong, of patriotism and loyalty, and in effect what the purpose of his life (and ours) has been
cariadreads's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sfletcher26's review against another edition
4.0
This was, until last year, the last of the Le Carré’s George Smiley novels and is a bit of an odd swan song. Instead of making Smiley the lead and sending him out in a blaze of glory, which is kind of what happened in, Smiley’s People, this makes him a background character who is slowly shuffling out of frame questioning much of what he has done during his life and where it has lead.
The main character in this is Ned (the head of the Secret Service training school) who, invites Smiley to talk at the school. Smiley's musings and pronouncements begin to force Ned to look at his own career and the role of the Secret Service in a post Glasnost world. As such we never see Smiley full on we only ever really see his reflection in the mirror that is Ned. And maybe that’s the point maybe Smiley, because of who he is and what he was, would only ever have been happy with anything other than this.
Having said that he is only in this book peripherally his presence is felt throughout as he is the glue that holds the whole thing together as he drives the narrative flow of the book.
This is an enjoyable book and is woven together masterfully but I’m left slightly deflated by it. I’m therefore keen to see what happens in the next and final final book of the series.
The main character in this is Ned (the head of the Secret Service training school) who, invites Smiley to talk at the school. Smiley's musings and pronouncements begin to force Ned to look at his own career and the role of the Secret Service in a post Glasnost world. As such we never see Smiley full on we only ever really see his reflection in the mirror that is Ned. And maybe that’s the point maybe Smiley, because of who he is and what he was, would only ever have been happy with anything other than this.
Having said that he is only in this book peripherally his presence is felt throughout as he is the glue that holds the whole thing together as he drives the narrative flow of the book.
This is an enjoyable book and is woven together masterfully but I’m left slightly deflated by it. I’m therefore keen to see what happens in the next and final final book of the series.