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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5
Usually books pale in comparison to their adaptations so I try to watch them first (also helps me keep track of large casts). I was actually quite surprised by the mostly accurate adaptations of Tinker, Tailor and Smiley's People. I was expecting a similar case here given the tv series was so good.
The first half is very similar (just the tv series is updated to modern times) but the ending is quite different and more interesting in the tv series than the book. Book is still good but pales in that area by comparison.
There were lots of lovely political quotes and just a general political side of things that I liked that wasn't in the series that much so that made up for things somewhat.
Usually books pale in comparison to their adaptations so I try to watch them first (also helps me keep track of large casts). I was actually quite surprised by the mostly accurate adaptations of Tinker, Tailor and Smiley's People. I was expecting a similar case here given the tv series was so good.
The first half is very similar (just the tv series is updated to modern times) but the ending is quite different and more interesting in the tv series than the book. Book is still good but pales in that area by comparison.
There were lots of lovely political quotes and just a general political side of things that I liked that wasn't in the series that much so that made up for things somewhat.
While the writing itself was great, it was not engaging enough for me. I found myself skimming through the pages, mind wandering elsewhere, unable to enjoy the prose. Maybe it’s just not for me — but this is the third time I try to get through this book, and I just… can’t.
dark
tense
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:
Yes
I enjoyed the TV adaptation but have never got on with John Le Carre books. Decided to try again but still found the style dry and didn't get pulled into the story. Sorry.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A pretty good le Carré spy novel, which is to say a great book by any other measure. An interesting walk around behind the scenes of international arms smuggling, where all the usual suspects (first-world governments and spy agencies) can be found.
Definitely a character study on a slow boil. There might have been one too many scenes in which current events remind our hero of his One Great Regret. Still, it kept me turning pages right til the end.
Definitely a character study on a slow boil. There might have been one too many scenes in which current events remind our hero of his One Great Regret. Still, it kept me turning pages right til the end.