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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
Nearly gave this 4 stars.
Fantastic final chapters. This is the first Le Carre I’ve read. Spy thriller is not a genre I reach for often. But I read this on a recommendation and it didn’t disappoint.
The book is set during the Cold War. Following a death on border between East and West Berlin the British agent in charge, Leamas, is recalled to London and then cast out of the Service. In London his life spirals downwards, despite meeting a nice young woman, Liz, and he ends up in prison for an assault. Out of prison he’s tapped up by foreign agents and is soon heading abroad as a defector. Even the interrogation chapters are gripping. There’s a plot to see Mundt, the head of DDR counter espionage deposed, Fiedler is behind it and Leamas provides key evidence. The matter goes to secret trial and unexpectedly Liz is a witness. After her testimony Leamas has to admit it was a plot and him and Fielder are carted away. But then Leamas and Liz are snuck out of prison later and we learn the whole matter was actually a plot to get Fiedler arrested as he had discovered Mundt was a double agent for the British. The final scene is a mad dash to get over the Berlin Wall back to the West.
Fantastic final chapters. This is the first Le Carre I’ve read. Spy thriller is not a genre I reach for often. But I read this on a recommendation and it didn’t disappoint.
The book is set during the Cold War. Following a death on border between East and West Berlin the British agent in charge, Leamas, is recalled to London and then cast out of the Service. In London his life spirals downwards, despite meeting a nice young woman, Liz, and he ends up in prison for an assault. Out of prison he’s tapped up by foreign agents and is soon heading abroad as a defector. Even the interrogation chapters are gripping. There’s a plot to see Mundt, the head of DDR counter espionage deposed, Fiedler is behind it and Leamas provides key evidence. The matter goes to secret trial and unexpectedly Liz is a witness. After her testimony Leamas has to admit it was a plot and him and Fielder are carted away. But then Leamas and Liz are snuck out of prison later and we learn the whole matter was actually a plot to get Fiedler arrested as he had discovered Mundt was a double agent for the British. The final scene is a mad dash to get over the Berlin Wall back to the West.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have never read a better book -- 100 percent engrossing and thrilling.
My first Le Carré book. I enjoyed it and read it in the space of two days on holiday. Very clever and full of bluffs and double bluffs, much like spy craft, I imagine. I feel like I only really understand it and its message at a superficial level, which I hope will change in due course.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this for a University History course on Cold War culture. It was a very classic spy novel: fast-paced, thrilling and full of twists and turns. I enjoyed the story and the author's writing style, and appreciated the vivid description of London and Berlin of the 1960s.
I have to admit, I’m a tad bit underwhelmed by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Given its reputation as a spy thriller classic, I was expecting a more gripping and intense experience. While the story is undeniably well-written and a breezy read, the plot felt flat and a bit predictable. I understand that the book was meant as a commentary on the futility and absurdity of the Cold War, but I couldn’t quite appreciate it as much as I thought I would. It is, nevertheless, still a good read.
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot