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A review by noonjinx
Call for the Dead by John le Carré
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this one. I’ve heard people say Le Carre is too complicated but I thought this one was a really accessible. A great story, full of humanity and pathos with great characters full of depth.
As a spy, George Smiley is an anti-bond; brave and resourceful when he needs to be, but old, short an tubby and thinking his way out of trouble rather than fighting. At one point he considers taking a gun with him, but decides against it because he’s not actually sure where he’s put it and there would be a frightful fuss if he actually used it.
The plot is meticulously revealed throughout the novel, but then there is a chapter of explanation at the end which I could have done without. Apart from that I thought it was terrific
As a spy, George Smiley is an anti-bond; brave and resourceful when he needs to be, but old, short an tubby and thinking his way out of trouble rather than fighting. At one point he considers taking a gun with him, but decides against it because he’s not actually sure where he’s put it and there would be a frightful fuss if he actually used it.
The plot is meticulously revealed throughout the novel, but then there is a chapter of explanation at the end which I could have done without. Apart from that I thought it was terrific
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence