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A review by stevo67
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré
3.0
This book was infuriating. It’s only in the last third that you know who everyone is. Le Carre has a habit of mentioning someone but not explaining who they are. Perhaps it was poorly edited. Anyhow it’s deftly told and the second half is very engrossing. If you’re coming to it knowing about Smiley, the Circus, Karla, Control, the Competition, the Centre then it must be a great read from the start. For someone entirely new to Smiley, like me, it doesn’t seem the best place to start. Certainly Le Carre is head and shoulders above Fleming as a author of spy stories.
The plot involves Smiley, now retired, being asked to investigate whether there’s a mole in the heart of MI6. There’s a failed mission out East under Tarr and failed mission led by Control in Czecho, is there a connection etc. Smiley hunts down those that may know about those missions and springs a trap to capture the mole. I suppose it felt a little too obvious that the mole was also the friend betraying Smiley by sleeping with his wife.
The plot involves Smiley, now retired, being asked to investigate whether there’s a mole in the heart of MI6. There’s a failed mission out East under Tarr and failed mission led by Control in Czecho, is there a connection etc. Smiley hunts down those that may know about those missions and springs a trap to capture the mole. I suppose it felt a little too obvious that the mole was also the friend betraying Smiley by sleeping with his wife.