Scan barcode
A review by wwatts1734
Absolute Friends by John le Carré
4.0
John LeCarre is one of the best writers of espionage thrillers out there, although his reputation was made in the 1970s and 80s with the Cold War motif. In Absolute Friends, LeCarre seeks to shore up his creditials in the post-Cold War world, and for the most part he does well. This is a great work of modern espionage drama.
Starting in the 1960s in West Germany among the idealistic youth movement of the time, two friends, Mundy and Sasha, a British and a German student, exchange ideas and become friends. Their friendship would extend for over three decades, into the Al Qaeda infused world of global politics in the first decade of the 21st Century. LeCarre, as always, takes the espionage novel beyond the "spy versus spy" motif. He brings in all of the intricate details of the world of international politics, from the international corporations that increasingly determine international relations to the arts and culture aspect of international exchange. Through the years, the two friends interact on several occasions, usually without success. Their relationship is complicated, and the situations that face are far from simple. The novel keeps the reader's attention and teaches a lot about international relations.
My only criticism of this novel is that it seems that LeCarre is too nostalgic and a little bitter in it. He dwells on the Cold War setting in this novel, perhaps at the expense of its relevance to the modern world. And LeCarre is obviously not happy with the direction of international relations, especially in the Bush era of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. His bitterness colors this novel a bit too much. I think that LeCarre could have used the corporate aspect of his plot to make the later part of the story more interesting. Still, this novel is worth reading. It is a great work from one of the greatest espionage writers in history.
Starting in the 1960s in West Germany among the idealistic youth movement of the time, two friends, Mundy and Sasha, a British and a German student, exchange ideas and become friends. Their friendship would extend for over three decades, into the Al Qaeda infused world of global politics in the first decade of the 21st Century. LeCarre, as always, takes the espionage novel beyond the "spy versus spy" motif. He brings in all of the intricate details of the world of international politics, from the international corporations that increasingly determine international relations to the arts and culture aspect of international exchange. Through the years, the two friends interact on several occasions, usually without success. Their relationship is complicated, and the situations that face are far from simple. The novel keeps the reader's attention and teaches a lot about international relations.
My only criticism of this novel is that it seems that LeCarre is too nostalgic and a little bitter in it. He dwells on the Cold War setting in this novel, perhaps at the expense of its relevance to the modern world. And LeCarre is obviously not happy with the direction of international relations, especially in the Bush era of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. His bitterness colors this novel a bit too much. I think that LeCarre could have used the corporate aspect of his plot to make the later part of the story more interesting. Still, this novel is worth reading. It is a great work from one of the greatest espionage writers in history.