A review by deegee24
The Looking Glass War by John le Carré

informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A flawed but still fascinating attempt to demythologize foreign intelligence in the Cold War. This novel is to the spy genre what the police procedural is to the crime/detective genre. Smiley is only a supporting character in a team of spies that works at cross-purposes, conflicting over budgets, departmental authority, and strategy. It is anticlimactic by design. It's not for everyone's taste, but I appreciate how the book took its time describing aspects of an intelligence mission that are usually glossed over in James Bond-type thrillers--such as the recruitment and training of an agent. The descriptions of early wireless communication were also interesting.