Book Review #5 - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

I bought this book as a Valentine’s gift to Jay and I actually thought this would be a nice “in between” book from my usual fare and asked if I could borrow it.  I had no idea.

John Le Carre is the pen name for David John Moore Cornwell, who, for a brief period of his life, was an actual British spy, keyword being British.  I was clueless from the get go about his use of British spy vernacular .  Terms like scalphunter, the circus, lamplighter, babysitters, and ferrets were unabashedly dropped and Le Carre wasn’t going to explain any of it.   He expected the reader to figure it out.

I appreciate his confidence in the learning curve of his readers but if felt a bit like going to a Star Trek convention armed only with knowledge of the “Klingons” and discovering how grossly underprepared ones vocabulary is in that world (How do trekkies remember it all?).  Considering this was my very first Le Carre book, I was reasonably confused.

Add to the unfamiliar jargon characters alternatively being referred to by their first, last, code or nickname, a plot that is not moving chronologically and setting frequently shifted mid chapter with no announcement and I came to an early conclusion that I did not like this book.  Mostly because I hated that it was above my ability to understand.

Surprising even to me, I stuck with it.  Perhaps George Smiley’s pathetic personal life amidst his own genius made him a sympathetic protagonist to cheer for.  No, that’s exactly why I held out.  The author takes his time developing each character and even though I didn’t appreciate it at the time as character after character was being introduced, each of his characters, whether major players or small-time support, felt full and real and utterly believable.  I enjoyed how the author allowed the narrative to reveal the hero, Smiley’s, insecurities as well as his spying brilliance.  And even though it doesn’t make for a very exciting plot, I also appreciated the frequent mentioning of how tedious, tiring and boring spy work actually is.

I’m glad I stuck with it because by page 300, I was hooked.  Sure, there were only 381 pages in all but this twisty story of who is who and who did what and with whom and where and when for the Russians finally becomes clear as Smiley interrogates and unravels each kink.  For me, the pleasure came from little insights Smiley gave as he figured it out.  The anti-climax of it all.  Sadness, almost, at ruining someone’s life - even if that person was a traitor.  Feeling small and mean towards a former friend who was never a friend.  Yes, I believe this almost discarded book was completely redeemed by George Smiley.

I’m nervous to attempt another Le Carre because I don’t like working so hard for a story, but now that I’m not a complete Carre novice, I may embrace my new knowledge and peek into the world of George Smiley once more.