Our Kind of Traitor

I felt that Our Kind of Traitor did not perhaps begin as forcefully or fluently as some other le Carré novels, but soon it had me gripped and intrigued. The plot here felt less about the Service (although its internal politics are evident), and more about international espionage, bribery and corruption. Read this without knowing it was a le Carré, and it might almost feel like a work by Ian Fleming, written in the 21st century. It certainly has a filmic feel to it, perhaps some of the action being set in the Bernese Oberland also helped. The ending of Our Kind of Traitor was as apt as it was unexpected, although it might be possible to draw some parallels with ‘On Her Majesty's Secret Service’. Beyond plot, Dima — the bad guy turned good in Our Kind of Traitor — is a complex character; as much Graham Greene as le Carré. Like in many of the works of both authors, Dima has to live with the moral consequences of his (previous) actions. Compelling and page-turning throughout. 8 out of 10.

By John le Carré