The Russia House

I never get bored reading le Carré, and this novel proved no exception. The author's afterword is of particular significance and poignancy, all the more so with the further passing of time. In it, le Carré highlights how his first trip to Russia was in 1987. It provided much of the source material for this work. His optimism, embedded in the novel, that Russia might change has clearly been proven wrong, as he recognises that Russia has only become more corrupt. At the heart of every le Carré novel is the recognition of just how flawed human nature is: not only the lengths that (bad) people will go to, but also how romance/ love (a recurring le Carré theme, which even spies cannot fully account for) may throw people off track. Overall, an excellent read, providing both an insight into human nature and how bureaucracies, both official and unofficial, really work.

By John le Carré