Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Another superb le Carré novel. There is always a certain enjoyment derived from seeing the reappearance of familiar faces (Smiley et al) in recast contexts. The backdrop remains similar: spy and espionage at the height of the Cold War. The novel (as with other le Carré works) is meticulous in its detail/research, assembled like a set of interlinking Russian dolls (appropriately). There's no shortage of action and intrigue, creating a compulsion to read on — even in a 400-page work. However, for me, one of the most interesting elements is how le Carré frames duty and loyalty towards the cause versus the more irrational quirks of human nature, where public and private spheres and priorities collide, the results are inevitably often catastrophic. 9/10.

By John le Carré