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The Mission Song
"Think of David Oyelowo as a single musician playing all the instruments in a symphony. That is essentially what he manages in this inspired performance of John le Carr 's suspense novel about a planned coup in the Congo and the interpreter of mixed parentage who wrestles with his conscience and his past to determine what he is to do about it. The cast of characters i...more
Audio CD, 0 pages
Published
August 1st 2008
by Hachette Audio
(first published January 1st 2006)
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David
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
zebras, British secret agents
Shelves:
audiobook,
spy,
thriller,
africa,
contemporary,
colonialism,
politics,
british-literature,
race-relations
This is one of le Carré's post-Cold War novels, and the subject is Africa. Like all of his spy thrillers, the tone is seedy, cynical, and heartbreaking, as a decent man has his idealism shattered and sees his best intentions trampled on and turned to shit.
"Salvo" is the son of a British missionary and a Congolese woman. He's grown up in England, and now he's a fully Anglocized African... or so he thinks. He makes a good living as a translator, having a talent for languages ...more
"Salvo" is the son of a British missionary and a Congolese woman. He's grown up in England, and now he's a fully Anglocized African... or so he thinks. He makes a good living as a translator, having a talent for languages ...more
I'm a fan of Le Carré, particularly the angrily politicised version we've seen in the last few novels, but I wonder how much longer he'll be able to use his "innocent against the corrupt system" structure without it becoming tired and predictable. To be honest, I think it just has; and that's one of the problems with this novel. The narrator/hero is an interpreter and Le Carré gets a lot of mileage out of the idea of truth, and its manipulation, but inevitably the action, or a large ch...more
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I found this to be one of the most successful of LeCarre's post-Cold War novels. His sense of outrage over conditions in Africa mirrors those of The Constant Gardener. The characters are compelling, and utterly believable.
As I was reading this book, I jotted down a list of phrases that caught my fancy. LeCarre's writing style is one of the best of any modern writer. Rather than review the plot of the novel, I thought I would share some of the language of the book. Here is my li...more
As I was reading this book, I jotted down a list of phrases that caught my fancy. LeCarre's writing style is one of the best of any modern writer. Rather than review the plot of the novel, I thought I would share some of the language of the book. Here is my li...more
The book deals with another naive character created by John Le Carre. The underlying theme that John Le Carre seems to bring about is how the naive and soft characters fail miserably in spying and how one needs to be cut-throat without any scruples to be a good spy. The protagonist is a bastard son of Belgian priest and a local girl in East Congo. He is brought up by his father and in the process he picks up a variety of languages.
Using this skill and his relatively fair skin he becomes a ...more
Using this skill and his relatively fair skin he becomes a ...more
Prashanth Nuggehalli Srinivas
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommended to Prashanth by:
Fahdi Dkhimi
Shelves:
fiction
Superb novel, but perhaps needs at least some understanding of global politicking and/or African politics and neo-colonial narratives - at least if the reader is informed a bit on these, s/he will love the book. Intense and like many of le carres, fast-paced. Yet differs from most of his other spy thrillers in the fact that it delves much more into few characters and their personal lives.
It reads almost like a biography of Bruno Salvador, half Congolese boy (other half Irish) who "...more
It reads almost like a biography of Bruno Salvador, half Congolese boy (other half Irish) who "...more
Just finished reading this, which is, I believe, the first of John le Carré's novels that I've read. I was lent it by a friend and fellow translator.
The main character is an interpreter of various minority African languages and a few European ones. Having worked a little in this field, it was interesting to me in ways that it might perhaps not otherwise have been.
It was rather slow paced until it reached the latter third, when the tension really began to mount. Stylisti...more
The main character is an interpreter of various minority African languages and a few European ones. Having worked a little in this field, it was interesting to me in ways that it might perhaps not otherwise have been.
It was rather slow paced until it reached the latter third, when the tension really began to mount. Stylisti...more
In short, brillant.
What begins as a common-place spy yarn sublimes into excellence as The Mission Song extends John Le Carré’s (David Cornwall) writing into contemporary political commentary. The presence of one scene, and one scene only, – no spoilers here! – succeeds, in my view, to illuminate the manner of corruption. The tone of the book changes on this shiny dime. The end result is a nuanced complexity, a protest delivered with finesse. A pitch perfect illustration of the way cert...more
What begins as a common-place spy yarn sublimes into excellence as The Mission Song extends John Le Carré’s (David Cornwall) writing into contemporary political commentary. The presence of one scene, and one scene only, – no spoilers here! – succeeds, in my view, to illuminate the manner of corruption. The tone of the book changes on this shiny dime. The end result is a nuanced complexity, a protest delivered with finesse. A pitch perfect illustration of the way cert...more
the book follows a few days of a Congo born son of a missionary and Congolese women. Salvo is a top interpreter who occasionally works for the British governments clandestine services. Just as he is reaches a person cross roads in his life, he falls in love with a women from his homeland while his marriage to an English women is falling apart, he is offered a job to translate for a private entity that is working at arms length for the British government.
John Le Carre is one of my favorites...more
John Le Carre is one of my favorites...more
John Le Carre returns to Africa, with this tale of a young translator who becomes involved in a scheme by the west to stage a coup and exploit the Congo (with shades of Simon Mann's misdaventure in Equatorial Guinea).
Some of this book is brilliant, the middle section where the translator listens into various rooms around a compund and deciphers the various conversations is incredibly well done. Reading it I could almost see why people like to actually watch chess matches, the patient...more
Some of this book is brilliant, the middle section where the translator listens into various rooms around a compund and deciphers the various conversations is incredibly well done. Reading it I could almost see why people like to actually watch chess matches, the patient...more
Bruno Salvadore, Salvo to his friends, is a man of amazing linguistic capabilities. Speaking a whole slew of African languages, plus several European ones, he is hired to interpret at a secret summit supposedly aimed at bringing peace to war-torn Congo. Unfortunately, he finds out that the men who are supposedly committed to bringing peace are really only in it to make as much money off the chaos of the situation in the Congo as possible. This is not at all a surprise among the more jaded of u...more
Geoffrey
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Geoffrey by:
saw on book shelf
I enjoyed this departure of sorts by the master of English espionage. The central character, Bruno Salvador, displayed incredible naivete in his role as master interpreter for Her Majesty's Government. The story reveals truths about the world of global politics and nations that most may not know, nor want to. In this case, the realities of Africa are brought to light, though not a new subject. Well-done Mr. LeCarre.
I found this book frustrating. On the one hand, Carre is taking dead aim with outrage at sub-Saharan African politics, back-room dealings and the general indifference/greed of the remaining global nation-state coterie who appear willing to wait out short breaks in the constant bloodbath to run in and scoop out a chunk of mineral wealth. His quivering outrage is clear. He reiterates it over and over and over, even though the best and brightest part is this almost chess-like philosophical and l...more
Bruno Salvador, the main character and narrative voice of this novel, is a mixed race British citizen born in the Congo, but now living in England. His superior skills as an interpreter bring him to the attention of British Intelligence, who call on him to attend a secret meeting between Congolese warlords and the representatives of European financiers. The meeting unfolds like a stud poker tournament, each player weighing his hand against the cards he can see and the actions of the other play...more
It's no secret that the state of African politics is corrupt and dirty. Still reeling from decades of colonization by Western nations, riven by tribal loyalties, brutally ruled by an ever-changing assortment of strongman rulers who can temporarily unite a people before collapsing into the ever-familiar patterns of megalomania and constructing their own cult of personality, the continent seems like the nearly perfect place to set a tale of intrigue and betrayal of the sort that John le Carre ha...more
I am a huge John Le Carre fan, but this book left me feeling kind of empty. I just don't have the attention span to read a novel where most of the plot takes place in a meeting/conference: honestly I have to do that so much for work that it makes me sleepy just thinking about it. There is nothing suspenseful or intense about a meeting - no matter what the topic is. Especially not one that lasts for 200 pages. Plus, at the end, after slogging through the entire thing and suffering with the ch...more
This was one of those books where all along I am marveling at how good a writer the author is while not loving the story.
Classic le Carre` with the very strong main character... a lot of subtlety during the negotiation scenes... lots of digressions and backstory and character speeches... I love le Carre`, but I just liked this one. Plus I don't think I could have liked the character of Hannah much less. Kind of a pain in the *ss, in fact.
As far as the audio-book went, I ...more
Classic le Carre` with the very strong main character... a lot of subtlety during the negotiation scenes... lots of digressions and backstory and character speeches... I love le Carre`, but I just liked this one. Plus I don't think I could have liked the character of Hannah much less. Kind of a pain in the *ss, in fact.
As far as the audio-book went, I ...more
As usual, always worthwhile reading any book of le Carre as always intelligent, complex and subtle,and characters invariably realistic so as to be interesting and understandable, even if not heroic and with many (human) faults. Plus, its always fascinating to see how politics and all its spin-off results REALLY work. I ended up liking he book as it all came together well at the end-as expected with his author.Still, I found it slow to get going in the first half-it took a while to engage me, and...more
I don't know the details of African politics, and the general impressions that I have are form novels. so I am by no means expert. I do have to say, though, that within the context of my limited knowledge, this book rang sadly true. I feel so sorry for Africa. They have so many problems and apparently unresolvable conflicts, and added to this is paternalistic intervention from the more developed world. Capitalism comes in as its interest require and leaves as its interest suggest. You just ...more
I have become a big fan of le Carre's more recent novels, the angry political ones as other reviewers have described them, but this one doesn't measure up. The main character is a fascinating guy but he is too naive and gullible (at least for le Carre's world). You have the feeling after he is betrayed several times that he just needs to realize that no one will listen to him or protect him. Of course, perhaps he does realize this but it's too late. In any case, I think he should have realized ...more
I love reading about other places and times, but I like it with a juicy personal story or two to irrigate the dusty dryness out of the facts. I like an engaging protagonist with a sense of humour and a nice dose of mulishness to take me through political complexities and to give a face to the small stories we see on the news about hundreds, thousands, millions of people dying, "missing" and brutalised in what we perceive as far-off regimes.
Why does the UN, the US, the UK eve...more
Why does the UN, the US, the UK eve...more
This novel is centered around Bruno Salvador--a half-British, half-Congolese interpreter of numerous obscure African languages--as he's whisked away by British Intelligence to a secret conference between the representatives of a Western-backed syndicate of politicians and celebrities, an ambitious Congolese leader preaching reform, and three Congolese warlords. The goal of this clandestine conference is none other than changing the government in the resource rich Kivu region of the Democratic Re...more
Take a Congolese interpreter in London England, hired to translate at a mysterious conference, mix in various government involvements (including Her Majesty's), shadowy commercial interests, the Congo's history of various rebel and tribal groups, and you have the environment for LeCarre's novel. It's current (hence I listed it as current affairs as well as mystery). LeCarre weaves a tangled web of vested interests, secret wink and nudge from the governments, deliberate withholdings of truth, 'do...more
The beginning and the end of this novel are superb. Le Carre at his best, mixing a thriller plot with humor and biting social criticism. The middle is a confusing mess of African characters, causes, and conspiracies—it’s hard to follow and sometimes tedious.
Le Carre creates a marvelous character, Bruno Salvador (“Salvo”) who’s the son of an bog Irish priest who served his whole life in the Congo and a Congolese woman who was sent back to her village after the birth. After his father’s dea...more
Le Carre creates a marvelous character, Bruno Salvador (“Salvo”) who’s the son of an bog Irish priest who served his whole life in the Congo and a Congolese woman who was sent back to her village after the birth. After his father’s dea...more
In The Mission Song John le Carré re-visits the world of espionage that we associate with his writing. He is a master of the clandestine, the deniable, the re-definable. Bruno Salvador is a freelance linguist. His parentage is complex, his origins confused, but his skills beyond question. By virtue of an upbringing that had many influences, he develops the ability to absorb languages. Having lived in francophone Africa and then England, he is fluent in both English and French plus an encyclopaed...more
I’m going to do the same review for “The Mission Song” and “Absolute Friends” because these books have so much in common. They both show a great writer having stumbled on his own frustration at international politics. Both books are suffused with anger that does not characterize Le Carre’s other works, and this anger impedes the storytelling and changes thematic representation to Neanderthalic proselytizing. In the past Le Carre has dealt with subjects before that he finds offensive (“The Nig...more
Aun no descubro cómo es para poner los libros en el Shelf porque este aun lo estoy LEYENDO.
Bueno, descubrí este libro en el aeropuerto de Nairobi en noviembre de 2006 y fue realmente una sensación fuerte. Venía de estar trabajando en la ciudad donde se narra parte de este libro, Bukavu, en la provincia de Sud Kivu en la República Democrática del Congo.
Leandro me había enviado un link cuando estaba allí, porque había descubierto que este señor había estado poco tiempo antes en el mism...more
Bueno, descubrí este libro en el aeropuerto de Nairobi en noviembre de 2006 y fue realmente una sensación fuerte. Venía de estar trabajando en la ciudad donde se narra parte de este libro, Bukavu, en la provincia de Sud Kivu en la República Democrática del Congo.
Leandro me había enviado un link cuando estaba allí, porque había descubierto que este señor había estado poco tiempo antes en el mism...more
John LeCarre is a "popular" writer, but also a very skilled one who makes good writing seem effortless. I find it relaxing to read his books because I have a certain level of trust. I can let my guard down without waiting for the sentence when the writing becomes labored or contrived. I think LeCarre is one of those writers who will be most appreciated as "serious" after he is gone.
Like The Constant Gardener, this is a book about post-colonial influence in Africa...more
Like The Constant Gardener, this is a book about post-colonial influence in Africa...more
The Mission Song, John le Carr_'s 20th novel in a career spanning nearly half a century, most famously in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1964), receives mixed marks. Critics who enjoy the novel praise le Carr_'s intricate plotting, atmospheric settings, and his ear for dialogue__all the trademark riffs of the undisputed master of the Cold War thriller now setting his sights on new enemies. Those who detect a misfire here focus on the torturous complexity of the story and a confusing structur
...more
Le Carre continues his preoccupation with Africa in this book that is part espionage thriller, part political treatise, and part love story. While more narrow in focus than The Constant Gardener, Le Carre's traditional themes of betrayal, self-discovery, skepticism, distrust, and curious idealism are present in quantities that one might expect. He is still one of the best going at describing the workings of the inner self.
Some have criticised the emergence of this 'angry' phase of ...more
Some have criticised the emergence of this 'angry' phase of ...more
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| The Mission Song, John Le Carré | 1 | 13 | Oct 30, 2007 08:03am | |
| The Mission Song, John Le Carré | 1 | 9 | Oct 30, 2007 08:03am |
John le Carré, the pseudonym of David John Moore Cornwell (born 19 October 1931 in Poole, Dorset, England), is an English author of espionage novels. Le Carré has resided in St Buryan, Cornwall, Great Britain, for more than forty years where he owns a mile of cliff close to Land's End.
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