I had never read a John Le Carre novel before and felt ashamed, so i sort out his most famous novel with which to begin my Le Carre journey. I began the book with a certain amount of trepidation because i was worried i wouldn't like it, and that after all the hype I would be left disappointed. This was not the case - it quickly drew me in and did what all the best books do (unfortunately i don't find it often enough) which was to actually transport me into the narrative to the point that the room around me disappeared. Being so familiar as we now are with this genre and the jargon of spies, (Spooks, and countless films...) i imagine the plot is a lot easier to follow now than it was when first published - but it still stands the test of time and is satisfyingly 'twisty-turny', keeping you guessing to the last moment. The human story isn't lost in all the politics either, which i really liked - there's a lot of social comment, particularly in the last few pages.
It's basically a page turner, but for our times, i think it's also an important relic of a really very recent social past which we can easily forget.