Karla's Choice

Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The protagonist (Smiley, I think – although this is questionable) is only mildly engaging and distinctly vanilla in character. The antagonist (Karla, I think), ideally relentless and remorseless is mainly absent and anonymous. Jeopardy is thin on the ground and is largely the province of peripheral characters about whom I didn’t find I cared. There are oodles of well-written words but in the form of exposition that bogs down the progress of what is a mundane plot – which in turn labours to an uncertain climax and peters out. Plaintive monotone narration made the audiobook quite an ordeal. I was disappointed as I had high hopes and, having recommended it, now must face the wrath of our street book group.



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