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Spies
Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso
199 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
167 people are currently reading
2742 people want to read
About the author
Michael Frayn
113 books268 followersMichael Frayn is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce Noises Off and the dramas Copenhagen and Democracy. His novels, such as Towards the End of the Morning, Headlong and Spies, have also been critical and commercial successes, making him one of the handful of writers in the English language to succeed in both drama and prose fiction. His works often raise philosophical questions in a humorous context. Frayn's wife is Claire Tomalin, the biographer and literary journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 518 reviews
February 20, 2024
Spies is a very special and extraordinary coming-of-age novel.
Returning to the location where you have spent your childhood you always find out that the place is full of nostalgic melancholy and a turbulent torrent of the recollections is inevitable…
When two boyfriends begin a silly investigation and try to penetrate the world of grownups, their life changes in quite an unexpected way. What starts as an innocent game turns into a real psychological crucible…
Can one be intrepid enough to play a frightening game to the end and become a man?
Returning to the location where you have spent your childhood you always find out that the place is full of nostalgic melancholy and a turbulent torrent of the recollections is inevitable…
Things start as a game, and then they turn into a test, which I fail.
When two boyfriends begin a silly investigation and try to penetrate the world of grownups, their life changes in quite an unexpected way. What starts as an innocent game turns into a real psychological crucible…
You start playing some game, and you’re the brave one, you’re the great hero. But the game goes on and on, and it gets more and more frightening, and you get tired, because you can’t go on being brave for ever. And then one night it happens. You’re up there in the darkness five hundred miles from home and suddenly the darkness is inside you as well. In your head, in your stomach.
Can one be intrepid enough to play a frightening game to the end and become a man?
November 3, 2019
In the 1940s, some boys played Cops & Robbers, some played Cowboys & Indians. But Stephen and Keith, English boys and neighbours during WWII, played Spies. Sure, it's a less well known game, but it is just as engrossing, and involves a hideout and a logbook, lots of sneaking around, and monitoring the movements and whereabouts of... Keith's mother, who the boys are certain is a German spy.
This coming-of-age story is told by Stephen, an elderly, grandfatherly Stephen, who is remembering a pivotal time in his childhood. He returns to his childhood neighbourhood and it all comes back to him in a series of nostalgic waves. Memory is not reliable, and neither is this narrative, but it IS deliciously satisfying and continues to unfold and reveal up until the very last page.
The dynamic between the boys is fascinating - Stephen, who feels lucky Keith pays him any attention, and who is aware that there's something shameful about his own family, and Keith, who lives in a perfect house filled with perfect toys and a regularly maintained bicycle, and who calls the shots in their friendship.
The idea of a pair of children acting as amateur sleuths in a mystery that is far over their heads reminded me a bit of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, though this was far more literary and memorable for me. It's also much more suspenseful, as the game of Spies gradually shifts from a charming, childish fantasy to something dangerous. The street in this quiet English town is full of secrets, and nothing is as it seems. The whistle of a father working in the garden has never been so sinister.
It took me a little time to get into the story, but once in, I was turning pages feverishly. I worried, as in other spy stories, will this one be obtuse and more confusing than anything else? I needn't have worried, though. Frayn doesn't leave us hanging in a maze of double agents and hazy memories. He leads us through, having left a trail of breadcrumbs that we can now see in the clear, 20/20 vision that retrospect affords.
Elegant, captivating storytelling.
4.5 stars
This coming-of-age story is told by Stephen, an elderly, grandfatherly Stephen, who is remembering a pivotal time in his childhood. He returns to his childhood neighbourhood and it all comes back to him in a series of nostalgic waves. Memory is not reliable, and neither is this narrative, but it IS deliciously satisfying and continues to unfold and reveal up until the very last page.
The dynamic between the boys is fascinating - Stephen, who feels lucky Keith pays him any attention, and who is aware that there's something shameful about his own family, and Keith, who lives in a perfect house filled with perfect toys and a regularly maintained bicycle, and who calls the shots in their friendship.
The idea of a pair of children acting as amateur sleuths in a mystery that is far over their heads reminded me a bit of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, though this was far more literary and memorable for me. It's also much more suspenseful, as the game of Spies gradually shifts from a charming, childish fantasy to something dangerous. The street in this quiet English town is full of secrets, and nothing is as it seems. The whistle of a father working in the garden has never been so sinister.
It took me a little time to get into the story, but once in, I was turning pages feverishly. I worried, as in other spy stories, will this one be obtuse and more confusing than anything else? I needn't have worried, though. Frayn doesn't leave us hanging in a maze of double agents and hazy memories. He leads us through, having left a trail of breadcrumbs that we can now see in the clear, 20/20 vision that retrospect affords.
Elegant, captivating storytelling.
4.5 stars
November 19, 2017
Another from the 2002 Booker longlist, this one is a quiet revelation and a masterly piece of storytelling.
The action is narrated by an old man revisiting the scene and remembering his childhood adventures in suburban England during the Second World War. The story is narrated from the childhood Stephen's perspective, with occasional interludes in which the older man reflects on the story, the nature of childhood memories and what he did and didn't know when.
Stephen is a follower, not a leader, a second child prey to bullies at school, who is befriended by Keith, a lonely child from a better school. Keith develops a fantasy that his mother is a German spy, and co-opts Stephen into a scheme to spy on her. The game becomes more serious because she does indeed have secrets, and the nature of these secrets and their gradual revelation form the core of the book, along with what Stephen learns about his own family.
Some of the key revelations are held back until very late in the book, others are hinted at earlier, but the whole is very satisfying. A lovely book which deserved better than a mere longlisting.
The action is narrated by an old man revisiting the scene and remembering his childhood adventures in suburban England during the Second World War. The story is narrated from the childhood Stephen's perspective, with occasional interludes in which the older man reflects on the story, the nature of childhood memories and what he did and didn't know when.
Stephen is a follower, not a leader, a second child prey to bullies at school, who is befriended by Keith, a lonely child from a better school. Keith develops a fantasy that his mother is a German spy, and co-opts Stephen into a scheme to spy on her. The game becomes more serious because she does indeed have secrets, and the nature of these secrets and their gradual revelation form the core of the book, along with what Stephen learns about his own family.
Some of the key revelations are held back until very late in the book, others are hinted at earlier, but the whole is very satisfying. A lovely book which deserved better than a mere longlisting.
December 5, 2017
I was convinced this was going to be a five-star read until about twenty pages from the end. Such a clever and artfully constructed book deserved a much better denouement. As it was the ending was flaccid for me and the final twist somewhat lame. I can’t explain why without spoiling the plot.
Spies is narrated in the first person by an elderly man looking back at one experience during WW2. It begins at a leisurely pace, it’s languorous rhythms matching those of the out of the way English town where it’s set. Early on we get an interesting look at the hierarchy of power between young boys. Stephen, the narrator, has no power. The only kid willing to befriend him is a stuck-up boy no one else likes. But Stephen’s role is as a menial sidekick, there to carry out Keith’s orders. The bullied narrator exacts little sympathy because he’s so relentlessly abject. I felt the author went a bit over the top with his depiction of craven shyness – Stephen can’t even look at adults let alone answer their questions which will become a bit annoying further down the line when this paralysis becomes a convenient plot device. It’s almost as if he compels those around him to treat him without respect. That said I did get a few insights into ways to ensure my own little boy isn’t bullied when he starts school next September.
The pace considerably hots up when Keith announces his mother is a German spy. The two boys begin to follow her, but she always mysteriously vanishes. This is the best part of the book when the mystery of the mother’s antics is hard to work out. It has the exciting intrigue of a brilliant thriller at this point. And I loved how he showed kids with a feverish imagination inventing an adventure and then having to suspend disbelief, just like readers, to sustain the narrative. Perhaps it doesn’t take too long to work out the nature of the mystery but I was still excited to see how it would play out. Then came the ending.
I really liked this but didn’t quite love it because of the unsatisfactory ending. I’ve got a feeling this is why I wouldn’t love thrillers in general. The endings somehow like the vacuum cleaning of a carpet – which never for me achieves a result that quite rewards the effort.
Spies is narrated in the first person by an elderly man looking back at one experience during WW2. It begins at a leisurely pace, it’s languorous rhythms matching those of the out of the way English town where it’s set. Early on we get an interesting look at the hierarchy of power between young boys. Stephen, the narrator, has no power. The only kid willing to befriend him is a stuck-up boy no one else likes. But Stephen’s role is as a menial sidekick, there to carry out Keith’s orders. The bullied narrator exacts little sympathy because he’s so relentlessly abject. I felt the author went a bit over the top with his depiction of craven shyness – Stephen can’t even look at adults let alone answer their questions which will become a bit annoying further down the line when this paralysis becomes a convenient plot device. It’s almost as if he compels those around him to treat him without respect. That said I did get a few insights into ways to ensure my own little boy isn’t bullied when he starts school next September.
The pace considerably hots up when Keith announces his mother is a German spy. The two boys begin to follow her, but she always mysteriously vanishes. This is the best part of the book when the mystery of the mother’s antics is hard to work out. It has the exciting intrigue of a brilliant thriller at this point. And I loved how he showed kids with a feverish imagination inventing an adventure and then having to suspend disbelief, just like readers, to sustain the narrative. Perhaps it doesn’t take too long to work out the nature of the mystery but I was still excited to see how it would play out. Then came the ending.
I really liked this but didn’t quite love it because of the unsatisfactory ending. I’ve got a feeling this is why I wouldn’t love thrillers in general. The endings somehow like the vacuum cleaning of a carpet – which never for me achieves a result that quite rewards the effort.
June 14, 2020
The World From Under a Hedge
There is nothing lacking in Spies. Character, plot and pace are about as close to perfect as it gets. Frayn’s understanding of the juvenile mind is formidable. His intellectual subtlety is enviable. His ethical sense is acute. He knows how to tell a story. Proust was inspired by the scent of fresh madeleines; the memory of Frayn’s narrator is provoked by the sickly stink of a privet hedge in Summer under which he spends his time in spying on the neighbourhood. The reader might expect, therefore, a less than up-beat moral.
The theme of Spies is the sort of quantum physics of everyday life. Its protagonist, Stephen, is acutely aware of the power of simple observation when he says, “Just by looking at things I shouldn’t have looked at, I’ve changed them.” This is the appreciation by age of the naive, destructive folly of youth. We change the world into something different by our smallest and most passive acts. His elderly self knows the dangers of youthful curiosity: “I think that what he instinctively grasped was this: that some things must never even be known.” One’s mere presence has consequences that can’t be anticipated.
Stephen’s epiphany is his realisation that he is responsible for what he experiences: “Most of the time you don’t go around thinking that things are so or not so, any more than you go around understanding or not understanding them. You take them for granted.” Taking things for granted is what young people do. It could be the definition of youth. Understanding the effect of one’s life on others is what only old people can do. Unfortunately it’s a non-transferable skill. So it has to be learned, if it is learned at all, by every generation.
There is nothing lacking in Spies. Character, plot and pace are about as close to perfect as it gets. Frayn’s understanding of the juvenile mind is formidable. His intellectual subtlety is enviable. His ethical sense is acute. He knows how to tell a story. Proust was inspired by the scent of fresh madeleines; the memory of Frayn’s narrator is provoked by the sickly stink of a privet hedge in Summer under which he spends his time in spying on the neighbourhood. The reader might expect, therefore, a less than up-beat moral.
The theme of Spies is the sort of quantum physics of everyday life. Its protagonist, Stephen, is acutely aware of the power of simple observation when he says, “Just by looking at things I shouldn’t have looked at, I’ve changed them.” This is the appreciation by age of the naive, destructive folly of youth. We change the world into something different by our smallest and most passive acts. His elderly self knows the dangers of youthful curiosity: “I think that what he instinctively grasped was this: that some things must never even be known.” One’s mere presence has consequences that can’t be anticipated.
Stephen’s epiphany is his realisation that he is responsible for what he experiences: “Most of the time you don’t go around thinking that things are so or not so, any more than you go around understanding or not understanding them. You take them for granted.” Taking things for granted is what young people do. It could be the definition of youth. Understanding the effect of one’s life on others is what only old people can do. Unfortunately it’s a non-transferable skill. So it has to be learned, if it is learned at all, by every generation.
November 30, 2017
„What do we see from our vantage point in the meantime? Or dream that we see, or imagine that we see, or imagine later that we remembered seeing?”
Keith and Stephen grow up in Britain during WW II. When the two kids play a game of imagination that works on the premise that Keith’s mother is a German spy, the boys start following her around, but what they find out is certainly not what they expected and the consequences of their game get out of control.
Frayn’s writing is particularly strong when he describes how a child knows that a game is just that, a game, while at the same time believing that the reality he only imagines is real, because that is the whole point of playing. In a way, that is also how political propaganda and ideologies work - there's the backdrop of WW II, after all. Once people start to act according to the reality they imagine (for one reason or the other), things have to go downhill- instigated by the game that Keith starts, Stephen gets more and more unsure about what is real and what isn’t, which heightens his overall anxiety (but also excitement), and Frayn masterfully depicts how he finally fails to acknowledge reality when it is staring him right in the face. The psychology behind that and how subtly Frayn plays it out is simply fantastic, although the reader certainly needs some patience, because large parts of the novel are not story-driven, but linger in the realms of Stephen’s mind.
While told by a much-older Stephen looking back on his past, the protagonist is still conveying the story from the point of view of his younger self – the reader almost always remains ahead of young Stephen, as from the point of view of a grown-up outside of the game, what is happening will be judged very differently. These two levels work nicely and add to the suspense, because the question how Stephen and Keith will interpret a situation always lingers.
All in all, the true mystery to me is how come this book was not shortlisted for the Booker 2002 (but you shortlisted Unless? Seriously?). Thanks a lot to the “The Mookse and the Gripes” gang on here for this fun Booker 2002 readalong!
Keith and Stephen grow up in Britain during WW II. When the two kids play a game of imagination that works on the premise that Keith’s mother is a German spy, the boys start following her around, but what they find out is certainly not what they expected and the consequences of their game get out of control.
Frayn’s writing is particularly strong when he describes how a child knows that a game is just that, a game, while at the same time believing that the reality he only imagines is real, because that is the whole point of playing. In a way, that is also how political propaganda and ideologies work - there's the backdrop of WW II, after all. Once people start to act according to the reality they imagine (for one reason or the other), things have to go downhill- instigated by the game that Keith starts, Stephen gets more and more unsure about what is real and what isn’t, which heightens his overall anxiety (but also excitement), and Frayn masterfully depicts how he finally fails to acknowledge reality when it is staring him right in the face. The psychology behind that and how subtly Frayn plays it out is simply fantastic, although the reader certainly needs some patience, because large parts of the novel are not story-driven, but linger in the realms of Stephen’s mind.
While told by a much-older Stephen looking back on his past, the protagonist is still conveying the story from the point of view of his younger self – the reader almost always remains ahead of young Stephen, as from the point of view of a grown-up outside of the game, what is happening will be judged very differently. These two levels work nicely and add to the suspense, because the question how Stephen and Keith will interpret a situation always lingers.
All in all, the true mystery to me is how come this book was not shortlisted for the Booker 2002 (but you shortlisted Unless? Seriously?). Thanks a lot to the “The Mookse and the Gripes” gang on here for this fun Booker 2002 readalong!
December 6, 2023
4 stars
Having loved A Landing on the Sun which is about an introspective civil servant painstakingly reconstructing a colleague's long ago love affair, I was looking forward to "Spies" in which we have an introspective elderly man revisiting his childhood home to...painstakingly reconstruct what really went on one summer during WW2.
And I was largely not disappointed.
This is what Frayn does really well: taking archaeological strolls down memory lane. "Spies" is subtle, layered and highly revealing of human nature, but he plays fair and doesn't lob the ball of what's actually going on over your head. The characters, both the kids and the adults, are well-crafted and the world of the little Close is highly reminiscent of cozy mystery settings. But a lot more sinister and a lot more real.
It's literary, good literary.
Still, there were a few things that - personally - got a little on my nerves.
I'm not one for long botanical/gardening descriptions. The smells of different plants are used in the novel as Proustian moments, which is all fine and good, but I found it overbearing at times how long Frayn dwelled on...well, the scents of bushes. (Slow)
The reveal at the end is really not a reveal, it's more a recap to make sure "no reader is left behind" and everybody understands events. If you've been paying attention, however, you'll have figured out 95% of what happened that summer, so for most readers, largely unnecessary. I understand completely why he put that ending in there, however. No author wants to read "I didn't get it...who was the hobo????" in book reviews.
"Spies" is a unique and interesting addition to the frankly oversaturated world of British WW2 literature. It's well worth the read if you're into literary fiction.
Having loved A Landing on the Sun which is about an introspective civil servant painstakingly reconstructing a colleague's long ago love affair, I was looking forward to "Spies" in which we have an introspective elderly man revisiting his childhood home to...painstakingly reconstruct what really went on one summer during WW2.
And I was largely not disappointed.
This is what Frayn does really well: taking archaeological strolls down memory lane. "Spies" is subtle, layered and highly revealing of human nature, but he plays fair and doesn't lob the ball of what's actually going on over your head. The characters, both the kids and the adults, are well-crafted and the world of the little Close is highly reminiscent of cozy mystery settings. But a lot more sinister and a lot more real.
It's literary, good literary.
Still, there were a few things that - personally - got a little on my nerves.
I'm not one for long botanical/gardening descriptions. The smells of different plants are used in the novel as Proustian moments, which is all fine and good, but I found it overbearing at times how long Frayn dwelled on...well, the scents of bushes. (Slow)
The reveal at the end is really not a reveal, it's more a recap to make sure "no reader is left behind" and everybody understands events. If you've been paying attention, however, you'll have figured out 95% of what happened that summer, so for most readers, largely unnecessary. I understand completely why he put that ending in there, however. No author wants to read "I didn't get it...who was the hobo????" in book reviews.
"Spies" is a unique and interesting addition to the frankly oversaturated world of British WW2 literature. It's well worth the read if you're into literary fiction.
January 15, 2013
If I hadn't had to read this book for English I never would have finished it. The concept for the book was interesting, the actual story however was really slow and I just couldn't get into it. In the last chapter it was like the writer suddenly decided that he needed to add in some thing to shock the audience, however it was delivered in such away that there was no real shock value to it.
February 15, 2024
(3.5) Living in a sleepy cul-de-sac during the Second World War, two adolescent boys pass their time playing make-believe games. Stephen is in thrall to his domineering friend Keith, who has a habit of spinning tall tales – including, pivotally, the claim that his mother is a German spy. Many years later, Stephen returns, reflecting on the events of his childhood and how this foolish lie ultimately upended the whole community. The narrative is crafted to not only convey, but embody, the ways in which memories become distorted – both by the layering effect that makes it seem as though many significant events occurred together, and by a child’s lack of full understanding being filtered through an adult’s recall. Frayn’s writing here is wonderfully nostalgic: it seems to conjure up not just the time and place of this particular story, but also something ineffable about childhood itself.
September 29, 2021
A gyermekkor és a felnőttkor közti távolság nem csak időbeli. Nem csak arról szól, hogy régen máshogy festettek az utcák, megvolt még az a fagyalsövény, amit azóta ledózeroltak, nem csak arról szól, hogy akkor még zajlott a második világháború, most meg már nem. A gyermekkor egyszerűen egy másik világ, gyermeknek lenni azt jelenti, hogy máshogy érzékelünk, más szabályok szerint cselekszünk. A felnőttek nyelve idegen nyelv, sőt, mintha más fajhoz tartoznának: nem lehet megérteni őket, ahogy ők se tudnak megérteni minket. Amikor egy felnőtt azt mondja: „Jaj, de szépen játszanak ezek a gyerekek”, akkor a gyerekek alkalmasint nem játszanak, hanem valami véresen komoly világot konstruálnak épp, amiben felhasználják azokat a töredékinformációkat, amelyek a felnőttek világából szivárognak le hozzájuk. Például ha a felnőttek német kémektől tartanak, akkor az ő világukban az, aki gyanúsan viselkedik, kém, mégpedig olyan bizonyosan, mint az egyszeregy. Amikor pedig megértik, hogy a gyanús viselkedés mögött talán a véltnél mélyebb drámák rejtőznek, bonyolult, érthetetlen titkok, komplex, veszélyes érzelmek – nos, az egyben a gyermekkor vége is.
June 20, 2013
I loved this book. It reminded me of the time in my life when I still craved an imaginary world but knew that I knew better. Stephen is a vulnerable boy, lacking in self confidence, easily led by anyone who befriends him. His fantasy world with Keith leads to the uncovering of a secret that has devastating consequences. Frayn tells us a poignant story, drawing us into Stephen's troubled world and through his childish perspective into the adjacent adult world. It's a story that will stay with me for quite some time. I'm also very excited to have discovered another author to read my way through.
December 23, 2007
I can't decide whether to give this book four stars or five. The language was a lot more straightforward than the dense, breathless wordplay I usually love, but the further I got into the book the more I came to see this as another mark of Frayn's genius, because the language picks up and becomes more urgent and complex as the plot does.
The plot is brilliant; no question about it. I couldn't put this book down, and those of you who know my distractible self will know that this says a LOT. I put down *everything.* I'd put down my own head if I could, I'm so bored with it.
I'm sure part of my total absorption owes itself to the fact that this book handles some of my favourite themes: the fallible nature of memory, the weight of childhood mistakes.
The narrator and a friend he is desperate to impress begin what seems at first like another rollicking adventure of the kind they've always played: spying on the friend's mother because they suspect she's a German spy (oh yes: it's World War II). Along the way, as you might well suspect, their game turns horrible and terrifying. Perhaps the most terrifying discovery the narrator makes, and that we achingly remake with him, is the vulnerability of adults. Could the world of adults possibly be even more lonely than that of children?
What you probably *won't* suspect, though, is who did what, or how it all happened, or why. The narrative is as brilliantly plotted as the best of murder mysteries, and nothing prepared me for the shock of revelation at the end. As with the best murder mysteries, I looked back and saw that it should all have been obvious; that copious clues had been planted for my benefit, but I'd been so swept up in fear and dread that I hadn't picked up on them.
The plot is brilliant; no question about it. I couldn't put this book down, and those of you who know my distractible self will know that this says a LOT. I put down *everything.* I'd put down my own head if I could, I'm so bored with it.
I'm sure part of my total absorption owes itself to the fact that this book handles some of my favourite themes: the fallible nature of memory, the weight of childhood mistakes.
The narrator and a friend he is desperate to impress begin what seems at first like another rollicking adventure of the kind they've always played: spying on the friend's mother because they suspect she's a German spy (oh yes: it's World War II). Along the way, as you might well suspect, their game turns horrible and terrifying. Perhaps the most terrifying discovery the narrator makes, and that we achingly remake with him, is the vulnerability of adults. Could the world of adults possibly be even more lonely than that of children?
What you probably *won't* suspect, though, is who did what, or how it all happened, or why. The narrative is as brilliantly plotted as the best of murder mysteries, and nothing prepared me for the shock of revelation at the end. As with the best murder mysteries, I looked back and saw that it should all have been obvious; that copious clues had been planted for my benefit, but I'd been so swept up in fear and dread that I hadn't picked up on them.
February 10, 2011
Nothing is quite the way it seems – this theme runs through the novel. An innocuous spying game became a life changing catalyst. For me, the story was difficult to warm up to initially, almost as if my adult mind has lost the ability to take delight in simple child's play. However, I was amazed at how skillfully Michael Frayn tells the story. No fanfare, no proclaiming from the roof top. In quiet flashes of insight (as seen through the eyes of the child, Stephen), the secrets are subtly laid bare. Because what is hidden comes to light gently and artlessly, it smites you with surprising force and does not let up until the last page is turned. I didn’t think I would enjoy this book, but I did.
January 1, 2015
Spies is one of my favourites. Admittedly, I only read it because it was part of my English Literature A level studies, and most of my class would disagree with me in my affections for this book since it was definitely a challenge to analyse! However, I found that this only deepened my affections and admiration for Frayn's masterpiece.
There are so many levels to Spies. It is complex, as Frayn chooses to narrate this story almost as a stream of consciousness, where events are disjointed and half remembered, then returned to later and expanded upon. It follows his train of thought, rather than a chronological sequence of events. This can make it difficult to read at times, however it captures the essence of a person revisiting old memories. It mimics how our thoughts and memories work - each triggered by stimuli, such as a scent, a place, a feeling, and how they do not always follow a logical direction but may in turn, trigger other memories which may be linked in some way. Frayn captures this exceptionally well.
Spies is a fitting title for the book, as it is a major theme throughout the novel where everyone appears to be spying on everyone else. It is a touching and charming story, told through the perspective of an older man who revisits the neighborhood he grew up in, recalling his childhood memories. One of my favorite quotations is:
"Everything is as it was, and everything has changed."
This phrase seemed to resonate with me and summarise the feelings aroused when revisiting the past.
An enchanting read, despite its complexities, and a must for all readers.
This is a book I wouldn't mind reading again and again. And each time I have, it is easier to piece together the events and different things take on a different importance. This story has so many hidden complexities, it is a joy to read over and over to gain a deeper understanding of the characters, the events and Frayn's unusual written style.
There are so many levels to Spies. It is complex, as Frayn chooses to narrate this story almost as a stream of consciousness, where events are disjointed and half remembered, then returned to later and expanded upon. It follows his train of thought, rather than a chronological sequence of events. This can make it difficult to read at times, however it captures the essence of a person revisiting old memories. It mimics how our thoughts and memories work - each triggered by stimuli, such as a scent, a place, a feeling, and how they do not always follow a logical direction but may in turn, trigger other memories which may be linked in some way. Frayn captures this exceptionally well.
Spies is a fitting title for the book, as it is a major theme throughout the novel where everyone appears to be spying on everyone else. It is a touching and charming story, told through the perspective of an older man who revisits the neighborhood he grew up in, recalling his childhood memories. One of my favorite quotations is:
"Everything is as it was, and everything has changed."
This phrase seemed to resonate with me and summarise the feelings aroused when revisiting the past.
An enchanting read, despite its complexities, and a must for all readers.
This is a book I wouldn't mind reading again and again. And each time I have, it is easier to piece together the events and different things take on a different importance. This story has so many hidden complexities, it is a joy to read over and over to gain a deeper understanding of the characters, the events and Frayn's unusual written style.
November 30, 2019
I keep ephemera in books I have read or want to read...mostly reviews of the book. I have several reviews from Spies from one or more persons you know of:
John Updike, The New Yorker, April 1, 2002
John Lanchester, TLS, June 27, 2002
Jonathan Keates, TLS< February 1, 2002
Christopher Taylor, London Review of Books, February 21, 2002
Christopher Bray, Literary Review, February 2002
John Updike, The New Yorker, April 1, 2002
John Lanchester, TLS, June 27, 2002
Jonathan Keates, TLS< February 1, 2002
Christopher Taylor, London Review of Books, February 21, 2002
Christopher Bray, Literary Review, February 2002
June 27, 2010
"Spies" is a coming of age story, a mystery, a war novel, and a big leap into childhood from adolescence - and back. I can't say much more beacuse I'm at a loss for words - and it's all Michael Frayn's fault. The guy is brilliant - and so is the book.
March 24, 2010
As the novel opens, the narrator, Stephen, returns in his old age to the neighborhood where he grew up during WWII England. Wandering around the old streets, certain sights, sounds and smells (especially the sweet smell of the flowers on the privet hedge) conjure up Stephen the boy, and what happened to him many years ago during his childhood. While the memories are slowly unfurled, Stephen the man often adds in his own questions about what Stephen the boy could and should have understood (or not) about what was happening at the time.
What Stephen the man looks back on is a certain episode of his youth, when his friend Keith Hayward made the announcement that his mother was a German spy. He based his claim on observations he made about his mother's movements around the neighborhood. His bright idea was to set up surveillance so that he and Stephen could come up with proof of this allegation, and Stephen, who wanted so desperately to fit into Keith's world, went along with the plan. Yet, so many times what children see and think is actually a misinterpretation of what's really going on in the often-incomprehensible world of adults, and Keith and Stephen start down a path which leads to some tragic consequences.
This book has been criticized by some readers for being too slow, but don't believe it. The author spends a lot of time placing the reader into Stephen the boy's neighborhood, complete with smells and other memory triggers, and this basis of place and time is very important. What really makes this book, though, are the characters. There's Stephen, of course, who is of "inferior" class to his friend Keith. Stephen understands that to remain Keith's friend, there are certain unwritten and unspoken rules that he has to follow. Keith is an odd boy, a bullying type who lives with his unemotional, stiff upper-lip, everything-in-its-place kind of father and a mother who is outwardly very charming but whose inner life is a question mark. Spies is not a passive read, meaning that a great deal of reader involvement is necessary, but when you've finished it, you'll want to read it again.
What Stephen the man looks back on is a certain episode of his youth, when his friend Keith Hayward made the announcement that his mother was a German spy. He based his claim on observations he made about his mother's movements around the neighborhood. His bright idea was to set up surveillance so that he and Stephen could come up with proof of this allegation, and Stephen, who wanted so desperately to fit into Keith's world, went along with the plan. Yet, so many times what children see and think is actually a misinterpretation of what's really going on in the often-incomprehensible world of adults, and Keith and Stephen start down a path which leads to some tragic consequences.
This book has been criticized by some readers for being too slow, but don't believe it. The author spends a lot of time placing the reader into Stephen the boy's neighborhood, complete with smells and other memory triggers, and this basis of place and time is very important. What really makes this book, though, are the characters. There's Stephen, of course, who is of "inferior" class to his friend Keith. Stephen understands that to remain Keith's friend, there are certain unwritten and unspoken rules that he has to follow. Keith is an odd boy, a bullying type who lives with his unemotional, stiff upper-lip, everything-in-its-place kind of father and a mother who is outwardly very charming but whose inner life is a question mark. Spies is not a passive read, meaning that a great deal of reader involvement is necessary, but when you've finished it, you'll want to read it again.
November 19, 2024
The novel opens with Stephen Wheatley, as an older man, reflecting on his childhood days during World War II when he and his friend Keith were playing at tracking German spies. Stephen’s naïve enthusiasm for their spy games gradually transforms into fear and confusion when he stumbles upon real secrets in the adult world. The storyline explores how innocence and imagination can lead to dramatic misunderstandings with serious consequences.
It is an unusual coming-of-age novel in that it focuses on psychological factors from a child’s perspective. Stephen narrates the story, so we are privy to his inner thoughts. I think the use of the same person in different stages of life is quite effective. Of course, Stephen as an adult can provide the context that younger Stephen misses entirely.
It is both a story of wartime intrigue and an exploration of how memory, perception, and guilt leave lasting effects. Frayn’s use of the setting, an isolated English neighborhood, enhances the suspense and sense of entrapment. The wartime atmosphere with its pervasive paranoia adds to the dramatic tension. Readers know something bad is going to happen and will try to anticipate what it might be. The author does a great job of keeping it under wraps until the end and I suggest going into it without knowing too much ahead of time. This is an impressive and well-crafted novel with something to say about how childhood experiences shape our adult lives. I loved it.
It is an unusual coming-of-age novel in that it focuses on psychological factors from a child’s perspective. Stephen narrates the story, so we are privy to his inner thoughts. I think the use of the same person in different stages of life is quite effective. Of course, Stephen as an adult can provide the context that younger Stephen misses entirely.
It is both a story of wartime intrigue and an exploration of how memory, perception, and guilt leave lasting effects. Frayn’s use of the setting, an isolated English neighborhood, enhances the suspense and sense of entrapment. The wartime atmosphere with its pervasive paranoia adds to the dramatic tension. Readers know something bad is going to happen and will try to anticipate what it might be. The author does a great job of keeping it under wraps until the end and I suggest going into it without knowing too much ahead of time. This is an impressive and well-crafted novel with something to say about how childhood experiences shape our adult lives. I loved it.
March 20, 2017
Очень душная книга про то, как страшно иногда быть ребенком. Как страшно, когда весь мир - это огромная географическая карта, на которой сплошные белые пятна, и никто не собирается тебе пояснять, что к чему, никто не снабдит компасом, чтобы великая экспедиция и поиски новых земель не обернулись вселенским разочарованием и шлейфом, который тянется и тянется из детства во в��рослую жизнь, проникая под кожу по глупости совершенными ошибками.
Стивен и Кит, как все мальчишки, любят приключения. Они живут в огромном мире, полном неразгаданных тайн и терпеливо поджидающих их за углом приключений, в волнующих декорациях идущей где-то там Войны, которая так неправдоподобно близко, что очень даже легко поверить, что на самом деле - она очень далеко. Огромный мир Стивена и Кита отлично умещается в небольшой райончик, в котором, как это водится, как по заказу, когда друзья выбираются на улицу, творятся чудные дела. Например, мама Кита - немецкая шпионка. Почему бы, в конце концов, и нет? Ведь взрослые такие странные. К тому же, у мамы Кита есть секреты. А взрослым иметь секретов не положено. Постаревший Стивен описывает все эти чудеса и весь этот ускользнувший мир дивным выражением. Он допускает, что и воображение постарело вместе с ним. Смыло со старого райончика все пестрые краски, которые в детстве так охотно окрашивали все их приключения и забавы. На самом деле, у взрослых, конечно же, есть секреты. И, если смыть с их секретов разноцветье детского воображения, остаются сплошные скелеты в шкафу, и вот они, в отличие от детских игр, в декорациях войны, которая на самом деле всегда так близко, что можно сказать - на пороге, практически невыносимы. В первую очередь тем, что норовят вот-вот из шкафов выпасть.
К сожалению, вот с этими взрослыми секретами у Фрейна и начинаются проблемы. Он рассказывает историю голосами двух Стивенов - маленького и взволнованного и взрослого и сожалеющего. Некоторая одномерность и картонность мира маленького Стивена при этом совершенно понятна. Вот примерно так мы все и видели взрослых, когда были маленькими, не особо задумываясь о том, что они могут быть не только хорошими и плохими, но и почти всем, что находится на шкале добродетели между этими крайностями. А вот сумбурный, и тоже почему-то картонный мир взрослого Стивена вызывает гораздо больше подозрений. Как и некоторые взрослые тайны, которые благополучно можно было бы выпилить из текста так, что текст не только ничего не потерял бы, но, вполне возможно, даже приобрел. Потому что нельзя играть с читателями в эту игру без правил "а дайте-ка я запихну в эпилог еще один роман". При всем том, что финал мне кажется гораздо слабее, чем начало, и во время прочтения меня не покидала мысль, что что-то там за кулисами текста происходит, что, может быть, гораздо интереснее самого текста (скандалыинтриги), "Шпионы" - все-таки очень даже годная книжка. Определенно не лучшая о скелетах в шкафу и маленьких английских городках во время Второй мировой, но вполне достойная того, чтобы потратить на нее время.
Стивен и Кит, как все мальчишки, любят приключения. Они живут в огромном мире, полном неразгаданных тайн и терпеливо поджидающих их за углом приключений, в волнующих декорациях идущей где-то там Войны, которая так неправдоподобно близко, что очень даже легко поверить, что на самом деле - она очень далеко. Огромный мир Стивена и Кита отлично умещается в небольшой райончик, в котором, как это водится, как по заказу, когда друзья выбираются на улицу, творятся чудные дела. Например, мама Кита - немецкая шпионка. Почему бы, в конце концов, и нет? Ведь взрослые такие странные. К тому же, у мамы Кита есть секреты. А взрослым иметь секретов не положено. Постаревший Стивен описывает все эти чудеса и весь этот ускользнувший мир дивным выражением. Он допускает, что и воображение постарело вместе с ним. Смыло со старого райончика все пестрые краски, которые в детстве так охотно окрашивали все их приключения и забавы. На самом деле, у взрослых, конечно же, есть секреты. И, если смыть с их секретов разноцветье детского воображения, остаются сплошные скелеты в шкафу, и вот они, в отличие от детских игр, в декорациях войны, которая на самом деле всегда так близко, что можно сказать - на пороге, практически невыносимы. В первую очередь тем, что норовят вот-вот из шкафов выпасть.
К сожалению, вот с этими взрослыми секретами у Фрейна и начинаются проблемы. Он рассказывает историю голосами двух Стивенов - маленького и взволнованного и взрослого и сожалеющего. Некоторая одномерность и картонность мира маленького Стивена при этом совершенно понятна. Вот примерно так мы все и видели взрослых, когда были маленькими, не особо задумываясь о том, что они могут быть не только хорошими и плохими, но и почти всем, что находится на шкале добродетели между этими крайностями. А вот сумбурный, и тоже почему-то картонный мир взрослого Стивена вызывает гораздо больше подозрений. Как и некоторые взрослые тайны, которые благополучно можно было бы выпилить из текста так, что текст не только ничего не потерял бы, но, вполне возможно, даже приобрел. Потому что нельзя играть с читателями в эту игру без правил "а дайте-ка я запихну в эпилог еще один роман". При всем том, что финал мне кажется гораздо слабее, чем начало, и во время прочтения меня не покидала мысль, что что-то там за кулисами текста происходит, что, может быть, гораздо интереснее самого текста (скандалыинтриги), "Шпионы" - все-таки очень даже годная книжка. Определенно не лучшая о скелетах в шкафу и маленьких английских городках во время Второй мировой, но вполне достойная того, чтобы потратить на нее время.
December 17, 2011
Well, it's finally over. That slow, monotonous pace expressed by my a-level English class is now only to be repeated on the other side of the course with 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
I probably think more critically of this book as a result of the teacher who made us read this book with her, and consequently discovering a to-be-tested drinking game every time she says, 'now I find this part really chilling!' and 'sexual awakening' along with a multitude of other phrases such as, 'oh my days, babe!' at which point I catch myself shuddering that this woman is to be teaching English of all things.
Rant over and explanation of my initial negative colouring of this novel, I found the story interesting, if not what I would normally read. The style of writing is by no means conventional, as is especially expressed within the last chapter which almost gives spoilers of who Stephen was and who he became, leaving more questions than answers. For that, I did quite enjoy the book - as did my three highlighters spent on covering the novel.
An interesting point of the novel was the presentation of the characters and then how Stephen perceived them after the reader had already come to their own conclusions. For instance, the reader develops a distinct dislike for the men of the Hayward men right from the start, but it takes Stephen really up until the bayonet incident to truly recognise how better off he is without having them as a blood relation.
Now, rather than give a rather patchy guide to an essay covering this novel, I’ve decided to not subject anyone who might possibly be reading this to my full analysis of ‘Spies’. So, if you are considering reading this, give it a go! I dare say that if you’ve marked it as a possibility then it is your sort of genre – in which case it is indeed a good read, so take a chance a buy it.
I probably think more critically of this book as a result of the teacher who made us read this book with her, and consequently discovering a to-be-tested drinking game every time she says, 'now I find this part really chilling!' and 'sexual awakening' along with a multitude of other phrases such as, 'oh my days, babe!' at which point I catch myself shuddering that this woman is to be teaching English of all things.
Rant over and explanation of my initial negative colouring of this novel, I found the story interesting, if not what I would normally read. The style of writing is by no means conventional, as is especially expressed within the last chapter which almost gives spoilers of who Stephen was and who he became, leaving more questions than answers. For that, I did quite enjoy the book - as did my three highlighters spent on covering the novel.
An interesting point of the novel was the presentation of the characters and then how Stephen perceived them after the reader had already come to their own conclusions. For instance, the reader develops a distinct dislike for the men of the Hayward men right from the start, but it takes Stephen really up until the bayonet incident to truly recognise how better off he is without having them as a blood relation.
Now, rather than give a rather patchy guide to an essay covering this novel, I’ve decided to not subject anyone who might possibly be reading this to my full analysis of ‘Spies’. So, if you are considering reading this, give it a go! I dare say that if you’ve marked it as a possibility then it is your sort of genre – in which case it is indeed a good read, so take a chance a buy it.
October 10, 2016
I don’t think I’ve ever read a more suspenseful novel than The Spies. Michael Frayn has crafted a remarkable story of WWII intrigue told through the eyes of a young boy living in a tight family neighborhood in London.
Following the lead of his only friend Keith, young Stephen embarks on a spying game, tracking Keith’s charming mother whom they have convinced themselves is a German spy. The plot then takes many twists and turns as Stephen becomes embroiled in an intrigue he never anticipated, all the while having little knowledge of what is actually going on. The character of Stephen, small, shy and tongue-tied, is beautifully written, as he gets involved in a childish game and then makes a tortuous transition into manhood. Other characters, Keith, Keith’s parents, and an annoying neighborhood girl, Barbara, are also outstanding. The prose is full of powerful sensory images and a load of atmosphere.
The book starts and ends with Stephen as an old man; he has entered that murky territory know as memory and, looking back, tries to come to terms with how things played out in his childhood. He speaks of his younger self in the third person, unable to believe what an impressionable, naïve youngster he once was.
The Spies is about the power of a young boy’s imagination, the trouble it can cause or enlightenment it can offer. There are mystery and suspense in this book and more than a few stunning plot twists. That Frayn is also the author of the play Noises Off, one of the funniest British comedies of all time, amazes me.
I highly recommend The Spies for those who enjoy literary WWII novels with brilliant characters, mystery and suspense.
Following the lead of his only friend Keith, young Stephen embarks on a spying game, tracking Keith’s charming mother whom they have convinced themselves is a German spy. The plot then takes many twists and turns as Stephen becomes embroiled in an intrigue he never anticipated, all the while having little knowledge of what is actually going on. The character of Stephen, small, shy and tongue-tied, is beautifully written, as he gets involved in a childish game and then makes a tortuous transition into manhood. Other characters, Keith, Keith’s parents, and an annoying neighborhood girl, Barbara, are also outstanding. The prose is full of powerful sensory images and a load of atmosphere.
The book starts and ends with Stephen as an old man; he has entered that murky territory know as memory and, looking back, tries to come to terms with how things played out in his childhood. He speaks of his younger self in the third person, unable to believe what an impressionable, naïve youngster he once was.
The Spies is about the power of a young boy’s imagination, the trouble it can cause or enlightenment it can offer. There are mystery and suspense in this book and more than a few stunning plot twists. That Frayn is also the author of the play Noises Off, one of the funniest British comedies of all time, amazes me.
I highly recommend The Spies for those who enjoy literary WWII novels with brilliant characters, mystery and suspense.
April 6, 2011
Spies for me was an utter disappointment. The best bit about Spies is reading the one star reviews on Amazon which were hilarious. Unlike Spies, I will be brief. I didn't care about or empathise with the characters for a second. The book is unequivocally dry and tasteless. The plot could be written out in ten pages without reference to every bloody sense the old codger feels standing on a street. No I'm not in the mood to trudge through the long winded and over the top descriptions of a random London street to actually find a storyline. An epic ending of a plethora of exciting conclusions haphazardly falls out of the book to shock you awake which is nice. My advice, unless you are forced to for A level, avoid it at all costs.
May 29, 2022
یه کتاب متفاوت با ترجمه کیهان بهمنی.
انتظار زیادی از این کتاب نداشتم. اما بیشتر از انتظارم دوست داشتم.
داستان از دیدگاه دو کودک در دوران جنگ جهانیه که متوجه میشن مادر یکی از اونها جاسوسه و ماجراجوییها و کشف این دو کودک، موضوع اصلی کتابه.
مستقیما ارتباطی به جنگ نداشت اما درباره جاسوسی و اتفاقات پیرامون جنگ همراه با کمی تم عاشقانه بود که قشنگ بود.
انتظار زیادی از این کتاب نداشتم. اما بیشتر از انتظارم دوست داشتم.
داستان از دیدگاه دو کودک در دوران جنگ جهانیه که متوجه میشن مادر یکی از اونها جاسوسه و ماجراجوییها و کشف این دو کودک، موضوع اصلی کتابه.
مستقیما ارتباطی به جنگ نداشت اما درباره جاسوسی و اتفاقات پیرامون جنگ همراه با کمی تم عاشقانه بود که قشنگ بود.
November 29, 2016
73/100 eigentlich gute Dreieinhalb Sterne, schönes Kinderfreundschaftsdrama mit beinahe tödlichem Ausgang für den Erzähler und unwiederbringlichen Opfern unter den Erwachsenen.
Ausführliche Rezi folgt.
Ausführliche Rezi folgt.
January 12, 2026
This novel is set in an unnamed English village during the Second World War and told in retrospect by a retired man looking back on his childhood. Stephen and his friend Keith convince themselves that Keith’s mum is a German spy - her diary contains rather cryptic entries in respect of something happening every 28 days. The boys think these must be German air drops and are fortified by the fact that when they follow her some of her journeys seem to be a little eccentric. So no spoilers as to where we are heading, but plainly not all is quite what it seems.
In its examination of the innocence or naivety of youth “Spies” has elements of L. P. Hartley’s “The Go-Between”. It starts off with a recurring June aroma that Stephen can’t quite place from years gone by but which turns out to be from the privet hedge where he and Keith had their (not so) secret spy post. Unfortunately, their credibility as sleuths is further undermined when it emerges that the sign made by Keith to preserve their privacy is misspelt “Privet”. I suspect that Frayn may have done for the privet hedge what George Orwell did for the Victorian aspidistra.
John Updike in the New Yorker observed that, “Bernard Shaw couldn’t do it, Henry James couldn’t do it, but the ingenious English author Michael Frayn does do it: write novels and plays with equal success… Frayn’s novel excels”. The Daily Telegraph said, “This brilliant and serious novel is Frayn on absolutely top - if unashamedly smart - form”; and the Guardian thought it, “A novel with a vivid sympathy for how lonely, scared and helpless being a child often feels, and how easily and eagerly we forget it....A pleasure to read”.
It also won the Whitbread Novel of the Year Award and was long-listed for the Man Booker.
In its examination of the innocence or naivety of youth “Spies” has elements of L. P. Hartley’s “The Go-Between”. It starts off with a recurring June aroma that Stephen can’t quite place from years gone by but which turns out to be from the privet hedge where he and Keith had their (not so) secret spy post. Unfortunately, their credibility as sleuths is further undermined when it emerges that the sign made by Keith to preserve their privacy is misspelt “Privet”. I suspect that Frayn may have done for the privet hedge what George Orwell did for the Victorian aspidistra.
John Updike in the New Yorker observed that, “Bernard Shaw couldn’t do it, Henry James couldn’t do it, but the ingenious English author Michael Frayn does do it: write novels and plays with equal success… Frayn’s novel excels”. The Daily Telegraph said, “This brilliant and serious novel is Frayn on absolutely top - if unashamedly smart - form”; and the Guardian thought it, “A novel with a vivid sympathy for how lonely, scared and helpless being a child often feels, and how easily and eagerly we forget it....A pleasure to read”.
It also won the Whitbread Novel of the Year Award and was long-listed for the Man Booker.
August 13, 2019
Jos Frayn Vakoojia mainostettaisiin, mainosteksti olisi: Jos rakastit McEwanin Sovitusta, pidät myös tästä.
Miksi? Vakoojien teema on vanha ja tuttu - varhaisteini sekaantuu aikuisten ihmissuhteisiin. Koska tämäkin Stephen on lapsuuden ja nuoruuden hämärillä rajamailla, hän on kummastakin maailmasta yhtä pihalla ja kaikkien vietävissä.
Brittityyliin luokkaerot selittävät paljon. Työväenluokkainen Stephen on pahasti alakynnessä kaverisuhteessa parempiin piireihin kuuluvan pojan kanssa.
Kirjan rakenne on sellainen, että nuoren pojan tarinaa selittää vanhemman minän kaikkitietävä kehyskertomus.
Vakoojat muistuttaa Sovituksen lisäksi Hartleyn Sananviejiä. Ja mitä muuta kirjaa?
Vakoojien tarina ja valittu näkökulma on pelkkä kopio maailmankirjallisuuden ehkä tavallisimmasta tarinasta!
Ainoa syy olla ärtymättä plagioinnista on kirjan tunnelma. Kertojapojan ahdistus ja karmiva huipennus menee taatusti tunteisiin. Sen takia kirjasta jäi ristiriitainen olo - ihastus vai vihastus?
Miksi? Vakoojien teema on vanha ja tuttu - varhaisteini sekaantuu aikuisten ihmissuhteisiin. Koska tämäkin Stephen on lapsuuden ja nuoruuden hämärillä rajamailla, hän on kummastakin maailmasta yhtä pihalla ja kaikkien vietävissä.
Brittityyliin luokkaerot selittävät paljon. Työväenluokkainen Stephen on pahasti alakynnessä kaverisuhteessa parempiin piireihin kuuluvan pojan kanssa.
Kirjan rakenne on sellainen, että nuoren pojan tarinaa selittää vanhemman minän kaikkitietävä kehyskertomus.
Vakoojat muistuttaa Sovituksen lisäksi Hartleyn Sananviejiä. Ja mitä muuta kirjaa?
Vakoojien tarina ja valittu näkökulma on pelkkä kopio maailmankirjallisuuden ehkä tavallisimmasta tarinasta!
Ainoa syy olla ärtymättä plagioinnista on kirjan tunnelma. Kertojapojan ahdistus ja karmiva huipennus menee taatusti tunteisiin. Sen takia kirjasta jäi ristiriitainen olo - ihastus vai vihastus?
November 1, 2024
Another superb novel by Frayn. I think this is my favourite so far.
This was a perfect read to follow Bowen's The Heat of the Day, as it covered the same time period in England, but could not have been more different in the tone, style or perspective, covering the perceptions of a young, barely middle class boy in a scrubby surburb. Contrary to Bowen's detailed psychological explorations, Frayn's Stephen misunderstands just about everything around him, confusing me as well for at least the first two-thirds of the novel as to the reality behind the mystery, but it's a pleasure to watch Stephen slowly work it out.
In structure it shared some features with A Landing on the Sun, in that it begins by stating a mystery about the past, and much of the novel is devoted explicitly to the protagonist working to resolve it, but here, rather than working primarily with documents, Frayn works with memory, both sensory and emotional.
The writing is straightforward and simple, but there were several sections of description I particularly enjoyed, such as the paragraphs detailing how the undeveloped area adjacent to the Close, through the tunnel beneath the train line, as yet "unimproved" during Stephen's childhood, maintain a pre-modern England, and perhaps a buried, pre-conscious psyche.
I also liked the descriptions of Stephen's relationships with Keith, his best friend, leader, and conceiver of his adventures and definer of his world view and with Barbara Berrill, the bringer of the confusing world of softness and kisses.
I'm very happy to have discovered this writer in 2024.
This was a perfect read to follow Bowen's The Heat of the Day, as it covered the same time period in England, but could not have been more different in the tone, style or perspective, covering the perceptions of a young, barely middle class boy in a scrubby surburb. Contrary to Bowen's detailed psychological explorations, Frayn's Stephen misunderstands just about everything around him, confusing me as well for at least the first two-thirds of the novel as to the reality behind the mystery, but it's a pleasure to watch Stephen slowly work it out.
In structure it shared some features with A Landing on the Sun, in that it begins by stating a mystery about the past, and much of the novel is devoted explicitly to the protagonist working to resolve it, but here, rather than working primarily with documents, Frayn works with memory, both sensory and emotional.
The writing is straightforward and simple, but there were several sections of description I particularly enjoyed, such as the paragraphs detailing how the undeveloped area adjacent to the Close, through the tunnel beneath the train line, as yet "unimproved" during Stephen's childhood, maintain a pre-modern England, and perhaps a buried, pre-conscious psyche.
I also liked the descriptions of Stephen's relationships with Keith, his best friend, leader, and conceiver of his adventures and definer of his world view and with Barbara Berrill, the bringer of the confusing world of softness and kisses.
I'm very happy to have discovered this writer in 2024.
July 2, 2014
I noted that this book is now on A-level English Literature reading list yet I had never heard of it which rather piqued my interest so decided to give it a go.
Stephen Wheatley is an old man living in a foreign country when a smell rekindles some long buried memories so he decides to revisit his old childhood home back in the UK. During WWII Stephen and his best friend Keith decide to spy on Keith's mother whom they believe is a German spy. It is pretty obvious that she is not an enemy agent but does have secrets which she does not want revealed and it is also obvious,despite another a neighbouring child who is spying on Stephen and Keith that it is not a case of simple marital infidelity.
In many respects this is a simple tale of childhood reminiscences but it is also a coming of age story that peoples private and public personas are not always the same. The author uses smells and senses as triggers as these are more reliable than emotions alone.
The boys' ages are not even hinted at until very near the end and the first and third person are often used in the same sentence so that the memories belong to the young Stephen rather than the old one which is well conceived. However on the whole the book failed to really grab me and I found it rather ponderous at times. A good read but nothing special for me.
Stephen Wheatley is an old man living in a foreign country when a smell rekindles some long buried memories so he decides to revisit his old childhood home back in the UK. During WWII Stephen and his best friend Keith decide to spy on Keith's mother whom they believe is a German spy. It is pretty obvious that she is not an enemy agent but does have secrets which she does not want revealed and it is also obvious,despite another a neighbouring child who is spying on Stephen and Keith that it is not a case of simple marital infidelity.
In many respects this is a simple tale of childhood reminiscences but it is also a coming of age story that peoples private and public personas are not always the same. The author uses smells and senses as triggers as these are more reliable than emotions alone.
The boys' ages are not even hinted at until very near the end and the first and third person are often used in the same sentence so that the memories belong to the young Stephen rather than the old one which is well conceived. However on the whole the book failed to really grab me and I found it rather ponderous at times. A good read but nothing special for me.
June 15, 2007
There is something a little overly intimate about the way this book is narrated. It's not vulgar or anything like that, it's just that you get waste a lot time having to assuage the narrator's fears about the unreliability of his own memory. It's not that every book has to be written by an omniscient narrator, but here the guy keeps picking at the blurry lines of his memory like a scab until you want to shake his shoulders and say "why are you wasting my time with this then, if you're so sure that everything you're saying is false and misleading?" On a different note, I thought the narrator's use of both 1st and 3rd person when talking about his experiences was a really cool touch that I don't recall ever having seen before. It introduced that old Galen Strawson philosophical debate about episodic versus narrative selves. The way this book was written provides damning evidence to support Strawson's claim that it is possible to be both sane and episodic, which made reading the book rewarding on a number of levels.
September 12, 2009
This lovely, thoughtful book is like a dip in cool, clear water.
It revolves around a mystery which the narrator, now an old man, is trying to solve. What did he really know as a boy ? Who was leader, who follower? How could he not see? When did everything suddenly change?
It is World War II and everything is put on hold for the “Duration”. German Spies and Juice people the boys’ imagination.
The narrator and his best friend set out to investigate the suspicious actions of the best friend’s mother. Little by little they uncover a terrible secret. In the haze of things not said, they are unable or unwilling to understand its implications, leading to the tragedy that the old man now, slowly, methodically and obsessively, tries to grasp.
A thoughtful look at bravery and cowardice, memory and knowledge, guilt and innocence. And the difficulty of being a boy in wartime Britain. Beautifully written.
It revolves around a mystery which the narrator, now an old man, is trying to solve. What did he really know as a boy ? Who was leader, who follower? How could he not see? When did everything suddenly change?
It is World War II and everything is put on hold for the “Duration”. German Spies and Juice people the boys’ imagination.
The narrator and his best friend set out to investigate the suspicious actions of the best friend’s mother. Little by little they uncover a terrible secret. In the haze of things not said, they are unable or unwilling to understand its implications, leading to the tragedy that the old man now, slowly, methodically and obsessively, tries to grasp.
A thoughtful look at bravery and cowardice, memory and knowledge, guilt and innocence. And the difficulty of being a boy in wartime Britain. Beautifully written.
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