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The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
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April {2022} Discussion -- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
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Sean
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rated it 4 stars
Apr 18, 2022 04:09AM
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Not sure what to say about a tale so remorselessly serious and fatalistic. From the opening wondered how such lives could be lived towards a “cause” while plunging in the dark off a cliff with Control manipulating all or perhaps nothing at all. Yes the Wall was the actual representation of the Cold War but this tale represses all human compassion towards an abyss.
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I enjoyed the intrigue and the twists and turns it seemed to take. Less of a mystery and more of a thriller. I was never sure who was going to turn out to be the hero (rather than the "killer").
I liked Elizabeth's part in the book. She came off as very unlikeable to me at first, although I did sense that it wasn't her fault. Alec's attempts to protect her, despite her political leanings were admirable. And ultimately she was who I was rooting for despite Alec being our "main guy."
Right Sean. I did like the twists and turns to see what would happen. Would the double spy plot work after the prison set up and being immediately tracked down by eastern agents? I kept thinking of the movie version with Richard Burton. The confrontation in the end was interesting but then to learn Control had another scheme going….why didn’t Alec feel betrayed? And climbing back down the wall to get Alice….all lost like his agents at the start of the book Read it in early April so thinking about it now, my strongest impression is what was it all for? As an aside, I’m reading about Communists in England in Doris Lessings’ The Golden Notebook, which casts the “CP” in a different light altogether, out the open, polling for their candidates, all routine.
Surprising. I agree with a previous comment about Liz as a character and there is so much to be said about disliking so many of (all of them even?) the characters… completely depressing and very well written. Such a sharp commentary on the subversive nature of politics and government (anti-government) and parties…
