acardattack's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This has a higher rating than I expected given seeing how some of le Carre's is rated. I did consider DNFing this a couple times, but since I finished a book of this length, I dont feel I can go lower than 3 stars.
It is slow, A good half of the book could have been cut and it would have made for a much better book IMO. Started very interesting, and then arduous middle half until about the last 25% where things started to really pick up
It is slow, A good half of the book could have been cut and it would have made for a much better book IMO. Started very interesting, and then arduous middle half until about the last 25% where things started to really pick up
rosekk's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure how the book would handle the conflict, and since all I knew about the author what that he writes spy novels, I feared it would be quite shallow. It turned out to exceed my expectations by quite a long way.
patrickwadden's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
this is a good book as it shows that liberals are ideologically bankrupt and are a vague collection of slight progressive ideas squeaked dimly into the void and stacked up only so high and so clumsily that they fall the second they are kidnapped and interrogated ruthlessly by a foreign military agency.
don't be a liberal. Leftist is bestist
don't be a liberal. Leftist is bestist
cher_n_books's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars - It was good.
You know how Israel was born? A European power made a present of an Arab territory to a Jewish lobby. And did not consult a single inhabitant of the territory concerned.
To be completely fair, this is not my go-to type of novel. A friend of mine wanted to do a buddy read as this is one of her favorite novels.
Entertainment wise for me it was a 2.5 (about average), which is great considering I typically would not even like a book about political espionage.
The author does an amazing job of explaining both sides with the Israel / Palestine conflict. You truly appreciate where everyone is coming from and why there is conflict, and for that, I have to bump up the rating. I absolutely love a book that teaches in addition to entertaining.
If you enjoy this genre, this one is easy to recommend.
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First Sentence: It was the Bad Godesberg incident that gave the proof, though the German authorities had no earthly means of knowing this.
Favorite Quote: Everyone who is not happy must be shot.
You know how Israel was born? A European power made a present of an Arab territory to a Jewish lobby. And did not consult a single inhabitant of the territory concerned.
To be completely fair, this is not my go-to type of novel. A friend of mine wanted to do a buddy read as this is one of her favorite novels.
Entertainment wise for me it was a 2.5 (about average), which is great considering I typically would not even like a book about political espionage.
The author does an amazing job of explaining both sides with the Israel / Palestine conflict. You truly appreciate where everyone is coming from and why there is conflict, and for that, I have to bump up the rating. I absolutely love a book that teaches in addition to entertaining.
If you enjoy this genre, this one is easy to recommend.
-------------------------------------------
First Sentence: It was the Bad Godesberg incident that gave the proof, though the German authorities had no earthly means of knowing this.
Favorite Quote: Everyone who is not happy must be shot.
jefecarpenter's review against another edition
5.0
I loved The Little Drummer Girl. It’s at times a fast-moving thriller, a carefully stepped balancing act, a claustrophobic stress test, a whirlwind of power plays, and an unexpectedly deep love story.
I feel like I’ve just come out of the most intense year of college, with all it’s ups and downs, it’s ecstasies and wipeouts, and I’m strung out but sad that it’s over.
It is masterfully written, the espionage motif giving unexpected insights into the character’s personalities.
At key points he will throw you off baalance, a vital splash in the face that pulled me up out of the page-turning addiction the book had on me. I found myself going back several times to find if I had somehow missed that I’d been introduced to this character already, but no; if I read on a bit I’d see who and where they were, and I was.
It is an honor to be given time with this master.
I feel like I’ve just come out of the most intense year of college, with all it’s ups and downs, it’s ecstasies and wipeouts, and I’m strung out but sad that it’s over.
It is masterfully written, the espionage motif giving unexpected insights into the character’s personalities.
At key points he will throw you off baalance, a vital splash in the face that pulled me up out of the page-turning addiction the book had on me. I found myself going back several times to find if I had somehow missed that I’d been introduced to this character already, but no; if I read on a bit I’d see who and where they were, and I was.
It is an honor to be given time with this master.
futurepres13's review against another edition
3.0
Sometimes the book was a little confusing because of all the stories being told to Charlie, but it was a good story.
halfdracula's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
ough…i’ve read so much le carré that i thought i knew how this was going to end…going to take a while to process that one
emsbooks23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5