A review by theseventhl
The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré

4.0

Part spy thriller, part political potboiler, part romantic tragedy, the second part of the Karla trilogy does not fail to deliver. Smiley is just as clever and unassumingly devious as before and his pawn, Westerby, is a classic le Carre creation who is sent into the heart of Hong Kong to further the Circus' war against the spectre of Karla. Despite some slight dips in the story where it seems Westerby's narrative threatens to overshadow the whole show, it's a solid engaging read that effectively sets the stage for a monumental showdown between long-term enemies, like pieces on a chessboard.