A review by hadeanstars
The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré

3.0

A very well written book, intricate, accomplished, slick, but for me, the central character, Jerry Westerby was a real turn-off. It did not make any sense to me, how he became so fixated on Lizzie/Liese, unless it was just because she was "hot", since there was little to no indication that his interest was reciprocated. Unless that was actually the point? Was Westerby just a misogynist, who thought he could seduce anyone (he certainly worked his way through quite a few women during the course of the novel.) In any case, this just became tedious after a time and the impression was just a bit sad. This seemed to me to clash with his rather heroic denouement. My suspicion therefore is that Westerby was an 'old-fashioned' character, kind of like Bond, but without the irony, and the end result is not very likeable. In my view a central character has to be likeable, even if he's a shit. Think of Tom Ripley! I felt sorry for Lizzie, fending off this sleazebag. Anyway, it was very well done, but not a read I shall remember with any fondness.