A review by bunnieslikediamonds
The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carré

4.0

After the sublime "Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy" my expectations were high. "The Honourable Schoolboy" is Jerry Westerby, who is not a schoolboy at all but a semi-retired spy. Nor is he particularly honourable, but then the spy business doesn't really encourage that I suppose, what with the sneakiness. I didn't find Jerry an engaging character. This is not le Carrés fault. Jerry just wasn't my type, but then I'm sure I'm not his either. As already established in TTSS, bitches be crazy, and Jerry doesn't care for that. While Jerry was banging girls who reminded him of his daughter, I was pining for Smiley and Connie and Guillam. They appear way too briefly, although they make it count (I could a read a whole book with Guillam vexedly trying to stop Fawn from breaking the bones of street urchins). It's so well written and atmospheric that I'll round it up from 3,5 stars, but the final Karla-book better contain more London fog and post-divorce Smiley .