Reviews

The Mission Song by John le Carré

ksharpey's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

This book hurts. Salvador wants to have his heart broken,  and breaks mine in the process.

A tale of an interesting man wanting his life to have served a greater good - and the pain of romantic ideals being unveiled bluntly and harshly by grim realties.

Le Carré again is able to put us in the protaganist's shoes effortlessly, hope their hopes and love their loves. It cuts deeper and stings deeper as it comes to an end - both the book and the tale.

laticsexile's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative 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? Yes

3.5

Another foray into Africa and another excellent tale by Le Carre. He gets more angry as he gets older and almost nobody in power can dodge his blows. The author gives us his usual palette of likeable and unlikeable characters, all beautifully fleshed out and observed. The dialogue is as always first class, but the first person narration just didn't work for me. The descriptions of places and objects which make his books so great are diminished with this viewpoint. 
Maybe I should read it again at some point.
Still very good, but just not in the top echelon.

jacobinreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Le Carré is at his tragic, darkly comic best in this book. Crackling with irony of the dramatic and cynical varieties, I enjoyed the unfolding of this particular tale, even as I hated its implications. Definitely a recommend.

jktstoll's review against another edition

4.0

Just a note on the audio book version -- the narrator, David Oyelowo, is amazing. Completely recommend listening to it.

gitli57's review

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective

4.0

johninnes's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Very slow to start but picked up at the end. 

austinburns's review against another edition

3.0

refreshing to have the main character be such a naive buffoon. not very satisfying, though

thisisstephenbetts's review against another edition

4.0

I thought this was a bit of a return to form for Le Carré. I preferred it to both The Constant Gardener and Absolute Friends. The protagonist's character has a little in common with the latter, and the themes a little with the former, but I think both are handled better in this novel.

meg37's review against another edition

1.0

Didn't finish. Made it about 100 pages through. It was just long, a bit boring, and a bit mind confusing.

mtesterman's review against another edition

4.0

David Oyelowo is BRILLIANT in the audio book recording of the Mission Song. I couldn't think of a more perfect incarnation of the main character Salvo.