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quinn_fields's review
2.0
Cool to see Peter’s perspective but story is way too hard to follow for the most part, even with reading the other four Smiley books it references at various points. Reminds me of the third hour of Oppenheimer.
8797999's review against another edition
4.0
A nice and enjoyable end to the George smiley series featuring a modern investigation of a past operation called Windfall. Centering around events concerning Alex Leamas and Elizabeth Gold from The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. It touches on other bits too like a mention of Karla.
A nice reminisce of the series and I can imagine even more enjoyment if I was older and it had been years since A Legacy of Spies and The Secret Pilgrim for a return to the Smiley series.
I am happy to have now read all the Smiley series and look forward to reading many of the standalone John le Carré novels, as well as other spy thrillers and even a few return visits to George Smiley and the Circus.
All nine books are superb works of fiction and John le Carré deserving of being known as the master of the fictional spymaster.
A nice reminisce of the series and I can imagine even more enjoyment if I was older and it had been years since A Legacy of Spies and The Secret Pilgrim for a return to the Smiley series.
I am happy to have now read all the Smiley series and look forward to reading many of the standalone John le Carré novels, as well as other spy thrillers and even a few return visits to George Smiley and the Circus.
All nine books are superb works of fiction and John le Carré deserving of being known as the master of the fictional spymaster.
warrenl's review against another edition
3.0
A Legacy Of Spies is ostensibly set in the present, but le Carré is necessarily vague about exactly when the events of the novel take place, otherwise Peter Guillam is preternaturally young, and George Smiley's continued lucid existence almost entirely improbable. The book closes with Guillam noting that the events described took place a long time ago.
I've mixed feelings about this book. There are numerous little inconsistencies that trip up the continuity between this and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. Considering how much of the background to the earlier novel Legacy fills in, such anomalies are irritating. Legacy essentially cannot exist apart from its famed predecessor, and continuity errors aside there is no evidence of le Carré's powers declining in his old age, so I'm at a loss as to why he allowed them through. They were always going to be noticed by the target audience, i.e. fans of Spy.
But plot details have possibly taken a back seat to le Carré's major theme here as I see it: that spies are flawed human beings, and their very human emotions and selfish motives can fatally blind their judgement, leading to tragedy and lifelong repercussions for all involved.
A satisfying book? Somewhat. But in once more cracking open a window upon the Circus le Carré shattered the completeness and self-containedness of Spy, retrospectively creating loose ends and reawakening a dormant curiosity that by the end of Legacy was nowhere near satisfied.
I've mixed feelings about this book. There are numerous little inconsistencies that trip up the continuity between this and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. Considering how much of the background to the earlier novel Legacy fills in, such anomalies are irritating. Legacy essentially cannot exist apart from its famed predecessor, and continuity errors aside there is no evidence of le Carré's powers declining in his old age, so I'm at a loss as to why he allowed them through. They were always going to be noticed by the target audience, i.e. fans of Spy.
But plot details have possibly taken a back seat to le Carré's major theme here as I see it: that spies are flawed human beings, and their very human emotions and selfish motives can fatally blind their judgement, leading to tragedy and lifelong repercussions for all involved.
A satisfying book? Somewhat. But in once more cracking open a window upon the Circus le Carré shattered the completeness and self-containedness of Spy, retrospectively creating loose ends and reawakening a dormant curiosity that by the end of Legacy was nowhere near satisfied.
austinburns's review
5.0
the spy who came in from the cold is my favorite le carré so i was wary once i realized what this book was about. i definitely didn’t expect a prequel/sequel 50+ years after the fact to be as good as this.
ristopakarinen's review against another edition
5.0
I'll be the first one to admit that while I've read many of le Carré's books, and most - I think - of the Smiley books, following the plot has at times been a challenge, and yet, I've enjoyed the books. This one may be the best of them all, though as le Carré takes us back George Smiley's world. Great writing, great ending to the story of Smiley.
azamir's review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
joseperth's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lillianfc's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0