http://calitreview.com/1680 Book reviews, essays, and author interviews. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:56:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://calitreview.com/1680/comment-page-1#comment-54688 K. Griffiths Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:52:27 +0000 http://calitreview.com/?p=1680#comment-54688 If as his dossier notes, the Issa character has been tortured, and by such experts in the field as the KGB's gray Russian Federation descendant, it cannot be altogether ascertained, I believe, how the character might react or attempt to heal himself. In respect to Ms. McBride, I agree that there have been times Mr. le Carre's heroes (cf. Tessa Abbott Quayle in THE CONSTANT GARDENER ) and antiheroes (cf. Issa) come off a bit one-dimensional, but in the main I respect the author's championing of characters who simply by their existence in a certain place and circumstance risk being ground into the pavement by paranoid schizophrenics masquerading as governments, to say nothing of their bully boys. Combine institutionalized fear with a passel of mercenaries who will accept money to kill for you if not die for you (this 'you' being an editorial 'you'), therefore making it almost certain that the truth will be buried by the body count, and then add the victim fleeing from oppression elsewhere who hasn't necessarily heard the news that the door has all but been padlocked against them. A MOST WANTED MAN is regrettably one of many all-too-possible outcomes. If as his dossier notes, the Issa character has been tortured, and by such experts in the field as the KGB’s gray Russian Federation descendant, it cannot be altogether
ascertained, I believe, how the character might react or attempt to heal himself. In respect to Ms. McBride, I agree that there have been times Mr. le Carre’s heroes (cf. Tessa Abbott Quayle in THE CONSTANT GARDENER ) and antiheroes (cf. Issa) come off a bit one-dimensional, but in the main I respect the author’s championing of characters who simply by their existence in a certain place and circumstance risk being ground into the pavement by paranoid schizophrenics masquerading as governments, to say nothing of their bully boys. Combine institutionalized fear with a passel of mercenaries who will accept money to kill for you if not die for you (this ‘you’ being an editorial ‘you’), therefore making it almost certain that the truth will be buried by the body count, and then add the victim fleeing from oppression elsewhere who hasn’t necessarily heard the news that the door has all but been
padlocked against them. A MOST WANTED MAN is regrettably
one of many all-too-possible outcomes.

]]> http://calitreview.com/1680/comment-page-1#comment-35957 christine mcbride Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:52:47 +0000 http://calitreview.com/?p=1680#comment-35957 Le Carre has always, from the early 1970s, been my favourite author.I have read all his books and watched the videos. Whilst living in Lyon, Tunis and Naples, during the 80s, I'd have homesick days, where I'd close the shutters, and watch 8 hours of Tinker tailor, Smiley's People, or A Perfect Spy, (for me, his masterpiece.)Since then, his heroes appear to have become more ,(difficult to explain,)innocent,quirky, naive, unrealistic, and, sorry, a bit "twee", Issa being the worst example to date..After all he's inherited, done, and been through, how can he be so childish, and I've not yet got to the paper planes? I've read less than half of the book, but I've put it down to read the last Kathy Reich's. (unthinkable in the past.)I've got Le Carre novels in English, French, and Italian, I've read his newspaper articles, especialy regarding immigrant status, and I agree with him,;however, I cannot come to terms with his new, "silly boys who can also become hard and ruthless protagonists,",mode of writing, and his, almost, fawningly ,over-consideration for people who are at a disadvantage, or who have no national status.It comes over to me as really pretentious.Anyway, let's see what happens to the unrealistic Issa, Annabel and Brue, (all very stereotypical)and, whatever happens, I'll always buy L e Carre. Le Carre has always, from the early 1970s, been my favourite author.I have read all his books and watched the videos. Whilst living in Lyon, Tunis and Naples, during the 80s, I’d have homesick days, where I’d close the shutters, and watch 8 hours of Tinker tailor, Smiley’s People, or A Perfect Spy, (for me, his masterpiece.)Since then, his heroes appear to have become more ,(difficult to explain,)innocent,quirky, naive, unrealistic, and, sorry, a bit “twee”, Issa being the worst example to date..After all he’s inherited, done, and been through, how can he be so childish, and I’ve not yet got to the paper planes? I’ve read less than half of the book, but I’ve put it down to read the last Kathy Reich’s. (unthinkable in the past.)I’ve got Le Carre novels in English, French, and Italian, I’ve read his newspaper articles, especialy regarding immigrant status, and I agree with him,;however, I cannot come to terms with his new, “silly boys who can also become hard and ruthless protagonists,”,mode of writing, and his, almost, fawningly ,over-consideration for people who are at a disadvantage, or who have no national status.It comes over to me as really pretentious.Anyway, let’s see what happens to the unrealistic Issa, Annabel and Brue, (all very stereotypical)and, whatever happens, I’ll always buy L e Carre.

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