Ilse’s Reviews > Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy > Status Update
Ilse
is on page 377 of 403
Nothing is worth the destruction of another human being. Somewhere the path of pain and betrayal must end.
— 10 hours, 48 min ago
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Ilse’s Previous Updates
Ilse
is on page 102 of 403
Legmen for Haydon's Soviet networks, they'd been around for years, known simply as the Russians. They were blond and squat and they looked more like Russians than the real ones.
— Jan 25, 2026 07:55AM
Ilse
is on page 98 of 403
Guillam noticed the queer colour of Haydon’s cheeks. A blushing red, daubed high on the bones, but deep, made up of tiny broken veins. It gave him, thought Guillam in his heightened state of nervousness, a slightly Dorian Gray look.
— Jan 24, 2026 12:57PM
Ilse
is on page 28 of 403
Out of date perhaps, but who wasn’t these days? Out of date, but loyal to his own time. At a certain moment, after all, every man chooses: will he go forward, will he go back? There was nothing dishonourable in not being blown about by every little modern wind.
— Jan 18, 2026 01:10PM
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Jennifer
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7 hours, 55 min ago
I was just talking to Ben about how we should read him one of these days. Have you read him before, Ilse? Is he a go-to for you?
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Jennifer wrote: "I was just talking to Ben about how we should read him one of these days. Have you read him before, Ilse? Is he a go-to for you?"Jennifer, it is the very first time I am reading Le Carré - and likely also the first time I am reading a spy novel as far as I can remember- it was a Christmas present, which was a lovely surprise because the local library doesn't have copies of the Smiley books, and I adored watching the 1979 series with Alec Guinness last year. Honestly, I love it even if I know the plot from the series! The characterisation, the suspense, the writing, the atmosphere, the (for me challenging) vocabulary, the complexity - top notch :) - the series and the book enhance each other, I think a lot would have gone over my head if I hadn't watched the series first. So if you consider giving him a go, don't hesitate (and isn't it funny, I am now reading the latest by Julian Barnes and he has been referring to Le Carré and the characters of this book already twice, I love such coincidence :)!
