A Perfect Spy

by John le Carré

Book Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of A Legacy of Spies. Over the course of his seemingly irreproachable life, Magnus Pym has been all things to all people: a devoted family man, a trusted... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394551419
• ISBN13: 9780394551418
• Release Date: March 1986
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 475 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.

Customer Reviews

An incredible journey

A Perfect Spy shocks, provokes, weaves a story of Magnus as he plots the ultimate betrayal. When I say the story is woven, I mean it. The structure is similar to The English Patient, where the story skips back an forth in time and amoung characters. I rate this book highly, much as I had done with other Le Carre books. A perfect Spy, however is not another Spy novel, indeed the suspence is not as central to the plot but the character development is truly epic. Magnus Pym becomes a close relation throughout the narrative, all the good, bad, ugly, and even sometimes boring. A Perfect Spy is a gripping portrait of a twisted life, and the injury of the life a spy. A Perfect Spy is an unreal, yet believable journey in the life of a Spy. I highly recommend this book, if like me, you enjoy a non-linear story.

Tough to get through, but rewarding in the end.

Whew. It literally took me three years to read this book. I would start the book and quit reading by page 80, 90, sometimes 100. I never had the resolve to get past those first few chapters."A Perfect Spy" is as close to an autobiography as I think we'll get from LeCarre. While his later "Single and Single" touched on the same things, I greatly preferred "A Perfect Spy". It's a much darker, much more emotionally draining novel than "Single".What a sad, disappointing, mesmerizing, depressing, ultimately satisfying novel LeCarre has written for us.It's too tough to talk about the book without giving some spoilers, so all I'll say is that the story picks up gradually. The first bit is a bit tough, in my opinion, because of the flashbacks to the Magnus's childhood. Keep reading. It becomes clear later why you are spending time there.What a story. I had a previously enjoyed "Tinker, Tailor" the most of his books, but I think "A Perfect Spy" might replace that. I'm off to finish the rest of the Karla trilogy now, but I'll always be thinking of Magnus, and how wonderfully he was written.

So much more than just a spy novel

This book is so much more than just another espionage thriller. It is really a character study of the central figure and a very satisfying psychological investigation into the anticedents of a spy's character. Magnus Pym was the perfect spy because of the way he was raised; specifically, the way he learned to perceive the world as he came to understand his father - a con man of great charm (based on Le Carre's own father) who always acted as though truth was whatever he wanted it to be at the moment. Maybe the title actually refers to the father and not to Pym. Perhaps?Le Carre's use of language is always a pleasure, and here it is put to excellent use in recreating the world of Pym's past. The main plot of finding the missing Pym becomes less important than the subplots - often involving past events - and the overall structure of the novel is less driven by unknown outcomes than is a typical 'spy' story. One is left with a great sense of sadness after finishing this book but no disappointment. Very original and very satisfying.

Not quite perfection but so close to it...

For those who still wonder about Le Carré's past and secret life, "A Perfect Spy" unveils lots of small mysteries. But besides the fact this book tells us a lot about the author's childhood, it remains a fascinating trip in the depths of the diplomatic society, the beautiful people, misery in the darkest places of England and dozens of small unreachable worlds. Once again but better than ever Le Carré takes you to a mystery tour that change your looking at your own world. Pym becomes your closest friend, his wife the one you'd like to tell everything, the other caracters become your foes... This time you learn everything , bit by bit, but you still remain helpless, you can't do anything but keeping going deeper and deeper through the complexity of one's life and feelings. Turning the last page is like being knocked out, but guess what ? You want more of it ! Satisfaction guaranteed...

A Perfect Spy is John Le Carre's masterpiece.

This is the finest book I have ever read. I first read it about 8 years ago, and read it again a few years later. Nothing else he has written comes close to eclipsing the brilliance of this work. What is the secret of this masterpiece? The secret is... almost every sentence written has greater meaning and greater significance than the simple words that form them. The text is oozing with innuendo, suggestion and ambiguity. The characters are vivid and almost walk of the pages. This book induced one of my favourite quotes, ascribed to Ricky: "Ideals are like the stars. We cannot reach them, but we are enriched by their presence" Well, I was enriched by this masterpiece.