Another refreshing change. I had heard that George Smiley was created in reaction against the James Bond sort of spy-hero and, having heard this, it felt correct in the reading. I was also interested to read this novel in light of comments I had seen recently comparing it favourably against Tim Powers' Declare (which I have not yet read) in its treatment of Jewish folk and communists. I doubt I would have noticed that in a relevant way without having been pointed at it, since I am still far from as perceptive a reader as I would like to become, and aside from a couple of dimensions my experience of the world remains a rather insular, privileged one.

I don't recall if I have said explicitly that my in the fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and spy fiction genres comes a lot from a joy in puzzles unfolding, a search for moments of epiphany as what was hidden becomes clear, but I believe that is so. In that regard Smiley's careful, attentive approach suits me as well as Chandler's Marlowe, and the story is told well enough that we can see where Smiley is not looking—perhaps because he does not wish to see what he would find there.

As with Chandler's novels there is a lot that goes unstated. But, unlike some more recently published mysteries I did not feel as though the author were cheating by holding information back so as to spring a surprise upon us for the conclusion. Rather it is more that the facts of the matter are laid out for us and we are left to draw the correct conclusions from them, or not, while the protagonists acts upon their conclusions until, at the climax, the state of things becomes undeniable.