A Most Wanted Man

A Most Wanted Man
by John le Carre

A Most Wanted Man
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Book Summary Information

Author: John le Carre
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-10-07
ISBN: 1416594884
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Scribner

Book Reviews of A Most Wanted Man

Book Review: Do I know how to pick 'em!
Summary: 2 Stars

Most Wanted Man is my 3rd Le Carre novel, and it followed a familiar pattern with my previous reads. I should say, my struggle to finish the book was familiar. Ironically, I love his writing style. In each novel, though, I simply had to drag myself through the pages. I don't need to summarize the story - that's been done enough on these pages - but I will say that unlike my previous two selections, MWM was all over the place - it suffered a distinct lack of focus... and it was boring.

Le Carre was at the height of his literary power when writing about what he knew firsthand - cold war Realpolitik. I have to assume that he's out of his element writing about the "War on Terror". Or, perhaps his confused portrayal of intelligence agencies as much at war with each other as with an enemy they don't understand - that doesn't play by established Cold War rules; afraid to get it wrong, so just rounding everybody up in the same dragnet regardless of guilt or innocence - is more telling than I credit.

Either way, as a novel it wasn't gripping, it wasn't terribly interesting... it was hard to keep my eyes open. I think I'm done with Le Carre.

Summary of A Most Wanted Man

New spies with new loyalties, old spies with old ones; terror as the new mantra; decent people wanting to do good but caught in the moral maze; all the sound, rational reasons for doing the inhuman thing; the recognition that we cannot safely love or pity and remain good "patriots" -- this is the fabric of John le Carr?'s fiercely compelling and current novel A Most Wanted Man.

A half-starved young Russian man in a long black overcoat is smuggled into Hamburg at dead of night. He has an improbable amount of cash secreted in a purse around his neck. He is a devout Muslim. Or is he? He says his name is Issa.

Annabel, an idealistic young German civil rights lawyer, determines to save Issa from deportation. Soon her client's survival becomes more important to her than her own career -- or safety. In pursuit of Issa's mysterious past, she confronts the incongruous Tommy Brue, the sixty-year-old scion of Brue Fr?res, a failing British bank based in Hamburg.

Annabel, Issa and Brue form an unlikely alliance -- and a triangle of impossible loves is born. Meanwhile, scenting a sure kill in the "War on Terror," the rival spies of Germany, England and America converge upon the innocents.

Thrilling, compassionate, peopled with characters the reader never wants to let go, A Most Wanted Man is a work of deep humanity and uncommon relevance to our times.

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