Released: 12th October 2021
Genre: Spy, Drama
Number of Pages: 250
One of the most prolific and well known writers of his time, John le Carre’s masterful work on spy novels has set many rules for the genre. His 26th and final release, Silverview, is a small scale effort, one that sadly disappointed me from start to finish.
The plot follows a man named Julian, who has moved to the coast and opened a bookstore after many years in London. He comes into contact with the Avon family who have more than a few secrets behind closed doors. As the two sides attempt to figure each other out, colleagues in the secret service have their own interventions on the matter. The story is split between these groups of characters with a hefty focus on dialogue and insinuations. This is a common trope of spy stories, the gradual reveal of information and motives, though here it takes centre stage with little deviation. Perhaps I’ve spent too much time reading gritty, action-focused tales in recent months.
The big problem with Silverview is how bland and forgettable the story is. Unless you enjoy endless conversations with low stakes and little dramatic weight, you’ll be thoroughly unimpressed throughout. The book isn’t a complete write-off as the author’s structure is incredibly succinct, but the engagement behind the words is seriously lacking. On occasion it does raise questions about the wider state of the Secret Service and the nation in a modern context, but these are too ponderous to make things memorable. The book does pick up slightly towards the end with an outpouring of emotion but it doesn’t change the uneventful proceedings. 250 pages of people talking to each other may satisfy long-term followers of John’s work, but it falls flat everywhere else.
Recommended?
NO: John le Carre is an excellent writer of spy prose, but I couldn’t get into Silverview. Aside from its personal focus on family and the trading of wordy dialogue, little of interest happens throughout the narrative. It all boils down to a collection of conversations between Julian, Deborah, Proctor and other characters. Realistic it may be, but very bland and forgettable in my eyes; that rare time where I can’t recommend a book.
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