I finished the book tonight. Reading through the comments here, I've been repeatedly thinking, Oh, was that in the book? Who knew?
Because I was totally, utterly, completely bored. I could not keep the characters or events straight, nor did I care enough to try. I just wanted to get it over with.
The book lost me in Chapter 2--I had no idea how it connected to anything in Chapter 1; it went on forever (in the audiobook, it lasted nearly THREE hours!). After that slog, I never regained any interest in the story.
The only bit that sparked any real reaction for me was the scene at the end when Emily and Toby are sending the files to the news outlets--it reminded me a bit of the end of Three Days of the Condor, when Robert Redford has told the story of the CIA's screw-up to the NY Times, with Cliff Robertson saying "How do you know they'll print it?" and Redford insisting (but not entirely sure), "They'll print it."
I've read only one other Le Carre novel--The Little Drummer Girl, many years ago, which I don't remember. But clearly I must not have liked it enough to read any of his other books, till now. I won't read another.
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