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Robin's Reviews > Spies
Spies
by
by
In the 1940s, some boys played Cops & Robbers, some played Cowboys & Indians. But Stephen and Keith, English boys and neighbours during WWII, played Spies. Sure, it's a less well known game, but it is just as engrossing, and involves a hideout and a logbook, lots of sneaking around, and monitoring the movements and whereabouts of... Keith's mother, who the boys are certain is a German spy.
This coming-of-age story is told by Stephen, an elderly, grandfatherly Stephen, who is remembering a pivotal time in his childhood. He returns to his childhood neighbourhood and it all comes back to him in a series of nostalgic waves. Memory is not reliable, and neither is this narrative, but it IS deliciously satisfying and continues to unfold and reveal up until the very last page.
The dynamic between the boys is fascinating - Stephen, who feels lucky Keith pays him any attention, and who is aware that there's something shameful about his own family, and Keith, who lives in a perfect house filled with perfect toys and a regularly maintained bicycle, and who calls the shots in their friendship.
The idea of a pair of children acting as amateur sleuths in a mystery that is far over their heads reminded me a bit of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, though this was far more literary and memorable for me. It's also much more suspenseful, as the game of Spies gradually shifts from a charming, childish fantasy to something dangerous. The street in this quiet English town is full of secrets, and nothing is as it seems. The whistle of a father working in the garden has never been so sinister.
It took me a little time to get into the story, but once in, I was turning pages feverishly. I worried, as in other spy stories, will this one be obtuse and more confusing than anything else? I needn't have worried, though. Frayn doesn't leave us hanging in a maze of double agents and hazy memories. He leads us through, having left a trail of breadcrumbs that we can now see in the clear, 20/20 vision that retrospect affords.
Elegant, captivating storytelling.
4.5 stars
This coming-of-age story is told by Stephen, an elderly, grandfatherly Stephen, who is remembering a pivotal time in his childhood. He returns to his childhood neighbourhood and it all comes back to him in a series of nostalgic waves. Memory is not reliable, and neither is this narrative, but it IS deliciously satisfying and continues to unfold and reveal up until the very last page.
The dynamic between the boys is fascinating - Stephen, who feels lucky Keith pays him any attention, and who is aware that there's something shameful about his own family, and Keith, who lives in a perfect house filled with perfect toys and a regularly maintained bicycle, and who calls the shots in their friendship.
The idea of a pair of children acting as amateur sleuths in a mystery that is far over their heads reminded me a bit of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, though this was far more literary and memorable for me. It's also much more suspenseful, as the game of Spies gradually shifts from a charming, childish fantasy to something dangerous. The street in this quiet English town is full of secrets, and nothing is as it seems. The whistle of a father working in the garden has never been so sinister.
It took me a little time to get into the story, but once in, I was turning pages feverishly. I worried, as in other spy stories, will this one be obtuse and more confusing than anything else? I needn't have worried, though. Frayn doesn't leave us hanging in a maze of double agents and hazy memories. He leads us through, having left a trail of breadcrumbs that we can now see in the clear, 20/20 vision that retrospect affords.
Elegant, captivating storytelling.
4.5 stars
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Reading Progress
November 19, 2017
– Shelved
October 19, 2019
–
Started Reading
October 31, 2019
–
10.0%
November 2, 2019
–
20.0%
November 2, 2019
–
30.0%
November 2, 2019
–
40.0%
November 2, 2019
–
50.0%
November 2, 2019
–
60.0%
November 2, 2019
–
60.0%
"Most of the time you don't go around thinking that things are so or not so, any more than you go around understanding or not understanding them. You take them for granted."
November 2, 2019
–
70.0%
November 2, 2019
–
90.0%
November 2, 2019
–
Finished Reading
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Terrific review, Robin. The charm and suspense of this story came through so well in your description. Loved it.
I saw that you were reading this the other day, Robin, and I was a bit surprised (not sure why!) and also intrigued. I imagined it would be just another one in the pile of WWII novels. It seems it's much more than that, and now my curiosity is really piqued! A wonderful, enticing review :)
Intriguingng review, Robin. Has been on my list but your review has propelled me to read sooner rather than later.
Julie wrote: "I've never heard of this book or the author, so you've created some intrigue of your own here. I also appreciated this line from your review: I worried, as in other spy stories, will this one be obtuse and more confusing than anything else?I tried to read Le Carre's A Perfect Spy this summer, and, no disrespect to those readers who are passionately disposed to it, I found it impossible to read. If a spy book is too "obtuse and confusing" and doesn't pull in the reader, then aren't you just dead in the water?"
I hadn't heard of this guy either, until a while ago I noticed a few reviews of this book pop up, and in a moment of impulsivity, I bought it (you know how it goes). It was nominated for the Booker and had such an interesting premise, I couldn't help myself. Imagine my delight when I saw on the back, this quote from his majesty, John Updike: "Bernard Shaw couldn't do it, Henry James couldn't do it, but the ingenious author Michael Frayn does do it: write novels and plays with equal success... Frayn's novel excels."
By the way, I haven't read John LeCarre, but from watching spy movies with my dad, like "Where Eagles Dare", I have experienced the whole what just happened experience of some spy novels. Totally dead in the water, even if you have young Clint Eastwood to look at.
Sounds good Robin. I think I'll add to my wish list 🙂
Laysee wrote: "Terrific review, Robin. The charm and suspense of this story came through so well in your description. Loved it."Thank you, sweet Laysee!
Candi wrote: "I saw that you were reading this the other day, Robin, and I was a bit surprised (not sure why!) and also intrigued. I imagined it would be just another one in the pile of WWII novels. It seems it's much more than that, and now my curiosity is really piqued! A wonderful, enticing review :)"Thanks so much, Candi. It's true that I don't often pick up WWII books, but I don't even really see this one like that, even though it's an important backdrop to the story. It was more about a young boy learning about himself, and the secretive adult world around him. Hope you like it too, when you get to it!
Diane S ☔ wrote: "Intriguingng review, Robin. Has been on my list but your review has propelled me to read sooner rather than later."Thanks, Diane! I'd love to see more people find this book. I wouldn't have known about it if not for the wonderful readers on this site.
Yet again you bring to my attention a book and writer I've never come across. Fabulous review, Robin.
Awesome review, Robin!
Another brilliant review, my friend. And also another great read for you. Keep them coming. Both the great reads and the brilliant reviews. I’m not sure about ‘The Problem with Goats and Sheep’ though. I’ll check your review of this one as well.
Alex wrote: "Intresting..."It was, Alex! :D
Melanie wrote: "Sounds good Robin. I think I'll add to my wish list 🙂"Hope you enjoy it, Melanie. Thanks for stopping by my review.
Just noticed that I renamed the other novel. I clearly have a problem with it so... Ahah. Sorry, Robin.
Bianca wrote: "Yet again you bring to my attention a book and writer I've never come across. Fabulous review, Robin."Thank you, Bianca. I hadn't heard of him either, until some lovely person/people on GR pointed the way. No matter how 'well read' one might be, there's such an abundance of writers out there waiting to be discovered. I just love that.
Fran wrote: "Awesome review, Robin!"Thank you, Fran, sweet of you to say.
Pedro wrote: "Another brilliant review, my friend. And also another great read for you. Keep them coming. Both the great reads and the brilliant reviews. I’m not sure about ‘The Problem with Goats and Sheep’ though. I’ll check your review of this one as well."Thank you, Pedro. Don't worry, Goats and Sheep is very different from this book. The one thing that they have in common is the motif of children solving adult mysteries. So if you didn't like that book, it doesn't mean you'd have the same experience with Spies.
Terrific review,Robin, as always! Sounds like I may have to add this one to that never ending TBR!
I have added this title to my reading docket, which means I'm sure I'll get to it by Christmas. Maybe not but your reviews are such a gift, Robin. I don't know how you communicate so much about a novel without going story details but it's a magic trick I never tire of. The historical and mystery elements of this one compelled me. It reminds me of 1930s Hitchcock.
Antoinette wrote: "Terrific review,Robin, as always! Sounds like I may have to add this one to that never ending TBR!"Thanks, dear Antoinette. Hope you love it.
PS - re: the TBR, I get anxious if mine teeters too high. I'm always "pruning" it. Do I really want to read it? Once it's been on my TBR a while, is it still interesting to me? I used to try to keep it (laughably) to 50. Now it's around 160, which is still too high for my liking but is tiny compared with other readers who have thousands.
Joe wrote: "I have added this title to my reading docket, which means I'm sure I'll get to it by Christmas. Maybe not but your reviews are such a gift, Robin. I don't know how you communicate so much about a novel without going story details but it's a magic trick I never tire of. The historical and mystery elements of this one compelled me. It reminds me of 1930s Hitchcock."Hey Joe! I'd love to see what you think of this one. It's quite a little beauty. Yes, to the Hitchcock comparison. Thank you, muchly, friend!
Zoeytron wrote: "Eloquent final sentence, Robin."Thank you, Zoey! Most kind of you to say.
Absolutely wonderful review, Robin. I have to read this!
Tammy wrote: "Absolutely wonderful review, Robin. I have to read this!"Oh, thank you Tammy. Such a nice comment. Enjoy! A fascinating book more people should know about.
A great review Robin. I picked this up last year not knowing what to expect and have just finished it. I agree, a book that more people should know about.
Stephen wrote: "A great review Robin. I picked this up last year not knowing what to expect and have just finished it. I agree, a book that more people should know about."Thanks so much, Stephen. It's a quiet book, but so well written. I'm glad you liked it, and every review out there helps bring it to the collective reading consciousness, right?
I tried to read Le Carre's A Perfect Spy this summer, and, no disrespect to those readers who are passionately disposed to it, I found it impossible to read. If a spy book is too "obtuse and confusing" and doesn't pull in the reader, then aren't you just dead in the water?