Painfully beautiful

If I had to describe this book, I would call it painful. It's painful to read.
The book has a desolate atmosphere. Is it satire? I'm not sure.
Cynical it certainly is.

An unnamed ministry still operates a kind of intelligence service that mostly thrives on the past.
During the war, they were important. During the war, they mattered. During the war, you always prioritized "the cause" over your private life.
During the war, you gave your life for your country.
Now, their influence is waning. But luckily, a chance emerges to relive their glorious past.
A major espionage operation is set in motion. There is even an actual casualty to mourn. They're back in business.
Le Carré describes it all with a painful precision. The transformation of the characters. Even the protagonist, who is only 32 years old, and thus too young to have served actively during the war, gets swept up in "the good old days." The Circus, Control, and Smiley observe it all with quiet pity.

As a reader, it feels as if you are staring at a distorted reality through a looking glass. Perhaps this is the greatest anti-espionage book Le Carré has ever written.
Very high-quality prose, precise and concise. Not a word too many, but certainly not a word too few.

4.5 stars