- Hardcover: 429 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd; 1st Edition 1st Printing edition (1 Mar 1983)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340328479
- ISBN-13: 978-0340328477
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.7 x 3.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 425,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Little Drummer Girl
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Review
'In my view, this book is at least as good as his best'
(Spectator )'A few years ago le Carré said he had not written the book he would want to be buried with. Perhaps he has done so now.'
(Sunday Times )'An exciting story, excitingly told'
(Observer ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.Observer
‘An exciting story, excitingly told’
--This text refers to the
Paperback
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the dramatic, incredibly intense story of terrorist methods being used to find, trap and kill a very successful terrorist. It explores the motivation and behaviour of Arabs displaced from their country into refugee camps for decades; and of those who fight for Israel's survival - with much the same methods their Arab opponents use.
It's told mainly from the Israeli point of view. Their agents literally seduce Charlie, the Little Drummer Girl, into being their goat tethered as bait to attract the tiger. But after the long training she is tethered on the tiger's territory, ie in the Palestinian camps, and she finds herself coming to empathise with their point of view. This develops to the point that she nearly drives herself mad being dragged by wild horses in two opposite directions.
The plot is developed with Le Carré's usually attention to detail which makes it live and be real; but the more Le Carré I read, the more convinced I am that he doesn't really write good endings. If you've seen the film of this book it ends in a shoot out which always strikes me as just like any private dick TV story. That was about the only way the film was true to the book. Otherwise the book is to my mind just about Le Carré's best. In achieving balance in a story about Palestine he achieves the near impossible; but he also manages to make it a powerful story about seduction in more ways than one. (And I suppose the real ending of the book is when Charlie staggers off into the sunset with....but I wouldn't want to spoil the plot!)
I found another review of this book so far from what I experienced of it myself, that I felt compelled to say what I thought of it. I have strong partisan feelings about terrorism, the Middle East, and Palestine. However, I found Le Carré's book achieved a balance between the Israeli and Arab sides which I would not have thought possible. Both sides are shown warts and all; neither side is portrayed as pure, neither side demonized; both sides are made "human, all too human"; you can (please excuse the cliché) feel both sides' pain. This is achieved through the closeness with which the main characters are drawn and followed.
It is not a light read, though: it deals with tough issues and demands concentration. But I felt it much more than worth the effort.
It's told mainly from the Israeli point of view. Their agents literally seduce Charlie, the Little Drummer Girl, into being their goat tethered as bait to attract the tiger. But after the long training she is tethered on the tiger's territory, ie in the Palestinian camps, and she finds herself coming to empathise with their point of view. This develops to the point that she nearly drives herself mad being dragged by wild horses in two opposite directions.
The plot is developed with Le Carré's usually attention to detail which makes it live and be real; but the more Le Carré I read, the more convinced I am that he doesn't really write good endings. If you've seen the film of this book it ends in a shoot out which always strikes me as just like any private dick TV story. That was about the only way the film was true to the book. Otherwise the book is to my mind just about Le Carré's best. In achieving balance in a story about Palestine he achieves the near impossible; but he also manages to make it a powerful story about seduction in more ways than one. (And I suppose the real ending of the book is when Charlie staggers off into the sunset with....but I wouldn't want to spoil the plot!)
I found another review of this book so far from what I experienced of it myself, that I felt compelled to say what I thought of it. I have strong partisan feelings about terrorism, the Middle East, and Palestine. However, I found Le Carré's book achieved a balance between the Israeli and Arab sides which I would not have thought possible. Both sides are shown warts and all; neither side is portrayed as pure, neither side demonized; both sides are made "human, all too human"; you can (please excuse the cliché) feel both sides' pain. This is achieved through the closeness with which the main characters are drawn and followed.
It is not a light read, though: it deals with tough issues and demands concentration. But I felt it much more than worth the effort.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This book was my most favourite read ever! An actress is recruited by the Israelies to honey-trap an arab terrorist. The story line would, on the surface seem one-sided but le Carre very skilfully incorporates a very sympathetic undertone for Palestinian liberation. It is a very pertinent story that is prosey and thrilling all at once. The heroine is neither super brave or brash but somehow all the more loveable for her failings rather than her triumphs. The ending is a blockbuster that keeps you turning the pages well into the night.
Well done le Carre
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was an engaging read throughout as Le Carre in typical style gradual wound up the tension.
The hook that keeps me reading is often his style of writing as much as the content. The observation of detail in peoples behaviour and the way the story is alluded to rather than simply read out. As if you have to fill in the gaps. Sometimes a puzzle in itself.
Quite topical really and certainly thought provoking in so far as it opens ones eyes to the other side of a long standing source of misery in the Middle East from which we get a probably quite distorted media coverage.
The hook that keeps me reading is often his style of writing as much as the content. The observation of detail in peoples behaviour and the way the story is alluded to rather than simply read out. As if you have to fill in the gaps. Sometimes a puzzle in itself.
Quite topical really and certainly thought provoking in so far as it opens ones eyes to the other side of a long standing source of misery in the Middle East from which we get a probably quite distorted media coverage.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliant story
I love all the John Le Carre books I've read and this is one of my favourites. It's well written, exciting and I really engaged with the characters. Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2010 by Laura Atkinson
One of his best
One of le Carre's best I think. Although a little dated perhaps now, but still a current topic and he balances the perspectives very well. Read more
Published on 19 Dec 2008 by R. Garner
Turgid, leaden junk
Leaving aside le Carre's dodgy politics (to say he romanticises the Arabs and demonises the Israelis would be an understatement), this is unreadable, pretensious garbage. Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2007 by Mr. Warren M. Fisher
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