Le Carré's fiction is known for its realism and unromantic view of espionage, and The Looking Glass War represents this in the extreme. The novel is a bone-dry satirical thriller centering on a bygone British military intelligence agency that has been resting on its World War II laurels for twenty years. When a flimsy piece of information comes their way, the department goes to increasingly absurd lengths to verify it and reclaim their former glory. Keenly aware of his characters' psychological makeup, le Carré methodically outlines the murkiness of spys' motivations and the fruitless, misguided nature of their work. The Looking Glass War is a chilling study in escalating paranoia and doomed ambitions, a gem from a writer at the top of his game.
