Everyone always mentions how realistic it is but nobody mentions the obsession in the room

[cimorene]

Our Kind of Traitor is the only le Carré I've read so far that doesn't feature at least one central man with a fatal-flaw twisted obsession, of a particularly gendered and objectifying kind, with a woman.

There are other kinds of relationships with women too, and there are female characters and narrators; but it can't help giving the impression that romanticized fixation is the next most common element of spycraft after waiting. You'd think they would have designed inoculations or obsession resistance training at this rate.

Comments

[msilverstar]

Inoculations or resistance training would be very good!

[cimorene]

Right? It would be a really good investment for them.

Or only use female spies, of course. They don't seem to be nearly as prone to going off half-cocked.