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in: Work, Spy Literature, A Perfect Spy, Literature of the 1980s

A Perfect Spy

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Love is whatever you can still betray... Betrayal is a repetitious trade.
—A Perfect Spy
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The eighth novel By John Le Carre.

British diplomat and undercover spy, Magnus Pym is missing. His Colleagues at MI 6 have come to the realization that Magnus is in fact a Double agent; working for Czechoslovakian intelligence.

Torn between two spymasters and a domineering father who has towered over him his whole life. Magnus sets down in a quiet Dorset town, to make his last will and testament. Waiting to see who gets him first: The British or the Czechs...

Drawing directly between Le Carre's own early life and relationship with his father. The tale shows the strains of betrayal, keeping secrets and the ultimate costs of a double life.

Tropes used in A Perfect Spy include:
  • Anachronic Order : The tale is told as Magnus is writing his life and jumps between the 80's and the past.
  • Author Avatar: Pretty much all of the things Magnus has occurring to him until he Joins MI 6 are based upon Le Carre's early years.
  • Based on a True Story: Rick Pym is closely based on Le Carre's real life father Rick Cornwell, also a professional conman, except his political ambitions which are probably derived from the activities of John Poulson.
  • Cold War
  • Con Man: Rick Pym
  • Double Agent: A unique case of a story of a western agent working for the other side.
  • Motive Decay: Played straight for Magnus. He starts giving the Czechs Secret information out of some kind of idealism about creating a new and better world. As time goes on and the Czechs are shown to be as bureaucratic ,class ridden as the British, but with with a side of torture and oppression. Magnus doesn't get out because he doesn't know any better.
  • The Pollyana: Magnus.
  • The Spymaster: Jack Brotherhood of British MI 6 and Axel of Czech Intelligence.
  • Tragic Hero: Magnus, and Jack Brotherhood to an extent.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Magnus has a VERY troubling relationship with his father.
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