Slough House
Slough House
Slough House
Punctuation, pacing, and ambiance?
“Authentic period detail there, and the ’70s is a decade that’s coming back, isn’t it, what with the riots, the recession, the racism—ha! Our little joke.” Page 7.
Redolent in the texture of the first novel. A very proper British style, ease the reader in, left with a false sense of security.
The term, “cockwomble,” apparently, Scottish slang for a person full of bloviating BS. Not sure, trusting various inter-web sources for that definition. Sounds nasty, pretty much is.
Just part of what it is. Reading this, interspersed with the shorter, longer format John Le Carre material, adds a kind of intensity. Obviously, the two beg comparison, the two series, not any particular two novels.
As an addendum to the series, though, this Slough House rolled out like the very first one, I think, and no wonder the fictional character Lucas Davenport enjoys these novels.
Set against the current backdrop, it’s a wildly appropriate for our times.
“… because Moscow Rules and London Rules shared this much in common: once you handed over secrets, you became the product.” Page 213.
Satire, maybe, with enough of a current events bite to make it feel real, even if it’s just a British spy thriller, kicking it old school.
