- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Faber And Faber Ltd.; New edition edition (Dec 31 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0571212964
- ISBN-13: 978-0571212965
- Product Dimensions: 19 x 12.4 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 204 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,109,272 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
In Michael Frayn's novel Spies an old man returns to the scene of his seemingly ordinary suburban childhood. Stephen Wheatley is unsure of what he is seeking but, as he walks once-familiar streets he hasn't seen in 50 years, he unfolds a story of childish games colliding cruelly with adult realities. It is wartime and Stephen's friend Keith makes the momentous announcement that his mother is a German spy. The two boys begin to spy on the supposed spy, following her on her trips to the shops and to the post, and reading her diary. Keith's mother does have secrets to conceal but they are not the ones the boys suspect. Frayn skilfully manipulates his plot so that the reader's growing awareness of the truth remains just a few steps beyond Stephen's dawning realisation that he is trespassing on painful and dangerous territory. The only false notes occur in the final chapter when the central revelation (already cleverly signposted) is too swiftly followed by further disclosures about Stephen and his family that seem somehow unnecessary and make the denouement less satisfyingly conclusive. This is a much sparer and less expansive book than Headlong, Frayn's Booker Prize-shortlisted 1999 novel, more understated in its wit, but it is, in many ways, more compelling.--Nick Rennison
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
By the author of the bestselling Booker Prize finalist Headlong, this dark, nostalgic and bittersweet parable evokes the childhood escapades of an isolated and hapless young boy caught up in the uncertainties of wartime London in the early 1940s, just after the horrors of the Luftwaffe blitz. Stephen Wheatley, now a grandfather living abroad, is drawn back to London to revisit his boyhood home, to deal with the complexities and eventual tragedy engendered by what seemed a harmless game of spy when he was just a schoolboy during WWII. His best friend at the time was Keith Hayward, the bright son of rather standoffish parents; Keith and Stephen embark on a childish adventure after Keith announces that his British mother is a German spy. The murky plot follows their frustrations as they try to shadow Keith's mum as she goes through the mundane ritual of stopping by her sister's house with letters and a shopping basket, only to disappear into the neighboring streets. Discovering at last that she takes a route through the culvert beneath the railroad and leaves letters in a box hidden on the other side, they eventually learn that she sometimes meets a tattered, bearded tramp hiding in a bombed-out cellar. When Keith's mum finally realizes they have found her out, she secretly seeks Stephen's loyalty, making him complicit. Thrust into a role far beyond his years, but helpless to refuse, he is overwhelmed. As it plays out to a surprising denouement, this enigmatic melodrama will keep readers' attention firmly in hand. (Apr. 3)Forecast: Fans of Headlong may miss that novel's dark comedy, but those who appreciate Frayn for the rigorous intelligence of his fiction will find him in fine form here.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spies shows Frayn's brilliance,
By Avid reader (Victoria, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Spies (Paperback)
This novel is one of the highlights of Western civilization.For some reason, Frayn hasn't won the accolades and big awards that Ian McEwan has. But Spies shows he's arguably the better writer--as much as I love McEwan. Spies is a magnificent, insightful portrait of boys and men, but it is much more than that. The writing is beyond brilliant.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Almost Like a Film - Great!,
By Trudy Taylor Marshall (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Spies (Paperback)
Frayn took a simplistic wartime storyline and made it unfold for the reader like a film. The characterization comes alive with the needling of going through the visage between childhood and adulthood, and innocence and wisdom. There's a yearning at the core of the story with an ending as if it were a short story, with a meaningful return to present reflections. It is a pretty good read!
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Ambiguity of Childhood Memories,
By PhotoMom (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Spies (Paperback)
An old man struggles to recall a summer in his youth he spent living in a small English suburb during WWII. It's a beautifully written story rich in contrasts -- class differences, childhood friendship vs. rivalry, loyalty to family vs. country, reality vs. fantasy, the routine of daily life vs. life-threatening adventures -- and brilliantly evocative of the time and place. But what I found most compelling about this book was its deft examination of how memories work, especially with events of life-changing importance. What we perceive as a child may or may not represent reality, but when filtered through years of experience, it's amazing how that perception can be questioned and transformed. If the reality ultimately shines through, as it does for this narrator, it can bring surprising insights.
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