This novel of espionage and terrorism, set in early 20th century London, tells the tale of a double agent assigned to a dubious task. Its ironical style is well-orchestrated but traps the narration into excessive omniscience; the interactions are drawn out and the insight into characters is too complete. It seems that the subject matter was not deeply understood by Conrad, and consequently it lacks the vividness and confidence of his seafaring novels, causing his typical verbosity and descriptiveness to hang like dead weight. Despite its shortcomings, it is still Conrad, and provides some insightful glimpses into themes (including terrorism and the involvement of the state) that are maybe even more relevant today.WORTH THE READ
3 out of 5
Buy this book: The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale (Penguin Classics)
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