Spies: A Novel Paperback – January 18, 2003

Victoria, Australia, have chosen to put this on the final year senior school list; a decision I find odd but not terrible.It tells a decent story of children and adults' misunderstandings during a helpfully evocative WWII London setting. There's quite a bit of "To Kill a Mockingbird" about it. There are some lovely and poignant moments as his young protagonist fumbles his way towards adolescence, and is left guessing at the actions of the women in his street: something's up but he doesn't understand what or why.But Frayn's conceit can't continue to trade on such little capital, for the sheer fact that the readers aren't children. By the end, the narrative has lost its raison d'etre, and we are left with a supposed 'twist' that feels more like a strangle.

Spies by Michael Frayn is a jewel of a novel. Written with great precision and sensibility, it brings the reader close to the characters and makes them feel, taste, smell, what they experience. Indirectly, through the memories of the protagonist's childhood, we begin to know the adults in that child's life and the hopes, fears, and aches they have, but which the child only half understands. Gradually the reader begins to know what's what and this makes for the suspense. One is left with a feeling of nostalgia and pity, without morbidity or cynicism.

I enjoyed this highly controlled story of WWII in England. It is a coming of age story of young Stephen. While playing Spies, Stephen and his friend Keith stumble on a huge secret. Stephen struggles with what he has learned, as Keith removes himself and learns from his father how to confront betrayal. Well done!

What is it about these British authors that they can write about the past and their own childhoods in such a mature and adult way? Recently, we saw it in Booker nominee Ian McEwan's 'Atonement', then Penelope Lively with 'A House Unlocked", and now Frayn's 'Spies'. This is a story about how the protagonist saw a particular event during his pre-teen childhood. Puzzling, mysterious, and inexplicable. Then it all comes together in the last chapter when as a middle-aged man he goes back home and digs up his memories. That the pen that produced 'Headlong', and 'Copenhagen' can also produce such a delicious and haunting tale is even more wonderful.

Arrived on time and in excellent condition. I am enjoying reading the book.

Such a story! I was just the narrator's age during WWII, and lived in a Kansas town with a majority population of people of German heritage. Later I lived in Germany. For me separating feelings about the people and the politics of Germany has been hard work. With this background, the events in Spies, with its unanticipated consequences, are gripping and well told.

I enjoyed this for the most part. It's slow moving and the style of writing is old fashioned. The story itself is good.

I enjoyed this book very much. The language, the story, the fears, brought me back to my childhood. Thanks for writing it!

Frayn writes very descriptively, while at the same time withholding critical details. At times I questioned the accuracy of immature schoolboy incomprehension, but it's a provocative representation about Enngish social mores, and mor generally about the processes of observation and the function of memory

Recommended by a friend and I have enjoyed it so far. When I have finished it, my opinion might be more useful and valid!Amazon need to learn that people do not instantly read every book they receive, likewise they do not immediately use a purchased item. How about leaving a gap of three weeks between despatch and asking for comment? Give the customer a chance to evaluate an item properly instead of giving you a snapshot opinion of doubtful value.

It's pretty easy to divide the reviews of this book into two camps: those from teenagers who've been forced to read Spies as an A-level set text and those of us who've read it because it's meant to be a good, interesting novel. I'm in the latter camp (having completed my A levels 20 years ago) but encountered this book by a recommendation of an A level student who I was interviewing for a place at University. I'd asked him what his favourite book was (he said his passon was reading) and he said "Spies" - which to my chagrin I hadn't read so I ordered off Amazon. It was only later I realised Spies is a set text and most A-level English Lit. students have read it - most under extreme duress.Why duress? Despite the title, the story isn't one of James Bond or indeed any real action. It's a rather charming half remembered tale from one man's childhood which gradually hints at a slightly darker adult world which the protagonist isn't capable yet of understanding.It's extremely well written and has Frayn's usual love of English. I'm not sure if perhaps it's slightly "over-written" and perhaps slightly too clever for its own good and thinking about this is what i would have taken away from the book except the ending nicely ties everything up and is rather well delivered. As another reviewer said, perhaps it ties things up a little too nicely - there isn't much room for further imagination but this is probably needed giving the elusive nature of the start of the book. Overall - it took a while for me to read and certainly isn't a galloping page turner but is a rather satisfying read.

This book was on our French grand daughters reading list along with "The Help", I enjoy reading what has been set for them, much more interesting than the books we were given.The story in Spies sent me back to my own post war childhood, with the games and gangs we joined, however the pretend games we made up did not have such terrifying results.

Loved this understated tale of boyhood memories, war-time rural England with a central storyline of betrayal. Well written and thought provoking