A thinking woman’s spy
George Smiley, as those of you familiar with le Carre already know, is an amazing man. He is supremely intelligent, a philosopher and gentleman, kind yet ruthless and unrelenting when pursuing the bad guy. And, completely clueless when it comes to his philandering wife. He longs for her affection in vain. He deserves better.
I wanted the hero of Spy, Interrupted: The Waiting Wife to have a phenomenal relationship with his wife, and have the emotional security and love that George Smiley craved. But how do you get a cynical and hardened man like Stephen Edward James to fall for a girl? The answer lies in his history.
Stephen is a victim of his past. His mother was faithless and drove his father to suicide. Stephen doesn’t know it, but he is in search of a woman who has two traits that he prizes above all: loyalty and love. The realization dawns on him the first time he meets Nina. So, despite being somewhat of a cold fish, he plunges in.
His spy intuition proves right. His impulsive romance and marriage to Nina is the best thing that ever happened to him and brings warmth and joy back into his life. Nina takes “stand by your man” to new extremes. And, she is smart, competent and wants to change the world just like him, but through kinder, gentler means.
Lucky him!
No Comments