Spies

Product Information

The mystery isn't too big a mystery, only the exact details remain vague until the end, but Stephen and Keith manage to make more of a mess of things as they go along.

It is an odd, original, haunting little tale in which the teller is the really interesting thing. (...) But the book's real merit lies in the way Stephen comes to understand the truth behind the mysteries of his world by beginning to understand something about the difference between men and women. This is achieved entirely without crudity. (...) (A) modest but memorable book." - Robert Nye, The Times

Spies draws much of its force from the narrative's subtly inverted echoes of other novels." - Jonathan Keates, Times Literary Supplement Throughout the story, it is fairly evident that Keith and the Haywards are better-off financially than Stephen and the Wheatleys. However, this class difference is not simply an arbitrary distinction; the gap in wealth between the two families defines all aspects of Stephen’s relationship to Keith. More significantly, Frayn allows the reader to see, through young Stephen’s eyes, how class permeated the social arrangement and attitudes in wartime London. Another from the 2002 Booker longlist, this one is a quiet revelation and a masterly piece of storytelling. Stephen shares his discovery with Keith the next day, and they investigate the tunnel together. To their dismay, the box has vanished. Keith becomes angry, blaming Stephen for their failure. As they hide from Keith's mother, they witness her destination, but Stephen resists following her, and Keith is too fearful to do so alone. Spies is a fitting title for the book, as it is a major theme throughout the novel where everyone appears to be spying on everyone else. It is a touching and charming story, told through the perspective of an older man who revisits the neighborhood he grew up in, recalling his childhood memories. One of my favorite quotations is:

It is equal parts compelling war story, painful love story and unraveling mystery." - Robert Allen Papinchak, USA TodaySpies is one of my favourites. Admittedly, I only read it because it was part of my English Literature A level studies, and most of my class would disagree with me in my affections for this book since it was definitely a challenge to analyse! However, I found that this only deepened my affections and admiration for Frayn's masterpiece. Spies (2002) is a psychological novel by English author and dramatist Michael Frayn. It is currently studied by A-Level, and some GCSE, literature students in various schools. It is also studied by some Year 12 VCE English students in Australia.

They follow her and spy on her and in the process stumble on -- or at least near -- a very different secret. Another strategic move is not to specify Stephen's age (until the end of the book, when Keith's going to boarding school more or less pins it down). Seen from the next century, no one age seems to be able to accommodate so much serious play, such extremes of information and ignorance - to account for a boy expected to know the ablative of quis and the principal exports of Canada, but having no inkling that a boy and a girl unsupervised might experiment not just with cigarettes but with kisses. This is innocence with a vengeance. This is childhood before market forces got to work on it. A subplot is also included in the novel, where Stephen finds comfort in Barbara Berrill– a girl Stephen's age living in his neighbourhood– who is used as a plot device for revealing very important information that helps Stephen understand the mysteries he is uncovering. Barbara is also an important part of Stephen's transition from the childish world that he shared with Keith to the adult world, filled with complications but also understanding. Für deutsche Leser hält dieser bewundernswerte Roman eine unangenehme Pointe bereit. Sie hat zu tun mit Hitlers Krieg gegen England und mit der Verfolgung der Juden. (...) Man wird wider Willen der Tatsache gewahr, dass selbst in diesem englischen Kammerspiel über Unordnung und frühes Leid die deutsche Vergangenheit nicht vergeht." - Ulrich Greiner, Die Zeit There are so many levels to Spies. It is complex, as Frayn chooses to narrate this story almost as a stream of consciousness, where events are disjointed and half remembered, then returned to later and expanded upon. It follows his train of thought, rather than a chronological sequence of events. This can make it difficult to read at times, however it captures the essence of a person revisiting old memories. It mimics how our thoughts and memories work - each triggered by stimuli, such as a scent, a place, a feeling, and how they do not always follow a logical direction but may in turn, trigger other memories which may be linked in some way. Frayn captures this exceptionally well.Stephen Wheatley ... Or just plain Stephen ... On his school reports S.J.Wheatley, in the classroom or the playground just plain Wheatley. From that moment onward, Stephen does not question Keith’s claim, and the two begin devising an undercover mission to spy on Keith’s mother. They convert a used notebook into a logbook and carry out their first investigation in Keith’s mother’s sitting room. Stephen and Keith find her diary and make note of little “ x” marks in her calendar that occur once a month. They attribute it to a notation for secret meetings, but it is more likely that the x’s simply mark her menstrual cycles. Stephen, from the present, notes that this is another turning point in the story.

The following day, Stephen gathers provisions from his parents' pantry and embarks on his mission to deliver the groceries. As he approaches the entrance of the hideout, he hears the man coughing from inside. Stephen leaves the basket near the entrance, preparing to depart, when a familiar voice calls his name. The voice is British and reminiscent of someone he knows. Curiosity piqued, Stephen inquires about Keith's family. Frozen in place, he leaves only when the man hands him a piece of silk, instructing him to give it to Keith's mother.One day, while Stephen is in the lookout, Keith's mother attempts to approach him, possibly to request his assistance in delivering a letter. However, she stops when she notices Stephen with Barbara. At the beginning of the book he feels the need to stroll down "Memory Lane" once again -- to "the last house before you go round the bend and it turns into Amnesia Avenue" as he tells his children. The Spies is about the power of a young boy’s imagination, the trouble it can cause or enlightenment it can offer. There are mystery and suspense in this book and more than a few stunning plot twists. That Frayn is also the author of the play Noises Off, one of the funniest British comedies of all time, amazes me. Stephen persists in spying on Keith's mother, even though Keith no longer plays with him. One day, Keith's mother approaches him, indicating that she knows about his activities. She warns Stephen that Keith will no longer be allowed to play with him if they continue spying. Before leaving, she insists that their conversation must remain a secret. Subsequently, Stephen rarely interacts with Keith or Keith's mother. Whenever he sees her, she is accompanied by her husband. Barbara theorizes that perhaps Keith's mother was caught having an affair, which explains why her husband restricts her freedom.