Can you imagine how brave you would have to be to take on the mantle, and most important character, of one of the great writers of the 20th/21st Century. Now add to that the fact he is your dad. The possibility of this being a complete disaster, or even worse, mediocre, were high. But Harkaway succeeds brilliantly and adds to the Smiley canon that enhances our understanding of that solemn character.