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joyh's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
lecrandall's review
4.0
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series! Although I’m not sure I’m happy with the outcome!! Although I completely recommend reading this trilogy I was not please with the ending of this book!
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
This book was an improvement over part II. The overall idea behind the series and the character detail really drive it. Some of the believability of it is lacking, but it is a fiction book, so that shouldn't be a big deal. The use of locations and nuance to move the story along is appreciated as is the food details. It still brings a smile to my face to see what is listed as the recipe at the end of each chapter.
bethaturner87's review
5.0
I loved this series, I love Matthews' style, I love the intrigue and the cities and the travel and the food and the espionage and the drama. I'm so sad it's over! A worthy end to the trilogy
stevem0214's review
2.0
Very disappointed with the ending of this trilogy. This book seemed like Matthews had nothing left to say...or perhaps he was just done with the story. This one seem predictable from the start and the last couple of chapters were just horrible. I was impressed with #1 and #2, but this ending left a lot to be desired.
superladiva's review against another edition
5.0
A great ending!
As the last in the trilogy, this book ratcheted up the action and the plot twists. Thoroughly entertaining - and eerily prescient of the nefarious actions of Putin's Russia. Highly recommended!
As the last in the trilogy, this book ratcheted up the action and the plot twists. Thoroughly entertaining - and eerily prescient of the nefarious actions of Putin's Russia. Highly recommended!
bmg20's review against another edition
3.0
“The tenets of espionage were immutable—go forth and steal secrets—but technology was changing the Game.”
In The Kremlin’s Candidate, the race is on to identify the Russian spy who is one of three individuals currently in the running to become the next CIA director. This was hands down my favorite plot line of the trilogy and is by far the most thrilling in how Matthews brought everything full circle. Retelling Dominika’s time when she was still just a Sparrow, she was instructed to compromise U.S. Navy lieutenant Audrey Rowland and get her to agree to work with the Russians back in 2005. The mission was a success and Audrey’s been feeding information to them ever since. Flash forward back to the present, Audrey is in place to become the next CIA director and if she gains that position, she’ll be able to obtain the name of the Russian mole, Diva, who she knows intimately well as Dominika Egorova.
Matthews doesn’t settle for that one, immense plot, unfortunately, and it ends up far more convoluted than necessary. In addition to American and Russian spies, North Korean and Chinese spies are also thrown into the mix. There’s even mention of the Chinese version of the Russian “Sparrow” and while I understand we’ve been drilled on assassin and seductresses going hand in hand for three novels, this bit of added detail came off as cheesy more than anything. Sections certainly could have been omitted for a more streamlined story. The build-up to the grand finale does, in retrospect, feel like something I should have anticipated but it still managed to astonish. A lot of the details makes you question whether Matthews is including his actual knowledge from his own personal spying days, or if it’s simply randomly added detail. Either way, it was most convincing. This is the third and final story of the Red Sparrow trilogy and while it is obvious that Matthews has developed a formula by this point, it doesn’t matter, because it’s exciting and it works. In looking back on the near 60 hours I spent listening to the ordeals of Dominika Egorova and Nathaniel Nash, it was easy to lose yourself in the intricate web of the spy world. It was a most enjoyable thrill ride and I’ve never laughed harder at my new favorite insult: “I don’t know what’s wrong with you but I bet it’s hard to pronounce.”
I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In The Kremlin’s Candidate, the race is on to identify the Russian spy who is one of three individuals currently in the running to become the next CIA director. This was hands down my favorite plot line of the trilogy and is by far the most thrilling in how Matthews brought everything full circle. Retelling Dominika’s time when she was still just a Sparrow, she was instructed to compromise U.S. Navy lieutenant Audrey Rowland and get her to agree to work with the Russians back in 2005. The mission was a success and Audrey’s been feeding information to them ever since. Flash forward back to the present, Audrey is in place to become the next CIA director and if she gains that position, she’ll be able to obtain the name of the Russian mole, Diva, who she knows intimately well as Dominika Egorova.
Matthews doesn’t settle for that one, immense plot, unfortunately, and it ends up far more convoluted than necessary. In addition to American and Russian spies, North Korean and Chinese spies are also thrown into the mix. There’s even mention of the Chinese version of the Russian “Sparrow” and while I understand we’ve been drilled on assassin and seductresses going hand in hand for three novels, this bit of added detail came off as cheesy more than anything. Sections certainly could have been omitted for a more streamlined story. The build-up to the grand finale does, in retrospect, feel like something I should have anticipated but it still managed to astonish. A lot of the details makes you question whether Matthews is including his actual knowledge from his own personal spying days, or if it’s simply randomly added detail. Either way, it was most convincing. This is the third and final story of the Red Sparrow trilogy and while it is obvious that Matthews has developed a formula by this point, it doesn’t matter, because it’s exciting and it works. In looking back on the near 60 hours I spent listening to the ordeals of Dominika Egorova and Nathaniel Nash, it was easy to lose yourself in the intricate web of the spy world. It was a most enjoyable thrill ride and I’ve never laughed harder at my new favorite insult: “I don’t know what’s wrong with you but I bet it’s hard to pronounce.”
I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
redhead_haze's review
4.0
It was good. It was a really good book but the ending... I feel like it was way too cruel. Killing Gable seems useless to me, firing Simon B. left me very frustrated and torturing Nate and having him die while Domi was watching was simply heartbreaking. I would have loved a different ending, but at least I can't say that this series was predictable...