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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Sigh. And so the trilogy comes to an end. ***SPOILERS**
A happy ending all tied up would have been too easy. But I am sad for Nate and Domi. And sad that the trilogy is over. I made this one last as long as I could, while still being consumed by the book. Sigh.
A happy ending all tied up would have been too easy. But I am sad for Nate and Domi. And sad that the trilogy is over. I made this one last as long as I could, while still being consumed by the book. Sigh.
The least sloggy entry in the Red Sparrow series brings things to a head in a way that could either end the series or leave it open for more, in a significantly retooled way. It would be easy to accuse Matthews of having written the same novel three times, because he did: a venal woman is the American mole again (but this time she's a secret lesbian; the fact that this can be held against her in the American service is an incredibly black mark that is never really judged as a negative policy, and Matthews heavily implies that she's a monstrous pervert with daddy issues), women are killed needlessly in brutal fashion, Dominika's breasts are repeatedly described, and every chapter ends with a recipe.
Former sexpionage agent and career CIA informant Dominika Egorova is on her way to becoming Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). When she learns of a Kremlin plot to install a mole in the highest echelons of the CIA, she must balance her need to impress President Putin against the urgent race to uncover the mole before her own cover can be blown.
The Kremlin's Candidate showed room for growth: CIA man – and Dominika’s constant lover – Nate Nash is largely absent for much of the book, and it thrives without him. The moment he shows up he immediately has needless sex with someone, because rampant unprofessionalism obviously turns someone on, be it Matthews, or his editors. Ill-advised consensual liaisons that could easily be avoided litter these pages and they make no sense either operationally or erotically. The Kremlin's Candidate is a horny book, but its eroticism does not really translate to the reader.
Matthews becomes an indiscriminate killer, often dropping characters that you could legitimately have felt warmly towards. He does the same thing he did twice before, losing the thread of the novel for a long time before remembering that he has a title to fulfil, but outside of the sex and an extended detour through Australian slang (which is, to be fair, accurately rendered), it's not a waste. The Kremlin's Candidate is never breathtaking or compulsive reading, but it's also never boring. It is written with the confidence of a man who knows that he can get away with more out of loyalty from readers who have made it this far.
Given Matthews' obvious political leanings and his feelings about a president who is probably Obama, it would be fascinating to see what a spy novel written by him in an era of significantly different relations between the USA and Russia. From the outside it feels rich to read Dominika complain of the huge gap between Russia's haves and have-nots and the gross corruption of its oligarchy; has Matthews not seen America for almost its entire history?
In the end, the Red Sparrow series turned out to be a bizarre spies and sex power fantasy that posits that only a handful of people in the CIA should have any power or influence in the world at large, because progressives and politicians and Russians are ruining it for the people who just want to travel the world, sample local cuisines, and kill targets without prejudice. The Kremlin’s Candidate is messy in a good way, and a relatively strong note to end a silly trilogy on.
Former sexpionage agent and career CIA informant Dominika Egorova is on her way to becoming Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). When she learns of a Kremlin plot to install a mole in the highest echelons of the CIA, she must balance her need to impress President Putin against the urgent race to uncover the mole before her own cover can be blown.
The Kremlin's Candidate showed room for growth: CIA man – and Dominika’s constant lover – Nate Nash is largely absent for much of the book, and it thrives without him. The moment he shows up he immediately has needless sex with someone, because rampant unprofessionalism obviously turns someone on, be it Matthews, or his editors. Ill-advised consensual liaisons that could easily be avoided litter these pages and they make no sense either operationally or erotically. The Kremlin's Candidate is a horny book, but its eroticism does not really translate to the reader.
Matthews becomes an indiscriminate killer, often dropping characters that you could legitimately have felt warmly towards. He does the same thing he did twice before, losing the thread of the novel for a long time before remembering that he has a title to fulfil, but outside of the sex and an extended detour through Australian slang (which is, to be fair, accurately rendered), it's not a waste. The Kremlin's Candidate is never breathtaking or compulsive reading, but it's also never boring. It is written with the confidence of a man who knows that he can get away with more out of loyalty from readers who have made it this far.
Given Matthews' obvious political leanings and his feelings about a president who is probably Obama, it would be fascinating to see what a spy novel written by him in an era of significantly different relations between the USA and Russia. From the outside it feels rich to read Dominika complain of the huge gap between Russia's haves and have-nots and the gross corruption of its oligarchy; has Matthews not seen America for almost its entire history?
In the end, the Red Sparrow series turned out to be a bizarre spies and sex power fantasy that posits that only a handful of people in the CIA should have any power or influence in the world at large, because progressives and politicians and Russians are ruining it for the people who just want to travel the world, sample local cuisines, and kill targets without prejudice. The Kremlin’s Candidate is messy in a good way, and a relatively strong note to end a silly trilogy on.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After the actually fantastic second book in this series, it's disheartening that the third would be so disappointing. Matthews has always had an issue with feckless, dimensionless bad guys (at least on the American side), but this round takes it to a new level. Much of the conclusion is nonsensical. Nash's death? Okay, fine. Not my cup of tea, but it's a plausible ending, even if a little heavy handed in its handling. Benford's quitting right then? No. That made no damn sense. Dude spent his life playing the politics or rising above the politics as head of counterintelligence. Why would he now be so unable? And right as he's placed his star asset and right as the entirety of the CIA is apparently lining up against the existence of his asset? And while the man he sent knowing he'd be captured with the intent of finding a way to get him out still rots in prison? And, Matthews's politics, never far below the surface, rear their ugly head over and over. He's one poorly written, mid-chapter essay from going full Ayn Rand for a John Bolton-esque manifesto supporting CIA coups and military involvement around the world. Why does he feel the need to toss in one liners about global warming? Good question, but they're there.
In the previous books, you could overlook Matthews's flaws themselves because of the numerous other strengths. Sure, you had the obnoxious synesthesia thing going on, but you also had meticulous descriptions of the actual high-stakes world of clandestine meetings and acquisition of intelligence. We don't get much of that here, instead focusing on how Matthews imagines Putin would have sex. Truly a disappointment of a conclusion to the series. Should be two stars, but the prose remains strong, and I still appreciate the vocabulary, so bumped to 2.5, which rounds to 3.
Edit: the only things that have stuck with me in the months since I read this have been Matthew’s weird fantasies of Putin’s sex life and how much he hates democrats. Review adjusted to two stars.
In the previous books, you could overlook Matthews's flaws themselves because of the numerous other strengths. Sure, you had the obnoxious synesthesia thing going on, but you also had meticulous descriptions of the actual high-stakes world of clandestine meetings and acquisition of intelligence. We don't get much of that here, instead focusing on how Matthews imagines Putin would have sex. Truly a disappointment of a conclusion to the series. Should be two stars, but the prose remains strong, and I still appreciate the vocabulary, so bumped to 2.5, which rounds to 3.
Edit: the only things that have stuck with me in the months since I read this have been Matthew’s weird fantasies of Putin’s sex life and how much he hates democrats. Review adjusted to two stars.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was a little nervous going into this book as HEA is not Matthews style, but I so wanted one for Domi, Nate, and the rest of the CIA team. However, Matthews did deliver a solid end to his trilogy in my opinion, with an intricate global tapestry of spy work, with fascinating cause and effect relationships that caused no end to the tension I felt.
There were definitely elements of the storyline that I was not happy with, but they did however ring true with the characters and the world that Matthews had built, so I'll have to be satisfied with that.
I wish he had written more novels before his passing.
There were definitely elements of the storyline that I was not happy with, but they did however ring true with the characters and the world that Matthews had built, so I'll have to be satisfied with that.
I wish he had written more novels before his passing.
Fun and intriguing story comes to its conclusion! It was action-packed with many twists and turns. Really enjoyed this read.