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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I just love Yasha (Yassen) so f-ing much.
As usual Mr. Horowitz does an amazing job! I thought I'd hate it cuz I so loved Alex and his adventures; and hearing from the assassin would be so boring. Oh how I was wrong. Fully entertaining from the being. Action packed. No love interest is always a plus for me, uniquely fantastic back story, the characters were ALL amazing, the suspense in finding out what made yassen finally snap and becoming an assassin kept me on the edge of seat.
POSSIBLE SPOILER:::
The icing on this beautiful cake was when we come full circle to meeting alex on the rooftop. <3 <3
POSSIBLE SPOILER:::
The icing on this beautiful cake was when we come full circle to meeting alex on the rooftop. <3 <3
I've been picking at this slowly, a few pages at a time, over the last week or so and bingeread the rest today while I had a moment. Anyways, I felt like this book, though very well written and action packed--as Horowitz's works always are--was not as strong as the rest of the Alex Rider series. Perhaps my memory faults me or the passage of time has changed things in my mind but I was of that opinion. Still, it was nice to take one more journey into the world of the Alex Rider series, and this time learn about the enigmatic Yassen Gregorovich. I had forgotten a lot of story details regarding his connection to the Rider family, more specifically Alex's father John. In the context of this book, it makes sense as to why Yassen always spared Alex.
The Alex Rider series gets consistently more grim the older you get. I was 10 or so when I started reading these, and back then 14 year old Alex seeemed almost like an adult. Not so much, now.
For what it's worth, Russian Roulette, the story of the series' primary antagonist Yassen Gregorovich, is entertaining enough. It moves quickly and Horowitz wisely doesn't expect readers to remember what happened in the other books. More importantly, it got me through a reading slump, so I'm giving it 3 stars just for that.
For what it's worth, Russian Roulette, the story of the series' primary antagonist Yassen Gregorovich, is entertaining enough. It moves quickly and Horowitz wisely doesn't expect readers to remember what happened in the other books. More importantly, it got me through a reading slump, so I'm giving it 3 stars just for that.
adventurous
I would like to apologise for the ridiculously long time it took me to read this. It is in no way a reflection of how much I enjoyed it because damn, this book was good.
I'm not going to lie, I didn't realise this was a prequel until I actually started reading it. Usually I intensively study a blurb before I read the actual book, but in this case I didn't bother since either way I was going to read it - it's Alex Rider so, obviously. So yeah, I was pretty surprised when it was suddenly in first person from the perspective of Yassen Gregorovich at age 14 - before Alex was even born.
We are told the story of his life and how he became the assassin we first meet in Stormbreaker. Starting from his small town life in Russia, through various places around the world we see how different, yet how similar his life was/is to Alex's.
Now, once I realised we were not shifting out of young-Yassen-first-person narrative, I was kind of terrified. Did this mean I wouldn't see my beloved Alex for the entire 400ish pages?!?! The horror.
But I was very pleasantly surprised. I believe Horowitz's change of style was executed very well and I was impressed. Yassen's life was shocking but interesting and I found that I really liked him. He's not quite Alex but I feel like they could be friends you know? He still thinks and acts like a teenager, makes realistic observations and questions things whenever I do. Plus I loved the way Horowitz intertwined Yassen's story with things we've already learnt about through Alex's adventures.
This book is different to all the others, that's for sure. But good different. And, partially because my memory is too weak to remember the first 7 books in detail, I'd say this is my favourite so far. I'm shocked I've even said that actually. Sorry Alex, I feel like I'm betraying you. I can just hear your voice saying:
"9 books. 9 books we've been together. Then this guy strolls in and off you go. How could you?"
*sobbing* I'M SORRY OK?!
I'll probably go running straight back if the next one is as good as this though. Which reminds me - I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT TO READ IT OH MY GOSH.
I'm not going to lie, I didn't realise this was a prequel until I actually started reading it. Usually I intensively study a blurb before I read the actual book, but in this case I didn't bother since either way I was going to read it - it's Alex Rider so, obviously. So yeah, I was pretty surprised when it was suddenly in first person from the perspective of Yassen Gregorovich at age 14 - before Alex was even born.
We are told the story of his life and how he became the assassin we first meet in Stormbreaker. Starting from his small town life in Russia, through various places around the world we see how different, yet how similar his life was/is to Alex's.
Now, once I realised we were not shifting out of young-Yassen-first-person narrative, I was kind of terrified. Did this mean I wouldn't see my beloved Alex for the entire 400ish pages?!?! The horror.
But I was very pleasantly surprised. I believe Horowitz's change of style was executed very well and I was impressed. Yassen's life was shocking but interesting and I found that I really liked him. He's not quite Alex but I feel like they could be friends you know? He still thinks and acts like a teenager, makes realistic observations and questions things whenever I do. Plus I loved the way Horowitz intertwined Yassen's story with things we've already learnt about through Alex's adventures.
This book is different to all the others, that's for sure. But good different. And, partially because my memory is too weak to remember the first 7 books in detail, I'd say this is my favourite so far. I'm shocked I've even said that actually. Sorry Alex, I feel like I'm betraying you. I can just hear your voice saying:
"9 books. 9 books we've been together. Then this guy strolls in and off you go. How could you?"
*sobbing* I'M SORRY OK?!
I'll probably go running straight back if the next one is as good as this though. Which reminds me - I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT TO READ IT OH MY GOSH.
I wasn't sure how Horowitz was going too about a prequel Alex Rider, but now it all makes sense....though I won't give anything away. He has blended the lives together seamlessly, allowing fans to see inside the world of Scorpia, the mind of Yassen Gregorovich and the paternal past of the epically important Alex. Yup it is definitely worth the read for anyone who enjoyed the books.
my review of Russian Roulette by Anthony Horowitz (an Alex Rider Prequel)
this is Yassen Gregorovich's back story sandwiched among how his life and Alex's are in twined with the Rider family
its quite interesting but not necessary to the 9 books that came before it
this is Yassen Gregorovich's back story sandwiched among how his life and Alex's are in twined with the Rider family
its quite interesting but not necessary to the 9 books that came before it
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated