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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I loved this book. For those who are looking for a traditional spy thriller with gadgets and high speed chases, this is not going to give you that. Instead, it's a deep character driven novel in which the details of the life of the main character are slowly illuminated over the course of the book. Fabulously written!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this as part of a book club and was really excited about it. I'm so sad because I HATED it. It starts out with a lot of action but then nothing really happens. It crawls. The first pages read like a super interesting fast paced story, but it comes to a screeching halt by page ten. I finished because I'm not a quitter, but do not recommend.
challenging
reflective
3.1.2024 - Such a weird book. Just meandering through a woman's extraordinary, but also ordinary life.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Firm 3 stars. Marie seemed so sterile and emotionally distant. She was smart but in her head a lot. Always overthinking and trying to be one step ahead of someone. AND FAILING!
Marie's jealousy and love for her sister were the most compelling part to me; Helene had her own issues. The theme of darkness and negativity within both of the girls and how it manifested had my interest but didn't get as much focus.
But the whole draw to Thomas Sankara never hit. I can buy a honeypot gone wrong, but she was so beyond obvious from day one. No sense of finesse or sensuality. I wanted to feel Marie fall for him and his ideals, but it was only told to me. I don't believe a lady this about her business is falling that quickly and easily.
I think this story excelled with the spy bits and the behind-the-scenes espionage and political sabotage, but it was weaker on the emotionally charged bits.
Marie's jealousy and love for her sister were the most compelling part to me; Helene had her own issues. The theme of darkness and negativity within both of the girls and how it manifested had my interest but didn't get as much focus.
But the whole draw to Thomas Sankara never hit. I can buy a honeypot gone wrong, but she was so beyond obvious from day one. No sense of finesse or sensuality. I wanted to feel Marie fall for him and his ideals, but it was only told to me. I don't believe a lady this about her business is falling that quickly and easily.
I think this story excelled with the spy bits and the behind-the-scenes espionage and political sabotage, but it was weaker on the emotionally charged bits.
I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn't. The writing style wasn't for me, but I can look past that. Mainly I wish we got more of a stance and personality from Marie. Wilkinson poses some really good questions about the role of governments and our loyalty to them, but Marie jusy seems to fall into this life. She never aligned herself with any particular politics, didn't really know why she became a spy, and seemed naively surprised by the CIA's involvement in foreign coups. I liked the concept but didn't connect with her character or get her motivation. Maybe if there's a sequel and we get more answers, I'll have a different thought.
Interesting premise and made me think about the politicization of black bodies vis-à-vis law enforcement from a different angle. Wilkinson doesn't provide conclusive or satisfying answers, but I finished the book with a desire to seek out more information, which I count as a measure of success. I'd also never heard of Thomas Sankara, so now I want to historical research as well!
That said: wasn't a fan of the narrative framing, thought the spy plot was boring (also, is Marie supposed to be a bad spy? Because she is), and never got invested in the romance. And while I don't think novels need to have likable characters in order to be enjoyable--it'd be boring if everyone did the right thing all the time--I felt like I never understood Marie. She's supposed to be a brilliant spy, but she misses all of these plot developments that seem obvious and lets her vulnerability get the better of her at weird times. That characterization could have worked for the story; if Marie's job requires her to suppress her emotions and avoid attachment to others, it makes sense that stress and unprocessed trauma would lead to her detriment. However, it seems like this particular story depended on readers believing in Marie's brilliance, which...I, unfortunately, didn't.
Still, I'm glad Wilkinson took this on (even if it didn't pay off for me) and I'm glad I read it. I'll look out for whatever she publishes next.
That said: wasn't a fan of the narrative framing, thought the spy plot was boring (also, is Marie supposed to be a bad spy? Because she is), and never got invested in the romance. And while I don't think novels need to have likable characters in order to be enjoyable--it'd be boring if everyone did the right thing all the time--I felt like I never understood Marie. She's supposed to be a brilliant spy, but she misses all of these plot developments that seem obvious and lets her vulnerability get the better of her at weird times. That characterization could have worked for the story; if Marie's job requires her to suppress her emotions and avoid attachment to others, it makes sense that stress and unprocessed trauma would lead to her detriment. However, it seems like this particular story depended on readers believing in Marie's brilliance, which...I, unfortunately, didn't.
Still, I'm glad Wilkinson took this on (even if it didn't pay off for me) and I'm glad I read it. I'll look out for whatever she publishes next.
This book was really engaging. The dialogue felt natural and compelling, the characters complicated, and the plot well-paced.
I enjoyed learning a little bit about Burkina Faso and its politics in the 1980s. The story does not make American intelligence or morals look great, but I think that makes the book more realistic and interesting. I reveled in the protagonist Marie's competence and strength when dealing with men's misogyny and assumptions.
Perfect to listen to on audio during a road trip.
I enjoyed learning a little bit about Burkina Faso and its politics in the 1980s. The story does not make American intelligence or morals look great, but I think that makes the book more realistic and interesting. I reveled in the protagonist Marie's competence and strength when dealing with men's misogyny and assumptions.
Perfect to listen to on audio during a road trip.
Strong 3.5/5. Creeping toward a 4/5.
First, this isn’t a spy novel or a thriller. The title and marketing around the book present it as such. Rather, it’s 50% introspection and 50% historical fiction. I liked and disliked pieces of both, liking more than I didn’t.
What I liked. I learned a lot about Burkina Faso and the US governments historic intervention in Africa. The book made me immediately start reading through Wikipedia pages to learn more and I’ll be on the lookout for more books and stories to fill out American Spy’s appetizer.
I also liked the characters. They’re well written and complicated. Lauren Wilkinson did a wonderful job building characters that made me laugh, smile, cringe, and scream. Her writing in general is top notch and I look forward to future stories.
What took some getting used to. The story does drag a bit in the middle, particularly in the lead up to Marie, the main character, making it to Burkina Faso. Some of this lead up is important to build Marie’s character and complicated work and familial relationships. But once we get into the latter half of the book, those US-based relationships aren’t particularly important save for one. I felt the urge to skip ahead at times, which dissipated after the halfway mark.
I also didn’t care for the first person, journal entry style to the story structure. It’s very prevalent in the beginning third of the book but it’s almost like the author, in an attempt to capture the tenseness of the story in Africa, gives up on it. It starts to read more like a normal story perspective and only gets introspective again at the end.
Lastly, the story ends on a cliff and I wanted more! I don’t know if that means there is a sequel in the works or not, but I wished there was some finality to how the book started (with a bang!) at the end, but instead Wilkinson leaves it open to interpretation.
Ultimately, it’s definitely a fast and good read. It’s an author worth watching for future stories, as well.
First, this isn’t a spy novel or a thriller. The title and marketing around the book present it as such. Rather, it’s 50% introspection and 50% historical fiction. I liked and disliked pieces of both, liking more than I didn’t.
What I liked. I learned a lot about Burkina Faso and the US governments historic intervention in Africa. The book made me immediately start reading through Wikipedia pages to learn more and I’ll be on the lookout for more books and stories to fill out American Spy’s appetizer.
I also liked the characters. They’re well written and complicated. Lauren Wilkinson did a wonderful job building characters that made me laugh, smile, cringe, and scream. Her writing in general is top notch and I look forward to future stories.
What took some getting used to. The story does drag a bit in the middle, particularly in the lead up to Marie, the main character, making it to Burkina Faso. Some of this lead up is important to build Marie’s character and complicated work and familial relationships. But once we get into the latter half of the book, those US-based relationships aren’t particularly important save for one. I felt the urge to skip ahead at times, which dissipated after the halfway mark.
I also didn’t care for the first person, journal entry style to the story structure. It’s very prevalent in the beginning third of the book but it’s almost like the author, in an attempt to capture the tenseness of the story in Africa, gives up on it. It starts to read more like a normal story perspective and only gets introspective again at the end.
Lastly, the story ends on a cliff and I wanted more! I don’t know if that means there is a sequel in the works or not, but I wished there was some finality to how the book started (with a bang!) at the end, but instead Wilkinson leaves it open to interpretation.
Ultimately, it’s definitely a fast and good read. It’s an author worth watching for future stories, as well.
To be rated/reviewed after this month’s book club (note: discussion delayed until May)