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valerixia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Fast and sleazy.
chloeereesss's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
twinklstarcandy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Nice bit confusing if id of havent watched it first
dstrbia's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
The TV show made me want to explore the source material. Great additional background on Villanelle.
4.5 stars.
I've found the TV series a breath of fresh air, a smart, capable female investigator and the strong, capable female assassin she is hunting. The book gives us a lot more background detail.
Villanelle is a highly trained sociopathic assassin, given assignments around the world that she takes pleasure in carrying out. Eve becomes part of the team hunting her down, scraping clues as to her identity from anywhere she is able. Both feel a mutual respect for the other, though it does not prevent them from continuing their daily work.
A little of the TV show's humour is missing, but I found the book has its own. I liked the focus on Villanelle, the author seemed to be a little in love with her at times, while making it clear how sociopathic she is. Eve is always one step behind her, and in comparison to the coiffed and cool assassin is definitely worlds away.
A flowing read, it flits between the two women, building the story of the killings and chase, and ends with no conclusion, but open for the next chapter.
If you read this first, you'll find the TV series contains many changes, but I enjoyed getting the extra details after having watched it. I may look for the next in the series, which must mean I liked it as I don't continue a series very often.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
4.5 stars.
I've found the TV series a breath of fresh air, a smart, capable female investigator and the strong, capable female assassin she is hunting. The book gives us a lot more background detail.
Villanelle is a highly trained sociopathic assassin, given assignments around the world that she takes pleasure in carrying out. Eve becomes part of the team hunting her down, scraping clues as to her identity from anywhere she is able. Both feel a mutual respect for the other, though it does not prevent them from continuing their daily work.
A little of the TV show's humour is missing, but I found the book has its own. I liked the focus on Villanelle, the author seemed to be a little in love with her at times, while making it clear how sociopathic she is. Eve is always one step behind her, and in comparison to the coiffed and cool assassin is definitely worlds away.
A flowing read, it flits between the two women, building the story of the killings and chase, and ends with no conclusion, but open for the next chapter.
If you read this first, you'll find the TV series contains many changes, but I enjoyed getting the extra details after having watched it. I may look for the next in the series, which must mean I liked it as I don't continue a series very often.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
lurker_stalker's review against another edition
4.0
I'm one of those folks who loved the first season of the TV show based on the novellas by Luke Jennings. I had listened to the first one a while back and recently discovered an audiobook that combines four novellas. Eve and Villanelle are still the main characters but that's about all that's the same.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone who liked the show and to anyone, like a dear friend of mine, who loved the premise of the show but not the execution.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone who liked the show and to anyone, like a dear friend of mine, who loved the premise of the show but not the execution.
dembury's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 rounded up.
“Codename Villanelle” has some core workings of a fun spy thriller, namely the cat and mouse game between government operative and paid assassin, as well as boasting a slew of locations from China to London to Paris, all which make fun settings for the drama that happens.
However, these elements are sort of squandered with incredibly dry and, quite frankly, boring writing. The dialogue is missing any sort of spunk or life, and the characters themselves are FLAT. I’m reading this novel having just wrapped up watching S3 of the TV adaptation and I am deeply happy that the show was taken into fresh hands, reworked, and then directed by women because this novel just lacks VIGOR. It very much feels like the outline of a novel that was supposed to be 500 pages of exciting storytelling but then the author died and the publishing house said, “Well, let’s publish the outline anyways and see what happens?” It’s very much a case of a great book idea that has been written in a lackluster manner.
In addition to the writing of action & plot, I was disappointed (yet not truly surprised) with how Jennings writes his female characters. He just fails to really dig into their minds and instead just tells the reader how each character supposedly feels or thinks, but they lacks depth. Actually every character, not just the women, are lacking, but it's especially a letdown having a book about women doing cool, badass (and illegal) things have the writing of the women be so one-dimensional.
“Codename Villanelle” has some core workings of a fun spy thriller, namely the cat and mouse game between government operative and paid assassin, as well as boasting a slew of locations from China to London to Paris, all which make fun settings for the drama that happens.
However, these elements are sort of squandered with incredibly dry and, quite frankly, boring writing. The dialogue is missing any sort of spunk or life, and the characters themselves are FLAT. I’m reading this novel having just wrapped up watching S3 of the TV adaptation and I am deeply happy that the show was taken into fresh hands, reworked, and then directed by women because this novel just lacks VIGOR. It very much feels like the outline of a novel that was supposed to be 500 pages of exciting storytelling but then the author died and the publishing house said, “Well, let’s publish the outline anyways and see what happens?” It’s very much a case of a great book idea that has been written in a lackluster manner.
In addition to the writing of action & plot, I was disappointed (yet not truly surprised) with how Jennings writes his female characters. He just fails to really dig into their minds and instead just tells the reader how each character supposedly feels or thinks, but they lacks depth. Actually every character, not just the women, are lacking, but it's especially a letdown having a book about women doing cool, badass (and illegal) things have the writing of the women be so one-dimensional.
shelby_s's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
drridareads's review against another edition
2.0
This is not a bad book. It's just relatively bad compared to it's amazing adaptation.
But Villanelle's back story is exciting. She has learnt how to copy emotions to fit in.
I may not recommend the book but the show is lit with an incredible cast for characters!
2.5 stars!
But Villanelle's back story is exciting. She has learnt how to copy emotions to fit in.
I may not recommend the book but the show is lit with an incredible cast for characters!
2.5 stars!
devon_'s review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0