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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Very well written book with wonderful a wonderful story line, characters and dialog. I did get lost a few times in the story, but that may be the way I read...a few minutes at a time. I did find it distracting with the Russian language being used and immediately translated throughout the book, but it did add to the setting of the story. I will be looking forward to reading the new one soon!
I first heard of this series a couple of weeks ago when the author, Jason Matthews, was interviewed by The New Yorker editor, David Remnick, who had been a journalist stationed in Moscow when the USSR collapsed. I liked the idea of a contemporary spy novel written by a former CIA officer. And this book did not disappoint! A great page-turner with a good story arc, characters, and villains - and just enough geeky spy-craft to kid yourself that you're gleaning the "inside baseball" secrets. Plus, I like the little affectation of a short featured recipe at the end of each chapter.
This was a fast-paced spy novel that I really enjoyed. After Dominika's career as a ballerina ends, she is recruited to spy for Russia, and then is subsequently recruited by the United States to act as a mole and spy for the U.S. It is full of action, but I actually didn't enjoy it quite as much as the movie, which constantly has you going back and forth about where Dominika's loyalties actually are. It also has an ending that leaves you hanging, so if you're looking for a book with a plot that wraps up nicely, this isn't for you. Still, it was very enjoyable, and I'll probably continue the trilogy. I give it a B-.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-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:
N/A
4.75
Lots of ppl in the reviews dont really like it but tbh i loved it.
Some parts were slower than the rest but it was REALLY good overall
The helsinki chapters will always have a special place in my heart
WHAT WAS THE ENDING
I didnt know there was a book 2 and 3???!!!!
Good book loved it and finished it in a sitting
Lots of ppl in the reviews dont really like it but tbh i loved it.
Some parts were slower than the rest but it was REALLY good overall
The helsinki chapters will always have a special place in my heart
WHAT WAS THE ENDING
I didnt know there was a book 2 and 3???!!!!
Good book loved it and finished it in a sitting
Recommended by a friend who loved it, but I reeeaaaally struggled to finish it. Thought the storyline and characters had potential, but found the writing SO boring, and not nearly enough action... too much old men sitting and talking in their offices. The recipes at the end of each chapter was very random and I'm still not sure how they contributed to the book. I suspect in this instance, the movie might be better. š
In a not so fictional world, moles have infiltrated both the U.S. and Russian governments and itās often difficult to determine what side anyone is on. Nathaniel Nash is a CIA officer in charge of handling CIA assets, most important of those is MARBLE, a Russian mole that is a high-ranking foreign intelligence officer that has been selling secrets to the United States for years. Dominika Egorova is a Russian intelligence officer, recruited by her uncle the deputy director of the foreign intelligence service, but is forced into attending Sparrow school where sheās taught the art of seducing her enemies. Sheās also gifted with synesthesia which allows her to see emotions as colors ā quite helpful when it comes to detecting whether someone is lying or not. When Dominika is instructed by Russian officials to use her Sparrow skills on Nate Nash in order to uncover the mole he was hiding, it quickly becomes more than just an assignment.
āTrouble is the beginning of disaster.ā
Red Sparrow is Jason Matthewsā first novel but it certainly reads like it was penned by someone with a skilled hand, likely due to his own 33-years of experience as a CIA operative. Red Sparrow reads like a far more sophisticated version of the majority of spy novels, undeniably missing the pulse-pounding action sequences but instead is a nuanced psychological game of chess. He details what would easily be considered the superfluous minutiae of what it means to be a spy but these details effectively build up rather than diminish the complexity of the story as a whole. His experience in the intelligence world certainly shows and this textbook guide on how to be a spy is cloaked with the cover of a fiction novel. Just in case you were worried this was going to be too serious, Matthews includes a recipe at the end of each chapter (the recipe for the Creamed Horseradish sauce had me drooling.)
Red Sparrow, as I stated, certainly lacks the standard pulse-pounding action sequences, but the espionage being conducted for almost 18 hours in this thrilling audiobook concludes with higher than before stakes in the most dangerous of games. Iām even more excited for the film now.
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.
āTrouble is the beginning of disaster.ā
Red Sparrow is Jason Matthewsā first novel but it certainly reads like it was penned by someone with a skilled hand, likely due to his own 33-years of experience as a CIA operative. Red Sparrow reads like a far more sophisticated version of the majority of spy novels, undeniably missing the pulse-pounding action sequences but instead is a nuanced psychological game of chess. He details what would easily be considered the superfluous minutiae of what it means to be a spy but these details effectively build up rather than diminish the complexity of the story as a whole. His experience in the intelligence world certainly shows and this textbook guide on how to be a spy is cloaked with the cover of a fiction novel. Just in case you were worried this was going to be too serious, Matthews includes a recipe at the end of each chapter (the recipe for the Creamed Horseradish sauce had me drooling.)
Red Sparrow, as I stated, certainly lacks the standard pulse-pounding action sequences, but the espionage being conducted for almost 18 hours in this thrilling audiobook concludes with higher than before stakes in the most dangerous of games. Iām even more excited for the film now.
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.
Truly I want to give this 3.5 stars. Parts of this book draaaaaagged on, especially the beginning. Iām glad I stuck with it though- it was engaging, exciting, and ended with me wanting more. Now onto book 2!
I must admit I wasn't expecting this. I saw the film with Jennifer Lawrence and I was fascinated by the narrative, eager to see more, to experience more of this world. And that's how I discovered this trilogy that I just had to order. And the first book did not disappoint. Of course, it was different from the movie, and it was a good thing because we got a clearer picture of the action and a better understanding of the characters. Dominika was amazingly described and her relationship with Nate was 100 times better than the one from the film. Gable, Forsyth and Benford were excellent characters and Korcinoi was simply lovable. Depicted as a fatherly figure, with calm and kindness.
Another nice touch was the the constat description of auras, as seen through Dominika's eyes which made me like some of the up-mentioned characters even more.
But the ending was utterly heartbreaking and very different from the one I was expecting, since I've seen the film first. Maybe that's why I was this shocked and constantly expecting a change in the course of action...
Another nice touch was the the constat description of auras, as seen through Dominika's eyes which made me like some of the up-mentioned characters even more.
But the ending was utterly heartbreaking and very different from the one I was expecting, since I've seen the film first. Maybe that's why I was this shocked and constantly expecting a change in the course of action...