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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
I don't read many spy thrillers, but I liked this a lot. The author is, apparently, a spy or former spy and the story details do seem realistic. The sex and fights only resemble reality in some vague way, but I suppose most real spys don't spend a lot of time banging each other. It has recipes in it [!], and I think they added an extra dimension.
Too many details I didn’t care about. I almost didn’t finish this. I had to scan the boring parts to get to the actual good parts. Honestly, I’m not a spy book kind of person. I don’t understand the lingo, all the undercover he said she said just gets me confused and bored out of my mind. The ending sucked completely and I realized it’s because there’s more books in the series and that made me even more mad.
While this starts a bit slow, when the action starts it is really exciting. I don't read many spy novels, but I can highly recommend this one! The author has direct experience and also writes well. The characters are well-drawn. There was just one scene (no spoilers here) that I felt was left unfinished, in that it didn't address the consequences of the act. I highly recommend this book!
It started as a fairly entertaining story but nothing about the characters or plot ever called me back urgently to continue reading it. By the time I reached the 33rd chapter, it felt like a job.
Additionally, I'm sure the author had a lot of experience in what is and isn't possible in espionage, but the truth is that realistic fiction often has to be more believable than real life is. Some of the plot here was a stretch and relied on luck and bumbling enemies to work. Okay, yes, real life can be like that, but that's not great fiction writing.
I would have appreciated it if someone had edited the book down a little. It really felt excessively long for what it was.
Additionally, I'm sure the author had a lot of experience in what is and isn't possible in espionage, but the truth is that realistic fiction often has to be more believable than real life is. Some of the plot here was a stretch and relied on luck and bumbling enemies to work. Okay, yes, real life can be like that, but that's not great fiction writing.
I would have appreciated it if someone had edited the book down a little. It really felt excessively long for what it was.
I saw the movie in Feb and decided to read the book. Took me a little to get into the book, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. It was paced well and left me wanting more. Already have books 2 & 3 on request from my library.
My first venture into spy novels! This book had good moments but came off as very sexist. It was so obviously written by a man for men to the point of absurdity. I'm willing to give spy novels another try, but this one wasn't it for me.
1. Good stories but bad storytelling
2. We get it, Dominika has ballerina legs
3. Weird fixation on sex and food
4. The grammar and run-ons are atrocious: I counted up to 21 lines for one sentence on p. 413...
5. It started with Nate’s and Dom’s separate stories, then when they met, it just leaves with Dom and Nate becomes a sidekick?
Overall, I liked the glimpse into the hidden and exhilarating world of espionage but the above points put me off of Matthews. Often found myself skipping boring paragraphs of backstories that didn’t really do much for the characters. Otherwise suspenseful events were muddied by lacklustre writing. Dom’s condition could have had so much potential but other than that, she is too hard-headed and bitchy to be likeable. Nate’s character arc just stopped when he met Dom. MARBLE was the one dude I felt sympathy for.
First time the movie might be better than the book?
2. We get it, Dominika has ballerina legs
3. Weird fixation on sex and food
4. The grammar and run-ons are atrocious: I counted up to 21 lines for one sentence on p. 413...
5. It started with Nate’s and Dom’s separate stories, then when they met, it just leaves with Dom and Nate becomes a sidekick?
Overall, I liked the glimpse into the hidden and exhilarating world of espionage but the above points put me off of Matthews. Often found myself skipping boring paragraphs of backstories that didn’t really do much for the characters. Otherwise suspenseful events were muddied by lacklustre writing. Dom’s condition could have had so much potential but other than that, she is too hard-headed and bitchy to be likeable. Nate’s character arc just stopped when he met Dom. MARBLE was the one dude I felt sympathy for.
First time the movie might be better than the book?
I don't read a lot of spy novels, so this was a fun departure for me. This book has mystery, romance, a bit of the supernatural (seriously, one of the main characters can see people's auras), and even recipes! (though I'll say the recipes were unnecessary and kept pulling me out of the story).
The main characters of Nate and Dominika were interesting enough, and their relationship is a great propellant for the plot. I definitely think it's obvious that Dominika suffers from "woman character written by male author" syndrome. She was just a little far-fetched at times, and certain descriptions of her were lacking in depth but full of details about how beautiful she was or how everyone wanted to have sex with her. I get that the set up of her being a Sparrow inherently makes her an overtly sexual femme fatale, but some moments with her were just groan-worthy. But don't get me wrong, she's definitely still a total badass.
Now. Putin. I don't always love when real-life people appear in fiction, but the appearance of Putin was uneventful (in a good way)... Just the classic "kill all detractors" lunacy you'd expect, therefore not a huge departure from reality or out of line with what we know of that real-life person. So, no issue there.
It seems obvious that an author who is also an ex-spy with expertise and experience in Russian affairs would paint an accurate portrait of their political landscape, but it was still a pleasant surprise (and this is clearly the biggest selling feature of this book. Which makes sense. It's interesting and exciting to think that you're getting some kind of inside look at the world of global espionage, even if only in fiction).
This book was definitely longer than it needed to be. I think it gets bogged down with the spy-stuff at times, as bad as that sounds for a spy novel. Certain dense descriptions of the operations of the agencies had me glazing over (reminding me of the moments of heavy math in The Martian). I just assumed the author knew what they were talking about, and moved along. I would have been fine if we'd trimmed these bits up a little. It's like when someone explains to you the technical aspects of their job. It may be accurate but it's also kind of procedural and not really a constant thrill-ride.
Also - the ending is way too abrupt for my liking. I both want and don't want the next book to pick up immediately where this one leaves off. It feels like a "part one" rather than a "book one" since the author abandons us essentially in the middle of a scene. I get that they want to hurl us right into book two, but that's not what I want from an ending... Even if it is book one of three.
The main characters of Nate and Dominika were interesting enough, and their relationship is a great propellant for the plot. I definitely think it's obvious that Dominika suffers from "woman character written by male author" syndrome. She was just a little far-fetched at times, and certain descriptions of her were lacking in depth but full of details about how beautiful she was or how everyone wanted to have sex with her. I get that the set up of her being a Sparrow inherently makes her an overtly sexual femme fatale, but some moments with her were just groan-worthy. But don't get me wrong, she's definitely still a total badass.
Now. Putin. I don't always love when real-life people appear in fiction, but the appearance of Putin was uneventful (in a good way)... Just the classic "kill all detractors" lunacy you'd expect, therefore not a huge departure from reality or out of line with what we know of that real-life person. So, no issue there.
It seems obvious that an author who is also an ex-spy with expertise and experience in Russian affairs would paint an accurate portrait of their political landscape, but it was still a pleasant surprise (and this is clearly the biggest selling feature of this book. Which makes sense. It's interesting and exciting to think that you're getting some kind of inside look at the world of global espionage, even if only in fiction).
This book was definitely longer than it needed to be. I think it gets bogged down with the spy-stuff at times, as bad as that sounds for a spy novel. Certain dense descriptions of the operations of the agencies had me glazing over (reminding me of the moments of heavy math in The Martian). I just assumed the author knew what they were talking about, and moved along. I would have been fine if we'd trimmed these bits up a little. It's like when someone explains to you the technical aspects of their job. It may be accurate but it's also kind of procedural and not really a constant thrill-ride.
Also - the ending is way too abrupt for my liking. I both want and don't want the next book to pick up immediately where this one leaves off. It feels like a "part one" rather than a "book one" since the author abandons us essentially in the middle of a scene. I get that they want to hurl us right into book two, but that's not what I want from an ending... Even if it is book one of three.
Realistic but with heightened adventure. It seems to me that this is what real intelligence work might be like when the stakes are the very highest.