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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
tl;dr cool concept of competent women flipping the bird to incompetent men who sexualize them + cardboard characters wandering in circles admiring their own butts
1) Outside of the first interesting chapters about Nate evading detection, all of the burden, tortures, and risks are taken on by Dominica. Even then, for large chunks of the book there is not really much danger to the two of them. Compare instead to the first half of Frederick Forsyth's Icon, in which you watch Jason Monk carefully set up and recruit agents, become invested in their personal friendships, stress as they are constantly on the verge of being caught - and then get your heart broken when they finally get caught. There is nothing here to get invested in, no real growth even in their relationship, and Nate is practically a cardboard cutout for most of the book.
2) The plot is meandering - there are narrative threads here and there that start and end, but in between there is no tension or drive that makes you want to know what's coming next. There are fits and starts (bad thing happened--> motive --> more bad things -->same motive), but the ending "motive" for Dominika is really one that we have already seen throughout the book, so we don't really get the feeling that this will change anything. Again - contrast to Icon, in which there is a clear link between the investment you (and Monk) make in the first half of the book, and the drive/motive throughout the second half. I know this is a trilogy, but the whole book feels like a lot of setup with no payoff.
4) Even with the above, this could still be entertaining. Matthews' writing style is alright for the most part and I have no issue with the technical elements - if anything, it needs more spycraft. HOWEVER - this author has a severely bad case of "male authors think women stand around thinking/looking at their boobs all the time" and it is a huge turnoff. Just about all the female characters are all described in terms of how fuckable or mannish they are, and we are constantly told about Dominika's body and having her admire her own body parts for the audience. It's tiresome and lazy.
1) Outside of the first interesting chapters about Nate evading detection, all of the burden, tortures, and risks are taken on by Dominica. Even then, for large chunks of the book there is not really much danger to the two of them. Compare instead to the first half of Frederick Forsyth's Icon, in which you watch Jason Monk carefully set up and recruit agents, become invested in their personal friendships, stress as they are constantly on the verge of being caught - and then get your heart broken when they finally get caught. There is nothing here to get invested in, no real growth even in their relationship, and Nate is practically a cardboard cutout for most of the book.
2) The plot is meandering - there are narrative threads here and there that start and end, but in between there is no tension or drive that makes you want to know what's coming next. There are fits and starts (bad thing happened--> motive --> more bad things -->same motive), but the ending "motive" for Dominika is really one that we have already seen throughout the book, so we don't really get the feeling that this will change anything. Again - contrast to Icon, in which there is a clear link between the investment you (and Monk) make in the first half of the book, and the drive/motive throughout the second half. I know this is a trilogy, but the whole book feels like a lot of setup with no payoff.
4) Even with the above, this could still be entertaining. Matthews' writing style is alright for the most part and I have no issue with the technical elements - if anything, it needs more spycraft. HOWEVER - this author has a severely bad case of "male authors think women stand around thinking/looking at their boobs all the time" and it is a huge turnoff. Just about all the female characters are all described in terms of how fuckable or mannish they are, and we are constantly told about Dominika's body and having her admire her own body parts for the audience. It's tiresome and lazy.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
A classic spy thriller. The set up takes 125 pages so you have to be patient. Female Russian agent seducing US CIA agent - or is. It the other way around? If you can suspend a little disbelief at him being a new agent who gets a pretty plum and sophisticated assignment and her having magical ESP abilities (couldn't she just be smart and intuitive?), you will enjoy what feels like a throw back to the Cold War days. The sex scenes read a little like a romance novel but at least they are there!
Intriguing debut spy novel. This usually isn't my bag but I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait for its sequel. Incredible world building and likeable characters keep you interested even though it is often very slow paced (works though cuz you have feeling author is setting you up for a series of books & wants you to fall in love with the characters) Found the torture scenes very uncomfortable and it was at odds with the novels strong female character. Loved addition of the recipes and found myself often very hungry while reading. Cannot tell you how much I loved some of the secondary characters. Fascinating look into the CIA and Russian way of life and you can really tell the author had plenty of inside information.
Former ballerina, Dominika Egovora, is forced to become a ‘Sparrow’, a trained seductress. Now an intelligence officer in present-day Russia, ruled by President Vladimir Putin, she is assigned to operate against a young CIA officer, Nathanial Nash, who handles the Agency’s most important Russian mole.
Dominika and Nate soon clash in a duel of tradecraft, strong wills and forbidden passion that not only threatens their lives, but the lives of others. As allegiances are made and broken, their game reaches a deadly crossroad.
One of them begins a dangerous double existence in an operation balancing on life and death.
Read the full review here: https://sincerelyyoursannie.com/2021/09/20/red-sparrow-by-jason-matthews-book-review/
Dominika and Nate soon clash in a duel of tradecraft, strong wills and forbidden passion that not only threatens their lives, but the lives of others. As allegiances are made and broken, their game reaches a deadly crossroad.
One of them begins a dangerous double existence in an operation balancing on life and death.
Read the full review here: https://sincerelyyoursannie.com/2021/09/20/red-sparrow-by-jason-matthews-book-review/
Excellent suspense/spy thriller. I loved the characters and the author's work for the CIA lends this novel a realistic edge. I have been recommending this trilogy to everyone.
I tried, I couldn't. I caved in and watched the movie. Not even that could hold my attention. Just not for me I guess....
Some reviews I read on here slammed the book for essentially having sex scenes and then followed by recipes and trying to force the Russian language down the throat of the reader. Yes it has those elements but I also found a thoroughly enjoyable cat and mouse affair set all around the world with loads of action, suspense and thrilling scenes tightly woven into each and every page. Would easily and happily read this again!
Not quite up to Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series, but pretty good for a first spy thriller.