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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
I love books about spies. I liked this one a lot, though it felt kind of long (maybe I'm getting impatient after zipping through lots of books this year). I think I'll plan to read the next one...
It was fast-paced and that is perhaps the best thing I can say about it. I felt like the most interesting part of the novel came in the first half and then the novel just lost my attention. I was no longer as invested, started to feel like the plot started to become too cliché. What mostly bottered me was the omniscient narrator style. This definitely does not suit a spynovel in my opinion. I think the book could've improved greatly already just from a change of narrator. We don't need to know the characters' thoughts, a spy novel should be mysterious, enigmatic, should leave you wondering.
Will probably read the next one, just because it does draw you in, so I do want to know what comes next for these characters, but it will remain no more than a quick read to me.
Will probably read the next one, just because it does draw you in, so I do want to know what comes next for these characters, but it will remain no more than a quick read to me.
Overall excellent, got a little slow near the end but overall very enjoyable
ההשוואות שראיתי לג'ון לה-קרה מופרכות לחלוטין. העומק של הדמויות הספר כמעט שאינו קיים. התחכום ואמינות של משהו בכלל. מצד שני, נהניתי מהספר, גם אם זו הנאה קצת קאמפית. הייתי נותן 3.5 כוכבים אם אפשר היה. לא אקרא את ההמשכים, רשימת הקריאה ארוכה מדי
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There was a good book in there. I loved the clear mastery of tradecraft, the US as mainly good guys and the limited swearing, but it was almost hidden by gratuitous sex (esp the sparrow school encounter—do you get to complain about being exploited and cast aside if you’re both victim and perpetrator?), bloat and reduced pace in the middle. With those disclaimers, I’ll probably read the second book and hope for improvement.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent book, extremely well written. If only it would have been 100 pages shorter I would've given 5 stars. BTW I thought those recipes at the end of the chapters were kinda cheesy...
Authentic details of modern spycraft and compelling characters.
An intriguing espionage thriller! I also enjoy some of the recipes at the end of each chapter, even though they have little to do with the story. Th Russian words and phrases are a little fishy, many of them are not recognized as Russian by google translate. They do sound realistic, if you can figure out how they might be pronounced.
On re-reading, I still find the story realistic and intriguing. The characters, too, feel real and fit the expectations of the role they have in the story. There is change in characters as they develop. None of them are perfect and their flaws are considered both in their own minds and through others.
I will say that the movie has some problems, particularly Jenifer Lawrence because she really doesn't seem like a ballet dancer. Several major changes to the movie plot detract from the story rather than make it better or more like a visual rather than written work. The worst change is in the ending, it was a happy but mixed ending in the book, but the movie version doesn't have a mixture and makes it seem that two characters continue on their path, while one of the evil doers is destroyed. That was not a reasonable ending for this story of espionage.
On re-reading, I still find the story realistic and intriguing. The characters, too, feel real and fit the expectations of the role they have in the story. There is change in characters as they develop. None of them are perfect and their flaws are considered both in their own minds and through others.
I will say that the movie has some problems, particularly Jenifer Lawrence because she really doesn't seem like a ballet dancer. Several major changes to the movie plot detract from the story rather than make it better or more like a visual rather than written work. The worst change is in the ending, it was a happy but mixed ending in the book, but the movie version doesn't have a mixture and makes it seem that two characters continue on their path, while one of the evil doers is destroyed. That was not a reasonable ending for this story of espionage.