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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Such a great story which is severely stunted by poor writing (why do male authors refuse to ask women how they would feel in situations? my breasts have never “heaved with fear”) and the completely bizarre insertion of recipes at the end of every chapter, referencing dishes that were only briefly mentioned and played no role in propulsion of the story.
I wanted this book to be better. The espionage details were interesting but the story/plot/characters weren’t really.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1/29 - Won this book on Goodreads as a First Reads giveaway.
2/8 - Received book.
I really enjoyed this book and was surprised that I did. There is a LOT of language in it, as well as a fair amount of violence and explicit sex scenes (not a ton, but some), plus I wasn't entirely familiar with a lot of the spy terminology or Russian terminology used and it wasn't always explained, though a lot of times it was or else was meant to be inferred from the context. There are some torture and murder scenes that, while the descriptions didn't drag or were too much, there were still enough to make my stomach churn a bit. The sex was not descriptive when it was between the lovers, but the Sparrow School scenes were and sometimes disturbing, as I'm sure they were meant to be.
I was a bit thrown by the "recipes" included at the end of all but the last chapter. They aren't normal recipes with a specific list of ingredients and the appropriate amounts, just along the lines of "saute garlic and onions in butter then add...." so I don't know if I could accurately and adequately reproduce any of them, but several of them did sound interesting. That said, I was impressed with how the author incorporated those dishes into the story without, in my opinion, them seeming forced. They just added to the setting and story line and helped me visualize things better.
I was able to guess who MARBLE was right before it was revealed, which may have been where the author intended the reader to figure it out for themselves, but there was a twist there as well that I hadn't anticipated and helped pick up my interest level and the action somewhat.
It took me quite a while to read this book as it was a bit lengthy and did move slowly, but it did still manage to keep my interest.
Even with the language and the other violent and sexual scenes, I think this book can appeal to both male and female readers with a bit of a love story, the espionage and CIA story line, and the recipes.
Content: Lots of F bombs; also, sex and violence.
2/8 - Received book.
I really enjoyed this book and was surprised that I did. There is a LOT of language in it, as well as a fair amount of violence and explicit sex scenes (not a ton, but some), plus I wasn't entirely familiar with a lot of the spy terminology or Russian terminology used and it wasn't always explained, though a lot of times it was or else was meant to be inferred from the context. There are some torture and murder scenes that, while the descriptions didn't drag or were too much, there were still enough to make my stomach churn a bit. The sex was not descriptive when it was between the lovers, but the Sparrow School scenes were and sometimes disturbing, as I'm sure they were meant to be.
I was a bit thrown by the "recipes" included at the end of all but the last chapter. They aren't normal recipes with a specific list of ingredients and the appropriate amounts, just along the lines of "saute garlic and onions in butter then add...." so I don't know if I could accurately and adequately reproduce any of them, but several of them did sound interesting. That said, I was impressed with how the author incorporated those dishes into the story without, in my opinion, them seeming forced. They just added to the setting and story line and helped me visualize things better.
I was able to guess who MARBLE was right before it was revealed, which may have been where the author intended the reader to figure it out for themselves, but there was a twist there as well that I hadn't anticipated and helped pick up my interest level and the action somewhat.
It took me quite a while to read this book as it was a bit lengthy and did move slowly, but it did still manage to keep my interest.
Even with the language and the other violent and sexual scenes, I think this book can appeal to both male and female readers with a bit of a love story, the espionage and CIA story line, and the recipes.
Content: Lots of F bombs; also, sex and violence.
adventurous
mysterious
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Check out my full book review here: https://tintededges.com/2021/09/09/red-sparrow/
i thought that the plot was interesting, & that the recipe cards were cute. however, the writing was very obviously done by an american Man, not realistically portraying the thoughts/feelings of a russian woman in my opinion. also the ending was underwhelming.
Jason Matthews writes with such authority about the CIA that I kept thinking as I read this book -- he's either got a great imagination, or he was a player. It turns out to be the latter. A retired CIA officer, he has written Red Sparrow as the first of a trilogy. If I could sum up my thoughts on completing it, I'd have to say this: I can't wait to start reading the second volume. There are things I could have done without, such as the recipes that end each chapter (and the constant references to food in the text that seem to be placed there as an excuse for the recipes that follow) and the over-use of Russian phrases. That having been said, the book is wonderfully plotted, full of suspense, with memorable characters (most notably Dominika Egorova), violent and sexy and unputdownable. Matthews is a thriller writer of the first order, as good as le Carré and better than Fleming. Yes, that good.