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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A very interesting book. I read it after being introduced to the show, Killing Eve. I will say the show is better. However this has been interesting to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I came to this by way of the show adaptation, which I love. The book presents an intriguing premise and sets up interesting situations but for me, the show does a much better job executing character nuance and believability.
Firstly, I read this entirely because I’m enjoying the TV Series , which is very good. Despite the differences the book adds details that make the TV Series richer. Secondly, unlike the TV Series, the book is more of a guys read. In some ways it reminds me of [b:Atomic Blonde: The Coldest City|33163319|Atomic Blonde The Coldest City|Antony Johnston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493905930l/33163319._SX50_.jpg|18477971]. Finally, the book ends in a cliffhanger, which causes me some consternation.
This is a very short book at about 220 pages. Its internally separated into four (4) long chapters or sections. Each of the chapter/sections is the length of a short story. Generally, each of the sections is a description of one of Villanelle’s hits. Long term plotlines are woven through each hit.
Writing was good. Dialog was likely better than descriptive prose. Inner dialog is more important than spoken. The protagonist and antagonist both aren't much of a talker. I first thought the descriptive prose, was better, but after the second section, I noticed that there was a lot of repetition. For example, all fashionable, women's shoes are described as "strappy". In addition, I am not as tickled by haute couture as I am by the descriptions of Russian and eastern European firearms. The action sequences were good. Flashbacks and POV changes were well-handled. Folks with TV-14 sensibilities may be uncomfortable with the sex and violence. The sex is not heteronormative and (I thought) tastefully graphic. Violence is less explicit than the sex, but not gratuitous. Body count is high, but not OTT.
There were very few characters-- Villanelle (a codename) and Polastri provide the two POVs. The author is a man. Both the main characters are women. Perhaps they’re not the best rendered female characters, but ones a sociopath and the other has high functioning autism. Who’s to say how they talk, think and act? Supporting characters are standard fare for the espionage genre. The other major characters are Niko and the Handlers. Polastri’s Polish husband Niko gets some advanced development. Theirs is a geek-on-geek romance. Villanelle’s handler Konstantin is a cipher. Edwards is Polastri’s handler. He’s a cipher too. I expect Polastri’s handler will get future development. The other characters are recognizable: spies, civil servants and members of the demimonde.
Plot is a variation of the Benevolent Conspiracy . An extra-legal plot exists to maintain the status quo of world political and economic power. It’s engineered by a supra-national, anonymous, power block. (Think The Deep State.) Spy novels are all about: Money, Ideology, Compromise (or Coercion), and Ego. The Conspiracy is way ahead of national security organizations in matters of infiltration and compromise. Villanelle is Russian and Polastri is Ex-MI5 now MI6. Villenelle is an unstable tool of The Conspiracy applying coercion and dealing with her ego. Polastri is her good-guy hunter working sub rosa from within MI6. The story bears a certain resemblance to an old-skool East vs. West spy novel. (Russian spies never go out of style.) Although, the story is more [a:Ian Fleming|2565|Ian Fleming|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1364532740p2/2565.jpg] than [a:John le Carré|1411964|John le Carré|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234571122p2/1411964.jpg].
Note there is a strong edu-tainment component to the story. It includes: major foreign city geography lessons, spy craft, firearms and munitions, haute couture, mixology, and other accouterments of the: bourgeois, clandestine, operative lifestyle.
In addition to the reading, it was interesting to compare and contrast how the TV series screenwriters had changed the story. For example cutting-out the Shanghai location to save location shooting costs and gender-bending of certain characters. Reading the book also added details that ended-up giving the TV series more depth. For example, there is a lot more backstory on Villanelle's victims and details on the hit are given.
Finally, this book ends in a cliffhanger. Actually, it just stops, with you knowing what the next step in Polastri’s investigation will be and Villanelle being apprehensive about her standing in The Conspiracy. You may want to wait for the series to end before reading this.
This is not a particularly well written story. However, it’s solidly written enough. I think where it has problems is that it’s a guy’s novel; written by a man, that happens to have women as the main characters. The women are not authentic enough. In addition, Villanelle is moderately sexualized. I can understand why lovers of the TV series are disappointed with this book. However, if you’re at home with post post-9/11 action thrillers you’ll find this book is quiet readable for a beach or airplane read. This book also has the advantage of being short.
I expect to read the sequel [b:Villanelle: No Tomorrow|39321542|No Tomorrow (Killing Eve, #2)|Luke Jennings|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544034354l/39321542._SY75_.jpg|60935584]. Readers interested in sociopath, assassin-based action thrillers may also like: [b:A Clean Kill in Tokyo|925|A Clean Kill in Tokyo (John Rain, #1)|Barry Eisler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1360560536l/925._SX50_.jpg|1333462].
This is a very short book at about 220 pages. Its internally separated into four (4) long chapters or sections. Each of the chapter/sections is the length of a short story. Generally, each of the sections is a description of one of Villanelle’s hits. Long term plotlines are woven through each hit.
Writing was good. Dialog was likely better than descriptive prose. Inner dialog is more important than spoken. The protagonist and antagonist both aren't much of a talker. I first thought the descriptive prose, was better, but after the second section, I noticed that there was a lot of repetition. For example, all fashionable, women's shoes are described as "strappy". In addition, I am not as tickled by haute couture as I am by the descriptions of Russian and eastern European firearms. The action sequences were good. Flashbacks and POV changes were well-handled. Folks with TV-14 sensibilities may be uncomfortable with the sex and violence. The sex is not heteronormative and (I thought) tastefully graphic. Violence is less explicit than the sex, but not gratuitous. Body count is high, but not OTT.
There were very few characters-- Villanelle (a codename) and Polastri provide the two POVs. The author is a man. Both the main characters are women. Perhaps they’re not the best rendered female characters, but ones a sociopath and the other has high functioning autism. Who’s to say how they talk, think and act? Supporting characters are standard fare for the espionage genre. The other major characters are Niko and the Handlers. Polastri’s Polish husband Niko gets some advanced development. Theirs is a geek-on-geek romance. Villanelle’s handler Konstantin is a cipher. Edwards is Polastri’s handler. He’s a cipher too. I expect Polastri’s handler will get future development. The other characters are recognizable: spies, civil servants and members of the demimonde.
Plot is a variation of the Benevolent Conspiracy . An extra-legal plot exists to maintain the status quo of world political and economic power. It’s engineered by a supra-national, anonymous, power block. (Think The Deep State.) Spy novels are all about: Money, Ideology, Compromise (or Coercion), and Ego. The Conspiracy is way ahead of national security organizations in matters of infiltration and compromise. Villanelle is Russian and Polastri is Ex-MI5 now MI6. Villenelle is an unstable tool of The Conspiracy applying coercion and dealing with her ego. Polastri is her good-guy hunter working sub rosa from within MI6. The story bears a certain resemblance to an old-skool East vs. West spy novel. (Russian spies never go out of style.) Although, the story is more [a:Ian Fleming|2565|Ian Fleming|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1364532740p2/2565.jpg] than [a:John le Carré|1411964|John le Carré|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234571122p2/1411964.jpg].
Note there is a strong edu-tainment component to the story. It includes: major foreign city geography lessons, spy craft, firearms and munitions, haute couture, mixology, and other accouterments of the: bourgeois, clandestine, operative lifestyle.
In addition to the reading, it was interesting to compare and contrast how the TV series screenwriters had changed the story. For example cutting-out the Shanghai location to save location shooting costs and gender-bending of certain characters. Reading the book also added details that ended-up giving the TV series more depth. For example, there is a lot more backstory on Villanelle's victims and details on the hit are given.
Finally, this book ends in a cliffhanger. Actually, it just stops, with you knowing what the next step in Polastri’s investigation will be and Villanelle being apprehensive about her standing in The Conspiracy. You may want to wait for the series to end before reading this.
This is not a particularly well written story. However, it’s solidly written enough. I think where it has problems is that it’s a guy’s novel; written by a man, that happens to have women as the main characters. The women are not authentic enough. In addition, Villanelle is moderately sexualized. I can understand why lovers of the TV series are disappointed with this book. However, if you’re at home with post post-9/11 action thrillers you’ll find this book is quiet readable for a beach or airplane read. This book also has the advantage of being short.
I expect to read the sequel [b:Villanelle: No Tomorrow|39321542|No Tomorrow (Killing Eve, #2)|Luke Jennings|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544034354l/39321542._SY75_.jpg|60935584]. Readers interested in sociopath, assassin-based action thrillers may also like: [b:A Clean Kill in Tokyo|925|A Clean Kill in Tokyo (John Rain, #1)|Barry Eisler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1360560536l/925._SX50_.jpg|1333462].
If you like the TV show, this is worth a read (especially if you’re waiting for the new series to come out). Some similarities to the TV series but ultimately it is its own story. Reads just like the TV programme, which was great. The characters dialogue is just the same.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark