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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this book. Fast paced and full of action. It was surprisingly descriptive of the places visited and also of the deaths, even down to the weapons used. I watched the tv show first which isn’t something I normally do. And whilst it is a little bit different I enjoy them both equally.
Paused because Assistant To the Villain became available on Libby. I'll return to this book later.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Phoebe Waller-Bridge really elevated and feminized the mediocre source material here. But while it was going fine enough, at least half-interesting and certainly not well written but ok enough to see it to the end - NOPE - it turned disgustingly outright transphobic. And I'm not talking Jennings is content with an "evil tranny" stereotype, he actually published "chick with a dick." Unfortunately Goodreads won't allow below a 1 star, but this is 0 stars, STRONGLY do not recommend. Let's just go on as if the show is sui generis because these garbage views don't deserve more eyeballs.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
‘Codename: Villanelle’ is the thriller novel a new BBC show, Killing Eve, is based on. Below is a link to a promo trailer:
https://youtu.be/LtKkfmzYXo4
Unfortunately for us fans of the TV show and interested readers in the book series, at the time I am writing this review, book two is coming next year (2019) which hopefully will resolve the cliffhangers. In my opinion, the TV show is better than the book, but Villanelle’s backstory is told in its entirety in the novel.
The novel is a typical thriller and the action is graphic. The characters in the book are straight out of central casting, so, it is interesting enough, but nothing special to me. However, I’m a jaded reader and past my prime in addition, so my hormones have slowed, admittedly. The TV show is amazing though because of the actors, Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh, chosen to play the parts of the main characters, Villanelle and Eve Polastri.
Eve Polastri used to work for MI5, but due to her diligence tracking a mysterious contract assassin around the world despite the scoffing disbelief of her direct supervisor, she is secretly enlisted and transferred into the top secret British agency National Security Services. Her primary job is analysis of information whether it is obtained from public sources or spying. She is a desk worker, not a field agent, normally.
Villanelle, not her real name, is one of the world’s top assassins. She doesn’t know who her employees are and she doesn’t care. She is a psychopath. However, her handler, Konstantin, or his employers, has discovered that Eve Polastri has been assigned to track down Villanelle full time. Curious she looks up Eve on the internet, but not until Eve shows up at one of Villanelle’s hits does her curiosity becomes fascination. The beautiful assassin is gay, so perhaps Villanelle’s interest is so strong because of Eve’s appearance. Or maybe, she wants to see who is the better woman. They both are incredibly smart and good at what they do.
Eve adores her ex-boss, Simon Mortimer, who was busted down in rank after a field assignment of protecting a visiting dignitary went wrong. Now, he is working with Eve as her subordinate on tracking down Villanelle. They do not know her name or her face, but they know her style. Simon and Eve learn of a killing in Shanghai which very likely is an assassination performed by Villanelle, so they meet up with a Chinese spy in Shanghai to compare notes. Afterwords, the Chinese Secret Service agent invites Eve out to dinner, so Simon goes to the redlight district for fun. Unfortunately, he ends up meeting Villanelle.
Eve vows revenge. She is going to find this assassin even if it costs her her marriage to her mathematician husband Niko as well as her job.
The book is a two-and-a-half stars read, in my opinion, but the TV show is far superior.
https://youtu.be/LtKkfmzYXo4
Unfortunately for us fans of the TV show and interested readers in the book series, at the time I am writing this review, book two is coming next year (2019) which hopefully will resolve the cliffhangers. In my opinion, the TV show is better than the book, but Villanelle’s backstory is told in its entirety in the novel.
The novel is a typical thriller and the action is graphic. The characters in the book are straight out of central casting, so, it is interesting enough, but nothing special to me. However, I’m a jaded reader and past my prime in addition, so my hormones have slowed, admittedly. The TV show is amazing though because of the actors, Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh, chosen to play the parts of the main characters, Villanelle and Eve Polastri.
Eve Polastri used to work for MI5, but due to her diligence tracking a mysterious contract assassin around the world despite the scoffing disbelief of her direct supervisor, she is secretly enlisted and transferred into the top secret British agency National Security Services. Her primary job is analysis of information whether it is obtained from public sources or spying. She is a desk worker, not a field agent, normally.
Villanelle, not her real name, is one of the world’s top assassins. She doesn’t know who her employees are and she doesn’t care. She is a psychopath. However, her handler, Konstantin, or his employers, has discovered that Eve Polastri has been assigned to track down Villanelle full time. Curious she looks up Eve on the internet, but not until Eve shows up at one of Villanelle’s hits does her curiosity becomes fascination. The beautiful assassin is gay, so perhaps Villanelle’s interest is so strong because of Eve’s appearance. Or maybe, she wants to see who is the better woman. They both are incredibly smart and good at what they do.
Eve adores her ex-boss, Simon Mortimer, who was busted down in rank after a field assignment of protecting a visiting dignitary went wrong. Now, he is working with Eve as her subordinate on tracking down Villanelle. They do not know her name or her face, but they know her style. Simon and Eve learn of a killing in Shanghai which very likely is an assassination performed by Villanelle, so they meet up with a Chinese spy in Shanghai to compare notes. Afterwords, the Chinese Secret Service agent invites Eve out to dinner, so Simon goes to the redlight district for fun. Unfortunately, he ends up meeting Villanelle.
Eve vows revenge. She is going to find this assassin even if it costs her her marriage to her mathematician husband Niko as well as her job.
The book is a two-and-a-half stars read, in my opinion, but the TV show is far superior.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The story of this book was good but the way it was written was so elementary I wish I’d just watch the sho, felt thesaurus-y, random, unnecessary time &setting jumps, and it felt like the author had a check list
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes