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catherine_t's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The book that launched a genre and a film franchise, Casino Royale introduces James Bond, British secret agent and a man of large appetites for cigarettes, alcohol, and women. In this first installment, Bond is detailed to gamble against Le Chiffre, a known Communist and suspected member of SMERSH, at the titular French casino. If Bond wins, Le Chiffre will be in serious trouble with his superiors. But Bond begins to realize, as he sits at the baccarat table, that his winning may mean losing...
Honestly, if Casino Royale had been adapted for the big screen exactly, it wouldn't have been a hit. At least a third of the book takes place at the baccarat table. It might be a high-stakes game, but visually, it's a big yawn. There are no gadgets, no sardonic one-liners, and Bond doesn't quite get the girl.
But that's not what's good about the book. What's good is Fleming's utter economy with words. Fleming can set the scene, draw a picture, or sketch a character in a sentence or two. Most people only know the flashy Bond films. You need to go back to the gritty originals, the novels, and see who James Bond really is.
Honestly, if Casino Royale had been adapted for the big screen exactly, it wouldn't have been a hit. At least a third of the book takes place at the baccarat table. It might be a high-stakes game, but visually, it's a big yawn. There are no gadgets, no sardonic one-liners, and Bond doesn't quite get the girl.
But that's not what's good about the book. What's good is Fleming's utter economy with words. Fleming can set the scene, draw a picture, or sketch a character in a sentence or two. Most people only know the flashy Bond films. You need to go back to the gritty originals, the novels, and see who James Bond really is.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Car accident, and Torture
Minor: Rape
notunremarkable's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
I grew up on the movies and this is the first Bond novel I've read. Once you get past the "this was written in the 1950s" aspect behind you to get to the really good stuff. The reader is treated to Bond's internal monologue and we get to see that Bond isn't just a ruthless 00 agent. We see him as a human and suffer with him through **spoiler** torture.
It was a quick, fun read. I don't know that I *need* to read any more Bond novels as I prefer the movie adaptation of the character. But it was still a good read.
It was a quick, fun read. I don't know that I *need* to read any more Bond novels as I prefer the movie adaptation of the character. But it was still a good read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and Sexism
vtewok's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and Misogyny
Minor: Suicide and Car accident
letter_planet's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Torture
Moderate: Sexism and Racism
madisus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
2.5
The book is definitely a product of its time, with plenty of misogyny peppered in. It’s a dark novel, with an interior and introspective Bond experiencing graphically horrific torture.
I found myself appreciating how much the recently resolved Second World War permeates the attitude of Bond and everyone around him, which is harder to extrapolate from the modernized Craig movies. To Bond, his “license to kill” is nothing more than what was expected of him and his contemporaries when they were soldiers. It’s part of the job— yet he still struggles with the concept of heroes and villains and the spy’s role as a servant of the state. It was more than I expected from this first novel.
I found myself appreciating how much the recently resolved Second World War permeates the attitude of Bond and everyone around him, which is harder to extrapolate from the modernized Craig movies. To Bond, his “license to kill” is nothing more than what was expected of him and his contemporaries when they were soldiers. It’s part of the job— yet he still struggles with the concept of heroes and villains and the spy’s role as a servant of the state. It was more than I expected from this first novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Torture, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual assault
ellachandler's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Sexual content
lisaloulaa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Kidnapping and Suicide
Minor: Rape
noonjinx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
I last read this as a teenager in the mid 1970s and remembered the colour coded camera bombs and the carpet beater but not much else.
It’s divided into three distinct parts; a casino section which I thought was a lot of fun, a torture section which was well written but brutal, and a maudlin doomed romance section which dragged horribly and didn’t endear me to either of the main characters.
I like Flemings writing style; snappy and vivid (eg. "the entire plate-glass window shivered into confetti"), but the spy craft is clunky, Bond wins by being lucky rather than smart, and the mysogny and xenophobia are off the scale.
It was interesting to see how the huge cultural phenomenon started though.
It was interesting to see how the huge cultural phenomenon started though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Suicide
fjordpingvin's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Torture
Minor: Pregnancy and Blood
crochetcat22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- 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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Misogyny, Suicide, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Medical content