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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book, especially the perspective of Marie, a black American woman spy. I wish that the love story were more believable. We didn’t really know why he would be interested in her and I think their relationship could have been expanded while still filling into the narrative. I also wish there could have been more of a plot twist at the end. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t want to put it down.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is marketed as a spy thriller, but the structure of the book takes all the thrill out of it and makes the pacing all wonky. The novel starts in the early 90s with Marie, a former spy, surviving an assassination attempt and taking her two young boys to stay with her mother in Martinique. The book is written as a letter to her sons, who are quickly revealed/heavily implied to be the children of Thomas Sankara, the assassinated former president of Burkina Faso who had been her mark. So, that takes all the surprise out of the main storyline about her relationship with Sankara.
In addition, there's a lot about her childhood and relationship with her sister Helene. So much so that she only finally goes to Burkina Faso more than halfway through the book. I didn't feel connected to Marie, and it felt like Helene had the more thought-out character with a distinct personality.
With that said, it was an interesting story about a crazy part of the Cold War that I know nothing about.
In addition, there's a lot about her childhood and relationship with her sister Helene. So much so that she only finally goes to Burkina Faso more than halfway through the book. I didn't feel connected to Marie, and it felt like Helene had the more thought-out character with a distinct personality.
With that said, it was an interesting story about a crazy part of the Cold War that I know nothing about.
The beginning of this started out great and then... well. It just kinda fell flat. Stuck with it hoping it would pick up and get better, but no such luck.
Bailing 2/3rds of the way through because the plot took forever to start and then was too implausible to pass the smell test longer than a chapter. Pretty disappointing considering the raves.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Slow and the flashes in time were confusing at first. Skimmed a lot and wish there was less exposition and more plot
An excellent read. Finally a spy novel with a different POV, a woman whose upbringing and inner monologue shows the reader the "double-consciousness" of an African American operating in a high-performing role. Left the book wanting a sequel.
adventurous
medium-paced