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A review by aceinit
Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva
3.0
I enjoyed this book considerably more than the Ivan trilogy, which I consider the low point of the series thusfar. However, I am dismayed to see how episodic in nature this series has become, something I first really noticed in the first Ivan book.
Though I enjoy the team and their individual characters, I feel Gabriel would benefit from an adventure or two without them, should future installments be forthcoming. The team’s addition addition, and their recurrence in every novel, makes for a very formulaic approach in a series I originally fell in love with for its originality. The elements are predictably recurring: from the coming together of the team to the terrorist “murder board” to Chiara’s cooking to the obligatory torture scene of either Gabriel or Mikhail.
I especially feel Adrian and Sarah can be left behind for an adventure or two, and would particularly like to see Navot and Lavon brought front and center.
I don’t know if Silva is content with the consistent nature of these stories (I read somewhere, he uses certain phrases with deliberate repetition from one book to the next, implying his is himself a formulaic author), or if he is simply unable to break the mold after so many books in the series. However, as a reader, these highly repetitive novels are quickly losing the appeal that drew me to them in the first place.
I will continue reading them, of course, but I miss the days of The Kill Artist and Portrait of a Spy, where the stories felt much more fresh, original, and drew me into their narratives much more deeply.
Though I enjoy the team and their individual characters, I feel Gabriel would benefit from an adventure or two without them, should future installments be forthcoming. The team’s addition addition, and their recurrence in every novel, makes for a very formulaic approach in a series I originally fell in love with for its originality. The elements are predictably recurring: from the coming together of the team to the terrorist “murder board” to Chiara’s cooking to the obligatory torture scene of either Gabriel or Mikhail.
I especially feel Adrian and Sarah can be left behind for an adventure or two, and would particularly like to see Navot and Lavon brought front and center.
I don’t know if Silva is content with the consistent nature of these stories (I read somewhere, he uses certain phrases with deliberate repetition from one book to the next, implying his is himself a formulaic author), or if he is simply unable to break the mold after so many books in the series. However, as a reader, these highly repetitive novels are quickly losing the appeal that drew me to them in the first place.
I will continue reading them, of course, but I miss the days of The Kill Artist and Portrait of a Spy, where the stories felt much more fresh, original, and drew me into their narratives much more deeply.