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april_does_feral_sometimes 's review for:
Codename Villanelle
by Luke Jennings
‘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.