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544 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2013
*Random thoughts*
So happy that I persevered to the end, considering that nothing actually happened. Not a damn thing that wasn't predictable or contrived.
CIA, FBI, Russian FSB, espionage, red sparrows-Russian secret agents who learn the fine art of seduction and sex, ubiquitous food recipes(why?), double agents, a lot of spy-speak, and countless acronyms.
Additionally, our protagonist- Dominika- is a synesthete (the ability to see auras depicted as colours) which to me is a very interesting concept except, sadly, Matthews never fully utilised this plot device in any meaningful manner.
That said, I reckon the movie will condense the repetitive narrative while ramping up the action sequences. My advice? Wait for the movie and skip the book
"Her name was Dominika Egorova. She was a ballerina, an officer in the SVR, a Sparrow trained to bend others’ minds. She loved and was loved in return."I rarely read spy thrillers, but when I heard Jennifer Lawrence was cast for the film adaptation of Red Sparrow, I put it on my TBR list asap. At first, I almost didn't finish this book. Like I said, I don't typically read this genre and I didn't find myself easily engaged in the writing style. It felt very dry third-person. However, the manipulation, level of action, surprising amount of drama, food (there are recipes!!), culture, unexpected romance, and a strong heroine with a very convenient neurological gift quickly earned my interest and I was easily sold. Jennifer Lawrence will be kickass in the role of Dominika and I'm excited to see how this plays out on the screen.