Review: Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews

A reasonably entertaining spy tale. This one takes place long after the Cold War, so it pits the CIA versus Vladimir Putin and Russian intelligence.

The good

• One of the main characters, Dominika, is reasonably interesting (although a bit heavy on the tropes: ballet dancer, spy, sparrow).
• A few good bits of spy craft, suspense, and action.
• It feels like a somewhat realistic spy tale (not cartoony, like James Bond).
• Some fun banter amongst the CIA spooks. I wish there was more of that.

The not so good

• The other main character, Nathaniel, seems fairly bland and generic.
• I would’ve liked to see a bit more spy craft, suspense, and action!
• Treats synesthesia as a magical power, rather than merely a different way to perceive certain senses.

Rating: 4 stars