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Codename Villanelle

Book 1 in the series:Killing Eve

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'Codename Villanelle' by Luke Jennings is a spy thriller that follows the story of an emotionless professional assassin named Villanelle, who was once a poor, motherless Russian girl named Oksana. The plot delves into Villanelle's exotic assignments and her transformation into a ruthless killer. The writing style is described as having exquisite imagery, detailed descriptions, and elegant yet raw character interactions that bring the characters to life.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, featuring a morally ambiguous assassin and a capable intelligence analyst.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is detailed and engaging, using a third-person perspective to explore the characters' thoughts and emotions.

Plot/Storyline:

The story revolves around a serial killer and an FBI agent entangled in a suspenseful game of cat and mouse.

Setting:

The setting is diverse and vividly described, complementing the action and themes of the story.

Pacing:

The book's pacing is fast and gripping, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
The Palazzo Falconieri stands on a promontory on one of the smaller Italian lakes. It’s late June, and a faint breeze touches the pines and cypresses that cluster like sentinels around the rocky headl...

Notes:

The books known as Codename Villanelle were the inspiration for the BBC series Killing Eve.
Villanelle is characterized as a young female assassin with exceptional killing skills and a photographic memory.
The dynamic between Eve and Villanelle is one of respect and understanding despite being on opposite moral ends.
Luke Jennings, the author, is praised for crafting complex female protagonists in the Villanelle series.
The television series emphasizes dark humor more than the book, which some readers feel is lacking in the original text.
Readers note that the character development in the book provides a more in-depth look at the protagonists' psychology.
The setting is vividly depicted in the book, with particular praise for the chapter set in Shanghai.
The books provide more detail on Villanelle’s organization and the intricacies of her assassinations than the television adaptation.
Killing Eve has been noted for its quick pacing and engaging action sequences, making it a page-turner.
Some readers found the relationship between Eve and Villanelle compelling enough to overlook their morally ambiguous natures.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of violence, assassination, psychological manipulation, and moral complexities, which may not be suitable for all readers.

Has Romance?

While the book contains elements of romance, they are more subtle and interwoven with the thriller plot rather than being the central focus.

From The Publisher:

The breakneck thriller that inspired TV sensation Killing Eve, starring Sandra Oh, "unlike any other spy drama you've seen" (Daily Beast).

Villanelle (a codename, of course) is one of the world's most skilled assassins. A catlike psychopath whose love for the creature comforts of her luxurious lifestyle is second only to her love of the game, she specializes in murdering the world's richest and most powerful. But when she murders an influential Russian politician, she draws a relentless foe to her tail.

Eve Polastri (not a codename) is a former MI6 operative hired by the national security services for a singular task: to find and capture or kill the assassin responsible, and those who have aided her. Eve, whose quiet and otherwise unextraordinary life belies her quick wit and keen intellect, accepts the mission.

The ensuing chase will lead them on a trail around the world, intersecting with corrupt governments and powerful criminal organizations, all leading towards a final confrontation from which neither will emerge unscathed. Codename Villanelle is a sleek, fast-paced international thriller from an exciting new voice in fiction.

Ratings (8)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (4)
It Was OK (1)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (23):

Read It (8)
Want To Read (12)
Not Interested (3)

2 comment(s)

Loved It
1 week

I listened to it as I have seen the TV series floating around. I'm not a huge TV show watcher so it didn't interested me enough to actually see it but when I found this in my book app I had to give it a listen. I quite enjoyed it. It was very easy to listen to and very entertaining. Can definitely see why they made a show out of it. Kinda interested to see what they keept and what they changed for the show

 
Incredible
2 years

Real, believable, true to life characters. Brilliant storyline with excellent portrayals of psychopathic social personality disorders and explosive violence. The study of the different personalities between the psychopath and protagonist are outstanding

 
 
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