Aesthetically this book is very pleasing to read, the
flocked, rubberised cover grips your hands. The cover image resembles a wisp of
smoke and the design is repeated at the beginning of every chapter. I have both
a standard copy (white/red) and a limited edition signed copied (black/white)
which are both equally eye catching on my shelf.
All hard backs are going to be a little weighty and as this
was a holiday read this summer, I did feels a paperback would have perhaps been
better for travelling with, but the story gripped me from beginning to end and
was worth the extra weight!
The title is also really clever. So much better than the
titles such as Octopussy and The Man with the Golden Gun, it has wit and style
that really fits in with the narrative.
The narrative is well, Bond like. The formulae of the books
were followed well, Bond had a fast car (although not an Aston Martin) and he
even got the girl. He’s cheeky, witty and is one step ahead of the enemy no
matter how much in trouble he seems. Yet it was Deaver’s personal writing style
that made this book, for me, so enjoyable to read. Red herrings and the rollercoaster ride of
revolutions make this a fast paced read, and it will keep you guessing until the
end.
The villain is possibly one of the best yet. Routed in modern
issues with a flaw that makes your skin crawl, he is the perfect persona of 21st
issues of recycling and corporate responsibility and their darker side.
It was the technical information on the cars and guns that
was lost on me. I was laying in bed reading out the names of cars to my
boyfriend to describe, as I had no idea what they were, if they were good or
not or what they looked like. I understand that they are necessary for the
book, but just not for me.
Overall I loved Jeffery Deaver’s take on the James Bond
novel, with a fancy cover, good name and great characters. Yet the very Bond-ness
of it means I prefer his own creations.
4/5
Thanks for reading,
Love Rie Reviews xx
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