Red Sparrow

Linda and I were first introduced to Red Sparrow when watching the movie.  The ending left us profoundly confused: “What just happened?”  Confused so much that we purchased the movie so we could watch it again, but more carefully.  Also, I purchased the book for our Kindles and when doing so, additionally discovered Red Sparrow is the beginning of a trilogy—so I bought the other two books for my Kindle as well.  Then when our book club was determining the next book to read, I offered my suggestion (how do you say: “Voila, and here we are”).

Red Sparrow is a novel written by Jason Matthews, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative.

Plot:

The book provides insight into the mundane aspects of the intelligence field, the techniques it employs, and Red Sparrow's unique ability to discern the nature of people by seeing their emotions in colors (through synesthesia*).  Set in today’s criminal state of Russia, Dominika Egorova (Red Sparrow), is a former Russian ballerina who is forced by her uncle to undergo espionage training for the Russian government at the Sparrow School, where people are trained to seduce their targets. Should she refuse this offer her Mother would lose the apartment they lived in.  Other key figures are Marble, a Russian double agent who provides intelligence to the CIA, and Nate Nash, a CIA internal-ops officer who recruits and handles intelligence assets for the agency. 

Twice in this story the FBI really screws up: the first instance involves the FBI prematurely arresting the senator’s aide, contrary to orders, while a Russian observer sees the entire confrontation.  This results in Dominika being placed under suspicion and tortured.  The second is when the FBI takes 120 minutes to get to the hotel in DC where Swan is meeting with her Russian contact, ***.  Disappointing that the story never shows any consequences for the FBI for this inept behavior (just like real-life, I suppose).

*synesthesia:  a subjective sensation or image of a sense (as of color) other than the one (as of sound) being stimulated 

Addenda:  I liked this book and movie so much that I purchased and read the next two books in this trilogy: Palace of Treason and The Kremlin’s Candidate.  Linda purchased the movie Red Sparrow.