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Killing Eve #1
Codename Villanelle
In an isolated remand centre in the Ural Mountains, Oxana Vorontsova awaits trial for murder. One man with his throat slashed to the bone, two shot in the face. Not quite the behaviour you’d expect of a star linguistics student at one of Russia’s top universities. But as a string of unnerving incidents attests, the signs were always there.
Half a world away, Oxana’s potential has been noted. Recruited as an assassin on behalf of a secretive global power-elite, she is reborn as the beautiful, lethal Villanelle. The rewards of her new life are spectacular, but the risks are deadly. And when she’s tasked with the elimination of a senior Mafia boss, it’s clear that the job is going to have to be carried out at close quarters…
Luke Jennings is the author of Blood Knots, short-listed for the Samuel Johnson and William Hill prizes, and of several novels, including the Booker Prize-nominated Atlantic. As a journalist he has written for The Observer, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker and Time. He is married and lives in North London.
Half a world away, Oxana’s potential has been noted. Recruited as an assassin on behalf of a secretive global power-elite, she is reborn as the beautiful, lethal Villanelle. The rewards of her new life are spectacular, but the risks are deadly. And when she’s tasked with the elimination of a senior Mafia boss, it’s clear that the job is going to have to be carried out at close quarters…
Luke Jennings is the author of Blood Knots, short-listed for the Samuel Johnson and William Hill prizes, and of several novels, including the Booker Prize-nominated Atlantic. As a journalist he has written for The Observer, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker and Time. He is married and lives in North London.
36 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2014
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28608 people want to read
About the author
Luke Jennings
30 books642 followersLuke Jennings is an author and the dance critic of The Observer. He trained at the Rambert School and was a dancer for ten years before turning to writing.
As a journalist he has written for Vanity Fair, the New Yorker and Time, as well as for numerous British titles. He is the author of Blood Knots, a memoir, short-listed for the 2010 Samuel Johnson and William Hill prizes, and of three novels: Breach Candy, Beauty Story, and the Booker Prize-nominated Atlantic. With Deborah Bull, he wrote The Faber Guide to Ballet, and with his daughter Laura, the Stars fiction series for Puffin Books, about teenagers at a stage-school.
He is currently writing a follow-up to his 2017 thriller Codename Villanelle (John Murray). The Villanelle titles are the basis for BBC America's upcoming TV series Killing Eve, airing in 2018 and starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer.
As a journalist he has written for Vanity Fair, the New Yorker and Time, as well as for numerous British titles. He is the author of Blood Knots, a memoir, short-listed for the 2010 Samuel Johnson and William Hill prizes, and of three novels: Breach Candy, Beauty Story, and the Booker Prize-nominated Atlantic. With Deborah Bull, he wrote The Faber Guide to Ballet, and with his daughter Laura, the Stars fiction series for Puffin Books, about teenagers at a stage-school.
He is currently writing a follow-up to his 2017 thriller Codename Villanelle (John Murray). The Villanelle titles are the basis for BBC America's upcoming TV series Killing Eve, airing in 2018 and starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,924 reviews
August 21, 2018
I have to give credit to the producers of the series "Killing Eve" that they found in this mediocre novel the basis for a better than average tv show.
This novel -- the introduction to a book series that is coming or has already happened? -- is really nothing special. It's the story of two women, one a psychopathic contract killer, the other a British agent, who are pitted against each other. I saw some influence of Ian Fleming, especially in the descriptions of clothing, and some influence of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series, notably the explicit sex. But that only emphasized that this book was nowhere near as good as a James Bond novel, the "Dragon Tattoo" novels, and is far inferior to the series that it inspired.
Some elements of the novel just don't make sense, and the producers of the show were smart to cut them out. The whole novel we are told that "Villanelle" is a sociopath who can mimic feelings but doesn't feel them and can't have real relationships. But she has a friend that she socializes with. This is a distraction that doesn't fit in the story, and is not part of the tv series (good decision).
I will continue watching "Killing Eve", but I'm not going to continue reading the "Villanelle" novels, assuming there are more coming. I recommend the show, not this book.
This novel -- the introduction to a book series that is coming or has already happened? -- is really nothing special. It's the story of two women, one a psychopathic contract killer, the other a British agent, who are pitted against each other. I saw some influence of Ian Fleming, especially in the descriptions of clothing, and some influence of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series, notably the explicit sex. But that only emphasized that this book was nowhere near as good as a James Bond novel, the "Dragon Tattoo" novels, and is far inferior to the series that it inspired.
Some elements of the novel just don't make sense, and the producers of the show were smart to cut them out. The whole novel we are told that "Villanelle" is a sociopath who can mimic feelings but doesn't feel them and can't have real relationships. But she has a friend that she socializes with. This is a distraction that doesn't fit in the story, and is not part of the tv series (good decision).
I will continue watching "Killing Eve", but I'm not going to continue reading the "Villanelle" novels, assuming there are more coming. I recommend the show, not this book.
May 21, 2020
Women written by women >>>> women written by men
May 13, 2019
I am amazed that someone was able to create such an amazing show from this material. It's like taking a pile of horse manure and turning it into a diamond. The problems are
1) Jennings is a shit writer
2) the book is somehow boring?
3) he doesn't show, he tells. "Eve and Villanelle are sworn enemies" bitch where? "Eve and Niko are having marital problems" I mean if you say so?
4) I dont know why his third person present tense annoys me so much, but it does. It doesnt work with this book
5) his characters have no personalities. How do you have such a badass outline for two people and yet make them completely one dimensional?
Good job, Killing Eve. I dont know how you did it
1) Jennings is a shit writer
2) the book is somehow boring?
3) he doesn't show, he tells. "Eve and Villanelle are sworn enemies" bitch where? "Eve and Niko are having marital problems" I mean if you say so?
4) I dont know why his third person present tense annoys me so much, but it does. It doesnt work with this book
5) his characters have no personalities. How do you have such a badass outline for two people and yet make them completely one dimensional?
Good job, Killing Eve. I dont know how you did it
May 29, 2020
Eu assisti as duas primeiras temporadas de Killing Eve antes de ter a chance de ler o livro, que foi lançado no mês passado aqui no Brasil. O livro reúne quatro novelas que foram lançadas inicialmente em e-book e “correspondem” a primeira temporada da série.
Enquanto na série a gente tem um equilíbrio entre as duas personagens, no livro a gente acaba tendo muito mais percepção da Villanelle. Logo no início, já tomamos conhecimento do seu passado (que também tem alguns detalhes bem diferentes na série) e entendemos sua motivação e vida de assassina. Lembrando que a Villanelle é uma psicopata, e apesar de ser interpretada pela carismática Jodie Comer na série, ela é uma assassina! Mesmo assim é impossível não se interessar pelo comportamento, passado e motivações. A Villanelle com certeza é uma personagem muito, muito interessante.
Eu, particularmente, recomendo que as pessoas assistam a primeira temporada antes de ler o livro. Eu gostei muito da ordem que fiz. Porque é como se eu tivesse me aprofundando na mente da Villanelle. Mesmo com tanta coisa diferente, eu não fiquei decepcionada. Na verdade, fiquei muito feliz de ser surpreendida mesmo já sabendo a história. Principalmente porque nesse primeiro livro a gente não tem o contato entre a Eve e a Villanelle. Fica uma de cada lado pensando sobre a outra, iniciando a obsessão.
Uma das principais mudanças na série foi a abertura para mais personagens femininas. É claro que a gente já tem duas protagonistas, mas outros personagens fundamentais também recebem essa atenção. Além disso, cada temporada é escrita por uma mulher diferente. O que é muito legal, porque o livro é escrito por um homem e ao ser adaptado por uma mulher, a gente percebe detalhes que fazem muita diferença sendo escritos por uma mulher. Principalmente envolvendo a sexualização da Villanelle, que é bastante presente no livro. Eu acabei reassistindo a primeira temporada e é incrível como alguns detalhes eu só consegui pegar depois da leitura do livro. Gostei demais! Poderia até rever ou reler novamente, só para entender um pouco mais como funciona a mente dessas personagens.
Como eu disse, Codinome Villanelle foi a reunião de quatro novelas que virou um livro, mas ele também tem outras duas sequências sem data para lançamento no Brasil. Espero que lancem logo para que eu saiba enfim o que vai acontecer com o destino delas nos livros.
Por fim, resolvi dar quatro estrelas para o livro porque apesar de ter gostado muito da história, ter ficado completamente imersa e inicialmente ter dado cinco estrelas, eu pensei bastante enquanto assistia novamente a série e uma coisa em especial eu achei um tanto problemático envolvendo uma cena de transfobia, por isso, diminuí a nota. Não acontece essa cena na série, inclusive o episódio envolvendo esse acontecimento é completamente diferente. Mas no livro isso me incomodou e ficou ainda mais difícil deixar passar depois que eu pensei melhor para esta resenha.
Meu veredito? As histórias se complementam e vão por caminhos completamente diferentes. Prefiro a série, mas a leitura do livro também tem muito valor, principalmente se você quiser saber mais sobre a Villanelle.
Vídeo de comparação: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4oyH...
Enquanto na série a gente tem um equilíbrio entre as duas personagens, no livro a gente acaba tendo muito mais percepção da Villanelle. Logo no início, já tomamos conhecimento do seu passado (que também tem alguns detalhes bem diferentes na série) e entendemos sua motivação e vida de assassina. Lembrando que a Villanelle é uma psicopata, e apesar de ser interpretada pela carismática Jodie Comer na série, ela é uma assassina! Mesmo assim é impossível não se interessar pelo comportamento, passado e motivações. A Villanelle com certeza é uma personagem muito, muito interessante.
Eu, particularmente, recomendo que as pessoas assistam a primeira temporada antes de ler o livro. Eu gostei muito da ordem que fiz. Porque é como se eu tivesse me aprofundando na mente da Villanelle. Mesmo com tanta coisa diferente, eu não fiquei decepcionada. Na verdade, fiquei muito feliz de ser surpreendida mesmo já sabendo a história. Principalmente porque nesse primeiro livro a gente não tem o contato entre a Eve e a Villanelle. Fica uma de cada lado pensando sobre a outra, iniciando a obsessão.
Uma das principais mudanças na série foi a abertura para mais personagens femininas. É claro que a gente já tem duas protagonistas, mas outros personagens fundamentais também recebem essa atenção. Além disso, cada temporada é escrita por uma mulher diferente. O que é muito legal, porque o livro é escrito por um homem e ao ser adaptado por uma mulher, a gente percebe detalhes que fazem muita diferença sendo escritos por uma mulher. Principalmente envolvendo a sexualização da Villanelle, que é bastante presente no livro. Eu acabei reassistindo a primeira temporada e é incrível como alguns detalhes eu só consegui pegar depois da leitura do livro. Gostei demais! Poderia até rever ou reler novamente, só para entender um pouco mais como funciona a mente dessas personagens.
Como eu disse, Codinome Villanelle foi a reunião de quatro novelas que virou um livro, mas ele também tem outras duas sequências sem data para lançamento no Brasil. Espero que lancem logo para que eu saiba enfim o que vai acontecer com o destino delas nos livros.
Por fim, resolvi dar quatro estrelas para o livro porque apesar de ter gostado muito da história, ter ficado completamente imersa e inicialmente ter dado cinco estrelas, eu pensei bastante enquanto assistia novamente a série e uma coisa em especial eu achei um tanto problemático envolvendo uma cena de transfobia, por isso, diminuí a nota. Não acontece essa cena na série, inclusive o episódio envolvendo esse acontecimento é completamente diferente. Mas no livro isso me incomodou e ficou ainda mais difícil deixar passar depois que eu pensei melhor para esta resenha.
Meu veredito? As histórias se complementam e vão por caminhos completamente diferentes. Prefiro a série, mas a leitura do livro também tem muito valor, principalmente se você quiser saber mais sobre a Villanelle.
Vídeo de comparação: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4oyH...
July 9, 2018
If you loved Killing Eve, chances are good you'll enjoy this. I loved it. Fast-paced, compelling plot progress. Villanelle is fascinating, efficient and quick on her feet. Enough details, but not too much. Far fewer characters than the TV series. It's entirely fresh and unlike anything else I've read, all in a good way. The writers of the series, however, made some key plot and personnel changes for their adaptation, so you need to accept that the novel isn't a blueprint of the show if you intend to enjoy it.
For those who've watched the series and want to know some key differences between the novel and the adaptation?
Note that the book is written entirely in the present tense. I adjusted to it, but it is not my preference and could send some readers up the proverbial wall.
If you haven't seen Killing Eve, watch it first, then read this novel. If you read this novel first, I suspect you'll enjoy the series less.
For those who've watched the series and want to know some key differences between the novel and the adaptation?
Note that the book is written entirely in the present tense. I adjusted to it, but it is not my preference and could send some readers up the proverbial wall.
If you haven't seen Killing Eve, watch it first, then read this novel. If you read this novel first, I suspect you'll enjoy the series less.
July 26, 2017
Ths is a collection of 4 kindle single stories about Oxana Vorontsova, a young woman who kills the men responsible for the death of her father. This lands her in prison, where she is approached with a deal. Oxana becomes erased with the cover story that she dies, and she acquires a whole new persona, Villanelle, and trained to become an extraordinary assassin in strong echoes of Nikita. Konstantin is the representative of the 12 powerful men who sanction Villanelle's hits. The stories are interconnected with recurring characters. The first story gives the backstory of Oxana and her conversion to Villanelle. We learn of her personality, she is a sociopath with an inability to access human emotions such as empathy or compassion. She is, however, superb at learning to simulate emotions for power, sex and for exposing the vulnerabilities of her targets.
Villanelle's first hit takes her to Palermo and a much feared Mafia boss with a host of enemies. We come to see just how talented and cold a killer she really is, although she does go off the page when it came to her instructions. There is a detailed breakdown of her abilities, her observational skills, reactive speeds and sensory powers are phenomenal. Her second hit brings her to London, where an elaborate plan is devised that targets a charismatic Russian fascist leading a growing movement. We encounter Eve Polastri, and her deputy, Simon Mortimer, working for MI5. Initially Eve rejects the need for protection of the Russian but changes her mind. Entering Eve's radar is the awareness of a highly able female assassin operating globally. Eve ends up working on a solitary aim of identifying this assassin in a covert operation at MI6. The third hit is in Shanghai, the leader of the White Dragons, FatPanda and the fourth has Villanelle in Odessa as events turn in an unexpected direction.
These stories give us remarkable insights into the killing machine that is Villanelle, her warped sense of the romantic, her inner drive and need to kill that gives her a high that nothing else matches. She has a need to manipulate, and dominate her sexual encounters, which include men and women, although once she achieved her conquest she loses interest. Luke Jennings expertly documents her character development and Eve's, as she becomes obsessed with hunting down Villanelle after traumatic events take place. The author does a tremendous job of making Villanelle monstrous but never less than compelling. A great collection of stories. Many thanks to John Murray Press for an ARC.
Villanelle's first hit takes her to Palermo and a much feared Mafia boss with a host of enemies. We come to see just how talented and cold a killer she really is, although she does go off the page when it came to her instructions. There is a detailed breakdown of her abilities, her observational skills, reactive speeds and sensory powers are phenomenal. Her second hit brings her to London, where an elaborate plan is devised that targets a charismatic Russian fascist leading a growing movement. We encounter Eve Polastri, and her deputy, Simon Mortimer, working for MI5. Initially Eve rejects the need for protection of the Russian but changes her mind. Entering Eve's radar is the awareness of a highly able female assassin operating globally. Eve ends up working on a solitary aim of identifying this assassin in a covert operation at MI6. The third hit is in Shanghai, the leader of the White Dragons, FatPanda and the fourth has Villanelle in Odessa as events turn in an unexpected direction.
These stories give us remarkable insights into the killing machine that is Villanelle, her warped sense of the romantic, her inner drive and need to kill that gives her a high that nothing else matches. She has a need to manipulate, and dominate her sexual encounters, which include men and women, although once she achieved her conquest she loses interest. Luke Jennings expertly documents her character development and Eve's, as she becomes obsessed with hunting down Villanelle after traumatic events take place. The author does a tremendous job of making Villanelle monstrous but never less than compelling. A great collection of stories. Many thanks to John Murray Press for an ARC.
July 31, 2021
A nifty, little thriller, Codename Villanelle left me wanting more, which is what the writer intended. This begins the trilogy that the tv series Killing Eve is based on. I heard that Killing Eve is good, but I haven't seen it. I was a little cranky reading it at first because it reminded me of the movie, Red Sparrow, which also apparently was a series of books first. So, the first book of each series were published in 2014. Which came first? They are not completely similar, but each has a beautiful, young Russian girl who becomes a killing machine.
March 21, 2025
I found the audiobook on Libby and I got excited since I wanted to finish the trilogy. I'm hoping to find the other audiobooks soon.
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Villainelle is one of the world's most skilled assassins and it is now Eve's task to catch her. The gap between law enforcement and assassin widens and it leaves Eve wondering how she will be able to catch someone who has been able to get away with so much for so long.
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I've read this book previously a few years back and I wanted to re-read this book so I could continue and finish the trilogy. I enjoyed the book when I read it the first time and I enjoyed it this time as well.
I was hooked from the get-go and I was shocked with how quickly I finished the book. It took me less than 24 hours and I'm proud of that without any shame. lol I'm hoping to finish the second and third books just as quickly.
I'm laughing at how easily Villainelle is able to get away with the murders. There's no fucking way she'd get away with this in the real world or so I'm thinking. There's no way in hell she'd get away with this in today's day and age.
I had to suspend my overall feelings of disbelief at the investigation and the lack of success within that investigation. I know there's a lot of cold murder cases in the world today but there's no way anyone can get away with what Villainelle does in this book and probably the sequels as well.
I still thought the book was great but I wasn't able to really connect with Eve as well as I was able to connect with Villainelle. I was actually cheering for the "bad guy" in this book more than I was cheering for her to get caught.
I know there's a lack of romance in this book and I think that's one of the reasons I enjoyed this book as much as I have. I know the characters I want to see pull through will probably be eradicated by the end but I want to see what happens, all the same.
I'd recommend this book if you want a good thriller. This reminds me a lot of something James Patterson would write with one of his co-writers and I'm saying this as a compliment. I love James Patterson and I now want to read more of his books as well. lol
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Villainelle is one of the world's most skilled assassins and it is now Eve's task to catch her. The gap between law enforcement and assassin widens and it leaves Eve wondering how she will be able to catch someone who has been able to get away with so much for so long.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I've read this book previously a few years back and I wanted to re-read this book so I could continue and finish the trilogy. I enjoyed the book when I read it the first time and I enjoyed it this time as well.
I was hooked from the get-go and I was shocked with how quickly I finished the book. It took me less than 24 hours and I'm proud of that without any shame. lol I'm hoping to finish the second and third books just as quickly.
I'm laughing at how easily Villainelle is able to get away with the murders. There's no fucking way she'd get away with this in the real world or so I'm thinking. There's no way in hell she'd get away with this in today's day and age.
I had to suspend my overall feelings of disbelief at the investigation and the lack of success within that investigation. I know there's a lot of cold murder cases in the world today but there's no way anyone can get away with what Villainelle does in this book and probably the sequels as well.
I still thought the book was great but I wasn't able to really connect with Eve as well as I was able to connect with Villainelle. I was actually cheering for the "bad guy" in this book more than I was cheering for her to get caught.
I know there's a lack of romance in this book and I think that's one of the reasons I enjoyed this book as much as I have. I know the characters I want to see pull through will probably be eradicated by the end but I want to see what happens, all the same.
I'd recommend this book if you want a good thriller. This reminds me a lot of something James Patterson would write with one of his co-writers and I'm saying this as a compliment. I love James Patterson and I now want to read more of his books as well. lol
October 16, 2018
Alright homefries, gun to your noggin: TELL ME A STORY ABOUT A FEMALE ASSASSIN! What do you come up with? If you’re as braindead as me, your empty mind will go to Marvel’s Black Widow and it’ll go something like: hot Russian babe skilled in martial arts and guncraft shoots henchmen John Wick-style before taking out the boss gangster.
Well guess what Codename: Villasmellypants is? Exactly that - and hacky Luke Jennings didn’t even has a gun to his head!
Jennings’ prose is utterly flat and unengaging - as lifeless as Lee Child’s yet somehow more dull. There is nothing worse than reading descriptions of scenery, clothing, etc. when none of it is relevant to the story and you get pages of that useless filler in this so-called “thriller”.
Oxana/Villanelle has no personality and goes through the motions of this generic claptrap like the robot she is and no part of the formulaic, uninspired story was remotely interesting.
I’ve not seen the recent BBC adaptation of this series, filmed as Killing Eve, but, going by the critical acclaim, I’m guessing this is one of those rare instances where the screen adaptation is better than the book. Either way, I won’t be reading any more of Luke Jennings’ garbage writing which has also put me off watching the show.
I would recommend anyone curious about the show to check that out first rather than have that curiosity assassinated by its unimaginative and boring original source material!
Well guess what Codename: Villasmellypants is? Exactly that - and hacky Luke Jennings didn’t even has a gun to his head!
Jennings’ prose is utterly flat and unengaging - as lifeless as Lee Child’s yet somehow more dull. There is nothing worse than reading descriptions of scenery, clothing, etc. when none of it is relevant to the story and you get pages of that useless filler in this so-called “thriller”.
Oxana/Villanelle has no personality and goes through the motions of this generic claptrap like the robot she is and no part of the formulaic, uninspired story was remotely interesting.
I’ve not seen the recent BBC adaptation of this series, filmed as Killing Eve, but, going by the critical acclaim, I’m guessing this is one of those rare instances where the screen adaptation is better than the book. Either way, I won’t be reading any more of Luke Jennings’ garbage writing which has also put me off watching the show.
I would recommend anyone curious about the show to check that out first rather than have that curiosity assassinated by its unimaginative and boring original source material!
September 8, 2020
Here I am, living up to the single sentence in my bio. I’ve been dying to watch Killing Eve, but once I knew there was a book series the show was based off of I haaaad to put it off until I read that first. It’s basically a compulsion at this point; I had no choice.
The first in the Killing Eve series is Codename: Villanelle, novella that explores how the two titular characters, Eve and Villanelle, found their way to their current occupations and eventually crossed paths. It’s the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Villanelle as an elusive assassin and Eve the agent tasked with tracking her down. But by the end of the book we’re left wondering, who is really hunting who here?
I haven’t started the show yet, but I can only imagine what Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the brilliant writer/actor behind Fleabag) will have brought to the source material. Frankly, I think there’s some room for improvement in Villanelle, especially around her sexuality. She’s a psychopath, so there’s room for some artistic interpretation, but the way she speaks about sex and her body is so clearly written by a man. She’s hyper-aware of her body the way that men assume all women are. Shes incurably horny but....doesn’t get anything out of it? It’s not so much the amount of sex Villanelle has (which honestly could be a whole other conversation), but the way it’s discussed.
In all, though, this isn’t a bad start to a series. It’s a little dry and slow at times, which is odd considering it’s a novella, therefore already shorter in length, but there’s still some good action sequences. I will try to pick up the next one and start the show in the mean time, hopefully avoiding any future book spoilers.
Also waiting for this line in the books, although I would hazard a guess it’s a Waller-Bridge original
The first in the Killing Eve series is Codename: Villanelle, novella that explores how the two titular characters, Eve and Villanelle, found their way to their current occupations and eventually crossed paths. It’s the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Villanelle as an elusive assassin and Eve the agent tasked with tracking her down. But by the end of the book we’re left wondering, who is really hunting who here?
I haven’t started the show yet, but I can only imagine what Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the brilliant writer/actor behind Fleabag) will have brought to the source material. Frankly, I think there’s some room for improvement in Villanelle, especially around her sexuality. She’s a psychopath, so there’s room for some artistic interpretation, but the way she speaks about sex and her body is so clearly written by a man. She’s hyper-aware of her body the way that men assume all women are. Shes incurably horny but....doesn’t get anything out of it? It’s not so much the amount of sex Villanelle has (which honestly could be a whole other conversation), but the way it’s discussed.
In all, though, this isn’t a bad start to a series. It’s a little dry and slow at times, which is odd considering it’s a novella, therefore already shorter in length, but there’s still some good action sequences. I will try to pick up the next one and start the show in the mean time, hopefully avoiding any future book spoilers.
Also waiting for this line in the books, although I would hazard a guess it’s a Waller-Bridge original
October 22, 2018
Not going to lie the reason that I wanted to read this book was because I watched the BBC adaption Killing Eve and I completely loved that. However, this did bring up the worry for me that the book wouldn’t be as good and that it was actually the cast of actors that I loved more (because they were amazing and so much fun to watch!).
Luckily, watching the show has not detracted from the novel at all, which is an achievement considering the deviations from the book that TV show took. The characters are wonderfully developed (the actors of characters in the book have done a great job) and there are very few characters which I found refreshing, especially for a novel in this genre, it allowed all the focus to be on those that were important. I also loved Villanelle’s confidence in her sexuality throughout the book, which for me is always worth an additional half a star, especially when that is not the main focus of the story.
The story is paced beautifully, albeit shorter than what I thought it would be. However, the cliff-hanger ending was frustrating and I did have a moment of thinking, this cannot be the end of the book! I loved that the story was mainly focused on Villanelle and we got to see her development and history without it ever taking away from the progression of the story.
I would highly recommend that anyone that enjoyed the show also read the book, you won’t regret it! 3.5 stars for Codename Villanelle.
Luckily, watching the show has not detracted from the novel at all, which is an achievement considering the deviations from the book that TV show took. The characters are wonderfully developed (the actors of characters in the book have done a great job) and there are very few characters which I found refreshing, especially for a novel in this genre, it allowed all the focus to be on those that were important. I also loved Villanelle’s confidence in her sexuality throughout the book, which for me is always worth an additional half a star, especially when that is not the main focus of the story.
The story is paced beautifully, albeit shorter than what I thought it would be. However, the cliff-hanger ending was frustrating and I did have a moment of thinking, this cannot be the end of the book! I loved that the story was mainly focused on Villanelle and we got to see her development and history without it ever taking away from the progression of the story.
I would highly recommend that anyone that enjoyed the show also read the book, you won’t regret it! 3.5 stars for Codename Villanelle.
March 17, 2025
I'd seen the series on BBC years ago. Then a colleague told me it was actually originally a book series. I was so excited to find that out! The book was as good as the TV series. Fast paced, lots of action, equally represented points of view between the hero and villain, a villain I want to root for but can't because she has no conscience and there's nothing redeeming about her despite her sad origins, and a hero I want to like but can't because she's got a conscience and is still awful.
Pretty good cat-and-mouse. Hard for me to imagine the characters as other than Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. That's both a drawback and an aid to me. I want to imagine these characters in my own knitting, but Oh and Comer were so good on the screen that I can only see these characters through their performances.
Pretty good cat-and-mouse. Hard for me to imagine the characters as other than Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. That's both a drawback and an aid to me. I want to imagine these characters in my own knitting, but Oh and Comer were so good on the screen that I can only see these characters through their performances.
January 29, 2022
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#1 Codename Villanelle - ★★★
#2 No Tomorrow - To Be Read
Codename Villanelle is a book I listened to. I don’t often listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to read this book, and I didn’t own a physical copy.
The reason I wanted to read this book is because I heard there is a TV series coming, featuring Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. I loved Sandra as Christina, and I knew I was going to love her as Eve. The TV Series is a hit, and I love it, but this is not why we’re here. We are here to talk about the books. On this occasion, the first book in the series.
Villanelle is one of the world’s best assassins.
She is a psychopath who loves her luxurious lifestyle and loves playing mind games. She is hired by a powerful group called the Twelve, and she is tasked to murder rich and influential people.
Eve Polastri is a former MI6 operative.
She is hired to find and capture or kill this assassin. Eve, who has a quiet life with her husband Nico and enjoys the peace, accepts the mission. However, little does she know, everything is about to change.
The chase is an exciting one and we never know what will happen next.
Honestly, I had troubles with the audiobook. The pronunciation of everything in Russian, French and Italian was a complete miss, and it annoyed me. Names, food, places, cities - it was all said incorrectly. I know for some people this is a minor issue. However, for me, it took away the joy throughout the whole book.
Apart from this, the first book of the series is a great introduction to both Eve and Villanelle. We find out more about their personalities and characters. We follow Villanelle in a few of her assassinations, and we follow Eve in some of her investigations. I think this book focused more on VIllanelle, featuring her childhood and training days as well. The presentation of their feelings and insights was immaculate. I loved their relationship forming, even without them meeting each other. There is tension, there are clues, and there is the play of destiny to always end up chasing each other.
The writing was good and the pace was fast, which led to a very fast adventure. Also, the ending was intriguing, and it definitely leaves space for the second book to come in and explain a few things.
I am looking forward to continuing this series and reading the second book - No Tomorrow. I recommend Codename Villanelle to everyone that loves action, assassination, murder, spy themes and psychological thrillers.
#1 Codename Villanelle - ★★★
#2 No Tomorrow - To Be Read
Codename Villanelle is a book I listened to. I don’t often listen to audiobooks, but I wanted to read this book, and I didn’t own a physical copy.
The reason I wanted to read this book is because I heard there is a TV series coming, featuring Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. I loved Sandra as Christina, and I knew I was going to love her as Eve. The TV Series is a hit, and I love it, but this is not why we’re here. We are here to talk about the books. On this occasion, the first book in the series.
Villanelle is one of the world’s best assassins.
She is a psychopath who loves her luxurious lifestyle and loves playing mind games. She is hired by a powerful group called the Twelve, and she is tasked to murder rich and influential people.
Eve Polastri is a former MI6 operative.
She is hired to find and capture or kill this assassin. Eve, who has a quiet life with her husband Nico and enjoys the peace, accepts the mission. However, little does she know, everything is about to change.
The chase is an exciting one and we never know what will happen next.
Honestly, I had troubles with the audiobook. The pronunciation of everything in Russian, French and Italian was a complete miss, and it annoyed me. Names, food, places, cities - it was all said incorrectly. I know for some people this is a minor issue. However, for me, it took away the joy throughout the whole book.
Apart from this, the first book of the series is a great introduction to both Eve and Villanelle. We find out more about their personalities and characters. We follow Villanelle in a few of her assassinations, and we follow Eve in some of her investigations. I think this book focused more on VIllanelle, featuring her childhood and training days as well. The presentation of their feelings and insights was immaculate. I loved their relationship forming, even without them meeting each other. There is tension, there are clues, and there is the play of destiny to always end up chasing each other.
The writing was good and the pace was fast, which led to a very fast adventure. Also, the ending was intriguing, and it definitely leaves space for the second book to come in and explain a few things.
I am looking forward to continuing this series and reading the second book - No Tomorrow. I recommend Codename Villanelle to everyone that loves action, assassination, murder, spy themes and psychological thrillers.
October 1, 2018
The Girl with the Drag and Drop Tattoo
This book raises many questions, some of which are more easily answered than others.
The big question is: can Luke Jennings keep both Villanelle and Eve alive long enough to milk the excellent TV series?
Fortunately, sequels to both book and TV series are in the pipeline (as at the time of writing this review).
Comparisons and Queries
Now for some comparisons:
The four stories have the political thriller overtones of a John le Carre novel. They're set in a world where cyber-warfare between the US and the UK (on the one hand), and Russia and China (on the other), and their respective criminal underworlds, is a reality, and nobody bothers to deny it any longer. The settings are as exotic and diverse as those in David Mitchell's "Ghostwritten".
Villanelle is a more conventionally attractive Lisbeth Salander.
There are two more questions that I want to ask: how is Villanelle described in the book? and why is Eve so attracted to her? The first is easier to answer than the second. Perhaps that's part of the appeal of the TV series?
The Physical Description of Villanelle
Luke Jennings tells us repeatedly that Villanelle is beautiful and that she has small breasts (Eve calls them "neat little breasts").
She's 26. She has "sharp cat-like features." She also has a small scar on her top lip, the result of a childhood incident, "the last vestige of her former self."
Her eyes are the grey colour of slate. We never learn the natural colour or cut of her hair, because she usually wears wigs for effect or disguise. She seems to default to a "chic Parisian crop". She can pass for a model ("she's a looker"), she has "the cheekbones and the fuck-you stare". When Eve sees her on CCTV, she thinks she has "an oval, high cheek-boned face, framed by a dark, glossy bob." Some witnesses recall that "her dark-blonde hair was worn in a ponytail." From a distance, Eve recognises her "dark blonde hair slicked back from fine, sharp-cut features. A subtle, sensual twist to the mouth."
Villanelle's drink of choice is mineral water, but she's comfortable with watermelon Martinis. (I can only imagine, though I have had a watermelon cocktail at Spice Bar!)
The Mutual Attraction of the Hunter and the Hunted
After the assassination of a Russian political demagogue in London, Eve is on the hunt for Villanelle. When Villanelle realises it (it doesn't take her long), a cat and mouse game commences. The hunter becomes the hunted, the prey the predator.
This is not your standard police procedural. Eve recognises something (of herself?) in Villanelle. She won't stop until she works out what it is. To succeed, she must learn about both herself and her prey.
Villanelle has acquired "a vast repertoire of expressions: tenderness, sympathy, distress, guilt, shock, sadness...she has never actually experienced any such emotions, but she can simulate them all."
Equally, she's never been or fallen in love.
The moment someone else desires her, she loses interest in them.
Eve is ostensibly a heterosexual woman married to Niko, whom she loves. But that might not be the end of the story:
The book is quite different from the TV series, but lots of credit is due to author Luke Jennings and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Both characters and plot are compelling in each manifestation of the work.
This book raises many questions, some of which are more easily answered than others.
The big question is: can Luke Jennings keep both Villanelle and Eve alive long enough to milk the excellent TV series?
Fortunately, sequels to both book and TV series are in the pipeline (as at the time of writing this review).
Comparisons and Queries
Now for some comparisons:
The four stories have the political thriller overtones of a John le Carre novel. They're set in a world where cyber-warfare between the US and the UK (on the one hand), and Russia and China (on the other), and their respective criminal underworlds, is a reality, and nobody bothers to deny it any longer. The settings are as exotic and diverse as those in David Mitchell's "Ghostwritten".
Villanelle is a more conventionally attractive Lisbeth Salander.
There are two more questions that I want to ask: how is Villanelle described in the book? and why is Eve so attracted to her? The first is easier to answer than the second. Perhaps that's part of the appeal of the TV series?
The Physical Description of Villanelle
Luke Jennings tells us repeatedly that Villanelle is beautiful and that she has small breasts (Eve calls them "neat little breasts").
She's 26. She has "sharp cat-like features." She also has a small scar on her top lip, the result of a childhood incident, "the last vestige of her former self."
Her eyes are the grey colour of slate. We never learn the natural colour or cut of her hair, because she usually wears wigs for effect or disguise. She seems to default to a "chic Parisian crop". She can pass for a model ("she's a looker"), she has "the cheekbones and the fuck-you stare". When Eve sees her on CCTV, she thinks she has "an oval, high cheek-boned face, framed by a dark, glossy bob." Some witnesses recall that "her dark-blonde hair was worn in a ponytail." From a distance, Eve recognises her "dark blonde hair slicked back from fine, sharp-cut features. A subtle, sensual twist to the mouth."
Villanelle's drink of choice is mineral water, but she's comfortable with watermelon Martinis. (I can only imagine, though I have had a watermelon cocktail at Spice Bar!)
The Mutual Attraction of the Hunter and the Hunted
After the assassination of a Russian political demagogue in London, Eve is on the hunt for Villanelle. When Villanelle realises it (it doesn't take her long), a cat and mouse game commences. The hunter becomes the hunted, the prey the predator.
This is not your standard police procedural. Eve recognises something (of herself?) in Villanelle. She won't stop until she works out what it is. To succeed, she must learn about both herself and her prey.
Villanelle has acquired "a vast repertoire of expressions: tenderness, sympathy, distress, guilt, shock, sadness...she has never actually experienced any such emotions, but she can simulate them all."
Equally, she's never been or fallen in love.
"Sex, for her, offers only fleeting physical satisfaction. What she finds much more exciting is to look into another person's eyes and to know, like a cobra swaying in front of its hypnotised prey, that she is in absolute control. But that game gets boring, too. People capitulate so easily...
The moment someone else desires her, she loses interest in them.
"Eve thinks that her Black Rose is in her mid-twenties, highly intelligent, and a loner. She is audacious, cool under pressure, and supremely skilled at compartmentalising her emotions. In all probability she is a sociopath, wholly lacking in affect and conscience. She will have few or no friends, and such relationships as she forms will be overwhelmingly manipulative and sexual in nature. Killing, in all probability, will have become necessary to her, with each successful murder further proof of her untouchability."
"She's beautiful, in the way that a bird of prey is beautiful, but never has Eve encountered a gaze of such human blankness."
Eve is ostensibly a heterosexual woman married to Niko, whom she loves. But that might not be the end of the story:
"She's guarding him from the truth about herself. From the side of her that he knows exists, but that he chooses not to acknowledge. The side of her that is utterly absorbed by the woman she is hunting, and the dark, refracted world in which she exists."
The book is quite different from the TV series, but lots of credit is due to author Luke Jennings and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Both characters and plot are compelling in each manifestation of the work.
August 11, 2018
"Eve nods. With her make-up free complexion and nondescript brown hair gathered in a scrappy up-do, she looks like someone for whom there are more important things than thought pretty." GOOD FUCKING BYE. This book trades on sexuality as ~edginess~ and is awful.
March 16, 2020
I’ve been aware of the television series for some time and it seems to have garnered many good reviews. Would it be another of those series that I just didn’t get around to, despite my best intentions. Probably. But then I spotted this tie-in novel – ideal, I’ll whip though this and if it floats my boat… well, I’ll know the story by then so it’ll most likely still be a series I never get to watch. But anyway, to the book.
The main characters here are interesting and the story is cleverly plotted. There are the usual tropes you’d expect to find in a tale such as this - a few odd (and one completely incompetent) intelligence agents and a number of Eastern European oddballs – but that hardly matters. It rattles along and was over before I was ready for it to finish. I’ll definitely be back for part two.
The main characters here are interesting and the story is cleverly plotted. There are the usual tropes you’d expect to find in a tale such as this - a few odd (and one completely incompetent) intelligence agents and a number of Eastern European oddballs – but that hardly matters. It rattles along and was over before I was ready for it to finish. I’ll definitely be back for part two.
September 5, 2020
Firstly, I read this entirely because I’m enjoying the TV Series , which is very good. Despite the differences the book adds details that make the TV Series richer. Secondly, unlike the TV Series, the book is more of a guys read. In some ways it reminds me of Atomic Blonde: The Coldest City. Finally, the book ends in a cliffhanger, which causes me some consternation.
This is a very short book at about 220 pages. Its internally separated into four (4) long chapters or sections. Each of the chapter/sections is the length of a short story. Generally, each of the sections is a description of one of Villanelle’s hits. Long term plotlines are woven through each hit.
Writing was good. Dialog was likely better than descriptive prose. Inner dialog is more important than spoken. The protagonist and antagonist both aren't much of a talker. I first thought the descriptive prose, was better, but after the second section, I noticed that there was a lot of repetition. For example, all fashionable, women's shoes are described as "strappy". In addition, I am not as tickled by haute couture as I am by the descriptions of Russian and eastern European firearms. The action sequences were good. Flashbacks and POV changes were well-handled. Folks with TV-14 sensibilities may be uncomfortable with the sex and violence. The sex is not heteronormative and (I thought) tastefully graphic. Violence is less explicit than the sex, but not gratuitous. Body count is high, but not OTT.
There were very few characters-- Villanelle (a codename) and Polastri provide the two POVs. The author is a man. Both the main characters are women. Perhaps they’re not the best rendered female characters, but ones a sociopath and the other has high functioning autism. Who’s to say how they talk, think and act? Supporting characters are standard fare for the espionage genre. The other major characters are Niko and the Handlers. Polastri’s Polish husband Niko gets some advanced development. Theirs is a geek-on-geek romance. Villanelle’s handler Konstantin is a cipher. Edwards is Polastri’s handler. He’s a cipher too. I expect Polastri’s handler will get future development. The other characters are recognizable: spies, civil servants and members of the demimonde.
Plot is a variation of the Benevolent Conspiracy . An extra-legal plot exists to maintain the status quo of world political and economic power. It’s engineered by a supra-national, anonymous, power block. (Think The Deep State.) Spy novels are all about: Money, Ideology, Compromise (or Coercion), and Ego. The Conspiracy is way ahead of national security organizations in matters of infiltration and compromise. Villanelle is Russian and Polastri is Ex-MI5 now MI6. Villenelle is an unstable tool of The Conspiracy applying coercion and dealing with her ego. Polastri is her good-guy hunter working sub rosa from within MI6. The story bears a certain resemblance to an old-skool East vs. West spy novel. (Russian spies never go out of style.) Although, the story is more Ian Fleming than John le Carré.
Note there is a strong edu-tainment component to the story. It includes: major foreign city geography lessons, spy craft, firearms and munitions, haute couture, mixology, and other accouterments of the: bourgeois, clandestine, operative lifestyle.
In addition to the reading, it was interesting to compare and contrast how the TV series screenwriters had changed the story. For example cutting-out the Shanghai location to save location shooting costs and gender-bending of certain characters. Reading the book also added details that ended-up giving the TV series more depth. For example, there is a lot more backstory on Villanelle's victims and details on the hit are given.
Finally, this book ends in a cliffhanger. Actually, it just stops, with you knowing what the next step in Polastri’s investigation will be and Villanelle being apprehensive about her standing in The Conspiracy. You may want to wait for the series to end before reading this.
This is not a particularly well written story. However, it’s solidly written enough. I think where it has problems is that it’s a guy’s novel; written by a man, that happens to have women as the main characters. The women are not authentic enough. In addition, Villanelle is moderately sexualized. I can understand why lovers of the TV series are disappointed with this book. However, if you’re at home with post post-9/11 action thrillers you’ll find this book is quiet readable for a beach or airplane read. This book also has the advantage of being short.
I expect to read the sequel Villanelle: No Tomorrow. Readers interested in sociopath, assassin-based action thrillers may also like: A Clean Kill in Tokyo.
This is a very short book at about 220 pages. Its internally separated into four (4) long chapters or sections. Each of the chapter/sections is the length of a short story. Generally, each of the sections is a description of one of Villanelle’s hits. Long term plotlines are woven through each hit.
Writing was good. Dialog was likely better than descriptive prose. Inner dialog is more important than spoken. The protagonist and antagonist both aren't much of a talker. I first thought the descriptive prose, was better, but after the second section, I noticed that there was a lot of repetition. For example, all fashionable, women's shoes are described as "strappy". In addition, I am not as tickled by haute couture as I am by the descriptions of Russian and eastern European firearms. The action sequences were good. Flashbacks and POV changes were well-handled. Folks with TV-14 sensibilities may be uncomfortable with the sex and violence. The sex is not heteronormative and (I thought) tastefully graphic. Violence is less explicit than the sex, but not gratuitous. Body count is high, but not OTT.
There were very few characters-- Villanelle (a codename) and Polastri provide the two POVs. The author is a man. Both the main characters are women. Perhaps they’re not the best rendered female characters, but ones a sociopath and the other has high functioning autism. Who’s to say how they talk, think and act? Supporting characters are standard fare for the espionage genre. The other major characters are Niko and the Handlers. Polastri’s Polish husband Niko gets some advanced development. Theirs is a geek-on-geek romance. Villanelle’s handler Konstantin is a cipher. Edwards is Polastri’s handler. He’s a cipher too. I expect Polastri’s handler will get future development. The other characters are recognizable: spies, civil servants and members of the demimonde.
Plot is a variation of the Benevolent Conspiracy . An extra-legal plot exists to maintain the status quo of world political and economic power. It’s engineered by a supra-national, anonymous, power block. (Think The Deep State.) Spy novels are all about: Money, Ideology, Compromise (or Coercion), and Ego. The Conspiracy is way ahead of national security organizations in matters of infiltration and compromise. Villanelle is Russian and Polastri is Ex-MI5 now MI6. Villenelle is an unstable tool of The Conspiracy applying coercion and dealing with her ego. Polastri is her good-guy hunter working sub rosa from within MI6. The story bears a certain resemblance to an old-skool East vs. West spy novel. (Russian spies never go out of style.) Although, the story is more Ian Fleming than John le Carré.
Note there is a strong edu-tainment component to the story. It includes: major foreign city geography lessons, spy craft, firearms and munitions, haute couture, mixology, and other accouterments of the: bourgeois, clandestine, operative lifestyle.
In addition to the reading, it was interesting to compare and contrast how the TV series screenwriters had changed the story. For example cutting-out the Shanghai location to save location shooting costs and gender-bending of certain characters. Reading the book also added details that ended-up giving the TV series more depth. For example, there is a lot more backstory on Villanelle's victims and details on the hit are given.
Finally, this book ends in a cliffhanger. Actually, it just stops, with you knowing what the next step in Polastri’s investigation will be and Villanelle being apprehensive about her standing in The Conspiracy. You may want to wait for the series to end before reading this.
This is not a particularly well written story. However, it’s solidly written enough. I think where it has problems is that it’s a guy’s novel; written by a man, that happens to have women as the main characters. The women are not authentic enough. In addition, Villanelle is moderately sexualized. I can understand why lovers of the TV series are disappointed with this book. However, if you’re at home with post post-9/11 action thrillers you’ll find this book is quiet readable for a beach or airplane read. This book also has the advantage of being short.
I expect to read the sequel Villanelle: No Tomorrow. Readers interested in sociopath, assassin-based action thrillers may also like: A Clean Kill in Tokyo.
May 30, 2018
The basis for the fantastic new TV show Killing Eve. All it has done is reinforce my infatuation with Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an incredibly talented writer (although I find it impossible to disentangle my crush on her Fleabag character from this infatuation) as Luke Jennings really is not much of a fiction writer at all it seems. His prose is clunky and over written, something I find even more disconcerting considering this book is a collection of short stories originally published online - why the need for such word count padding? But i guess this is what we should come to expect from self published ebooks that become popular, there’s a long track record proving that a good editor at a real publishing house is worth their weight in gold and don’t @ me to talk about fluffy nonsense like Andy Weir’s Mars book either. People who routinely read popular garbage from James Patterson will probably love this but i expect anyone with a knowledge of storytelling, sentence structure and an IQ higher than populist morons like Donald Trump to be unimpressed.
December 23, 2019
Probably closer to 3.5 stars but still hugely enjoyable for me.
I love a good thriller and this ticked every box. I also love the fact are two main protagonists are females - that seems to rare in thrillers I come across.
Villanelle is a wonderfully complex villain - her backstory and her innermost thoughts really do explore the dark side of the human psyche.
Eve, are supposed hunter; she seems capable of anything. The reader will have to continue the series to see how far she can be pushed.
It’s the classic predator and prey scenario but it’s thrillingly written and fast paced.
I love a good thriller and this ticked every box. I also love the fact are two main protagonists are females - that seems to rare in thrillers I come across.
Villanelle is a wonderfully complex villain - her backstory and her innermost thoughts really do explore the dark side of the human psyche.
Eve, are supposed hunter; she seems capable of anything. The reader will have to continue the series to see how far she can be pushed.
It’s the classic predator and prey scenario but it’s thrillingly written and fast paced.
October 26, 2021
the ending ?????????? i know i’ve seen the show but why end the book literally in the middle of what you’ve been building up to ....
also . something about the writing made me rate it 2 stars . i feel like the author really just Tells us a lot rather than let’s us figure it out on ur own or like actually get to know the characters . idk maybe it’s my own taste but ... i’d rather come to my own conclusions on how a character is rather than being told straight off. just feel like i didn’t have a chance to get to know them
edit: i've thought some more i dont think this man should write any female characters ever again, he just how often must he be like ah yes villanelle's small breasts . eve isn't like other girls she can't be bothered with makeup and dressing nice.... like can we get something new and fun?
also . something about the writing made me rate it 2 stars . i feel like the author really just Tells us a lot rather than let’s us figure it out on ur own or like actually get to know the characters . idk maybe it’s my own taste but ... i’d rather come to my own conclusions on how a character is rather than being told straight off. just feel like i didn’t have a chance to get to know them
edit: i've thought some more i dont think this man should write any female characters ever again, he just how often must he be like ah yes villanelle's small breasts . eve isn't like other girls she can't be bothered with makeup and dressing nice.... like can we get something new and fun?
November 5, 2023
This is the original novel the amazing BBC series Killing Eve was based on. Naturally, the main characters do seem familiar, and it’s the characters I fell in love with watching the show. The plot though, not so much. It’s just a few short stories mixed together.
Overall, a very interesting premise and the characters are pretty great, though I do prefer the TV series to be honest. Props to the creative team behind Killing Eve for elevating these brilliant characters to new heights.
Overall, a very interesting premise and the characters are pretty great, though I do prefer the TV series to be honest. Props to the creative team behind Killing Eve for elevating these brilliant characters to new heights.
August 28, 2023
This was a quick and easy read but definitely not on the same level as the TV series
November 7, 2018
A conglomerate of the wealthy controlling worldwide drug trafficking, politics, and banking interests known as The Twelve is threatened when a European underworld faction muscles in on their trade. In response, they dispatch a lethal killer known only by her handle; Villanelle, to take care of the problem. Unbeknownst to The Twelve, Villanelle's bloody footprint will be closely followed by an industrious MI5 agent, Eve, commencing a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Codename Villanelle is a fast, action-orientated thriller which spans multiple continents, switching POV's between the deadly antagonist and the determined protagonist to provide a well rounded story showcasing both sides of the equation.
My rating: 4/5 stars. This is the first in a new series featuring Villanelle and establishes the character really well; balancing out the backstory amid the present day setting while maintaining a frenetic momentum throughout. With the episodic-like action sequences well executed and engaging cast of characters, this series looks to be a winner.
Codename Villanelle is a fast, action-orientated thriller which spans multiple continents, switching POV's between the deadly antagonist and the determined protagonist to provide a well rounded story showcasing both sides of the equation.
My rating: 4/5 stars. This is the first in a new series featuring Villanelle and establishes the character really well; balancing out the backstory amid the present day setting while maintaining a frenetic momentum throughout. With the episodic-like action sequences well executed and engaging cast of characters, this series looks to be a winner.
April 22, 2018
I decided to read this after watching the first two episodes of BBC's Killing Eve and was not disappointed.
In fact, Jennings' descriptions and obvious knowledge of what he's writing give a more realistic feel to the story than the show's visuals have managed to do.
Jennings has a true gift for descriptive prose, you can't help but see in your mind's eye everything he writes, and he really nails the European atmosphere of the surroundings in the book.
I loved Villanelle (as much as you can love a sociopathic assassin) and from her backstory to her training nothing was skipped, yet it was always engaging.
I definitely recommend this!
August 11, 2020
This isn't really a bad book, but having watched and loved the tv series first, I couldn't help to compare the two and find this source materials incredibly boring and flat. Also, no Carolyn here and it's a real tragedy to me.
Forever grateful to Phoebe Waller-Bridge for creating such a brilliant, complex and thrilling show out of something so mediocre.
Don't mind the book and go watch Killing Eve.
Forever grateful to Phoebe Waller-Bridge for creating such a brilliant, complex and thrilling show out of something so mediocre.
Don't mind the book and go watch Killing Eve.
September 26, 2017
This is a punitive rating for the cliffhanger ending. An annoying practice which should be stamped out. Half a book only deserves half a rating!
April 26, 2023
Gavus šią knygą, gavau ir krūvą žinučių, kad pagal ją yra sukurtas gan populiarus serialas. Nei girdėjus, nei mačius jo buvau. Mane labiausiai visliojo pažadas, jog knygoje susidurs du stiprūs, aštriu protu pasižymintys charakteriai: sociopatė žudikė ir itin gabi, penkis žingsnius į priekį permatanti agentė.
Žudikė pasivadinusi Vilanele. Savo tikrąją tapatybę, asmenybę ir praeitį ji palaidojo kartu su senuoju Oksanos vardu. Nuo vaikystės mokyta kaip valdyti ginklą, įsikūnyti, apgauti, kalbėti – Vilanelė dabar yra viena pvojingiausių samdomų žudikių pasaulyje. Jos „užduotys“ – garsūs, pavojingi, nuolat saugomi ir, iš pažiūros, neįveikiami „taikiniai“. Jokių problemų jai tai nesukelia – įvykdo savo užduotį ir keliauja prie kitos Tiesa, Vilanelė yra ypatinga – ji nejaučia nei kaltės, nei gailesčio, nei kitų įprastų jausmų. „Tiesa, Oksana Borisovna, kad pasaulis nemėgsta tokių kaip tu/ Vyrų ar moterų, kurie gimė, kaip ir tu, be sąžinės, be gebėjimo jausti kaltę. Tu atstovauji mažytei populiacijos dalelytei, bet be tavęs, be plėšrūnų, be žmonių galinčių daryti tai, apie ką kiti nedrįsta nė pagalvoti, gebančių veikti be baimės ir nedvejojant, pasaulis sustotų Evoliuciniu požiūriu tu esi būtina“. Tokia yra Vilanelė. Tačiau jos pėdsakus užčiuopia britų žvalgė Eva. Itin protinga nusikaltėlių medžiotoja. Žaidimas prasideda.
Labai jaučiasi, kad ši knyga – pirmoji iš trilogijos. Toks lyg įvadas, supažindinantis kas čia ir apie ką bus. Bet įvadas tikrai geras, nes baigus knygą, iškart norėjau čiupt kitą ir sužinot, o tai kas toliau. Čia toks ir trileris (veiksmo ir žudynių tikrai netrūksta), o kartu ir knyga apie šnipus, kur itin detaliai aprašomi tiek žvalgybos, tiek samdomų žudikų darbo ypatumai. Smagu ir tai, kad abi pagrindinės veikėjos išties įdomios asmenybės. Labai skirtingos, bet abi savotiškai traukia ir tiesiog nežinai už kurios „pergalę“ sirgt. Knyga nėra stora, greit susiskaitė, bet paliko tikrai fainą įspūdį. Labai laukiu kitų dalių!
Žudikė pasivadinusi Vilanele. Savo tikrąją tapatybę, asmenybę ir praeitį ji palaidojo kartu su senuoju Oksanos vardu. Nuo vaikystės mokyta kaip valdyti ginklą, įsikūnyti, apgauti, kalbėti – Vilanelė dabar yra viena pvojingiausių samdomų žudikių pasaulyje. Jos „užduotys“ – garsūs, pavojingi, nuolat saugomi ir, iš pažiūros, neįveikiami „taikiniai“. Jokių problemų jai tai nesukelia – įvykdo savo užduotį ir keliauja prie kitos Tiesa, Vilanelė yra ypatinga – ji nejaučia nei kaltės, nei gailesčio, nei kitų įprastų jausmų. „Tiesa, Oksana Borisovna, kad pasaulis nemėgsta tokių kaip tu/ Vyrų ar moterų, kurie gimė, kaip ir tu, be sąžinės, be gebėjimo jausti kaltę. Tu atstovauji mažytei populiacijos dalelytei, bet be tavęs, be plėšrūnų, be žmonių galinčių daryti tai, apie ką kiti nedrįsta nė pagalvoti, gebančių veikti be baimės ir nedvejojant, pasaulis sustotų Evoliuciniu požiūriu tu esi būtina“. Tokia yra Vilanelė. Tačiau jos pėdsakus užčiuopia britų žvalgė Eva. Itin protinga nusikaltėlių medžiotoja. Žaidimas prasideda.
Labai jaučiasi, kad ši knyga – pirmoji iš trilogijos. Toks lyg įvadas, supažindinantis kas čia ir apie ką bus. Bet įvadas tikrai geras, nes baigus knygą, iškart norėjau čiupt kitą ir sužinot, o tai kas toliau. Čia toks ir trileris (veiksmo ir žudynių tikrai netrūksta), o kartu ir knyga apie šnipus, kur itin detaliai aprašomi tiek žvalgybos, tiek samdomų žudikų darbo ypatumai. Smagu ir tai, kad abi pagrindinės veikėjos išties įdomios asmenybės. Labai skirtingos, bet abi savotiškai traukia ir tiesiog nežinai už kurios „pergalę“ sirgt. Knyga nėra stora, greit susiskaitė, bet paliko tikrai fainą įspūdį. Labai laukiu kitų dalių!
September 19, 2019
How I miss Killing Eve, such a wonderful TV series. I daydream about it sometimes to distract myself from my tedious job. It was only a matter of time before I gave the novels a try. I must say, ‘Codename Villanelle’ did not live up to my expectations. Structurally it’s very different - Villanelle and Eve don’t properly meet or exchange a word throughout. The book begins with Villanelle’s backstory, which is kept wonderfully ambiguous in the show. There is much less of a focus on Eve and a quite different progression of events. Presumably Phoebe Waller-Bridge recognised how awesome the characters and basic concept are, then shuffled everything else up into a configuration that would work better on screen. As a thriller on paper, I found it very readable (and read it in a single sitting) yet lacking much of the dark hilarity and twistiness of the show. Also there is a depressing bit of transphobia at one point. The fixation on clothing was present and correct, though, which I appreciated very much. And Villanelle has a hedonistic Parisian friend who she attends fashion shows and threesomes with, which was fun. I don’t think the book added much to my enjoyment of the show, but certainly can’t object to a couple of hours diversion. I found the second Villanelle novel in the library as well, so will give that a go. However I don’t expect it to be as enjoyable as some of the Killing Eve fanfic out there. Roll on series 3.
March 24, 2019
Killing Eve was a fast paced, sexy, violent, stylish & amusing TV series & that pretty much sums up the book too.
While the series kept assassin Villanelle's real identity a secret for quite a while the book gives us her real name, background & details of her training as a killer very early on. To be honest, it works well either way.
Although originally published as four ebook singles the story is better as a complete novel. It may not have the depth of some spy fiction, but it's a great ride. I'm already looking forward to the next novel, No Tomorrow, & the second series of Killing Eve starts on TV next month. As Miranda would say: "Such fun!"
While the series kept assassin Villanelle's real identity a secret for quite a while the book gives us her real name, background & details of her training as a killer very early on. To be honest, it works well either way.
Although originally published as four ebook singles the story is better as a complete novel. It may not have the depth of some spy fiction, but it's a great ride. I'm already looking forward to the next novel, No Tomorrow, & the second series of Killing Eve starts on TV next month. As Miranda would say: "Such fun!"
July 7, 2021
Spoiler free review! TLDR; drop this and run.
I actually wrote a scorching rant about this piece but I guess my computer deleted it before I could save because it knew I was wrong to spend too much time writing a review on this piece of *BLEEP* So here are some highlights of my now-gone review.
- I wrote a fanfic on at age 15 with B2 level in English and that was less cringey than this. Even 9th-grade me knew not to write stuff like "she verbs. And then she verbs. And then after that she verbs" like excuse me, if my 5th grade summer school teacher ever see this book, she'll die seething with anger.
- The greatest and arguably the most famous writing tip in the world is "Show. Don't tell." Unfortuately, Luke Jennings have been living under a rock this whole time and has not been paying attention at all when he crawled out to publish this book. Probably too busy thinking of ways to fuck up a third person pov story by switching pov every two lines like a 14 year old girl writing One Direction fanfic on wattpad.
- Give the script writers a huge fucking raise. They deserve it for saying "Nice book. Now we're gonna take everything apart, put it back again and everyone will thank us" and they were right.
- Just go watch the show again. Just... trust me. Your life will be so much better if you just ignore this book and re-watch Killing Eve, I promise.
I actually wrote a scorching rant about this piece but I guess my computer deleted it before I could save because it knew I was wrong to spend too much time writing a review on this piece of *BLEEP* So here are some highlights of my now-gone review.
- I wrote a fanfic on at age 15 with B2 level in English and that was less cringey than this. Even 9th-grade me knew not to write stuff like "she verbs. And then she verbs. And then after that she verbs" like excuse me, if my 5th grade summer school teacher ever see this book, she'll die seething with anger.
- The greatest and arguably the most famous writing tip in the world is "Show. Don't tell." Unfortuately, Luke Jennings have been living under a rock this whole time and has not been paying attention at all when he crawled out to publish this book. Probably too busy thinking of ways to fuck up a third person pov story by switching pov every two lines like a 14 year old girl writing One Direction fanfic on wattpad.
- Give the script writers a huge fucking raise. They deserve it for saying "Nice book. Now we're gonna take everything apart, put it back again and everyone will thank us" and they were right.
- Just go watch the show again. Just... trust me. Your life will be so much better if you just ignore this book and re-watch Killing Eve, I promise.
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