Red Sparrow (book)
 | |
| Author | Jason Matthews |
|---|---|
| Genre | Spy fiction, mystery fiction, thriller |
| Published | 2013 |
| Publisher | Scribner |
| Pages | 434 |
| Awards | |
| ISBN | 978-1-476-70612-2 |
| Website | Red Sparrow |
Red Sparrow is a book written by Jason Matthews, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative, that was published by Scribner on June 4, 2013.
The book is about Russian and American espionage, the central figure of which is Dominika Egorova, or "Red Sparrow", who was forced by her uncle to undergo training at the Sparrow School, where she and other men and women were trained in how to seduce the enemy. 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.[1][2] It provides insight into the mundane aspects of the intelligence field, various techniques, its "high drama", and Red Sparrow's unique ability to discern the nature of people by seeing their emotions in colors (through synesthesia).[2] The Washington Post says of Matthews's skill as a writer, "Sly descriptions abound, from the 'poached-egg eye' of a Russian assassin to the 'grimy catechisms' of those Sparrow School lessons. And despite a tendency toward point-of-view whiplash shifts, the author inhabits voices and perspectives with an impressionist's aplomb, whether the rich patter of a CIA agent recounting an Istanbul adventure or those dry reports in the 'abbreviated style of the semiliterate Soviet'."[2]
Each chapter in the book includes a reference to a specific prepared food, and ends with a recipe for it.
The review posted by the CIA states that it provides insight into the way that espionage is conducted. "The scenes in which Nate and Dominika course through urban landscapes in intricate, hours-long surveillance detection routes in order to get clean before a clandestine operational act are accurate, richly detailed renderings of anxiety-filled tasks conducted daily by intelligence operatives around the world."[3]
Before the book was published, Matthews sold the movie rights for Red Sparrow for a seven-figure amount. He was also awarded a contract for a sequel to the book.[3] In 2014, it won two literary awards - ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel[4] and the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author.[5]
References
- ↑ Jason Matthews (June 2, 2013). "Sunday Book Review - Spy vs. Spy - ‘Red Sparrow’". The New York Times. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- 1 2 3 "'Red Sparrow', a fantastic new spy thriller by former CIA operative Jason Matthews". The Washington Post. October 14, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- 1 2 James Burridge; Michael Bradford (May 1, 2014). Intelligence in Public Literature - Red Sparrow. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- ↑ "International Thriller Writers – Past Nominees and Winners". thrillerwriters.org. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- ↑ "Category List – Best First Novel | Edgars Database". theedgars.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.