alembic reviewed Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
Review of 'Red Sparrow' on 'Goodreads'
1 star
I looked into Red Sparrow because it had generated multiple comparisons to John le Carré. I knew in advance that a sparrow is a term of art for a female spy whose job is to use sex to entrap male targets, but assumed that a good writer would manage not to fall into cliches and misogyny. I downloaded a two-chapter sample, read it, and decided I could spend the £4 for the Kindle edition. It was totally wasted—in the third chapter the female subject of the novel is introduced, and the author reveals himself for what he is.
The writing is stiff and formulaic—rather than "show, don't tell" it reads like the fantasies of a serial mansplainer obsessed with women's breasts. Last year I read the following parody of men writing about women:
"Cassandra woke up to the rays of the sun streaming through the slats on her blinds, cascading …
I looked into Red Sparrow because it had generated multiple comparisons to John le Carré. I knew in advance that a sparrow is a term of art for a female spy whose job is to use sex to entrap male targets, but assumed that a good writer would manage not to fall into cliches and misogyny. I downloaded a two-chapter sample, read it, and decided I could spend the £4 for the Kindle edition. It was totally wasted—in the third chapter the female subject of the novel is introduced, and the author reveals himself for what he is.
The writing is stiff and formulaic—rather than "show, don't tell" it reads like the fantasies of a serial mansplainer obsessed with women's breasts. Last year I read the following parody of men writing about women:
"Cassandra woke up to the rays of the sun streaming through the slats on her blinds, cascading over her naked chest. She stretched, her breasts lifting with her arms as she greeted the sun. She rolled out of bed and put on a shirt, her nipples prominently showing through the thin fabric. She breasted boobily to the stairs, and titted downwards."
The parody is better written than what it lampoons:
"Her breasts swelled together in the candlelight." Ch. 3, p. 37.
"She could feel blood, from the wire cutting his throat, dripping onto her neck and breasts." Ch. 4, p. 41.
And so forth.
🙄
