I like this trilogy!! I hate that I only have one book left, but I'm looking forward to reading it. The complexity of the story is a little hard to keep up with, but that's because I'm reading several books at one time during this virus! I complained after reading the first book about the use of foreign languages and then an immediate translation. I listened to this one on tape (well Audible) and it was better that way. If you decide to read these you MUST read them in order of you will be lost.

I liked the second book in this trilogy even more than the first. It still had the same borderline-stressful, suspenseful feel, but I had more confidence in Dominika than I did in the first book. This one also introduced new characters and new foes, but nothing too much for Domi! If you liked the first one, I definitely recommend this one, and I can't wait to read the last one. I give it an A.

I think I said this about the first book too, but this book is very clearly written by a man. The descriptions of women and how man experience these women are just over the top. I thought the pace of this was much slower than the first book and took way too much time setting up the climax. To the point where I couldn’t really remember where we had come from and what was relevant.

I like that different perspectives are used throughout, although I think it’s kind of a lazy way to explain what’s happening in the story. It also created some confusion when perspective would change from sentence to sentence and I wasn’t sure who was talking or thinking anymore.

I thought the technical terms were handled a lot better in the first book as well. This time, I found myself struggling to keep up with the CIA terminology and industry banter.

2*

Dominika's inner dialogue never failed to make me cringe, every time I came across it.

Like his previous book, this one is truly outstanding. The writing is excellent, the plotting is tight, fast paced, and engaging. I can’t wait to read more from this incredible writer.

“Dvorets v Izmene,” said Dominika under her breath.
Benford looked over at Nate, one eyebrow raised.
“Palace of Treason,” Nate said.
“Works for me,” said Gable.”

Palace of Treason, the thrilling follow up to Red Sparrow, places Captain Dominika Egorova in a place both advantageous and dangerous. She’s in a position of great importance within Moscow and is able to provide vital intelligence to the CIA, however, she isn’t beloved by all and a few alarming individuals suspect her of wrongdoing. To make matters even more precarious, she’s caught the eye of the Russian president and one misstep will destroy everything she’s worked for.

Matthews continues to excel at the multitude of characters in these stories that all manage to be meticulously described without becoming excessive. The storyteller’s tendency to fall back on stereotypes, primarily when it comes to the Russians, is a bit of a low point. The lack of depth and distinction, fortunately, didn’t take away from the strength of the plot itself. Egorova fights throughout the story to keep her cover and to quietly take out anyone who could destroy it. She survives through so many assassination attempts that it was both incredible and unbelievable, but then again, she trained for years to survive this kind of life. She’s a woman on a mission, intent on getting payback for what she was forced to do for so many years in the name of Russia, but the one thing that she seems to be willing to risk it all for is love. A bit of a contradiction, but much like the seemingly odd inclusion of recipes at the end of each chapter, it still manages to work out nicely.

“You remember what I told you both in Vienna?” […] “That someday you’re gonna have to make a decision that’ll make you taste your stomach behind your teeth, but you got no choice, and maybe it even means hurting someone you respect and trust. Well, it happened today and it’ll happen again tomorrow, and the next day.”

I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Almost 2 years ago to the day, Jason Matthews unleashed Red Sparrow on the world. It was a fantastic spy thriller that evoked all the drama, intrigue, and mystery of the cold war classics - updated with a contemporary flair for sex, violence, and politics. It was a unique read, but also a refreshing reminder of what the genre used to be all about.

I am pleased to say Palace of Treason actually improves upon the first. It still has the feel of a cold war thriller - equal parts John le Carré, Frederick Forsyth, and Robert Ludlum - but it also incorporates some of the sexy adventure of Ian Fleming at his cinematic best. Matthews has a knack for spy-craft and politics that talks to his status as a CIA insider. This isn't just a man who's read the books, watched the movies, and studied the news, this is somebody who has lived in that world (and survived to tell about it).

Part of what makes his novel so unique is that he incorporates real people and places into the story. So many authors rely on the safety of fictional stand-ins for celebrities, but Matthews not only mentions the Vladimir Putin by name, but makes him a central character to the story. It's daring, but it gives the story a ring of authenticity. Similarly, the problems (and potential) of a Russia coming back to power is dealt with here, along with the terrifying specter of an Iran in pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Nathaniel Nash (CIA) gets some interesting development this time around, more fully fleshing out his character and establishing him as more of a player in the espionage game. He's a smarter, wiser, more observant agent, one who can sniff out (for example) the would-be turncoat hiding beneath the dirty, disheveled, vomit-encrusted homeless man who wanders into the embassy. We get some deeper insights into the depth of his feelings for Dominika, and also come to understand some of the consequences he faces for getting so close. As for Dominika Egorova (SVR), she really flourishes this time around, becoming a heroine worthy of carrying a franchise. She's been tested, broken, and put back together, and she's stronger than ever because of it. She's not above falling back on her training as a sex spy to achieve what she needs, and she's both smart enough and crafty enough to survive the treacherous politics of the Russian secret service. It's hard enough to be a spy, and even harder to be a double-agent, but it takes somebody special to survive being a double-agent spy whose own boss wants her dead.

The violence here is at a whole other level compared to the first book, with an emphasis on torture that I'm sure will leave some readers feeling very uncomfortable. It's brutal, it's graphic, and it's intense. Putin's entire regime is ugly and fearsome, and the more we see of the darkness within the Kremlin, the more we come to appreciate what a delicate dance Dominika is forced to master. There's still plenty of sex and sexuality, although most of it is suggestive here, but Dominika's origins and training are never far from the surface of the story.

Fans of the first Jason Matthews book will find a lot here to enjoy and appreciate. The story is deeper and more complex, the characters are better developed, there's more of s globe-trotting feel, and the entire atmosphere is just stronger. Fortunately, there's enough quick recapping early on to allow new readers to dive right in and not feel like they've missed anything. The cold war itself may be dead, but its literary spirit is still very much alive with Palace of Treason.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins

Not for me, I read the first one and decide to take on the second one but the story was kind of predictable. He kills every nice character and nothing will get resolved. I get it, it’s real, but I can just watch the news and feel less depressed.

Mñeh, una secuela que toma todos los ingredientes de la primera y en lugar de intentar cocinar una mejor sopa, se conforma con empaquetar la misma que ya había hecho pero un poco más insípida.

I enjoyed this book. I’ve read mixed reviews for the first book and for the trilogy as a whole. I know some didn’t like the portrayal of Dominika and have said that she lacks personality. I don’t believe that to be true. Having moved to the United States from a post USSR country myself and speaking fluent Russian as a first language I found this trilogy very well written and depicting Russian culture quite accurately.