--- product_id: 58004013 title: "Red Sparrow: A Novel (1) (The Red Sparrow Trilogy)" brand: "jason matthews" price: "€ 11.49" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.it/products/58004013-red-sparrow-a-novel-1-the-red-sparrow-trilogy store_origin: IT region: Italy --- # Red Sparrow: A Novel (1) (The Red Sparrow Trilogy) **Brand:** jason matthews **Price:** € 11.49 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Red Sparrow: A Novel (1) (The Red Sparrow Trilogy) by jason matthews - **How much does it cost?** € 11.49 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.it](https://www.desertcart.it/products/58004013-red-sparrow-a-novel-1-the-red-sparrow-trilogy) ## Best For - jason matthews enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted jason matthews brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![Red Sparrow: A Novel (1) (The Red Sparrow Trilogy) - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/511Ob3hISEL.jpg) ![Red Sparrow: A Novel (1) (The Red Sparrow Trilogy) - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/512AnHVQ0GL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The spycraft in this novel is the real deal *by M***K on Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2018* As I draft this review of Jason Matthews' novel, Red Sparrow, a film based on the book is showing in theaters nationwide. I've decided not to view the movie. I can't imagine that any screen adaptation, however skillful, could possibly do justice to this extraordinary tale of espionage.Authentic detail of espionageRed Sparrow is not a conventional spy story. True enough, it's well-written, ingeniously plotted, and endlessly suspenseful. On that account alone, fans of John le Carré, Joseph Kanon, or Alan Furst should appreciate it. But the book rises above the level of the genre because the author has infused it with detailed, intimate knowledge of authentic espionage tradecraft employed both by the CIA and by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR. Red Sparrow also reveals a great deal about the SVR's structure and practices. I was so taken aback by the level of detail that I checked a number of details at random; they all proved accurate. I can easily imagine this novel being passed around at the CIA training center known as the Farm as a fictionalized (if no doubt exaggerated) account of what an officer might encounter in the field.Two central characters in a cat-and-cat gameThe Red Sparrow of the title is Dominika Egorova, a niece of the First Deputy Director of the SVR. When an injury ends her promising career in the ballet, her uncle presses her into the intelligence service, sending her first to the standard officer training and then to "Sparrow School," where she is taught seduce enemy agents. Her assignment is to entrap and recruit Nathaniel Nash, the young CIA officer who is known to be the handler of MARBLE, a high-level mole in the SVR. "Nate was one of a small group of CIA 'internal ops' officers trained to operate under surveillance on the opposition's home ground." His assignment is to recruit her once she has managed to enter his life. The result can't be described as a cat-and-mouse game. It's a cat-and-cat game, and it's fascinating.The supporting cast on the American side includes a pair of veteran CIA officers who assist and guide Nate as he maneuvers through his relationship with Dominika. There are also a sociopathic US Senator and a number of FBI agents who wander in and out of the background, all of them coming across as incompetent. (This no doubt reflects the ages-old suspicion between the CIA and the FBI.) On the Russian side, the leading characters include Dominika's uncle and several members of his staff at the SVR. One key figure there is a "poisonous dwarf" who serves as his counterintelligence chief. (He appears to be modeled on the five-foot-tall Nikolai Yezhov, a sadistic murderer who served for a year as head of Stalin's secret police. He was known as "The Poison Dwarf.") Vladimir Putin himself makes several cameo appearances.About the authorAuthor Jason Matthews' official bio on his publisher's web site is worth quoting at length: "Jason Matthews is a retired officer of the CIA’s Operations Directorate. Over a thirty-three-year career he served in multiple overseas locations and engaged in clandestine collection of national security intelli­gence, specializing in denied-area operations. Matthews conducted recruitment operations against Soviet–East European, East Asian, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean targets. As Chief in various CIA Stations, he collaborated with foreign partners in counterproliferation and counterterrorism operations." In other words, it should be no surprise that Jason Matthews could write a book that exhibits authentic espionage tradecraft. Red Sparrow is the first novel in a trilogy of the same name. ### ⭐⭐ The bad outweighs the good *by R***R on Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2018* Things I liked about Red Sparrow:-The numerous acronyms, historical references, and details of spy tradecraft gave one the impression that this was an authentic insider account of espionage.-The inclusion of many Russian words and phrases in contexts that were understandable, enabled me to add on to my meagre Russian vocabulary.-The occasional appearance of Putin in the narrative provided a chilling reminder of what lays behind many current events.-The tension in the spy world between using individuals merely as means to an end versus caring for them as human beings seems to a certain degree well illustrated by this book.Things I initially like but grew tiresome:-The inclusion of a recipe at the end of each chapter. Initially, this seemed to add a sensual flavor to the events described, but after a while it seemed the author had to struggle to find some means of including a munching event in every chapter. About midway through I began to skip these as it became too much like reading a cook book.Things I disliked:-Synesthesia, the ability to “see” sounds as colors, is in no way connected with the supposed ability to see auras, though the author seems to conflate the two.-Dominika often seemed to me to be like a Barbie doll, an imaginary female that the author was merely playing with. She appeared to lack any genuine human characteristics or flaws (her temper tantrums were merely part of her “cuteness”). Similarly, Nate, despite originally portrayed as a highly skilled and intelligent spy handler, in Dominika’s presence becomes Ken-like, a puppy dog accoutrement to Barbie.-Perhaps in the effort to make this a page-turner, the world of espionage is made to appear glamorous with visits to world class cities and numerous adrenaline pumping adventures, while in fact it most likely is filled with tedium and boredom, as more accurately portrayed in the novels by John le Carre.-You can always tell the bad guys in this book. They all have some physical defect. This seems a huge slight to the many people who are handicapped in some way. Because one appears abnormal does not make them evil.-Nearly all the men seemed to delight in “locker room” banter. This did not make them endearing to me as it appeared the author intended. It gave me new understandings of why some male dominated cultures are hostile and often abusive to women employees. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Electrifying, engrossing, rich and evocative *by G***. on Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2017* This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Why?Matthews’ facility with language is amazing and precise. His writing paints images rich in color and emotion. The world-building is excellent.The humor. Hero Nate Nash has two bosses, Marty Gable and Tom Forsythe. Gable’s sarcastic remarks, belied by his supportive actions, are truly funny. Heroine Dominika Egarova also thinks of her cruel superiors in hilariously rude terms. And the Sparrow School of seductive spycraft they blackmail her into attending (“training for ‘prostitutkas’, not staff officers,” she protests) teaches a list of techniques expressed in amusing metaphorical terms.The characters are extremely well developed. There are many, but I never got confused because each has a distinct personality.Complex plotting. Matthews skillfully conveys the conflict that arises when those who give orders have different priorities than those who put their lives on the line. The intriguing plot includes plenty of violence, tricky spycraft, and suspense.I felt neutral about:Nate and Dominika’s relationship. As they are mostly separated by thousands of miles, disparate governments, and secrecy, it’s minor.The short recipes at chapter ends. I skipped over them.While not exactly abrupt, the ending is an obvious segue into the second novel, but getting there was such a pleasure, I wasn’t upset. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.it/products/58004013-red-sparrow-a-novel-1-the-red-sparrow-trilogy](https://www.desertcart.it/products/58004013-red-sparrow-a-novel-1-the-red-sparrow-trilogy) --- *Product available on Desertcart Italy* *Store origin: IT* *Last updated: 2026-05-08*