freyapuppy's review against another edition
This book has incredibly boring prose combined with an average plot and decent action scenes. If the book was much shorter, perhaps it would be better, but again--really subpar writing.
sohanlon07's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
feelsattack's review against another edition
Okay, my thoughts about The Bourne Identity is a little complicated and I don't really understand much myself, as I'm not very critical of my own thoughts (often to my detriment).
i started reading the bourne identity due to a challenge i was putting myself up to. originally i was supposed to read the bourne objective but i didn't want the 8th-or-something book to my introduction to well-known series, so i started with the bourne identity first which i had to pick up from the library. this is counterproductive to my goal that i was even doing this challenge for in the first place. that's the first and most objective reason for dnf-ing this book.
the second is that it's... not boring, but not interesting either. but this is complicated for me, because at moments, yes it is boring. but other moments are also incredibly interesting as you learn new things about jason bourne (cain) and the circumstances that surround his existence and the action-oriented parts. this oscillation between boring and interest makes it difficult to keep my attention and i often find myself snoozing.
there are also a couple things i didn't understand as i was reading the books. the really political and military aspects of this book, i love to read but i don't understand much because i'm not that kind of stuff, not even remotely. that's fine, i don't have to understand it for the book to be good, just thought i'd point that out lol.
there's one thing i'd really like to nit pick... maybe it's because i'm a teen who deliberately ignores the news and affairs of the world, but it seems to me like marie st. jacques knows a little too much. like, this scene that i just recently read where she proposes that perhaps the "cain identity" that jason has discovered about himself is not actually real, but rather just something that was planted into his mind with amazing attention to detail. and we know that cain is not a real person, that jason bourne is just a medium for this cain identity to exist in order to foil carlos. how does marie think of this? like realistically, i know humans sometimes have a lightbulb moment out of nowhere and we happen to be right albeit it was a totally random occurence, it DOES happen sometimes... but when it's in a book like this, i just have a hard time believing it.
also, the way ludlum writes smut is so brief, and honestly it's kind of funny. i appreciate him for keeping it brief but i'd rather it not be in the book at all. just a tiny complaint.
but despite my complaints, i do intend to pick this book back up eventually, when i've completed my challenge. like i said, reading a library book and the bourne identity just so happening to be the library book--it's counterproductive, and it's my main reason for dnf-ing this book. so i'm putting an explanation for what has happened when i get back to this book:
"Marie St. Jacques has been falsely accused and is now wanted of multiple homicides and robbery of huge amounts of money, she and Jason Bourne are trying to discover more about the circumstances that surround him. However, her false accusation is an attempt to convey a secret message that people are trying to help Jason, and that he needs to reach out to get help. But Jason and Marie don't know exactly who it is yet, so they are now investigating the two phone numbers that Jason snagged from the desk of Jacqueline Lavier, who is from the high-fashion dress shop, where it has been established that they have a connection with Carlos (the man trying to kill Jason Bourne).
Jason has now revealed to Marie that he is Cain, an assassin and killer however she is not convinced because Cain and Jason are contradictory in terms of mannerisms and personality. Jason does not seem like a killer that he has describe Cain to be. Jason and Marie called the first phone number but it has been disconnected and they couldn't get the telephone line worker to reveal who the phone number originally belonged to. Jason and Marie called the second number only to find that it belongs to the organization of a respected French politician/military man, and they are shocked that he is connected to Carlos because the family he descends from his extremely loyal to France.
Jason is now following the politician to confront him, because although not obvious at first, the politician is connected to Carlos by way of LeLand, another politicna that Jason has been suspected of assassinating (but in reality, he didn't. He was actually trying to prevent the assassination that was being enacted by Carlos). They are connected because the politician (Villiers) supports the French military but Leland was the opposite--he ended the funding of weapons in the French military." (left off at pg. 389)
dnf-ing the bourne identity has literally been my dilemma and now it's finally over.
i started reading the bourne identity due to a challenge i was putting myself up to. originally i was supposed to read the bourne objective but i didn't want the 8th-or-something book to my introduction to well-known series, so i started with the bourne identity first which i had to pick up from the library. this is counterproductive to my goal that i was even doing this challenge for in the first place. that's the first and most objective reason for dnf-ing this book.
the second is that it's... not boring, but not interesting either. but this is complicated for me, because at moments, yes it is boring. but other moments are also incredibly interesting as you learn new things about jason bourne (cain) and the circumstances that surround his existence and the action-oriented parts. this oscillation between boring and interest makes it difficult to keep my attention and i often find myself snoozing.
there are also a couple things i didn't understand as i was reading the books. the really political and military aspects of this book, i love to read but i don't understand much because i'm not that kind of stuff, not even remotely. that's fine, i don't have to understand it for the book to be good, just thought i'd point that out lol.
there's one thing i'd really like to nit pick... maybe it's because i'm a teen who deliberately ignores the news and affairs of the world, but it seems to me like marie st. jacques knows a little too much. like, this scene that i just recently read where she proposes that perhaps the "cain identity" that jason has discovered about himself is not actually real, but rather just something that was planted into his mind with amazing attention to detail. and we know that cain is not a real person, that jason bourne is just a medium for this cain identity to exist in order to foil carlos. how does marie think of this? like realistically, i know humans sometimes have a lightbulb moment out of nowhere and we happen to be right albeit it was a totally random occurence, it DOES happen sometimes... but when it's in a book like this, i just have a hard time believing it.
also, the way ludlum writes smut is so brief, and honestly it's kind of funny. i appreciate him for keeping it brief but i'd rather it not be in the book at all. just a tiny complaint.
but despite my complaints, i do intend to pick this book back up eventually, when i've completed my challenge. like i said, reading a library book and the bourne identity just so happening to be the library book--it's counterproductive, and it's my main reason for dnf-ing this book. so i'm putting an explanation for what has happened when i get back to this book:
"Marie St. Jacques has been falsely accused and is now wanted of multiple homicides and robbery of huge amounts of money, she and Jason Bourne are trying to discover more about the circumstances that surround him. However, her false accusation is an attempt to convey a secret message that people are trying to help Jason, and that he needs to reach out to get help. But Jason and Marie don't know exactly who it is yet, so they are now investigating the two phone numbers that Jason snagged from the desk of Jacqueline Lavier, who is from the high-fashion dress shop, where it has been established that they have a connection with Carlos (the man trying to kill Jason Bourne).
Jason has now revealed to Marie that he is Cain, an assassin and killer however she is not convinced because Cain and Jason are contradictory in terms of mannerisms and personality. Jason does not seem like a killer that he has describe Cain to be. Jason and Marie called the first phone number but it has been disconnected and they couldn't get the telephone line worker to reveal who the phone number originally belonged to. Jason and Marie called the second number only to find that it belongs to the organization of a respected French politician/military man, and they are shocked that he is connected to Carlos because the family he descends from his extremely loyal to France.
Jason is now following the politician to confront him, because although not obvious at first, the politician is connected to Carlos by way of LeLand, another politicna that Jason has been suspected of assassinating (but in reality, he didn't. He was actually trying to prevent the assassination that was being enacted by Carlos). They are connected because the politician (Villiers) supports the French military but Leland was the opposite--he ended the funding of weapons in the French military." (left off at pg. 389)
dnf-ing the bourne identity has literally been my dilemma and now it's finally over.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
ingypingy2000's review
5.0
I enjoyed this book. There was enough suspense and action that kept me coming back. It was a heck of a ride and had enough complexity to keep my entertained the entire way through.
katie_esser's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
jakerunyon's review
3.0
It was okay. Probably the only reason I didn't like it more is because I liked the movie more.
ghostmuppet's review
1.0
To start with, I love the films and the idea. The book however was a massive challenge to finish. It started off ok, but started to drag straight away. I also listen to this, and Scott Brick is the type of narrator that sends me to sleep as well.
The story is set in the early 70s and has dated massively as well.
All in all I am glad I have the ideas of reading this book out of my system, I will not be continuing with the series or the author.
The story is set in the early 70s and has dated massively as well.
All in all I am glad I have the ideas of reading this book out of my system, I will not be continuing with the series or the author.
avalydia's review against another edition
1.0
Robert Ludlum cannot write female characters for shit.
And his dialogue's not much better.
And his dialogue's not much better.
ginatous's review
2.0
Meh. Listened to the unabridged book on a trip to NY and back as the story appealed to the majority of the voters in the car. Repetitive, formulaic, but a reasonable diversion for a vacation car ride.