tashachowdory's review
5.0
I've been waiting forever to read this. Knowing about the relationship between Alex's father and Yassen (Yasha) was brilliant. As ever, evidence of Horowitz's immense research flies off all the pages (and it's the reason I love all his books) and as someone interested in Russian history, I particularly loved that part of Yassen's story. And lol at the little nods to popular culture (Macbook
I think the most well done part, was how well he was able to capture Yassen's voice. In the comparison between the flashback to the emotional young man he once was contrasted against the coldly, calculating man we know from Alex Rider's perspective.
This is a fitting end to the Alex Rider series - I feel like all the loose ends have been cleared up - and the best part is that the endings of all the characters are realistic and I feel like I can finally put these characters to rest.
If you haven't read the whole series - do it now!! :D
I think the most well done part, was how well he was able to capture Yassen's voice. In the comparison between the flashback to the emotional young man he once was contrasted against the coldly, calculating man we know from Alex Rider's perspective.
This is a fitting end to the Alex Rider series - I feel like all the loose ends have been cleared up - and the best part is that the endings of all the characters are realistic and I feel like I can finally put these characters to rest.
If you haven't read the whole series - do it now!! :D
kittyg's review
4.0
This is book number 10 in the Alex Rider series but in actuality it recounts events which happen before the series even begins. This is the story of one of the bad guys from Alex's adventures, his name is Yassen Gregorovitch. Everyone knows the story of Alex and how he was badgered into becoming a spy, but no one knows how Yassen ended up in his line of work - a hired killer - and their stories are not too far apart from one another.
I love the Alex Rider books, I think that they are a great series which is very exhilarating and enjoyable to read through and I love the characters and plots of each book. This book feels like a follow on rather than a prequel because it does recount things which happen within the Rider books, but it also feels like an older and more mature storyline than that of Alex.
The story of Yassen begins in Russia and his life is fairly regular to start off. He has a mother and father, lives in a small town, and he has friends he spends his days with. He's a rather unremarkable young boy, but suddenly one day things change for him, and everything that he thought was his life is severely tested. He's thrown into a whirlwind of events that are out of his control, and it's not hard to see why he ended up as he did. I think this recap is just what the series needed, and it's an excellent companion story for the Rider books.
I enjoy Yassen's character greatly because of the human qualities we can see in him despite the brutality of his profession and the events he's suffered through in his life. He's a strong character because of the things he's dealt with, and he's a fascinating person to read about and consider. Much of this story is told in the format of a diary, and that made the reader-character relationship much more personable and gave a real sense of life and intimacy to the character and his story.
On the whole I very much enjoyed this book and I'd certainly recommend you read this if you like the Alex Rider books. It's a fantastic story and I wish there were more (maybe more are in the works I don't know) so certainly a 4* book, my only complaint was that I knew a bit of the storyline from an extract in one of the other Rider books which meant that I was slightly under-awed by what should have been a big reveal. On the whole I enjoyed this format and learning about Yassen more, and I look forward to more books from Horrowitz in the future!
I love the Alex Rider books, I think that they are a great series which is very exhilarating and enjoyable to read through and I love the characters and plots of each book. This book feels like a follow on rather than a prequel because it does recount things which happen within the Rider books, but it also feels like an older and more mature storyline than that of Alex.
The story of Yassen begins in Russia and his life is fairly regular to start off. He has a mother and father, lives in a small town, and he has friends he spends his days with. He's a rather unremarkable young boy, but suddenly one day things change for him, and everything that he thought was his life is severely tested. He's thrown into a whirlwind of events that are out of his control, and it's not hard to see why he ended up as he did. I think this recap is just what the series needed, and it's an excellent companion story for the Rider books.
I enjoy Yassen's character greatly because of the human qualities we can see in him despite the brutality of his profession and the events he's suffered through in his life. He's a strong character because of the things he's dealt with, and he's a fascinating person to read about and consider. Much of this story is told in the format of a diary, and that made the reader-character relationship much more personable and gave a real sense of life and intimacy to the character and his story.
On the whole I very much enjoyed this book and I'd certainly recommend you read this if you like the Alex Rider books. It's a fantastic story and I wish there were more (maybe more are in the works I don't know) so certainly a 4* book, my only complaint was that I knew a bit of the storyline from an extract in one of the other Rider books which meant that I was slightly under-awed by what should have been a big reveal. On the whole I enjoyed this format and learning about Yassen more, and I look forward to more books from Horrowitz in the future!
axs5609's review
4.0
A fast-paced, easy read as usual. It had the added twist of showing the grimmer aftermath of Alex' adventures, and a very realistic view of how outsiders might actually react to a teenage spy.
lauralinden's review
4.0
i enjoyed it but i was very dissatisfied with the ending. i though that it was unfair the person who died had to
imzadirose's review
2.0
Least favorite, so far. Getting tired of Alex complaining he doesn't want to do spy work, when he clearly does. He just needs to get over it and accept it as his life. He wouldn't be able to go back to school and pretend he was normal. But mainly, I really really really didn't like that
I think I might take a break from this before I read the last few books.
Spoiler
Ash turned out to be bad. Alex has had enough people turn on him and use him, he really could use someone else in his corner, other than Jack.I think I might take a break from this before I read the last few books.
lejazzhotbaby's review
5.0
An amazing finale to the Alex Rider series. Though some events were sad and I'm not quite sure how Alex will ever settle into a normal life after all that's happened, it works well. All throughout the series, Horowitz has shown how the missions have affected Alex. He's changed across the year and a bit and it's made him stronger but at the same time, more brittle. I loved this book and I was sad when I finished it, especially considering it had taken me a couple of years of owning it to finally sit down and read it.
If you loved the other Alex Rider books then I don't see how you could be disappointed.
If you loved the other Alex Rider books then I don't see how you could be disappointed.
charlottereadsthings's review
4.0
My copy of this book as a bunch of stickers over the snake because snakes terrify me and as a kid I would put stickers over the things I didn't like, to hide them. I remember how hooked this book had me.
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