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Codename Villanelle

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Codename Villanelle

By: Luke Jennings
Narrated by: Yolanda Kettle
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About this listen

Please note: this is novella 1 of 4 which make up the Codename Villanelle series.

In a remand centre in the Ural Mountains, Oxana Vorontsova awaits trial for triple murder. Not what you’d expect from a star linguistics student. Half a world away, her potential has been noted. Sprung from prison and trained in the dark arts of assassination, she’s reborn as the beautiful, lethal Villanelle. The price of her luxurious new life: to eliminate targets assigned to her by a shadowy group of all-powerful businessmen.

©2014 Luke Jennings (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd Espionage Spies & Politics Suspense Thriller & Suspense
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I wanted to like this but can only give it 3 stars for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it isn't the complete book. I've read Codename Villanelle & was disappointed to find that the audio book stops less than 1/2 way through. Some investigation shows that the book was originally 4 kindle singles then released as 1 book but the audio is only 1 of the singles. If you're going to do that you need to make it very clear & not call the whole book the same name as 1 of the singles to avoid confusion.

Secondly, the narrator was just wrong for the book. I actually really liked her, thought she did a good job, & will actively look out for her in a the future, but she was all wrong for a this. The main character here is ice cold, arguably a sociopath. Anytime she interacts with anyone she is manipulating them and it's all on her terms. The narrator just couldn't pull that off, she was too personable, too nice.

I found the audiobook to be entertaining & if it had been the whole book (or cheaper) I probably would have given it 4 stars, but overall it was a little disappointing.

Entertaining but disappointing

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The storyline is very strong and I listened to the whole story in one go, start to finish.
The narrator is outstanding and, I believe, cannot be improved upon.
Enjoy.

Utterly compelling

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briĺliant and fast moving description of Vilanelle and her character along with her deadly missions

great short story

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Very good but a rip off for the price,why didn't luke jennings put it in one book. Went online as I thought it had not downloaded the full book,was amazed to discover that it was only 3 chapters. I think buyers should be warned it is only a very short novel.
Very annoyed

codename villanelle

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I really enjoyed this short novel. I've seen the TV series first and wanted to check out the books. The characters match up and the performance is excellent.

Thoroughly enjoyable

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although a good read, and I enjoyed the narration.... this was a short story and should have been marked as one. will I read more from the series?... yes, will I pay more attention to the length of audio?... yes. do I feel cheated paying a full credit for this book?... oui.

too short but enjoyable

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I enjoyed the tv show but gives you a better in sight as to Villanelle and why she is like she is I am going to get the next two books and can not wait you will enjoy.

A must read

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A short but gripping story setting up and developing Villanelle's character. Shame the reader's voice is flat, lacking emotion or intonation which doesn't do the writing justice at all.

Une histoire courte mais captivante qui établit et dénoue effectivement le personnage de Villanelle. Dommage que la lectrice ait une voix ennuyante qui manque toute intonation ou emotion - elle ne rend pas du tout justice à l'histoire.

Great story, bad reader/belle conte lectrice nulle

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I did not like the narrator, or the style of the writing with its overuse of superlatives.
The main character seems implausibly to hover between full on psychopathy and caring about her pursuer.

This is just about bearable in the TV show, but not so when this is explained in more detail in the book

at least this saved me ordering the other 2

Watch the TV shows - they are better

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I was really enjoying this - the performance and story were great, but at just 1 hour and 20 minutes long it is way too short. I honestly thought it was the end of the second or third chapter but the book was over. As a first taster book I've been left pretty disappointed.

Too short!

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