From Russia With Love

A romcom! This was not what I was expecting. Huge improvement from Dr No (even though I know it was written before, I'm reading them in the movie order, not in the book order, because of the podcast with Joshie). The pure genius of spending the first third of the book with the hitman and the girl. Then turning to Bond and then having him take the same actions of being in the building, getting called up to the boss's upper floor, and then being told his job is to fall in love (or convince the girl anyways). Which is the exact pattern the Tatiana had when she was called up and given the assignment. Very fun and clever. I'll have lots more to say about the book and broader story in the podcast, but I wanted to give the book a 5 so bad, but I just can't in good conscience. Not because Bond is poisoned and presumed dead. But because the relationship between Bond and Tatiana is left so open ended and unsatisfied. And then knowing that he didn't bring her up in Dr No...What??? How could he do that. I know Bond is played in the books as a hard-to-get above-the-frey lover (slightly differently than the movies where he is a pure womanizer), but still the complete disappearance of Tatiana is a huge downer.