Codename Villanelle

Codename Villanelle
First edition cover
AuthorLuke Jennings
LanguageEnglish
Genre
PublisherJohn Murray
Publication date
29 June 2017
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media type
Pages224
ISBN978-1-473-66638-2
Followed byKilling Eve: No Tomorrow 

Codename Villanelle is a 2017 thriller novel by British author Luke Jennings. A compilation of four serial e-book novellas published from 2014 to 2016, the novel was published in the United Kingdom by John Murray as an e-book on 29 June 2017,[1] followed by hardcover and paperback versions on 24 August 2017.[2][3] Codename Villanelle is the basis of the BBC America/BBC Three television series Killing Eve (2018–2022).

Premise

Villanelle is a Russian orphan who, after murdering the killers of her gangster father, is rescued from prison and trained as a hitwoman by a shadowy group called The Twelve.[4] Codename Villanelle has been summarized as pitting "heartless female assassin" Villanelle against "dowdy but dogged MI5 agent" Eve Polastri, the two women "battling it out at a distance" as Polastri seeks clues at a series of killing sites.[5]

Character background

Jennings stated that he based Villanelle's character on Idoia López Riaño, a hitwoman for Basque nationalist paramilitary group ETA who was convicted of murdering 23 people in the 1990s.[6] Jennings described Riaño—nicknamed La Tigresa (The Tigress) for her "legendary sexual prowess"—as a "psychopath" and "completely without empathy."[6]

Novella series

Codename Villanelle is a compilation of four serial Kindle edition novellas:

Villanelle

"Men or women who are born, as you were, without a conscience or the ability to feel guilt ... without you, without predators—people who can think the unthinkable and act without fear or hesitation—the world stands still. You are an evolutionary necessity."

Villanelle's handler Konstantin
Codename Villanelle chapter 1
  1. Codename Villanelle (published 4 February 2014; 36 pages). Star linguistics student Oxana Vorontsova's multiple brutal murders attract the notice of a secret global power elite, which recruits her as an assassin with codename Villanelle and rewards her with a luxurious lifestyle.[7]
  2. Villanelle: Hollowpoint (published 3 August 2014; 56 pages). Villanelle's pattern of assassinations draws the attention of a highly intelligent MI5 agent, Eve Polastri, who pursues Villanelle relentlessly.[8]
  3. Villanelle: Shanghai (published 3 February 2015; 49 pages). The "beautiful and sexually predatory... psychopath" Villanelle's next assignment takes her to Shanghai, where, regardless of personal cost to herself, Polastri fiercely pursues the assassin.[9]
  4. Odessa (published 14 June 2016; 48 pages). As Villanelle prepares to break into a fortified mansion in Odesa, Ukraine, where her mentor is held hostage, a breakthrough leads agent Polastri in determined pursuit.[10]

Critical response

In The Times, John Dugdale likened Villanelle's character to the title character from Luc Besson's 1990 film La Femme Nikita—a former teenage killer transformed into a trained assassin.[11] Dugdale further likened author Luke Jennings to James Bond author Ian Fleming: "at once tongue-in-cheek and serious, paying obsessive attention to the details of both Villanelle's chichi lifestyle and her lethal assignments."[11] Though calling "Jennings' version of 007"—Villanelle—"great fun", Dugdale wrote that the "imperfectly integrated" novella series was repetitious and lacked a "proper denouement".[11]

Jeff Noon wrote in The Spectator that the book "reads a little like Terry Hayes’s I Am Pilgrim in miniature".[5] Noon added that Jennings focused more on "hunting and killing" than on character building and that the book, though having final pages that are thrilling, ends without final resolution.[5] Similarly, trade magazine Publishers Weekly praised the book as an "exceptional spy thriller" with "superior prose" and "cracker jack plot", noting its "wide-open ending points to more to come in the struggle between these two resourceful antagonists".[4]

Television adaptation

Main article: Killing Eve

Killing Eve was created by British actor and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge and produced by Sid Gentle Films Ltd for BBC America.[12] In addition to writing for the television series, Waller-Bridge was chosen as executive producer with Sally Woodward Gentle and Lee Morris.[12] The television series stars Sandra Oh as Polastri and Jodie Comer as Villanelle.[13] The show was renewed for a second series before its series 1 debut on 8 April 2018,[13] then renewed for a third series the day after the premiere of series 2.[14] The fourth and final season of the show premiered in 2022.

Sequels

Due to the success of the television adaptation, a sequel,[15] Killing Eve: No Tomorrow, was published on 25 October 2018.[16] The third and final volume, Killing Eve: Die for Me, was released on 9 April 2020.[17][18] As both were published after the premiere of the TV series, the new books carry the Killing Eve branding.

Literary rights

Publishing industry magazine The Bookseller reported in April 2017 that John Murray bought the novel just before the London Book Fair, subsequently selling North American rights to Josh Kendall at Mulholland Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, during the fair.[12] World English rights were acquired from Patrick Walsh at PEW Literary Agency.[12]

References

  1. ^ Killing Eve: Codename Villanelle: The basis for the BAFTA-winning Killing Eve TV series (Killing Eve series Book 1) – Kindle Edition. United Kingdom. ASIN B06XYQT7Z8.
  2. ^ Codename Villanelle: The basis for Killing Eve, now a major BBC TV series (Killing Eve series) – Hardcover. United Kingdom. ASIN 1473666384.
  3. ^ Codename Villanelle: The basis for Killing Eve, now a major BBC TV series (Killing Eve series) – Paperback. United Kingdom. ASIN 1473666392.
  4. ^ a b "Codename Villanelle". Publishers Weekly. 1 April 2018. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Noon, Jeff (14 October 2017). "The best recent crime fiction reviewed". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b Harrison, Ellie (14 May 2020). "Killing Eve: The real-life 'psychopath' who murdered 23 people and inspired Villanelle character". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Codename Villanelle (Villanelle #1)". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Villanelle: Hollowpoint (Villanelle #2)". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Villanelle: Shanghai (Villanelle #3)". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Odessa (Villanelle #4)". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017.
  11. ^ a b c Dugdale, John (17 September 2017). "Book review: Suburra by Carlo Bonini and Giancarlo De Cataldo; Yesterday by Felicia Yap; Ravenhill by John Steele; Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings". The Times. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  12. ^ a b c d Cowdrey, Katherine (6 April 2017). "John Murray snaps up spy thriller first published as Kindle Single". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017.
  13. ^ a b Wittmer, Carrie (8 May 2018). "Killing Eve is a smart and seductive spy thriller that has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018.
  14. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (8 April 2019). "'Killing Eve' Gets Season 3 Renewal — With New Showrunner". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 7 September 2019.
  15. ^ Tolentino, Jia (27 May 2018). "The Pleasurable Patterns of the Killing Eve Season Finale". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018.
  16. ^ No Tomorrow: The basis for the BAFTA-winning Killing Eve TV series (Killing Eve series) – Hardcover. United Kingdom. ASIN 1473676568.
  17. ^ Killing Eve: Die For Me: The basis for the BAFTA-winning Killing Eve TV series (Killing Eve series Book 2) – Kindle Edition. United Kingdom. ASIN B07SC43MF6.
  18. ^ Knight, Lewis (30 July 2019). "Will Killing Eve season 3 be the last? Books to end next year with Endgame". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019.

Read other articles:

Tanya Tate

Tanya TateTate, 2015Lahir31 Maret 1979 (umur 44)[1]Liverpool, Inggris[1]Nama lainTanya Thomas, Sue[1]Tahun aktif2009–sekarangTinggi5 ft 6 in (1,68 m)[1]Anak1Situs webtanyatate.com Tanya Tate (lahir 31 Maret 1979) adalah seorang pemeran pornografi, model, penulis, dan cosplayer berkebangsaan Inggris.[2][3] Tate memulai karirnya pada tahun 2009, Tate mulai berkontribusi pada kolom reguler untuk majalah dewasa Inggr...

 

Basyir bin Amr al-Anshari

Artikel ini sebatang kara, artinya tidak ada artikel lain yang memiliki pranala balik ke halaman ini.Bantulah menambah pranala ke artikel ini dari artikel yang berhubungan atau coba peralatan pencari pranala.Tag ini diberikan pada Maret 2023. Nama lengkapnya adalah Basyir bin Amr bin Mihshan bin Amr bin Ubaid bin Amr bin Mabdzul bin Malik bin Najjar (Arab: بشير بن عمرو بن محصن بن عمرو بن عبيد بن عمرو بن مبذول بن مالك بن النجار). Ia termas...

 

Jose Choa Linge

Artikel ini sebatang kara, artinya tidak ada artikel lain yang memiliki pranala balik ke halaman ini.Bantulah menambah pranala ke artikel ini dari artikel yang berhubungan atau coba peralatan pencari pranala.Tag ini diberikan pada Februari 2023. Jose Choa Linge (17 Februari 1965 -18 April 2022) merupakan seorang seniman, kolektor kaset radio[1], MC dan penulis berkebangsaan Indonesia. Kehidupan Jose Choa Linge besar di lingkungan yang religius di Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan. Pada tahun...

Dan Sullivan (senator Amerika Serikat)

Dan Sullivan Senator Amerika Serikat dari AlaskaPetahanaMulai menjabat 3 Januari 2015Menjabat bersama Lisa Murkowski PendahuluMark BegichPenggantiPetahanaKomisioner Departemen Sumber Daya Alam AlaskaMasa jabatan6 Desember 2010 – 24 September 2013GubernurSean Parnell PendahuluThomas E. IrwinPenggantiJoseph BalashJaksa Agung Alaska ke-27Masa jabatan17 Juni 2009 – 30 November 2010GubernurSarah PalinSean Parnell PendahuluTalis J. ColbergPenggantiJohn J. BurnsAsis...

 

منطقة التجارة الحرة العربية الكبرى

منطقة التجارة الحرة العربية الكبرىمعلومات عامةالنوع معاهدة موقع الويب caeu.org.eg تعديل - تعديل مصدري - تعديل ويكي بيانات منطقة التجارة العربية الحرة الكبرى هي حلف اقتصادي بين الدول العربية للتكامل الاقتصادي والتبادل التجاري منخفض الرسوم الجمركية. دخلت منطقة التجارة الحرّة ا�...

 

Coppa Mercosur 1999

Copa Mercosur 1999Copa Mercosul 1999 Competizione Coppa Mercosur Sport Calcio Edizione 2ª Organizzatore CONMEBOL Date 27 luglio - 20 dicembre 1999 Partecipanti 20 Risultati Vincitore  Flamengo(1º titolo) Secondo  Palmeiras Statistiche Miglior marcatore Romário (Flamengo, 8 gol) Incontri disputati 74 Gol segnati 232 (3,14 per incontro) Cronologia della competizione 1998 2000 Manuale La Coppa Mercosur 1999 è stata la seconda edizione del trofeo, ed è stata vinta dal Fl...

Человек прямоходящий

† Человек прямоходящий Научная классификация Домен:ЭукариотыЦарство:ЖивотныеПодцарство:ЭуметазоиБез ранга:Двусторонне-симметричныеБез ранга:ВторичноротыеТип:ХордовыеПодтип:ПозвоночныеИнфратип:ЧелюстноротыеНадкласс:ЧетвероногиеКлада:АмниотыКлада:Синапсиды�...

 

Eddy Merckx

Belgian cyclist (born 1945) For the bicycle brand, see Eddy Merckx Cycles. For the billiards player, see Eddy Merckx (billiards player). Eddy MerckxMerckx in 1971Personal informationFull nameÉdouard Louis Joseph MerckxNicknameLe Cannibale De Kannibaal (The Cannibal)[1]Born (1945-06-17) 17 June 1945 (age 78)Meensel-Kiezegem, BelgiumHeight1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)[2]Weight74 kg (163 lb; 11 st 9 lb)[2]Team informationCurre...

 

Anasazi (The X-Files)

AnasaziEpisode The X-FilesNomor episodeMusim 2Episode 25SutradaraR. W. GoodwinTeleplayChris CarterPengarangDavid DuchovnyChris CarterKode produksi2X25Tanggal siar19 Mei 1995Durasi45 menitBintang tamu Peter Donat sebagai William Mulder Floyd Red Crow Westerman sebagai Albert Hosteen Nicholas Lea sebagai Alex Krycek William B. Davis sebagai The Smoking Man Bernie Coulson sebagai Kenneth Soona / The Thinker Bruce Harwood sebagai John Fitzgerald Byers Dean Haglund sebagai Richard Langly Tom ...

Christiane Martel

Questa voce sull'argomento modelli statunitensi è solo un abbozzo. Contribuisci a migliorarla secondo le convenzioni di Wikipedia. Christiane Martel e Ugo Tognazzi nel 1959 Christiane Martel, nata Christiane Magnani (Piennes, 18 gennaio 1936), è una modella francese, incoronata Miss Universo 1953. Biografia Christiane Martel visse a lungo a Châtellerault, ove vinse anche il titolo di Miss Châtellerault 1952. È stata la seconda Miss Universo nella storia del concorso, in rappresenta...

 

هنود

هنودمعلومات عامةنسبة التسمية الهند التعداد الكليالتعداد قرابة 1.21 مليار[1][2]تعداد الهند عام 2011ق. 1.32 مليار[3]تقديرات عام 2017ق. 30.8 مليون[4]مناطق الوجود المميزةبلد الأصل الهند البلد الهند  الهند نيبال 4,000,000[5] الولايات المتحدة 3,982,398[6] الإمار...

 

James Fitzjames

British naval officer and polar explorer (1813–1848?) For other people with similar names, see James FitzJames (disambiguation). This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.Find sources: James Fitzjames – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2019) James FitzjamesFitzjames in 1845Born(1813-0...

和田岬

座標: 北緯34度39分10秒 東経135度11分13秒 / 北緯34.65278度 東経135.18694度 / 34.65278; 135.18694 和田岬の位置 和田岬（わだみさき）は、兵庫県神戸市兵庫区にある、大阪湾・神戸港に面した岬。この岬が南西風と潮流を防ぐためにその北東側が天然の良港となり[1][2]、歴史上の大輪田泊・兵庫湊以来、神戸港が発展することになった。 周辺の住所は�...

 

List of African-American women in medicine

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2016) Nurses at Oak Ridge Hospital in the 1940s African-American women have been practicing medicine informally in the contexts of midwifery and herbalism for centuries. Those skilled as midwives, like Biddy Mason, worked both as slaves and as free women in their trades. Others, like Susie King Taylor and Ann Bradford Stokes, served as nurses in the Civil War. Formal training and recognition of African-American women be...

 

تيوفيل دو دوندر

تيوفيل دو دوندر معلومات شخصية الميلاد 19 أغسطس 1872(1872-08-19)بروكسل  الوفاة 11 مايو 1957 (84 سنة)بروكسل  مواطنة بلجيكا الحياة العملية المدرسة الأم جامعة بروكسل الحرة  مشرف الدكتوراه هنري بوانكاريه  طلاب الدكتوراه إيليا بريغوجين المهنة رياضياتي، فيزيائي اللغة الأم الفرنس�...

Memorabilia – The Singles

1991 compilation album by Soft Cell and Marc AlmondMemorabilia – The SinglesCompilation album by Soft Cell and Marc AlmondReleased20 May 1991 (UK)Recorded1980–1991GenreSynth-popLabelMercuryProducerVariousSoft Cell and Marc Almond chronology The Singles(1986) Memorabilia – The Singles(1991) Down in the Subway(1994) Marc Almond chronology Enchanted(1990) Memorabilia – The Singles(1991) Tenement Symphony(1991) Memorabilia – The Singles is a compilation album of songs by the Br...

 

Beni Hasan

Village and archaeological site in Middle Egypt For other uses, see Bani Hasan (disambiguation). Beni HasanThe tombs of Khety and Baqet IIIShown within Northeast AfricaShow map of Northeast AfricaBeni Hasan (Egypt)Show map of EgyptCoordinates27°56′N 30°53′E / 27.933°N 30.883°E / 27.933; 30.883TypeTombs Beni Hasan (also written as Bani Hasan, or also Beni-Hassan) (Arabic: بني حسن) is an ancient Egyptian cemetery. It is located approximately 20 kilometers (...

 

Sunday Herald

Scottish Sunday newspaper based in Glasgow This article is about the Scottish newspaper. For other uses, see Sunday Herald (disambiguation). Sunday HeraldFront cover of the final edition published in 2018TypeWeekly newspaperFormatCompactOwner(s)NewsquestPublisherHerald & Times GroupEditorNeil Mackay (2015–2018)Founded2 February 1999 (1999-02-02)Political alignmentPro-independenceCentre-leftLanguageEnglishCeased publication2 September 2018; 5 years ago (2...

ترافكو جروب

يفتقر محتوى هذه المقالة إلى الاستشهاد بمصادر. فضلاً، ساهم في تطوير هذه المقالة من خلال إضافة مصادر موثوق بها. أي معلومات غير موثقة يمكن التشكيك بها وإزالتها. (ديسمبر 2018) ترافكو جروبترافكوالشعارمعلومات عامةالبلد  مصر التأسيس 1979النوع خاصةالمقر الرئيسي مدينة 6 أكتوبر، مصر�...

 

Motuloa (north of Nukufetau)

Motuloa or Motulua is a very small island on the north of Nukufetau in Tuvalu. It is an oval with a length of 200 m, and lies between Teafuanonu (on the west) and Teafuaniua (on the east).[1][2] See also Islands of Tuvalu Motuloa Savave References ^ Map of Nukufetau Atoll. Tuvaluislands.com. ^ British Admiralty Nautical Chart 766 Ellice Islands (1893 ed.). United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO). 21 March 1872. 7°57′11″S 178°25′20″E / 7.9531°S...