For some reason I never really clicked into this book. It wasn't badly written, the characters were pretty well fleshed out, there was lots of action, but it never really engaged me as I like to be engaged. Oh well. ( )

If not for its link with the upcoming movie, this is not a book I would have picked up on my own. I don't reach for spy novels often at all, and "Argylle" hasn't especially persuaded me to read more in the future. It's a little exciting at times, but simultaneously feels like someone fed the Indiana Jones franchise into an AI bot and then said, "Make me another one! And include the CIA!" I also struggled immensely to try and care for any of the characters. Conway does a great job at telling me why I should (like Argylle being an orphan, or really missing his parents, or how he feels like he doesn't fit in) but there was just a lot of disconnect between myself and the characters on the page. The writing is both somehow try-hard and too predictable, like Conway is trying to mimic another author but forgets to add any of her own flair.
However, I WOULD recommend this to certain readers. I think there is definitely an audience that will enjoy this book! It's simply not to my personal taste. ( )

Superior to the film, and mostly because the film tries to undo a lot of what’s in the book. I don’t care if it is a marketing stunt, I enjoyed this wannabe-spy novel.

Argylle is a lost soul who gets caught up in something big with the CIA. Partly to escape, and partly to be found, he joins a team to chase down a lost artifact before the bad guys find it first. It’s more of an ode to Indiana Jones than James Bond. And that’s likely what kept me interested in the adventure. ( )

I was interested in this book due to the movie coming out soon. However, the book and the movie are not the same thing! In the book, it is a hard-hitting spy thriller, whereas the book is a comedy send up of the alleged author being inserted into the spy novels she writes.
So, because of the differences, the book was not what I expected.
The book is the story of Aubrey Argylle, a CIA agent who was orphaned when his parents were killed. He spent time in the jungles of Thailand, but is called to assist in a Russian spy / jewel heist / political operation. There is a lot of action, quite a bit of violence, and also traitors. It may keep you guessing, but it will definitely take you across the globe!
I liked reading about the possible conspiracy of the Amber Room, as I have been to The Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg! ( )