JAMES BOND AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE
Unlike the rest of the books in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, The Spy Who Loved Me is told from the perspective of a woman who fell for 007—and owes him her life.
Vivienne Michel, a precocious French Canadian raised in the United Kingdom, feels like a foreigner in every land. With only a supercharged Vespa and a handful of American dollars, she travels down winding roads into the pine forests of the Adirondacks. After stopping at the Dreamy Pines Motor Court and being coerced into caretaking at the vacant motel for the night, Viv opens the door to two armed mobsters and realizes being a woman alone is no easy task. But when a third stranger arrives―a confident Englishman with a keen sense for sizing things up―the tables are turned.
Still reeling in the wake of Operation Thunderball, Bond had planned for his jaunt through the Adirondacks to be a period of rest before his return to Europe. But that all changes when his tire goes flat in front of a certain motel…
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"While there are certainly some, shall we say, less-than-progressive views on women on display here, I appreciate Fleming's effort to present Bond in a different light. Vivienne may be a dip, but it amuses me to see 007 through the eyes of a fangirl."
— Jessica (4 out of 5 stars)
‘'Ian Fleming keeps you riveted. His narrative pulls with the smooth power of Bond’s Thunderbird.’‘
— Sunday Telegraph (London)" I love the action and adventures in James Bond books. However, I am not impressed by how Ian Fleming portrayed the women in these books. The sad part is that I think he honestly thought that was how women thought. "
— Jen, 2/20/2014" I love the action and adventures in James Bond books. However, I am not impressed by how Ian Fleming portrayed the women in these books. The sad part is that I think he honestly thought that was how women thought. "
— Jen, 2/20/2014" these donuts are delicious! this book is bad! most of it is about a young woman's depressing sex life and trip to find herself. then she almost gets raped. then bond shows up and does a lousy job of being the hero. then he finally saves the day and you find out that "all women love semi-rape". the end. i'd like to know how they could possibly have slept in a motel that was burning down. the whole thing made no sense. "
— Arf, 2/18/2014" these donuts are delicious! this book is bad! most of it is about a young woman's depressing sex life and trip to find herself. then she almost gets raped. then bond shows up and does a lousy job of being the hero. then he finally saves the day and you find out that "all women love semi-rape". the end. i'd like to know how they could possibly have slept in a motel that was burning down. the whole thing made no sense. "
— Arf, 2/18/2014" a very enjoyable one star! "
— Liz, 2/5/2014" a very enjoyable one star! "
— Liz, 2/5/2014" My favorite James Bond book "
— Ellen, 2/1/2014" My favorite James Bond book "
— Ellen, 2/1/2014" While there are certainly some, shall we say, less-than-progressive views on women on display here, I appreciate Fleming's effort to present Bond in a different light. Vivienne may be a dip, but it amuses me to see 007 through the eyes of a fangirl. "
— Jessica, 1/16/2014" Excellent book. Much more interesting, I think, than the movie. "
— Tina, 1/11/2014" Excellent book. Much more interesting, I think, than the movie. "
— Tina, 1/11/2014" Hmmmm...all a bit odd really it's written from the main woman's perspective which bearing in mind Fleming is a complete misogynist is obviously a bit odd. You never for one minute believe in the character as a woman especially when she's espousing how 'all women like semi-rape'...blimey! Other than that it's a nuts and bolts thriller and when Bond does finally turn up you're just willing this entry to it's conclusion. "
— Matthew, 1/6/2014" Hmmmm...all a bit odd really it's written from the main woman's perspective which bearing in mind Fleming is a complete misogynist is obviously a bit odd. You never for one minute believe in the character as a woman especially when she's espousing how 'all women like semi-rape'...blimey! Other than that it's a nuts and bolts thriller and when Bond does finally turn up you're just willing this entry to it's conclusion. "
— Matthew, 1/6/2014" Dull Dull Violent Violent, only forgiven because it is such a product of it's time and author where men were men and women were men's accessories. "
— Susana, 1/5/2014" Dull Dull Violent Violent, only forgiven because it is such a product of it's time and author where men were men and women were men's accessories. "
— Susana, 1/5/2014" This is written as if by one of the 'Bond girls': an interesting idea, but not one of Fleming's best, I think. And that is definitely my personal opinion; others might think it is terrific. "
— Ros, 12/12/2013" This is written as if by one of the 'Bond girls': an interesting idea, but not one of Fleming's best, I think. And that is definitely my personal opinion; others might think it is terrific. "
— Ros, 12/12/2013" I'm trudging through the original Bond novels and this one was not one of the best. James doesn't show up until the last third of the book and then only to save the day. It's not a spy novel at all. Honestly, it kind of sucked. "
— Paul, 12/3/2013" I'm trudging through the original Bond novels and this one was not one of the best. James doesn't show up until the last third of the book and then only to save the day. It's not a spy novel at all. Honestly, it kind of sucked. "
— Paul, 12/3/2013" I got to say,as my first book of James Bond,this was extremely dissapointing.The classic picture of james Bond was replaced by a stumbling,forgetful man.The villians were almost hilarious and soo-childish!!Zero suspense,thrill or interesting facters. "
— Kim, 11/6/2013" I got to say,as my first book of James Bond,this was extremely dissapointing.The classic picture of james Bond was replaced by a stumbling,forgetful man.The villians were almost hilarious and soo-childish!!Zero suspense,thrill or interesting facters. "
— Kim, 11/6/2013" Fleming's first person female voice is not that convincing and comes across as both counterfeit and pervy, but its weirdness makes this one of the more interesting and enjoyable artifacts of Bond lore. "
— Thomas, 10/9/2013" Fleming's first person female voice is not that convincing and comes across as both counterfeit and pervy, but its weirdness makes this one of the more interesting and enjoyable artifacts of Bond lore. "
— Thomas, 10/9/2013" Very odd Bond narrative: most of it reads as Fleming's girlie bildungsroman and that turns out to be more interesting than the action sequence. I mean, who puts Bond in Canada. "
— Nathanielk, 2/10/2013" Very odd Bond narrative: most of it reads as Fleming's girlie bildungsroman and that turns out to be more interesting than the action sequence. I mean, who puts Bond in Canada. "
— Nathanielk, 2/10/2013" Nice that he tried to do something different than the usual Bond, but it didn't amount to much. He certainly has a way with stereotypes. At least it was brief. "
— Stephen, 2/7/2013" Nice that he tried to do something different than the usual Bond, but it didn't amount to much. He certainly has a way with stereotypes. At least it was brief. "
— Stephen, 2/7/2013" Easy to read. Not even remotely like the movie. It was a little too weirdly rape-fantasy pornish for my taste. Even taking into account different social norms from the 60s to now. Wouldn't particularly recommend it, but it did give me a certain perspective on the Bond franchise I hadn't had before. "
— Hadley, 12/28/2012" Easy to read. Not even remotely like the movie. It was a little too weirdly rape-fantasy pornish for my taste. Even taking into account different social norms from the 60s to now. Wouldn't particularly recommend it, but it did give me a certain perspective on the Bond franchise I hadn't had before. "
— Hadley, 12/28/2012" First Bond novel for me. I liked it. "
— Fritz, 1/14/2012" First Bond novel for me. I liked it. "
— Fritz, 1/14/2012" Not as good at the other JBs from Ian. Told from the chick he gets with at the end. Fairly offensive to ladies, this book is from the Mad Men days. "All women love semi-rape", nice. This reads more like a romance, and a boring one at that. "
— Bill, 10/4/2011" Not as good at the other JBs from Ian. Told from the chick he gets with at the end. Fairly offensive to ladies, this book is from the Mad Men days. "All women love semi-rape", nice. This reads more like a romance, and a boring one at that. "
— Bill, 10/4/2011" I read this long back. Still re-reading is so very enjoyable! "
— Suby, 3/31/2011" I read this long back. Still re-reading is so very enjoyable! "
— Suby, 3/31/2011" Interesting take on James Bond since the story is entirely told from the woman's perspective. "
— Timothy, 2/9/2011" Interesting take on James Bond since the story is entirely told from the woman's perspective. "
— Timothy, 2/9/2011" I'm a man who loves a girly story. It's awesome "
— Ender, 12/5/2010" I'm a man who loves a girly story. It's awesome "
— Ender, 12/5/2010" Not a bad book. It was pretty brave making the novel a 1st person narrative in the eyes of a woman. But it wasn't bad... just different. "
— Jenson-Francisco, 10/21/2010" Not a bad book. It was pretty brave making the novel a 1st person narrative in the eyes of a woman. But it wasn't bad... just different. "
— Jenson-Francisco, 10/21/2010" James Bond didn't show up until the last 1/3 of the book. Bad form Ian! "
— Dee, 9/21/2010" James Bond didn't show up until the last 1/3 of the book. Bad form Ian! "
— Dee, 9/21/2010" This is an unusual James Bond novel. The narrator is a woman, the story is mostly about her life, and James doesn't come in until the middle of the book. However, I really enjoyed it. "
— Talia, 8/23/2010" This is an unusual James Bond novel. The narrator is a woman, the story is mostly about her life, and James doesn't come in until the middle of the book. However, I really enjoyed it. "
— Talia, 8/23/2010" Fleming's first person female voice is not that convincing and comes across as both counterfeit and pervy, but its weirdness makes this one of the more interesting and enjoyable artifacts of Bond lore. "
— Thomas, 7/24/2010" Fleming's first person female voice is not that convincing and comes across as both counterfeit and pervy, but its weirdness makes this one of the more interesting and enjoyable artifacts of Bond lore. "
— Thomas, 7/24/2010" Deviant approach to narrative- an almost ludicrous exploration of gender standards blended with a runofthemill Bond hero scenario. "
— Dan, 6/28/2010" Deviant approach to narrative- an almost ludicrous exploration of gender standards blended with a runofthemill Bond hero scenario. "
— Dan, 6/28/2010Ian Fleming was born in London in 1908. He was educated at Eton and worked as a journalist in Moscow and a banker and stockbroker in London before becoming personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during the Second World War. He wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, at Goldeneye, his home in Jamaica, in 1952. Since then James Bond has gone on to become a global phenomenon.
Peter Serafinowicz is an award-winning English actor, writer, voice-artist, comedian, and director. He has appeared in films such as Shaun of the Dead and Couples Retreat. As a voice artist his roles have ranged from Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to Driver Dan in the CBeebies program StoryTrain.