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laurenleigh's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m getting to the end of the year where I have random reading challenge prompts left, and this was my pick for Nordic Noir. I love a mystery detective novel, but the super dark, explicit, gritty quality to Nordic Noir just turns me off. Maybe I just wasn’t enjoying it, but it also felt like there could have been some editing. They are certain they found the culprit like five times before they actually solve the case.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Gore, Murder, and Body horror
itsjadenbaby's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This was simply not a book for me. The amount of times I started and stopped reading was absurd. It was really giving me reading slump vibes. However, if I’m going to say something positive about it (and I will since I know some people would and have eaten this book up) it would be that the author is very creative. I haven’t read murders like this before. Nor have I read a plot or reasoning for killing like this before! I don’t think that makes up for how convoluted and confusing the whole plot and story structure was, but it’s something.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Misogyny
Minor: Gun violence
ruthmoog's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
My favourite thing about this was descriptions of Norway, specifically Bergen - the rainiest city in Europe - and Oslo - even the Kon Tiki museum gets a mention! - and Flåm too. Although, these are the scene for some grizzly unusual murders in the book.
Harry is an anti-hero, living with addiction and a dual reputation as a great detective and a terrible detective. He is fixated on sex and this seems to impact on all his relationships with women, and this feels like a book written from a male perspective.
There are lots of sub-plots which are parallels, eg the difference between Mathias and Rakels reactions to infedelity, the relationship to Norway's African communities through the shop and the unofficial medical clinic and the relationship with racism and popularity.
But mostly there are so many clunky absurd happenings, from the symbolic snowmen, the surreal action-movie montents from Harry, the mould man, the super clever detective moments juxtaposed with the super stupid detective moments... Argh.
Anyway, I thought it was good but not amazing. The murders were creative and horrible. I felt it would make a good movie, so I will probably watch the film interpretation.
Harry is an anti-hero, living with addiction and a dual reputation as a great detective and a terrible detective. He is fixated on sex and this seems to impact on all his relationships with women, and this feels like a book written from a male perspective.
There are lots of sub-plots which are parallels, eg the difference between Mathias and Rakels reactions to infedelity, the relationship to Norway's African communities through the shop and the unofficial medical clinic and the relationship with racism and popularity.
But mostly there are so many clunky absurd happenings, from the symbolic snowmen, the surreal action-movie montents from Harry, the mould man, the super clever detective moments juxtaposed with the super stupid detective moments... Argh.
Anyway, I thought it was good but not amazing. The murders were creative and horrible. I felt it would make a good movie, so I will probably watch the film interpretation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Incest, Violence, Death of parent, Body shaming, Body horror, Blood, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Torture, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Addiction
Moderate: Suicide, Bullying, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Cursing, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Stalking and Child abuse
Medical ethics abuse, stealing of personal datanila's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism
suneaters's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
While this was an interesting premise, there were too many red herrings (the mold guy, Doctor Idar, Professor Becker, Avre Strøp, and Katrine Bratt) and reading heterosexual sex scenes was very unpleasant. If I never hear anything ever again about jacking off into a sink or an erect penis, I will die happy. Other than that, I liked the mystery and the creativity of the crime from the author. I did laugh at the main character's name, but if you can get past that he's an interesting fella. I hadn't read any from this series except for this one, but I wasn't confused. It was easy to get into. The only likable ones were really Katrine Bratt née Rafto, Jonas, and Oleg. I was 100% on board with her even when Nesbø tries to make us think she's the Snowman. I was like yes you go girl. You murder your dad, you get those guys. But no, she's not the killer. It's Harry's exs new guy—Doctor No-Nips Mathias. I was alright with him as the killer since he's been around the whole story as a fairly innocuous character. Nesbø throws us off since Harry dislikes him on principle since he's Rakel's new guy. His guard is lowered which allows Mathias to fool him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism
alylentz's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Read this for a class--really long, the translation can make it a little clunky at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Gore, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual violence
nila's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A young boy and his father is preparing dinner while waiting for their mother to come home. While waiting, the boy looks outside the window to see a snowman. But there is something that strikes him as odd about the snowman. It is standing the wrong way. Facing the house with that smile on its face...
Once again, detective Harry Hole faces a difficult case when he recieves anynomous letters signed by "Snømannen". After some investigation, Hole finds connections to old cases with women disappearing on the first day of snow. Soon, Harry Hole has a serialkiller on his hands and the tracks leads him back in time and to the city of Bergen.
----
For those who decide to read this book and isn't particularly fond of scary things... DO NOT read it during the winter-time... I did and had to give up. Instead I read it during my summer holiday and when I had finished it, at 2am, I was to mortified to get out of bed and turn off the lights...
Once again, detective Harry Hole faces a difficult case when he recieves anynomous letters signed by "Snømannen". After some investigation, Hole finds connections to old cases with women disappearing on the first day of snow. Soon, Harry Hole has a serialkiller on his hands and the tracks leads him back in time and to the city of Bergen.
----
For those who decide to read this book and isn't particularly fond of scary things... DO NOT read it during the winter-time... I did and had to give up. Instead I read it during my summer holiday and when I had finished it, at 2am, I was to mortified to get out of bed and turn off the lights...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism
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