Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Finished reading: January 18th 2021
"Feeding somebody's cat was like trying to plan a mini-break in Brigadoon."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
I simply couldn’t resist requesting a copy of Exit after reading Nicki’s review, and I'm so glad I did as I ended up having an excellent time with this story! I have a weak spot for stories with older main characters and having crime and humor combined sounded absolutely brilliant. A comparison to Jonas Jonasson's dark humor sealed the deal for me, and now I have read Exit I definitely stand by this comparison. This kind of dark humor might not be for everyone, but for me personally it was a perfect match and I loved every single minute of my time with Exit. Such an unique and well executed crime thriller!
I'm going to keep this review short as this is one of those books were it's best to go in blind to fully enjoy the experience. What I can say is that I loved the plot itself and the development of both the plot and plot twists is very clever indeed. I loved slowly discovering how everything and everyone fitted in, and I definitely didn't guess the full truth until the very end... The hints and clues just hidden enough to keep you on your toes while also having fun along the way.
The story is told mainly switching between main character Felix Pink and Calvin, a police officer investigating the case. This way, we get a better grip on what is exactly happening on both sides of the story, and the characters are both intriguing, flawed and well developed. Felix especially makes for a brilliant main character, and I loved the fact that his dog Mabel keeps popping up throughout the story as well. The rest of the cast is likewise intriguing and each adds their own two cents to the plot.
The Exiteer angle is fascinating and thought provoking at the same time, making you stand still by assisted suicide and terminally ill people lacking the option of a peaceful death... But also about what could go wrong. Death plays a big role in this story, and other serious topics as addiction and gambling likewise make their appearance. These heavier moments are well balanced with a healthy dose of humor and there were multiple moments I couldn't stop myself from snickering.
In short, Exit turned out to be such a unique mix of crime thriller and contemporary with a healthy dose of dark humor to lighten up the mood and easy to like characters you cannot help but start rooting for immediately. It's a story that will stay with me for quite some time, and I definitely can't wait to try more of her books now!
I started reading this and thought the plot was giving everything away too early but BOY WAS I WRONG. I didn't expect to give this 5 stars, I was sure it was going to be 4 when I reached part 2 but the ending completely got me.
There was smiles, tears and shock page after page after page. I didn't see any of it coming and it was just fantastic. Like nothing I've read before, if there's any book you should add to your list, it's this one!
There was smiles, tears and shock page after page after page. I didn't see any of it coming and it was just fantastic. Like nothing I've read before, if there's any book you should add to your list, it's this one!
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I feel like calling this 'efficient'. It's a good plot, well executed with a dry humour that made me laugh out load more than once. Yet somehow it also feels like an exercise in genre, and I want to know how it ends, but don't care all that much?
When I'm reviewing a book I usually make notes on my phone. The notes for Exit run to just one line ... I LOVE THIS!
Exit is probably the best crime fiction novel I have read for several years.
The characterisation, the plotting, the pace is absolutely spot on and I read it in about 6 hours. I was enthralled.
It may not be a novel for everyone as it deals with euthanasia and death throughout.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Exit is probably the best crime fiction novel I have read for several years.
The characterisation, the plotting, the pace is absolutely spot on and I read it in about 6 hours. I was enthralled.
It may not be a novel for everyone as it deals with euthanasia and death throughout.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting when I started this book - perhaps something more 'standard crime' from the title and description. Not that standard crime is a bad thing, and sometimes it's just exactly what I want to read. But with this story, I was instantly captivated, and I enjoyed it all the way through.
It reminded me, a little bit, of 'A man called Ove'. Perhaps because there was an elderly gentleman at the centre of it, but perhaps more because it is a story with heart. It is a cleverly plotted murder mystery, and it is also just a wonderful observation of a multitude of characters, all of whom come to life, quite beautifully. Felix is wonderful, as is his neighbour. And Skipper broke my heart.
Definitely recommended...good writing, all the way through.
It reminded me, a little bit, of 'A man called Ove'. Perhaps because there was an elderly gentleman at the centre of it, but perhaps more because it is a story with heart. It is a cleverly plotted murder mystery, and it is also just a wonderful observation of a multitude of characters, all of whom come to life, quite beautifully. Felix is wonderful, as is his neighbour. And Skipper broke my heart.
Definitely recommended...good writing, all the way through.
This was much more fun than I thought it be!
Felix is a 75 year old pensioner, after watching his wife suffer with dementia in her last days he joins the Exiteers. Now he spends his time with people in their last moments after they choose to end their own lives to avoid a similar fate. The problem is, one of these jobs goes badly wrong and everything seems to unravel from there.
It’s a wonderful mix of comedy and murder mystery, as well as those two genres mix. The humour was well done and I found myself laughing out loud a few times. The murder mystery/crime part isn’t the best I’ve read and how everything got tied together all seemed a little bit too convenient and rushed but there were a few twists and the concept was interesting enough to hold it together.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book given the description so I was pleasantly surprised. Assisted suicide is an interesting topic of debate and while this doesn’t delve deeply into the discussion around it I did find it a refreshing take on the matter.
Felix is a 75 year old pensioner, after watching his wife suffer with dementia in her last days he joins the Exiteers. Now he spends his time with people in their last moments after they choose to end their own lives to avoid a similar fate. The problem is, one of these jobs goes badly wrong and everything seems to unravel from there.
It’s a wonderful mix of comedy and murder mystery, as well as those two genres mix. The humour was well done and I found myself laughing out loud a few times. The murder mystery/crime part isn’t the best I’ve read and how everything got tied together all seemed a little bit too convenient and rushed but there were a few twists and the concept was interesting enough to hold it together.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book given the description so I was pleasantly surprised. Assisted suicide is an interesting topic of debate and while this doesn’t delve deeply into the discussion around it I did find it a refreshing take on the matter.
dnf at about halfway
i stopped reading this book partly because it just felt somewhat bleh, partly because it was due at the library and i didn't really feel a huge need to renew it. perhaps that stems from the fact that i didn't get to read it for three weeks since i was backpacking, so coming back to it felt strange. i did really love the premise of the book and i wanted to find out what was going to happen to the characters and all that, but i just didn't want to continue reading. i might come back to this book though which is why i'm not going to rate it quite yet
i stopped reading this book partly because it just felt somewhat bleh, partly because it was due at the library and i didn't really feel a huge need to renew it. perhaps that stems from the fact that i didn't get to read it for three weeks since i was backpacking, so coming back to it felt strange. i did really love the premise of the book and i wanted to find out what was going to happen to the characters and all that, but i just didn't want to continue reading. i might come back to this book though which is why i'm not going to rate it quite yet
relaxing