A review by foggy_rosamund
The Blue Place by Nicola Griffith

3.0

Have you ever wanted to either be or date a six-foot tall Norwegian lesbian who knows 100 different ways to kill a person? Then is this ever the book for you! Aud is wealthy, sophisticated, intelligent, strong and quick-thinking. She is emotionally distant from everyone around here, but when Julia, a beautiful young art dealer, asks her for help, Aud can't help but be drawn in. This book feels very much like wish-fulfillment: Aud is a superhero character, larger-than-life. Unfortunately for me, I've never either wanted to be or date Aud, and her lack of moral accountability makes me uncomfortable, but I can see how this book could be extremely cathartic. Griffith is also a skillful writer, who manages to create some truly beautiful moments -- both in her descriptions of place and landscape, and in her evocation of emotion. I found this book compelling and enjoyable, even though it didn't really feel like it was for me.