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patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
Last year I read The Bomber as part of the Transworld Book Club and whilst I had reservations, I said I'd give Annika, the main character, a second chance. I took the offer of a review copy of Vanished as a sign. At this point, I need to point out I am not reading this series in chronological order and you may very well enjoy it more if you start at the beginning.
Vanished is, chronologically, the second book featuring Annika Bengtzon and these events happen years before those of The Bomber. Annika is working as a copy editor at the Evening Post in Stockholm. It would seem that after the events of the previous book, she has been demoted because she killed a man in self defence. Bear with me here, I was rather confused at first. There's a friendly little note saying the story follows on from Exposed but the books can be enjoyed by themselves. Fair enough. Yet if you have read The Bomber (published by Corgi last year), it might make more sense to go right back to the beginning. Otherwise you'll be spending the first 100 pages working out what hasn't happened yet or what has happened but you didn't read about. Confused yet?
Once I'd got my facts straight, I did worry that it was going to focus on newspaper politics again but this does tail off after a few chapters. Whilst she might well work in a sexist environment, Annika isn't the model employee, keeping secrets and disappearing out the office without informing her colleagues. For a young copy editor I think she is very lucky to have succeeded in her job and it has nothing to do with her being a woman.
Fortunately for me, the bulk of the book deals with the mystery of Paradise, an organisation which promises to help women in need. They help these people vanish in the eyes of the world. After an initial meeting with the founder, Annika comes into contact with a terrified young woman, convinced that she is being hunted. She directs the woman to Paradise without thinking. Later, she starts to suspect that the organisation isn't quite as benevolent as it seems and worries she's sent the woman to a fraud. I found the main storyline pacey and enjoyable.
I'm not entirely sure the personal parts fitted in with the rest of the plot but again this might be caused by my reading out of order. Possibly Marklund just wanted a few reasons for Annika to have a breakdown, but she already seemed fragile to start with and adding bereavement, a horrible mother, abandonment and other personal issues seemed a bit much. She also didn't seem to be the kind of person I'd expect to fall in love in one night, let alone when she didn't like the man much a few days before. Knowing what happens in her future, I was expecting it, yet it still was all too sudden.
I have softened towards Annika. Maybe I would have been kinder to her before had I read the series from the beginning.
Vanished is, chronologically, the second book featuring Annika Bengtzon and these events happen years before those of The Bomber. Annika is working as a copy editor at the Evening Post in Stockholm. It would seem that after the events of the previous book, she has been demoted because she killed a man in self defence. Bear with me here, I was rather confused at first. There's a friendly little note saying the story follows on from Exposed but the books can be enjoyed by themselves. Fair enough. Yet if you have read The Bomber (published by Corgi last year), it might make more sense to go right back to the beginning. Otherwise you'll be spending the first 100 pages working out what hasn't happened yet or what has happened but you didn't read about. Confused yet?
Once I'd got my facts straight, I did worry that it was going to focus on newspaper politics again but this does tail off after a few chapters. Whilst she might well work in a sexist environment, Annika isn't the model employee, keeping secrets and disappearing out the office without informing her colleagues. For a young copy editor I think she is very lucky to have succeeded in her job and it has nothing to do with her being a woman.
Fortunately for me, the bulk of the book deals with the mystery of Paradise, an organisation which promises to help women in need. They help these people vanish in the eyes of the world. After an initial meeting with the founder, Annika comes into contact with a terrified young woman, convinced that she is being hunted. She directs the woman to Paradise without thinking. Later, she starts to suspect that the organisation isn't quite as benevolent as it seems and worries she's sent the woman to a fraud. I found the main storyline pacey and enjoyable.
I'm not entirely sure the personal parts fitted in with the rest of the plot but again this might be caused by my reading out of order. Possibly Marklund just wanted a few reasons for Annika to have a breakdown, but she already seemed fragile to start with and adding bereavement, a horrible mother, abandonment and other personal issues seemed a bit much. She also didn't seem to be the kind of person I'd expect to fall in love in one night, let alone when she didn't like the man much a few days before. Knowing what happens in her future, I was expecting it, yet it still was all too sudden.
I have softened towards Annika. Maybe I would have been kinder to her before had I read the series from the beginning.
jasmiinaf's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not reading these books in any sensible order but it's kind of interesting to see how everything started now that I have read what also happens in the future for Annika.
santae's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
myrthekorf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
madeleinehelena's review against another edition
3.0
Tycker om Marklunds sätt att skriva och jag tycker Bengtzon är intressant som karaktär, men jag fann aldrig själva storyn särskilt fängslande. Kanske är lite morbid av mig, men vill gärna läsa deckare som kretsar kring något mer obehagligt och som manar mig att fortsätta vända blad, dvs sträckläsa, fram till fallets lösning. Hoppas på att de övriga böckerna i serien som jag ännu inte läst ska föra mig närmare denna känsla.
tt569's review
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
slipperbunny's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not reading these books in any sensible order but it's kind of interesting to see how everything started now that I have read what also happens in the future for Annika.
rebeka_r's review against another edition
3.0
I'm always looking for authors I haven't read so far and then love adding them to my favourite authors list and expanding it. So the next time I go to library I know right away who to look for. Usually I come home with at least one book by each author from that list. And every once in a while I borrow a book by someone new for me. This time I borrowed a book by Liza Marklund.
I have to admit when comes to thrillers I'm easily satisfied. I can't say that for this book though. I'm not saying that I didn't like the book because I did and once I started reading it I didn't stop until I finished but all the time I had a feeling that something is missing.
I didn't worry and fear for main characters. I wasn't excited or couldn't wait to continue reading because chapter ended with cliffhanger. To be honest I didn't feel anything. It didn't glue me to pages like I hoped it would.
The most interesting part for me in the book was relationship between Annika and Thomas and that's just because since the start I had a feeling that they end up together and I wanted to know if I was right. This was the most important to me. Not who killed those two men or what Paradise is and that tells a lot. In thrillers relationships aren't supposed to be the main story.
As for the main topic in this book... I didn't like the turn the book took in the end. I had a feeling that the whole book was about something else (Paradise) and I didn't like how fast it ended. Everything was solved even before all those new informations could sink into readers mind.
So in conclusion I have a mixed feelings about this book. I like it in general but there are some parts in the book that I didn't like. What I can say for sure is that I will put her on the list (in case I won't find any book from my favourite authors) so I will probably read some of her other books and I hope I'll like those better than this one.
I have to admit when comes to thrillers I'm easily satisfied. I can't say that for this book though. I'm not saying that I didn't like the book because I did and once I started reading it I didn't stop until I finished but all the time I had a feeling that something is missing.
I didn't worry and fear for main characters. I wasn't excited or couldn't wait to continue reading because chapter ended with cliffhanger. To be honest I didn't feel anything. It didn't glue me to pages like I hoped it would.
The most interesting part for me in the book was relationship between Annika and Thomas and that's just because since the start I had a feeling that they end up together and I wanted to know if I was right. This was the most important to me. Not who killed those two men or what Paradise is and that tells a lot. In thrillers relationships aren't supposed to be the main story.
As for the main topic in this book... I didn't like the turn the book took in the end. I had a feeling that the whole book was about something else (Paradise) and I didn't like how fast it ended. Everything was solved even before all those new informations could sink into readers mind.
So in conclusion I have a mixed feelings about this book. I like it in general but there are some parts in the book that I didn't like. What I can say for sure is that I will put her on the list (in case I won't find any book from my favourite authors) so I will probably read some of her other books and I hope I'll like those better than this one.
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