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wanderlustsleeping's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
All week I've been craving a good thriller. I had borrowed the audiobook of a thriller last week from my library, was disappointed in it, and ended up putting it down after 65%. I've been working all year on reading my own books, and from a quick glance at my shelves saw that this one was the only straight mystery/thriller book on them. With this seeming like my only option for the genre I was looking for, I picked this up, and decided I was going to finish it no matter what.
I never want to read anything like this again. The subject matter was just way too horrific and unsettling. I'm not sure where I got this book recommendation, pretty sure probably on booktube years ago. Well, I've definitely changed since putting this on my to-read list. I'm finding that to be the case with a lot of books on my bookshelves that I had put on years ago, but am only picking up now, but this one is the most striking. I didn't know the subject matter going in, but I'm sure the quote on the front calling it "the most disturbing book" lured me in because horror, mysteries, thrillers, etc. I used to think the darker the better. Well, no thanks, not anymore! I've found my limit! Maybe it's because now I'm older, maybe it's because I'm entering a new stage in life, but I'm way more sensitive now. And I'm ok with that!
Now, onto more specific talk of the book. I think the structure was very well done. I could see one arguing it's too long and there's too much focus on characters that ends up being pointless and just to distract readers from the truth. This is partly true, the book does employ the method of speaking in less detail about the culprits, in order to avoid spoiling who they are, but the characters that get a lot of screen time so to speak are going through their own things, and especially for one of the characters it's extremely important that they have that long journey.
Overall, I'd never recommend this book to anyone, the authors are very clever with their writing and plot structure, finding out who the culprit was and their background was simultaneously disturbing and just so-so, and though the writing and unfolding of the plot is clever, you can tell this work has been translated.
All week I've been craving a good thriller. I had borrowed the audiobook of a thriller last week from my library, was disappointed in it, and ended up putting it down after 65%. I've been working all year on reading my own books, and from a quick glance at my shelves saw that this one was the only straight mystery/thriller book on them. With this seeming like my only option for the genre I was looking for, I picked this up, and decided I was going to finish it no matter what.
I never want to read anything like this again. The subject matter was just way too horrific and unsettling. I'm not sure where I got this book recommendation, pretty sure probably on booktube years ago. Well, I've definitely changed since putting this on my to-read list. I'm finding that to be the case with a lot of books on my bookshelves that I had put on years ago, but am only picking up now, but this one is the most striking. I didn't know the subject matter going in, but I'm sure the quote on the front calling it "the most disturbing book" lured me in because horror, mysteries, thrillers, etc. I used to think the darker the better. Well, no thanks, not anymore! I've found my limit! Maybe it's because now I'm older, maybe it's because I'm entering a new stage in life, but I'm way more sensitive now. And I'm ok with that!
Now, onto more specific talk of the book. I think the structure was very well done. I could see one arguing it's too long and there's too much focus on characters that ends up being pointless and just to distract readers from the truth. This is partly true, the book does employ the method of speaking in less detail about the culprits, in order to avoid spoiling who they are, but the characters that get a lot of screen time so to speak are going through their own things, and especially for one of the characters it's extremely important that they have that long journey.
Overall, I'd never recommend this book to anyone, the authors are very clever with their writing and plot structure, finding out who the culprit was and their background was simultaneously disturbing and just so-so, and though the writing and unfolding of the plot is clever, you can tell this work has been translated.
beckiebookworm1974's review against another edition
3.0
So Crow Girl is a tricky one for me to rate as there was so much here that I actually liked but also this for me had some real issues that I struggled with slightly.
So first the length I wasn't aware before embarking on this that this story was a trilogy that had been combined into one novel: If I had been I probably would have given The Crow Girl a miss as its quite an undertaking in resilience and endurance to stay steady for the whole nine yards.
I do think this would have been better-served releasing as individual novels: maybe then it wouldnt be such a daunting task to the casual strapped for time reader.
Failing that maybe some editorial work to lose some of the fluff and revamp this into a shorter novel: I feel that this would be an easy task as there was a lot here that in my opinion that didn't need to be included in the finished rereleased novel.
It worked when this was three: but as a single entity, it just made this a trifle long-winded in nature.
I also wasn't aware this was a translation: my bad as the author name listed was really such a clear indication in that regard.
This was for me was the first translation I have managed to stay fully committed throughout and despite the time it took me to get through this, for the most part, I thought that the translator had done a good job in making this lyrical and comprehensive: I did get confused slightly at times but I'm not sure if that was just the writing style or just my own personal comprehensive skills.
This was also written by two different authors working as a whole: I didn't feel this showed at all the two obviously complimented each other's styles very nicely.
I myself would have been oblivious of this fact if this hadn't actually been pointed out to me.
I did also feel that there was so much going on here that it was sometimes hard to keep up with the many separate story threads and directions this seemed to be heading in.
Also, the many names and characters were difficult to keep up with and I found myself getting turned around and having to re-read certain passages to find my place.
This is the main reason I have rated this down slightly but despite the above, it's the cleverly interwoven story itself which made this such a worthwhile endeavour.
I really had no idea at times where this was going: The Crow Girl most certainly in that respect kept me guessing throughout: I was certainly more than entertained with the fast-paced, thrilling suspensful dialogue used here.
This reflects on some harsh and chilling subjects: dipping its toe into extremely murky waters.
Encompassing mental health, child abuse and human trafficking.: also tackling bigoted attitude in a male-dominated profession and workplace: the crow girl really does contend with and explore some hard-hitting and far-reaching subject matter within its many pages.
So in conclusion, though I did enjoy this It wasn't an easy read: partly dues to the subject matter and also because of the length.
I will say this the attention to detail and intricate story-weaving was highly impressive some of the best ive encountered: it just needs, in my opinion, a bit of tightening: there's a danger in losing the readers attention when things go on way too long: just my ten cents though.
The Crow girl is dark psychological crime thriller with a powerful message to impart: it's also deeply disturbing and at times was not easy reading.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc of The Crow Girl.
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
msaari's review against another edition
4.0
Quite a fierce book. Read in a day, and I'll have to continue to the second part. Disturbing, horrifying and interesting. Well done.
yashwwrites's review against another edition
2.0
When I started reading The Crow Girl I couldn’t believe that it was written by two men. The main characters Jeanette Kihlberg (The Detective) and Sofia Zetterlund (The Psychologist) have their uniquely female challenges described with astonishing precision. It’s hard to imagine writers having this degree of insight without being of the same gender.
Even though Jeanette is a competent detective, she constantly contends with her superiors patronising her. Even though her male counterparts respect her, she worries her professionalism could be viewed as domineering.
Through Sofia, the reader has a front row seat to a show called ‘The Evil That Men Do.’ Through her, we get to see the underbelly of sexual abuse that The Crow Girl’s Sweden is filled with. Through her, we get to feel the psychological torture of surviving pedophilia and incest.
In the beginning, I really enjoyed how this duo came together. In the beginning, I couldn’t help but feel this was an alternate version of True Detective. Police procedure, crime scenes, and criminal analysis really fascinate me. But after completing the entire 768 page novel, I feel nothing more than relief from finishing something unpleasant.
That’s not to say that the writing is an intellectual challenge. On the contrary, the writing is so tepid that I wonder if there weren’t major losses due to two people putting it together. And after that, the original Swedish was translated into English. Maybe a lot of colour got washed out in the process. The best way I can put it: the writing is like salted chips.
You munch on them and in the beginning its fine but then you keep munching on them and you can’t help but feel like the inside of your mouth is turning into sand. Without giving approval to purple prose, I like my words and sentences with flavour to them. If someone told me this book was written by a program, I would be impressed by the program’s transcription.
And I strongly deny the Sunday Times testimonial that was on my cover: ‘A compulsive page-turner.’ From a plot stand point, I felt perpetually blue balled. Every time the story gained momentum, the book would go into flashback. And these flashbacks start off with such irritating fogginess, that you as the reader must continually strain themselves to get into flow again. This doesn't stop (as it should) after the first third. It keeps happening. All the way to the end.
And although these diversions contain opportunities for empathy - as a crime thriller reader I just want to know how we catch the bad guys.
And that’s where the characters flop. This is a 768 page serial killer investigation, and only in the last 100 pages you know who the actual killer is. Emphasis on ‘actual killer’ because you’re lead to believe its two other people. And then all those flashbacks finally come full circle. I’m all for humanizing criminals. I think there’s only so much depth in David Lynch-esque evil. But when little boys are mummified and their genitals dismembered, you as the reader are hoping for some comeuppance. Otherwise all the violence feels gratuitous. You come out of this dirty, not vindicated or full of vengeance.
I really did want to like The Crow Girl. I loved Jeanette. I loved Sofia. I loved the exploration of undocumented lives being expendable. I loved having a window into the prevalence of pedophilia in a superficially civilised society. And as always, I love crime scenes. How you get to them. How you explore them. How they’re created and how they’re solved. But when I ask myself, who’s the audience for The Crow Girl? The answer is no one.
Even though Jeanette is a competent detective, she constantly contends with her superiors patronising her. Even though her male counterparts respect her, she worries her professionalism could be viewed as domineering.
Through Sofia, the reader has a front row seat to a show called ‘The Evil That Men Do.’ Through her, we get to see the underbelly of sexual abuse that The Crow Girl’s Sweden is filled with. Through her, we get to feel the psychological torture of surviving pedophilia and incest.
In the beginning, I really enjoyed how this duo came together. In the beginning, I couldn’t help but feel this was an alternate version of True Detective. Police procedure, crime scenes, and criminal analysis really fascinate me. But after completing the entire 768 page novel, I feel nothing more than relief from finishing something unpleasant.
That’s not to say that the writing is an intellectual challenge. On the contrary, the writing is so tepid that I wonder if there weren’t major losses due to two people putting it together. And after that, the original Swedish was translated into English. Maybe a lot of colour got washed out in the process. The best way I can put it: the writing is like salted chips.
You munch on them and in the beginning its fine but then you keep munching on them and you can’t help but feel like the inside of your mouth is turning into sand. Without giving approval to purple prose, I like my words and sentences with flavour to them. If someone told me this book was written by a program, I would be impressed by the program’s transcription.
And I strongly deny the Sunday Times testimonial that was on my cover: ‘A compulsive page-turner.’ From a plot stand point, I felt perpetually blue balled. Every time the story gained momentum, the book would go into flashback. And these flashbacks start off with such irritating fogginess, that you as the reader must continually strain themselves to get into flow again. This doesn't stop (as it should) after the first third. It keeps happening. All the way to the end.
And although these diversions contain opportunities for empathy - as a crime thriller reader I just want to know how we catch the bad guys.
And that’s where the characters flop. This is a 768 page serial killer investigation, and only in the last 100 pages you know who the actual killer is. Emphasis on ‘actual killer’ because you’re lead to believe its two other people. And then all those flashbacks finally come full circle. I’m all for humanizing criminals. I think there’s only so much depth in David Lynch-esque evil. But when little boys are mummified and their genitals dismembered, you as the reader are hoping for some comeuppance. Otherwise all the violence feels gratuitous. You come out of this dirty, not vindicated or full of vengeance.
I really did want to like The Crow Girl. I loved Jeanette. I loved Sofia. I loved the exploration of undocumented lives being expendable. I loved having a window into the prevalence of pedophilia in a superficially civilised society. And as always, I love crime scenes. How you get to them. How you explore them. How they’re created and how they’re solved. But when I ask myself, who’s the audience for The Crow Girl? The answer is no one.
ennerfelt's review against another edition
5.0
Troligen den vidrigaste och otäckaste bok jag läst på länge. Kunde inte lägga ifrån mig den - därav läste jag ut den på strax under ett dygn.
castiellucis's review against another edition
3.0
'Nakon koliko patnje nanesene drugima čovjek prestaje biti čovjekom i postaje zvijer?'
Ima li boljih skandinavskih trilera? Ima. Radnja nije naročito kompleksna i razrađena, sve se događa relativno brzo, no mora se uzeti u obzir i to da se radi o prvom romanu u trilogiji. No, bez obzira na to, roman ima svojih posebnosti i sjajan plot twist. Osobno, nisam bio pretjerano oduševljen nesuvislim 'zvučnim zapisima' Victorie Bergman, iako se tu (psihoanalitički) već samo po sebi daje naslutiti mentalno stanje ovog lika.
Ima li boljih skandinavskih trilera? Ima. Radnja nije naročito kompleksna i razrađena, sve se događa relativno brzo, no mora se uzeti u obzir i to da se radi o prvom romanu u trilogiji. No, bez obzira na to, roman ima svojih posebnosti i sjajan plot twist. Osobno, nisam bio pretjerano oduševljen nesuvislim 'zvučnim zapisima' Victorie Bergman, iako se tu (psihoanalitički) već samo po sebi daje naslutiti mentalno stanje ovog lika.
juniperusxx's review against another edition
5.0
Ei tästä ainakaan raakuutta puuttunut! Ehkä hieman liikaakin lapsiin kohdistuvilla julmuuksilla mässäilyä ja muutakin väkivaltaa, mutta mukaansa tempaava juoni ja jatkuvasti lisääntyvä psykologinen jännite suorastaan pakotti kahmimaan loppuun. En voisi kuvitella, että joku voi jättää jatko-osat lukematta päästyään tämän ekan osan loppuun, sen verran koukuttavasti asiat jäivät auki! Onneksi hankin tämän trilogian pokkariboksina, joten siirryn suoraavaksi Unissakulkijaan :)
weesue's review against another edition
5.0
Wow what can I say. This book is really hard to read, there was some really horrific moments and some put the book down have 5 minutes and go back to it but overall I really, really enjoyed it.
I really liked the characters of Jeanette and Hurtig. I thought they both brought different emotions but the same feelings of absolute horror and helplessness a real police officer would feel. The breakdown of Jeanette's marriage and her problems with her son were a good side topic and showed the realities of life. This book was such a hard read and treated a horrible subject with just enough insight into the abuse and your own imagination. I would definetly read more by these authors. An utterly brilliant read and definetly one of my top books of the year!
I really liked the characters of Jeanette and Hurtig. I thought they both brought different emotions but the same feelings of absolute horror and helplessness a real police officer would feel. The breakdown of Jeanette's marriage and her problems with her son were a good side topic and showed the realities of life. This book was such a hard read and treated a horrible subject with just enough insight into the abuse and your own imagination. I would definetly read more by these authors. An utterly brilliant read and definetly one of my top books of the year!
shells's review against another edition
3.0
If I'm to understand, The Crow Girl is in fact, three books in one. I began it as a quest to fulfill the "Nordic Noir" category for the 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge. I had no idea what I was getting into. According to Amazon the paperback is 880 pages. 880 pages!? No wonder I had to borrow it from the library (Overdrive App) 3 times before I finished it. I know my reading has slowed down with work and school, but this was insane.
It kept me engrossed. It was confusing at times. There's a very large cast of characters, not all of them flesh and blood living humans. Though I might feel differently if I had read the three books as a trilogy rather than the whole story as one, I feel like there was a lot of filler and fluff. It could have been edited for length and still been just as good. (I'm wondering if this is typical of these books, as I found the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson to be equally as long-winded.) So, those times when it was a slog, I just kept pushing. Because I was curious to know the answers. I'm glad I stuck with it. It was difficult subject matter, but a good mystery. The characters weren't all that likeable, even the "good guys." There was quite a bit of jumping through time, as well as points of view. Threads were unraveled that were never fully followed. (Kihlberg's son and what happened with Sofia on the ferris wheel??) I don't feel as though I've wasted my life reading it but, I probably won't seek out others like it.
I do know I will be filling three categories on the challenge since it was a trilogy!
It kept me engrossed. It was confusing at times. There's a very large cast of characters, not all of them flesh and blood living humans. Though I might feel differently if I had read the three books as a trilogy rather than the whole story as one, I feel like there was a lot of filler and fluff. It could have been edited for length and still been just as good. (I'm wondering if this is typical of these books, as I found the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson to be equally as long-winded.) So, those times when it was a slog, I just kept pushing. Because I was curious to know the answers. I'm glad I stuck with it. It was difficult subject matter, but a good mystery. The characters weren't all that likeable, even the "good guys." There was quite a bit of jumping through time, as well as points of view. Threads were unraveled that were never fully followed. (Kihlberg's son and what happened with Sofia on the ferris wheel??) I don't feel as though I've wasted my life reading it but, I probably won't seek out others like it.
I do know I will be filling three categories on the challenge since it was a trilogy!
interpreterchangling's review against another edition
4.0
This was an action-packed book that was a challenging, joy to read. Mind-bending and provocative