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jlynnoh5's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! Block 46 by Johana Gustawsson was mind blowing. This was a thriller unlike anything I have read before. A hunt for a serial killer, woven in with elements of historical fiction, I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page and could not have predicted the ending if I tried.
The novel begins in Sweden, where a grisly murder has occurred. A woman has been found mutilated and left on the water's edge. The investigation gets underway, led by RCMP profiler, Emily Roy, currently working with Scotland Yard. Roy sees a connection between the woman's murder and the grisly deaths of young boys, both in London and Sweden. She joins forces with true crime writer, Alexis Castells to catch the killer. In the midst of this present day investigation, the novel flashes back to 1944, and Buchenwald concentration camp, where Erich Ebner is trying to survive unimaginable horrors. How do these two story lines connect? I won't spoil the plot, but I will say Gustawsson is an expert at creating mind-bending twists.
Gustawsson has created amazingly complex, detailed and intriguing characters. Roy and Castells are strong, intelligent women, who both struggle to deal with past tragedies, while evil itself is brought to life through the story's antagonist. Brutal, unforgiving and twisted, we are given chilling glimpses into the mind of the killer throughout the novel. I must say I was completely blown away when their identity was finally revealed.
Full review at: thismomreadsblog.wordpress.com
The novel begins in Sweden, where a grisly murder has occurred. A woman has been found mutilated and left on the water's edge. The investigation gets underway, led by RCMP profiler, Emily Roy, currently working with Scotland Yard. Roy sees a connection between the woman's murder and the grisly deaths of young boys, both in London and Sweden. She joins forces with true crime writer, Alexis Castells to catch the killer. In the midst of this present day investigation, the novel flashes back to 1944, and Buchenwald concentration camp, where Erich Ebner is trying to survive unimaginable horrors. How do these two story lines connect? I won't spoil the plot, but I will say Gustawsson is an expert at creating mind-bending twists.
Gustawsson has created amazingly complex, detailed and intriguing characters. Roy and Castells are strong, intelligent women, who both struggle to deal with past tragedies, while evil itself is brought to life through the story's antagonist. Brutal, unforgiving and twisted, we are given chilling glimpses into the mind of the killer throughout the novel. I must say I was completely blown away when their identity was finally revealed.
Full review at: thismomreadsblog.wordpress.com
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
I didn’t know anything about this book, I didn’t even read the blurb. Moreover, I had no idea that there is a historic Block 46. As such, the book Block 46 took me by complete surprise. I have to say, thanks to Orenda I’ve been expanding my literary horizons this year, and I’ve been learning a lot about WWII. After The Courier, this is the second book with a WWII storyline I’ve read this year. For those of you who don’t know the historic Block 46: it was a building in the German Buchenwald concentration camp where people were treated as lab rats, subjected to all kinds of experiments. While I knew those heinous acts were carried out during the war, I had never heard of Block 46. Let me assure you: the reader does not have to witness a lot of what went on in Block 46, this is not a detailed show-and-tell of all the gruesome crimes committed there.
The Block 46 / WWII storyline is outstanding historical fiction, gruesome, even more so because you know it’s based on real-life events. This storyline is set in the Buchenwald camp and forms the basis of the rest of the story; it’s the origin of the other main storyline, which centres around (a) serial killer(s) on the loose. I must say, that was quite the combo! Bodies have been found in London and Sweden, they seem marked in the same way, that must mean they are connected, doesn’t it? But who has ever heard of a serial killer spreading his hunting ground so wide? Does that mean there are two killers? And if so, are they working together? Oh my lovelies, all those questions that popped up in my mind and remained unanswered for the longest time! This part of the story is equally gruesome, but never in a cheap way. Blood is not spilled just for the heck of it, which is always very important to me.
This is Roy and Castells’ first outing and I loved meeting these two women. Alexis Castells is a crime writer, a smart, independent woman with a nosey, overbearing but adorable mum. Emily Roy is a renowned profiler, sharp as a tack but sometimes lacking in the people skills department. Both are tough, yet vulnerable, and very, very real. Roy and Castells are thrown in together through certain circumstances and team up to join in the frantic search for the culprit(s).
This is a dark and gritty thriller with a historic background that earned Johana Gustawsson the title of Queen of French Noir, deservedly so. I learned some history, but in the most entertaining way, if you’re a regular here you’ll know I always enjoy that. The focus though, is on the thriller side of the story, and also on the psychological aspect of war, and the question whether evil originates from nature or nurture. Highly recommended.
The audiobook is narrated by Mark Meadows (for the Buchenwald storyline) and Patricia Rodriguez, and they both did an awesome job, both in terms of giving the characters their voices, but also in terms of accents and pronunciation of German and Swedish words, names and places. Speaking of which, I’ve been having cravings for kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon buns) ever since listening to Block 46!
I have Keeper, the second book in this series, ready on my e-reader, but I may look into adding the narration since I enjoyed the Block 46 narrators so much and they also narrated Keeper. Later this year the third instalment, Blood Song, will arrive, so I’d better get a move on!
One last shout-out to the translator of Block 46 and Keeper: Maxim Jakubowski, who obviously did an excellent job bringing Johana’s words to life in English.
The Block 46 / WWII storyline is outstanding historical fiction, gruesome, even more so because you know it’s based on real-life events. This storyline is set in the Buchenwald camp and forms the basis of the rest of the story; it’s the origin of the other main storyline, which centres around (a) serial killer(s) on the loose. I must say, that was quite the combo! Bodies have been found in London and Sweden, they seem marked in the same way, that must mean they are connected, doesn’t it? But who has ever heard of a serial killer spreading his hunting ground so wide? Does that mean there are two killers? And if so, are they working together? Oh my lovelies, all those questions that popped up in my mind and remained unanswered for the longest time! This part of the story is equally gruesome, but never in a cheap way. Blood is not spilled just for the heck of it, which is always very important to me.
This is Roy and Castells’ first outing and I loved meeting these two women. Alexis Castells is a crime writer, a smart, independent woman with a nosey, overbearing but adorable mum. Emily Roy is a renowned profiler, sharp as a tack but sometimes lacking in the people skills department. Both are tough, yet vulnerable, and very, very real. Roy and Castells are thrown in together through certain circumstances and team up to join in the frantic search for the culprit(s).
This is a dark and gritty thriller with a historic background that earned Johana Gustawsson the title of Queen of French Noir, deservedly so. I learned some history, but in the most entertaining way, if you’re a regular here you’ll know I always enjoy that. The focus though, is on the thriller side of the story, and also on the psychological aspect of war, and the question whether evil originates from nature or nurture. Highly recommended.
The audiobook is narrated by Mark Meadows (for the Buchenwald storyline) and Patricia Rodriguez, and they both did an awesome job, both in terms of giving the characters their voices, but also in terms of accents and pronunciation of German and Swedish words, names and places. Speaking of which, I’ve been having cravings for kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon buns) ever since listening to Block 46!
I have Keeper, the second book in this series, ready on my e-reader, but I may look into adding the narration since I enjoyed the Block 46 narrators so much and they also narrated Keeper. Later this year the third instalment, Blood Song, will arrive, so I’d better get a move on!
One last shout-out to the translator of Block 46 and Keeper: Maxim Jakubowski, who obviously did an excellent job bringing Johana’s words to life in English.
1001chapitres's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.25
Je continue mon exploration d’un versant plus obscur des thrillers que j’avais soigneusement évité jusque là, me croyant trop douillette pour ces lectures. Et c’est sûr, on n’est pas dans un cosy mystery: ça énuclée, ça découpe au scalpel, ça torture même! Comme ça concerne souvent des enfants, le lectorat sensible est prévenu.
Pour le reste, Block 46 est un polar nordique franchement efficace qui a l’originalité de mêler Histoire avec un grand H et enquête policière. L’intrigue et les meurtres commis dans le présent sont en effet intimement liés aux horreurs perpétrées durant la deuxième guerre mondiale dans le camp de Buchenwald. Ça marche plutôt bien et Johana Gustawson maîtrise l’art de l’aller-retour entre les deux périodes.
J’ai quand même eu du mal à rentrer dans l’histoire, sans doute parce que je n’ai pas accroché aux personnages des deux enquêtrices, que j’ai trouvé peu approfondis. Une fois l’intrigue lancée, par contre, un vrai page turner! Je comprends que ça plaise aux adeptes de thrillers bien sombres et bien violents.
Pour le reste, Block 46 est un polar nordique franchement efficace qui a l’originalité de mêler Histoire avec un grand H et enquête policière. L’intrigue et les meurtres commis dans le présent sont en effet intimement liés aux horreurs perpétrées durant la deuxième guerre mondiale dans le camp de Buchenwald. Ça marche plutôt bien et Johana Gustawson maîtrise l’art de l’aller-retour entre les deux périodes.
J’ai quand même eu du mal à rentrer dans l’histoire, sans doute parce que je n’ai pas accroché aux personnages des deux enquêtrices, que j’ai trouvé peu approfondis. Une fois l’intrigue lancée, par contre, un vrai page turner! Je comprends que ça plaise aux adeptes de thrillers bien sombres et bien violents.
mishynast's review against another edition
4.0
Belle plume, tension permanente. A ne pas mettre entre toutes les mains- c’est lourd, c’est très dur, c’est très brutal, mais si on a le cœur et l’estomac bien accrochés, c’est une auteure à découvrir absolument.
melbsreads's review
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
2.5
Trigger warnings: Holocaust, murder, death, gore, graphic descriptions of murder, enucleation, death of a child, body horror, fire, animal death
I bought this over a year ago and then was never quite in the mood to read it. I thought for sure I was going to love this because Scandinavian crime tends to really work for me. What I didn't realise, however, is that this is actually FRENCH crime that happens to be set in Scandinavia. And French literature generally is NOT for me.
That proved very much to be the case here. I felt like I was wading through quicksand reading this. There was more character depth and detail about the killer than there was about the investigator protagonists. At least one of them (possibly two? Who's to say) is a profiler, but she never seems to actually do any profiling. Or much police work at all, to be quite honest.
The writing was strangely emotionally detached and I struggled to pick this up because I just wasn't really enjoying much about it. The reveal about the killer's identity was somewhat more interesting, but still not enough to save this from being aggressively mediocre for me.
I bought this over a year ago and then was never quite in the mood to read it. I thought for sure I was going to love this because Scandinavian crime tends to really work for me. What I didn't realise, however, is that this is actually FRENCH crime that happens to be set in Scandinavia. And French literature generally is NOT for me.
That proved very much to be the case here. I felt like I was wading through quicksand reading this. There was more character depth and detail about the killer than there was about the investigator protagonists. At least one of them (possibly two? Who's to say) is a profiler, but she never seems to actually do any profiling. Or much police work at all, to be quite honest.
The writing was strangely emotionally detached and I struggled to pick this up because I just wasn't really enjoying much about it. The reveal about the killer's identity was somewhat more interesting, but still not enough to save this from being aggressively mediocre for me.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.5
Finished reading: July 26th 2019
"Whatever she did, the words were dislodged by her thoughts; like a swarm of bees hounded from their hive, they scattered erratically, unable to organise themselves."
It's been three weeks since I finished reading Block 46 and I'm still struggling to get a word on paper. Oh yes, such is the power of this story! After multiple recommendations and reading fantastic reviews about both Block 46 and Keeper, I knew I could not go wrong with this series and I've been meaning to pick it up for quite some time now. I think the only reason I hesitated was that I knew I was going to be blown away and that it would be impossible to write a decent review afterwards... Guess what? That is EXACTLY what happened! Even three weeks later, I'm still recovering from the shock of this brilliant and harrowing read, but the time has come to stop procrastinating and try getting something constructive on paper. I do have a copy of Keeper waiting for me I want to read before the blog tour for Blood Song starts next month after all...
The first thing that stands out is that Block 46 is basically a combination of two of my favorite genres: historical fiction and crime fiction. Having both genres merged so beautifully and successfully was a huge bonus for me, as well as the fact that I have a weak spot for WWII stories and the chapters set in Buchenwald were both harrowing and fascinating at the same time. I've read my share of WWII fiction, and I truly believe Johana Gustawsson describes and developes the events in the Buchenwald concentration camp thoroughly and realistically. Shocking, gut-wrenching and definitely not for the weak-hearted, but then again the Holocaust was no picnic in the first place. The WWII flashbacks are expertly incorporated into the plot and give us background information as well as a possible explanation about what is happening in the present. They give this crime thriller an unique touch and really enhanced the reading experience for me.
Another thing I loved was the setting: I have a weak spot foreign settings and having part of the present story set in Sweden was a huge bonus for me. Descriptions of both London and Sweden setting were again thorough and really made both places come alive for me. I loved the references to Swedish culture and customs and it gave Block 46 another unique touch. Likewise, I found it to be really easy to connect to the main characters of this story. I've become an instant fan of Emily Roy and Alexis Castells, their character development well crafted and realistic and making me root for them as they try to get to the bottom of what is going on. I love that instead of having the typical detective leads, we have a profiler (Emily Roy) and a true-crime writer (Alexis Castells) instead. Talk about an interesting combination! The other characters were likewise well developed and I always love it when we get to glimpse inside the head of a serial killer.
The writing is beautiful and combined with the pace and plot I found myself to be fully absorbed in the story from the very first chapter. The structure of the plot is complex, with multiple POVs and flashbacks, adding to the richness of Block 46 and really taking this story to the next level. This story has also quite a few surprises for you in store; certain developments you definitely won't see coming and will leave you with your mouth hanging wide open. The suspense is well present and Block 46 definitely ends with a bang! This first book of what I already know will be a very successful series for me is a beautifully written and harrowing read, and 200% worth your time. If you enjoy unique crime thrillers and haven't met Emily Roy and Alexis Castells yet, now is the time to change that... Go get a copy! Trust me, you won't regret it.
linsreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
lgiegerich's review
3.0
Interesting ideas, but the flat affect I have noticed in Scandinavian-set (although this was originally written in French) mysteries.