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thebooktrail88's review
5.0
bibliobethreads's review
5.0
All my favourite bloggers have been telling me to read this novel from the Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson and I've been putting it off for goodness knows how long but there came a time when I could no longer delay the inevitable and I finally succumbed, gave in, folded, (however else you want to describe it) and all I can say is THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE. This debut novel and the first in a new series is the most excited I've been about a debut since Cara Hunter's Close To Home and I devoured it within a couple of days, reluctant to return to ordinary life each time I picked it up, it was that compelling and had me thoroughly enraptured by the power of both the subject matter and the extraordinary writing.
Like many of my other preferred narrative styles, Block 46 takes place across two time periods. The first is the present day and follows two women, crime writer Alexis Castells and profiler Emily Roy who team up when a series of gruesome murders plague both London and Sweden. Are the murders committed by the same people? Is it a single serial killer or a duo? Why in particular has the killer(s) chosen to focus on these geographical areas? Then the author takes us back to the past, the 1940's to be exact where we follow a man, Erich Hebner who is incarcerated in the brutal Buchenwald concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Roy and Castells must discover how these two time-lines are connected and attempt to stop a crazed killer who will stop at nothing in order to carry out his convoluted, incredibly twisted little mission.
I don't know how eloquent I'm going to be at convincing you that if you haven't read this book yet and you enjoy a gritty, shocking piece of crime fiction, you should pick this book up immediately. I feel a bit cross with myself for not picking this book up earlier myself as I was completely engrossed as soon as I had got to the end of the first page! I don't often do one-off Tweets about a book I'm currently reading unless I have very strong opinions about the novel either way but with Block 46, I just couldn't help myself. Part of it is set during one of my favourite periods of history to read about, Nazi Germany but I felt this author found brand new ways to tell me about the suffering of prisoners in the camps that opened my eyes as if I had been reading about the horrors for the very first time. It was intense, it was horrific, it was emotional and grotesque all at the same time. There were some events that occurred where I thought I wouldn't be able to bear it but even through this, I prevailed because I literally couldn't put this book down.
I couldn't help but think as I was reading about how the treatment of the prisoners in concentration camps actually happened. It was this cold, it was this cruel, it was this malicious. The author's grandfather was actually liberated from Buchenwald camp in 1945 so it's plain that she has not only a very personal connection to the atrocities perpetuated in that place but has carried out her research diligently and sensitively. On another note and credit to the translator, at no point did it feel like I was reading a translated work, it felt just as raw, sharp and honest in English as I'm sure it does in the author's native French. Let me just take a moment and mention the characters also, particularly Roy and Castells who I immediately warmed to and who definitely have mysterious depths that I'm hoping get probed a bit further in future books in the series. I especially loved the enigmatic Emily Roy, a no nonsense, blunt, independent woman who is quite the closed book when we first meet her and doesn't always behave in a socially acceptable way (I can relate to this, I'm incredibly awkward at times!) but there are reasons behind her "poker face" demeanour that we start to discover near the end of the novel and personally, it was really affecting for me.
Finally, can we PLEASE talk about that ending. This is actually when I tweeted my message, it made me gasp out loud whilst waiting in a coffee shop for a hospital appointment and I got quite a few odd looks in return when customers saw the *gasp* was about a book. I know you bookworms would understand though?! All I can say about it is that it was pure and utter brilliance. I didn't see it coming, I don't think you could ever predict it and it elevated the author and her talent to even greater heights in my eyes. Now that I'm thinking about the way I delayed reading this book, I'm actually pretty glad I did. It meant I could immediately order the second book from Johana Gustawsson, called Keeper straight after I had finished reading Block 46, something I'm not sure I've ever done before. I can already tell that this author has the potential to become a firm favourite where I buy/pre-order her books the second I get the chance to and Block 46 has certainly earned its place on my favourites shelf where I look forward to reading it again in the future.
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
Like many of my other preferred narrative styles, Block 46 takes place across two time periods. The first is the present day and follows two women, crime writer Alexis Castells and profiler Emily Roy who team up when a series of gruesome murders plague both London and Sweden. Are the murders committed by the same people? Is it a single serial killer or a duo? Why in particular has the killer(s) chosen to focus on these geographical areas? Then the author takes us back to the past, the 1940's to be exact where we follow a man, Erich Hebner who is incarcerated in the brutal Buchenwald concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Roy and Castells must discover how these two time-lines are connected and attempt to stop a crazed killer who will stop at nothing in order to carry out his convoluted, incredibly twisted little mission.
I don't know how eloquent I'm going to be at convincing you that if you haven't read this book yet and you enjoy a gritty, shocking piece of crime fiction, you should pick this book up immediately. I feel a bit cross with myself for not picking this book up earlier myself as I was completely engrossed as soon as I had got to the end of the first page! I don't often do one-off Tweets about a book I'm currently reading unless I have very strong opinions about the novel either way but with Block 46, I just couldn't help myself. Part of it is set during one of my favourite periods of history to read about, Nazi Germany but I felt this author found brand new ways to tell me about the suffering of prisoners in the camps that opened my eyes as if I had been reading about the horrors for the very first time. It was intense, it was horrific, it was emotional and grotesque all at the same time. There were some events that occurred where I thought I wouldn't be able to bear it but even through this, I prevailed because I literally couldn't put this book down.
I couldn't help but think as I was reading about how the treatment of the prisoners in concentration camps actually happened. It was this cold, it was this cruel, it was this malicious. The author's grandfather was actually liberated from Buchenwald camp in 1945 so it's plain that she has not only a very personal connection to the atrocities perpetuated in that place but has carried out her research diligently and sensitively. On another note and credit to the translator, at no point did it feel like I was reading a translated work, it felt just as raw, sharp and honest in English as I'm sure it does in the author's native French. Let me just take a moment and mention the characters also, particularly Roy and Castells who I immediately warmed to and who definitely have mysterious depths that I'm hoping get probed a bit further in future books in the series. I especially loved the enigmatic Emily Roy, a no nonsense, blunt, independent woman who is quite the closed book when we first meet her and doesn't always behave in a socially acceptable way (I can relate to this, I'm incredibly awkward at times!) but there are reasons behind her "poker face" demeanour that we start to discover near the end of the novel and personally, it was really affecting for me.
Finally, can we PLEASE talk about that ending. This is actually when I tweeted my message, it made me gasp out loud whilst waiting in a coffee shop for a hospital appointment and I got quite a few odd looks in return when customers saw the *gasp* was about a book. I know you bookworms would understand though?! All I can say about it is that it was pure and utter brilliance. I didn't see it coming, I don't think you could ever predict it and it elevated the author and her talent to even greater heights in my eyes. Now that I'm thinking about the way I delayed reading this book, I'm actually pretty glad I did. It meant I could immediately order the second book from Johana Gustawsson, called Keeper straight after I had finished reading Block 46, something I'm not sure I've ever done before. I can already tell that this author has the potential to become a firm favourite where I buy/pre-order her books the second I get the chance to and Block 46 has certainly earned its place on my favourites shelf where I look forward to reading it again in the future.
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
meloches's review
5.0
Well, I am going to cut to the chase people. Block 46, by Johana Gustawsson, absolutely blew me away. This book will end up being one of my favourite reads of the year. Hands down. No questions.
This book wears so many hats; it truly is a book for everyone. Fans of historical fiction will love its general premise rooted in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Suspense and mystery fans will devour its ominous tone, it’s red herrings and intricate, meticulously weaved storyline. Thriller fans will be impressed with the pace, the jaw-dropping plot twist, and the creepy nature of the serial killer character.
In this story, multiple things are happening right from the first pages. In 2014, in Sweden, a body of a woman is discovered and investigators begin to hunt down the perpetrator. Not far, in England, the bodies of young boys are being discovered in shallow graves, the work of another serial killer. Emily Roy, an RCMP (yeah Canada!) and a profiler on loan to the Scotland Yard begins working alongside true crime writer Alexis Castells to investigate these cases. Meanwhile, the novel flashes back and forth to 1944 to Buchenwald Concentration Camp where Enrich Ebner is suffering in the midst of the Holocaust.
Continuously throughout my reading, I was torn. Normally something stands out for me in a book. There is a narration I am biased towards, a character I prefer or someone’s story I wish to hear more of. This novel left me with none of those feelings. Each story I wanted to absorb fully. Each narration I devoured and each character brought something so deliciously dark and disturbing to the text. As far as I am concerned, Gustawsson is a literary genius.
I do not want to say any more for fear of spoiling any of this plot, but I will say one thing: if you are going to read one novel this year. Make it Block 46. I am still reeling.
5/5 stars. Can I rate a book a 6?
This book wears so many hats; it truly is a book for everyone. Fans of historical fiction will love its general premise rooted in the Second World War and the Holocaust. Suspense and mystery fans will devour its ominous tone, it’s red herrings and intricate, meticulously weaved storyline. Thriller fans will be impressed with the pace, the jaw-dropping plot twist, and the creepy nature of the serial killer character.
In this story, multiple things are happening right from the first pages. In 2014, in Sweden, a body of a woman is discovered and investigators begin to hunt down the perpetrator. Not far, in England, the bodies of young boys are being discovered in shallow graves, the work of another serial killer. Emily Roy, an RCMP (yeah Canada!) and a profiler on loan to the Scotland Yard begins working alongside true crime writer Alexis Castells to investigate these cases. Meanwhile, the novel flashes back and forth to 1944 to Buchenwald Concentration Camp where Enrich Ebner is suffering in the midst of the Holocaust.
Continuously throughout my reading, I was torn. Normally something stands out for me in a book. There is a narration I am biased towards, a character I prefer or someone’s story I wish to hear more of. This novel left me with none of those feelings. Each story I wanted to absorb fully. Each narration I devoured and each character brought something so deliciously dark and disturbing to the text. As far as I am concerned, Gustawsson is a literary genius.
I do not want to say any more for fear of spoiling any of this plot, but I will say one thing: if you are going to read one novel this year. Make it Block 46. I am still reeling.
5/5 stars. Can I rate a book a 6?
steph1rothwell's review
5.0
I had heard plenty about Block 46 prior to reading it. But nothing I had heard prepared me for what I would be reading. It is probably one of the most chilling and thought provoking books that I have ever read. One that can still make me feel edgy a week after finishing it.
It is mainly set in the modern day in England and Sweden where detectives from each country are joined by Alexis who was a close friend of the latest victim and Emily a profiler. They were all trying to find out who was responsible for murders in both countries.
But there are also parts of the novel that are set in Buchenwald in 1944/45. I have read a few novels that mention the Holocaust before but never before have I read anything that felt as personal and affected me as much as this. The cruelty and random acts of violence, the hunger, the stench, loneliness, and the desperation all had a huge impact on me. One section of the novel towards the end left me freezing cold and in tears. It also had me re-evaluating a section of the novel I had read earlier and how different events are when seen through another person’s eyes. As the novel progresses you see how the two stories connect but the author is very clever. At no point during the narration did I see or work out anything.
The relationship between Alexis and her parents was light relief during the novel even though they only appear briefly. I liked Alexis and Emily, at times they seemed to clash but I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationship progresses. I think there is a lot more to learn about Emily.
I found the story strong enough to work out well as a series but the Buchenwald storyline made this book so much more than a usual crime novel. This was an account that needed to be told and has catapulted it into my top ten list of books read. Not just in 2017 but my all-time top ten.
With thanks to the publisher for my copy received.
It is mainly set in the modern day in England and Sweden where detectives from each country are joined by Alexis who was a close friend of the latest victim and Emily a profiler. They were all trying to find out who was responsible for murders in both countries.
But there are also parts of the novel that are set in Buchenwald in 1944/45. I have read a few novels that mention the Holocaust before but never before have I read anything that felt as personal and affected me as much as this. The cruelty and random acts of violence, the hunger, the stench, loneliness, and the desperation all had a huge impact on me. One section of the novel towards the end left me freezing cold and in tears. It also had me re-evaluating a section of the novel I had read earlier and how different events are when seen through another person’s eyes. As the novel progresses you see how the two stories connect but the author is very clever. At no point during the narration did I see or work out anything.
The relationship between Alexis and her parents was light relief during the novel even though they only appear briefly. I liked Alexis and Emily, at times they seemed to clash but I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationship progresses. I think there is a lot more to learn about Emily.
I found the story strong enough to work out well as a series but the Buchenwald storyline made this book so much more than a usual crime novel. This was an account that needed to be told and has catapulted it into my top ten list of books read. Not just in 2017 but my all-time top ten.
With thanks to the publisher for my copy received.
sarahs_bookish_life's review
5.0
Block 46 is a story that flicks between present day and back to 1944. The holocaust is something that has always interested me and I have read lots of books on the subject. Reading the chapters that were set in the concentration camp was just as chilling as reading the many true stories that are out there. They are very dark and disturbing and the author without a doubt had my full attention.
I enjoyed the novel being set between Sweden and London. I think it always adds something to a story when it isn’t just set in one area. It’s good to see that when needed, the police force will reach out to different people from different countries in the hope of solving a crime. It’s always interesting to see the point of view of a character that’s a profiler also. That is one profession that has always intrigued me and made the story even more appealing.
There are so many elements of this story that just reached out and grabbed me. Apart from it being extremely dark and disturbing in parts, it has everything I love in a crime novel. From the first time I heard about this novel, I knew I had to read it and now having read it, all I can say is that I can not wait to read more by the author. A spine chilling read that is perfect for readers who love their crime books more darker and thrilling.
My thanks to Orenda books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
I enjoyed the novel being set between Sweden and London. I think it always adds something to a story when it isn’t just set in one area. It’s good to see that when needed, the police force will reach out to different people from different countries in the hope of solving a crime. It’s always interesting to see the point of view of a character that’s a profiler also. That is one profession that has always intrigued me and made the story even more appealing.
There are so many elements of this story that just reached out and grabbed me. Apart from it being extremely dark and disturbing in parts, it has everything I love in a crime novel. From the first time I heard about this novel, I knew I had to read it and now having read it, all I can say is that I can not wait to read more by the author. A spine chilling read that is perfect for readers who love their crime books more darker and thrilling.
My thanks to Orenda books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
nihkol13's review against another edition
4.0
If you liked the millenium trilogy, you should definitely read this! Kept me intrigued and guessing the whole way through, the perfect mix of history, crime and suspense!
jenabrownwrites's review
5.0
There are some books where the synopsis cannot possibly prepare you for what you are about to read. Where the synopsis cannot begin to encompass the words contained within the covers. Where words like shocking and breathtaking are inadequate to describe the experience.
Block 46 is one of those books.
It's been one week since I finished this book, and I am sitting here struggling to form words for this review. Everything I want to say feels inadequate. Or is full of spoilers. And this book should not be spoiled.
The premise of two dead bodies, mutilated in the same way but found in different countries sounded interesting. Then you add in the story of a young man struggling to maintain his humanity in Buchenwald during the Holocaust.
"Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald?"
That one sentence from the back cover was enough to captivate me. However, the skill in which Johana Gustawsson draws the reader in, made me frantically turn the pages wanting to know what was happening and what would happen next.
How do you tie in current events with the horrors of the past? Each clue we are given doesn't make sense. How can a survivor match the profile of a killer between 35-45 years old? How could we believe that someone who fought to live would then seek to take lives?
The art of suspense in this book is deeply psychological. Gustawsson takes us down a path, unveiling glimpses of the scenery around us, making us comfortable with where we think she is taking us. She allows us to form our own opinions and solidify our beliefs before she reveals the reality.
Profiling serial killers is already a plot line full of psychological suspense. I've always been fascinated with the skill behind profiling. How can you put yourself in the mind of a killer and maintain your humanity. To hunt, or be hunted. To take the clues from gruesome and horrific scenes where pain and terror taint every surface is impressive. And also terrifying.
But there is more than the psychology of a profiler or a serial killer lurking in these pages. There is the exploration of being a victim, of being a survivor.
I think alternating the story with scenes and descriptions from the Holocaust, makes this book especially haunting. She does not back away from the horror of a concentration camp. We are shown the brutality in a matter of fact narration, which serves to only drive home the harshness of that reality. There is no minimizing the horror, no glamorizing or softening the impact.
There is evil in this world and Block 46 doesn't allow you to forget this.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am always surprised when a plot twist manages to actually shock me. This book didn't feel predictable exactly, but I did feel comfortable with the direction it was taking me. Except, when the end came, I found that I wasn't prepared at all for what the ending revealed.
The twist was unexpected, but the ending felt more like being in a fight. The hits continue to land from all around, leaving you gasping as you turn the final pages.
Block 46 is a book that will stay with you long after you put it down. I find myself picking it up, only to shake my head as I remember the journey it took me on. Johana Gustawsson artfully weaves suspense and mystery together. I am in awe of the final result.
Anyone who enjoys suspense, mystery and thrillers needs to read this book!
Thank you Orenda books for the amazing opportunity to read and experience this exceptional novel.
Block 46 is one of those books.
It's been one week since I finished this book, and I am sitting here struggling to form words for this review. Everything I want to say feels inadequate. Or is full of spoilers. And this book should not be spoiled.
The premise of two dead bodies, mutilated in the same way but found in different countries sounded interesting. Then you add in the story of a young man struggling to maintain his humanity in Buchenwald during the Holocaust.
"Are the two murders the work of a serial killer, and how are they connected to shocking events at Buchenwald?"
That one sentence from the back cover was enough to captivate me. However, the skill in which Johana Gustawsson draws the reader in, made me frantically turn the pages wanting to know what was happening and what would happen next.
How do you tie in current events with the horrors of the past? Each clue we are given doesn't make sense. How can a survivor match the profile of a killer between 35-45 years old? How could we believe that someone who fought to live would then seek to take lives?
The art of suspense in this book is deeply psychological. Gustawsson takes us down a path, unveiling glimpses of the scenery around us, making us comfortable with where we think she is taking us. She allows us to form our own opinions and solidify our beliefs before she reveals the reality.
Profiling serial killers is already a plot line full of psychological suspense. I've always been fascinated with the skill behind profiling. How can you put yourself in the mind of a killer and maintain your humanity. To hunt, or be hunted. To take the clues from gruesome and horrific scenes where pain and terror taint every surface is impressive. And also terrifying.
But there is more than the psychology of a profiler or a serial killer lurking in these pages. There is the exploration of being a victim, of being a survivor.
I think alternating the story with scenes and descriptions from the Holocaust, makes this book especially haunting. She does not back away from the horror of a concentration camp. We are shown the brutality in a matter of fact narration, which serves to only drive home the harshness of that reality. There is no minimizing the horror, no glamorizing or softening the impact.
There is evil in this world and Block 46 doesn't allow you to forget this.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am always surprised when a plot twist manages to actually shock me. This book didn't feel predictable exactly, but I did feel comfortable with the direction it was taking me. Except, when the end came, I found that I wasn't prepared at all for what the ending revealed.
The twist was unexpected, but the ending felt more like being in a fight. The hits continue to land from all around, leaving you gasping as you turn the final pages.
Block 46 is a book that will stay with you long after you put it down. I find myself picking it up, only to shake my head as I remember the journey it took me on. Johana Gustawsson artfully weaves suspense and mystery together. I am in awe of the final result.
Anyone who enjoys suspense, mystery and thrillers needs to read this book!
Thank you Orenda books for the amazing opportunity to read and experience this exceptional novel.
sarah1984's review against another edition
4.0
Read 8/1/18 - 13/1/18 keeping track till the read dates glitch is fixed
Second book I read while cruising the South Pacific - Noumea, Mystery Island, and Maré Island.
I enjoyed this more than my first 'cruise book'. It was more focused on the crime and had more graphic details (I like my murders nice and gory and well described!).
I had a suspect picked from nearly the beginning and turned out to be completely wrong, which I was really glad about because the is way too easy to pick and I would have been really disappointed if the book had taken that tired route. So yeah, the villain reveal completely surprised me. I was going through all the possibilities as the moment got closer and he wasn't even on the list.
Did I mention this was gory and graphic? Trust me it is and it bears repeating. If that's not your kind of crime thriller, skip this one. What the killer did to
I was really pleased with the translation, I didn't pick up any mangled well-known phrases or stilted dialogue that didn't flow right. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series.
Second book I read while cruising the South Pacific - Noumea, Mystery Island, and Maré Island.
I enjoyed this more than my first 'cruise book'. It was more focused on the crime and had more graphic details (I like my murders nice and gory and well described!).
I had a suspect picked from nearly the beginning and turned out to be completely wrong, which I was really glad about because the
Spoiler
clichéd 'have the heroine sleep with the suspect before he's revealed as the suspect (at least to the heroine), thereby making herself emotionally vulnerable to a serial killer and pulling at ours and her heartstrings when the truth is revealed' tropeSpoiler
The secondary reveal was even more out of left-field, but it was a great twist that I didn't even see coming.Did I mention this was gory and graphic? Trust me it is and it bears repeating. If that's not your kind of crime thriller, skip this one. What the killer did to
Spoiler
Emily was really disturbing and afterwards I couldn't help but wonder whether she could have it surgically reattached. For looks, I'm sure it's easily done, but not so much for sensation - reconnecting nerves is not an exact science like for bones or even blood vessels.I was really pleased with the translation, I didn't pick up any mangled well-known phrases or stilted dialogue that didn't flow right. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series.