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syrudy's review
4.0
It was an enjoyable read but was it ever revealed why Alex thought she was to blame for Anders problems? She once said that if she had made a different choice that day, that he wouldn’t have been in such a bad situation but i don’t recall it ever being revealed why she Thought that. Unless the ending really just explains all that in general
nikki_in_niagara's review against another edition
4.0
The first book in a small-town crime series set in Sweden. Writer Erica returns to her childhood home and finds her childhood best friend dead in a bathtub. She and local detective Patrick work together to solve the murder made to look like suicide.
This was a quick read that was imbued with a sense of the cold found in a Scandinavian winter. I liked the main characters and enjoyed the crime. I had an epiphany moment and thought I'd solved it but found I'd only got one part of it right. The police squad room is populated with a smorgasbord of characters. An enjoyable story to a series I intent to continue.
This was a quick read that was imbued with a sense of the cold found in a Scandinavian winter. I liked the main characters and enjoyed the crime. I had an epiphany moment and thought I'd solved it but found I'd only got one part of it right. The police squad room is populated with a smorgasbord of characters. An enjoyable story to a series I intent to continue.
punkinmuffin's review against another edition
1.0
Urgh. This book was seriously over-rated. I don't know if it's the translation or the author's fault, but the writing was patchy, occasionally good but mostly barely acceptable in a published novel. The characters weren't particularly believable either. Not bothering with the rest of the series.
pau0704's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Slow and very predictable book. The story has nothing new to offer. To my taste the characters lacked some depth, even though the author tried very hard to give them back stories I think she did not accomplish what she aimed for. I found it so interesting how the characters kept missing clues and information, and I guess it was on purpose, so the author could keep the book going, which is not always good.
I read a translation, not the original language in which the book is written, not sure if it was the translator's fault, or if the author really writes like that, but hated the way it was written, there's so many words that are so repetitive and posh words that no one uses, almost feels like this book was written with the intention for it to become a tv series one day.
I saw the author has published many more books since this one, from the experience I got from this one I won't be reading another book from her, but I hope she has improved since this book was published. And that she also has overcome her fatphobia
I read a translation, not the original language in which the book is written, not sure if it was the translator's fault, or if the author really writes like that, but hated the way it was written, there's so many words that are so repetitive and posh words that no one uses, almost feels like this book was written with the intention for it to become a tv series one day.
I saw the author has published many more books since this one, from the experience I got from this one I won't be reading another book from her, but I hope she has improved since this book was published. And that she also has overcome her fatphobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape, Infidelity, Suicide, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
jenny_hedberg's review
3.0
Jag tyckte att boken var lite för seg i början men sedan kom den igång. Jag tror att en av anledningarna till att jag inte riktigt uppskattade boken är att jag samtidigt höll på att läsa en riktig bladvändare. Dock intressant vändning i slutet men jag saknade ett ordentligt klimax.
emmasv's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
stormnangel1's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
dianne_huijberts's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
julie_reads15's review against another edition
2.0
Summary
The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg is a Nordic noir and is the first book in the Fjallbacka series.
Erica Falk, thirty-five, returns to her Swedish hometown of Fjallbacka, a small fishing village, after her parents' funeral to sort through their belongings. As a biographer, she also thought it would be a good opportunity to work on her next book.
When Alexandra Wijkner, Erica's childhood best friend, is found frozen in a bathtub, it looks like suicide. No one can comprehend she'd take her own life. However, after the autopsy report, they learn she was murdered.
Erica is obsessed with finding out what happened to Alex and learn more about her life, why they became distant, and who murdered her. When Alex's parents commission her to write an article about their daughter, Erica wants to delve further and write a book about her.
Patrik Hedstrom is the local detective assigned to the case and is another friend from Erica's childhood. When the two start working together, they uncover dark secrets and learn about their idyllic hometown's disturbing past.
Told in third person omniscient point of view, with family dynamics and romance at play, is a novel about a town's unsettling obsession with appearance.
Review
A cosy mystery that was slow and predictable.
The first half of the book was tedious because the murder was treated as a suicide at first, and then they focused on the wrong suspect for too long. Most of the plot points were predictable. However, I didn't see the plot twist coming because it was so shocking. It was creative and horrifying, and I'm still thinking about it.
Patrik seemed too caught up in romance at times and didn't do his job properly. Erica interfered with the investigation and illogically withheld clues.
It was frustrating how the author left out most of the clues the characters found, distancing the reader from the narrative and giving them a disadvantage. The story was repetitive at times as different characters reiterated clues they found to each other, which the reader already knew.
It was annoying how the author went into the omniscient viewpoint for characters that weren't that important and kept introducing new characters near the middle of the novel.
The wintry coastal town setting was interesting and was well written. It was fleshed out, and I felt like I was there. It created a chilling atmosphere.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 17 years and older and is interested in reading a Nordic noir.
The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg is a Nordic noir and is the first book in the Fjallbacka series.
Erica Falk, thirty-five, returns to her Swedish hometown of Fjallbacka, a small fishing village, after her parents' funeral to sort through their belongings. As a biographer, she also thought it would be a good opportunity to work on her next book.
When Alexandra Wijkner, Erica's childhood best friend, is found frozen in a bathtub, it looks like suicide. No one can comprehend she'd take her own life. However, after the autopsy report, they learn she was murdered.
Erica is obsessed with finding out what happened to Alex and learn more about her life, why they became distant, and who murdered her. When Alex's parents commission her to write an article about their daughter, Erica wants to delve further and write a book about her.
Patrik Hedstrom is the local detective assigned to the case and is another friend from Erica's childhood. When the two start working together, they uncover dark secrets and learn about their idyllic hometown's disturbing past.
Told in third person omniscient point of view, with family dynamics and romance at play, is a novel about a town's unsettling obsession with appearance.
Review
A cosy mystery that was slow and predictable.
The first half of the book was tedious because the murder was treated as a suicide at first, and then they focused on the wrong suspect for too long. Most of the plot points were predictable. However, I didn't see the plot twist coming because it was so shocking. It was creative and horrifying, and I'm still thinking about it.
Patrik seemed too caught up in romance at times and didn't do his job properly. Erica interfered with the investigation and illogically withheld clues.
It was frustrating how the author left out most of the clues the characters found, distancing the reader from the narrative and giving them a disadvantage. The story was repetitive at times as different characters reiterated clues they found to each other, which the reader already knew.
It was annoying how the author went into the omniscient viewpoint for characters that weren't that important and kept introducing new characters near the middle of the novel.
The wintry coastal town setting was interesting and was well written. It was fleshed out, and I felt like I was there. It created a chilling atmosphere.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 17 years and older and is interested in reading a Nordic noir.