Reviews

Der Massai, der in Schweden noch eine Rechnung offen hatte by Jonas Jonasson

dsesana's review against another edition

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4.0

A more than unique book, which makes it hard to put on simple words what the whole story is about. It is a really enjoyable book to read, flows nicely and the storylines are easy to follow. The story itself, as weird and far-fetched as it is, it is captivating. It might feel like the author thought the most random things and put it together in a book, but I’ll be damned, he created a beautiful story. Life can be cruel, mean, unpredictable, but if you are an asshole, someday, somehow, life will come back and bite you in the ass. For those who like art, this book has a lot of reference to different artists. For those who like a certain novel of goofiness, this is your book too. For those who like a somewhat-romance story, this is also your book. For those who like to read about revenge, read the title, this is definitely your book. Highly recommended read, even if it is hard to explain what it actually is about without having to tell the whole story!

jerrennn's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.75

sparrowgirl's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

hathsch's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

valeriebuvens's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

mvonkessel's review against another edition

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funny relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

katykelly's review against another edition

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5.0

Familiar quirky strands weave together in revenge comedy.

Oh Jonas, you really do know how to put together a madcap plot. It's like a 60s film with Benny Hill music, your books. Tangents, new characters, coincidental meetings, totally bonkers goings-on.... and that's just the synopses.

I've loved every one of the author's previous books, and one quick glance at this and I felt this was also destined to be read.

The plot itself is a little tricky to iron out, with several threads and eccentric characters. It really revolves around a rather twisted art dealer. Then there's his abandoned assumed-dead son. The young hoodwinked wife. A medicine man. A police officer days from retiring. A goat. And a man running a company selling revenge.

I won't go further into it, because just wondering how the above are going to intersect is half the fun. But the usual eccentricities, serendipitous happenings, crazy decisions and very Swedish settings knit together into a completely entertaining package.

You've got villains. You've got heroes. Fishes out of water. You've got a lot of very funny verbal humour, that translates beautifully to English. And the African scenes that contrast tribal life with more modern variations is brilliant: "the only woman on the village council had argued for washing machines, stoves and water closets. When she added the future potential of Netflix, she got all the men except the Chief on her side."

Loved this from start to finish. A rollercoaster ride of a plot, I do hope this also makes it to the screen like one of its predecessors. If you enjoy something quirky, light-hearted and off-the-wall, this is an excellent example of the author's work, and you won't regret giving it a go.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

mairams's review against another edition

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2.0

I enjoyed a few plot twists, but overall the book was full of racial stereotypes. More than cringe.

nele_19's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

flossg's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Not Jonasson's best