Reviews

Ashes to Dust by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

francesmthompson's review against another edition

3.0

Am really enjoying working my way through this series of books, and this one was my quickest read yet. If you like crime/mystery stories that develop fairly quickly and have multiple layers to them, AND you love Iceland, these books will tick a lot of boxes. I also really enjoyed the setting on the Westman Islands as I have visited this part of Iceland and written about it so knew the story of the 1973 Eldfell volcano eruption. I also liked that it was more modern history and a different type of story to previous two books that had "other worldly elements". My biggest criticism with this one was that I guessed 75% of the Whodunnit by about half-way through the story, which was satisfying until it was annoying because I was reading on for a long old time with no big reveal. Aaaand again I personally took some issue with there being some comments that felt misogynistic and fatphobic,

Spoiler

and I also felt some elements of the rape culture which was touched on in various different ways could have been done with greater depth or exploration.

drbelladonna's review against another edition

1.0

I loooove the main character and Yrsa's work but this book was just so boring.It took me ages to get through and the ending was almost hilarious

anitaboeira's review against another edition

3.5

It's hard to get past the fatphobia tbh.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia

lberestecki's review against another edition

4.0

Not my favorite of the books in this series, but still quite good. Would recommend these to any mystery lovers.

cclaytonr's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

2.0

martha_w's review against another edition

5.0

Loved this one -- my favorite so far in the series. Thora continues to be a great main character and it was really nice to see the secretary finally get something to do (and a touch more respect). The setting in the Westman Islands during a volanic eruption in the 1970s (a real life event) had me regretting that I didn't make it out there during my Iceland trip. But most of all, a volcanic eruption playing a part in a murder mystery? Definitely right up my alley.

kikael's review against another edition

4.0

Kolmas romaan "Tuhk" pöörab pilgu Heimaey saarele, kus 1973. aastal purskas vulkaan. Enamik maalapist mattus laava ning tuha alla, kaasaarvatud külaelanike majad. Thóra jutule tuleb Markus, kes ei taha, et tema lapsepõlvekodu tuhast välja kaevataks. Ta lepib kompromissiga, et võib esimesena siseneda maja keldrisse ning sealt ära viia teda huvitava eseme. Mees arvab, et saab oma mure lihtsalt lahendatud, kuid alla jõudes ootab teda palju suurem probleem. Nimelt paistab tuha alt kolm laipa ning kastist, mille järele ta tuli, veereb välja osa neljandast - inimpea. Markusest saab loomulikult kahtlusalune ning ta palub end Thóral kaitsta. Keldris olnud mehed hukkusid ajal, kui Markus oli 15-aastane, kuid samal päeval, kui need avastatakse, leitakse oma korterist mõrvatult tema sõbranna Alda, kellelt mees väidab olevat peaga kasti saanud. Thóra peab selgusele jõudmiseks uurima minevikku ning puhuma tolmu arhiivimaterjalidelt. Sel korral on tal abiks vaid eelmistest raamatutest tuttav vastumeelne sekretär Bella. Matthew on nimelt tagasi Saksamaal, kuid tal on võimalus saada hästi tasustarud ametikoht Islandil. Thóra tahaks väga, et mees talle lähemale koliks, kuid ei taha tema otsust mõjutada. Seetõttu on mehel selles raamatus väike roll.

"Tuhk" meeldis mulle kolmest kriminullist kõige rohkem, sest kuigi ma ei arvanud süüdlast ära üheski romaanidest, siis siin üllatas ta mind enim. Autor kirjeldas väga ehedalt väikse saarekese külaelu, kus oli tugev onupojapoliitika ning kohalikud said mõrva puudutavad uudised enne uurijaid kätte. Veel paelus mind vulkaanipurse. See teema on peale Santorini-puhkust mind rohkem huvitama hakanud ning tahaksin lähiajal jõuda Imeline Teadus sarja raamatuni "Lõõmav saar".

Yrsa krimiromaanide läbivaks jooneks on mineviku sidumine olevikuga, mis mulle väga meeldis. Tugeva detektiiviga loo asemel ütleksin, et kuritegusid lahendab amatöör, kes puhtalt nuhkimise pealt süüdlase tabab. Mõrvalood ise olid huvitavad ning kahtlusaluseid oli palju ja kohe ei osanudki kedagi kahtlustamata hakata. Veelgi enam, mulle tundus, et vihjeid anti lugejale isegi liiga vähe. Ma ei arvanud ühegi teose puhul ära, kes on süüdi. Suurem osa Thóra uurimisest koosnes inimeste küsitlemisest, mis tõi päevavalgele erinevaid juhtumi lahendamiseks vajalikke niidiosi, kuid oleksin tahtnud rohkem tegevust ning pinget.

Soovitan lugeda neil, keda sarnaselt mulle huvitavad mineviku teemad või siis krimikirjanduse austajatele, kes soovivad lugeda, kuidas advokaat käib ja inimesi küsitleb.

Mulle praegu mõrvadest aitab ning järgmiseks võtan midagi helgemat ette.

happy_hiker's review against another edition

3.0

I did like this book, but not as much as the other Icelandic mystery series I have been reading. I couldn’t decide if I liked or disliked Thora because I know I very much did not like how she doted on her selfish and annoying son. The mystery, however, was interesting. I knew nothing about Icleandic volcanic islands – now I at least know they exist! Overall a good story, but a bit slow in parts.

jaranatalia's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

4.5

bucherca49's review against another edition

3.0

The setting for this novel is the excavation of a house that had been buried in ash from the 1973 volcanic eruption on the island of Heimaey, one of the islands in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago.