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liberrydude's review against another edition
3.0
A rather rambling and slowly paced investigation by a retired policeman who is anything but your typical law enforcement professional. But this is Iceland.
A body is discovered by German tourists on a glacier. It’s the remains perfectly preserved of a man who disappeared in 1985. Konrad, the officer who investigated the disappearance and was unable to solve the crime is reluctant to get involved after getting a call from his colleagues still on the force. He’s retired. But he’s bored too. So he starts making inquiries. Eventually another death, a hit and run accident years later ends up connecting to the missing man.
But the reader is also dealing with Konrad’s life slowly being revealed piece by piece. There’s a depressing miasma coupled with futility vibe about this story- both the victims and the investigators. Police misconduct, destruction of reputations, abuse, alcoholism, and poverty all create a melancholy sense of hopelessness that pervades this story. Not sure I want to read anymore of them that have yet to be translated into English.
A body is discovered by German tourists on a glacier. It’s the remains perfectly preserved of a man who disappeared in 1985. Konrad, the officer who investigated the disappearance and was unable to solve the crime is reluctant to get involved after getting a call from his colleagues still on the force. He’s retired. But he’s bored too. So he starts making inquiries. Eventually another death, a hit and run accident years later ends up connecting to the missing man.
But the reader is also dealing with Konrad’s life slowly being revealed piece by piece. There’s a depressing miasma coupled with futility vibe about this story- both the victims and the investigators. Police misconduct, destruction of reputations, abuse, alcoholism, and poverty all create a melancholy sense of hopelessness that pervades this story. Not sure I want to read anymore of them that have yet to be translated into English.
ru_ro's review
4.0
Thank you Macmillan and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy. The intricate plot of The Darkness Knows unravels at the slow-burn pace typical of Nordic Noir. A retired detective haunted by a cold (in more ways than one) case, navigates not only the tangled web of 30-year-old evidence, but also his personal grief and memories attached to a recent loss. Each character is, in their own way, plagued with personal demons, tragedy, and the lasting effects of Iceland’s financial collapse. Indridason’s writing brings Iceland to life, from the desolate, baron ice caps to the crowded city streets, and shows how the globalization of Iceland has impacted its insular, formally isolated community. A great read; I look forward to seeing where this Konrad series goes next.
johnnyforeign's review
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-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? Yes
3.75
emmaledbetter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
mookiemonster's review
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press, and Minotaur Books for this ARC.
This is my first time reading author Arnaldur Indridason and thoroughly enjoyed it. There's something about Icelandic thrillers that is just different (in a good way) - the atmosphere, dread, and intrigue all seem to have your attention from the get-go. I will be seeking out other similar authors because of this and look forward to reading more by Indridason. 4 stars
This is my first time reading author Arnaldur Indridason and thoroughly enjoyed it. There's something about Icelandic thrillers that is just different (in a good way) - the atmosphere, dread, and intrigue all seem to have your attention from the get-go. I will be seeking out other similar authors because of this and look forward to reading more by Indridason. 4 stars
emily_bg's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
ichirofakename's review
2.0
Grimness for its own sake falls short again. Dreary, pointless. And not pointful pointlessness; pointless pointlessness. Unsatisfying resolution that makes it all the worse. Go away.,
svenja1603's review against another edition
3.0
Solid crime. A few not so believable plot twists and didn’t vibe with the characters 100%.
marco5599's review
3.0
A cold case in cold Iceland and it left me cold too. Most of it anyway. Despite having three angles (the frozen body, a suspicious car accident and Konráð's personal history) the whole thing feels monotonous. Konráð talks to someone, gets a piece of information, which leads him to the next person, he has another conversation and, well, etc. There's little or no reason to be excited or even curious about anything, it just.. Unfolds, you know? Pretty devastating to the who-did-what aspect of the book. It does pick up some steam towards the end, one of the reason why I'm not giving up on this series yet, but the next Indriðason I'll pick, will be something different.