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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I felt just a tad bit betrayed.
I had really high expectations, given that this was my first foray into Icelandic Thrillers.
The main character is profoundly unlikeable, but not in an anti-hero way. The writing style did not resonate with me.
I remember some plot points that I thought had the potential to become interesting, only to feel like the potential of the moment was deflated. That said, I liked the original concept and wanted to like the book very much. Do the others get better?
(1.5 stars rounded down.)
I had really high expectations, given that this was my first foray into Icelandic Thrillers.
The main character is profoundly unlikeable, but not in an anti-hero way. The writing style did not resonate with me.
I remember some plot points that I thought had the potential to become interesting, only to feel like the potential of the moment was deflated. That said, I liked the original concept and wanted to like the book very much. Do the others get better?
(1.5 stars rounded down.)
If you enjoyed 'trapped' on BBC Four recently this is a must read Nordic Noir. The character of Ari Thor is particularly intriguing, nearly priest turned policeman, he is very human...
dark
tense
medium-paced
This book is popular in the U.K. and comes to the USA as a translated book from an Icelandic author. This story at first comes across as a suspense novel. It has a dark, foreboding cover and the main death is presented right away as quite a gruesome, bleak one.
It then gradually morphs into an Agatha Christie whodunnit style mystery with a rather large cast of characters, any of whom could have committed the crime. So there is a mild dose of reading confusion regarding what mood the author intended to strike.
The icy setting of a small and remote town in Iceland is quite vividly portrayed, a strength for this novel since most people have never been to this type of location. The characters are fine though some could have been made a tad more interesting. The conclusion beautifully ties together a lot of individual clues, so the mystery is solid. Good book to read in winter months.
It then gradually morphs into an Agatha Christie whodunnit style mystery with a rather large cast of characters, any of whom could have committed the crime. So there is a mild dose of reading confusion regarding what mood the author intended to strike.
The icy setting of a small and remote town in Iceland is quite vividly portrayed, a strength for this novel since most people have never been to this type of location. The characters are fine though some could have been made a tad more interesting. The conclusion beautifully ties together a lot of individual clues, so the mystery is solid. Good book to read in winter months.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars
I could have paid closer attention to the audiobook. Let’s start there. This was not beautifully written/translated, but it was a good enough mystery. I haven’t decided whether I’m going to continue with the series. I do like Ari Thor as a character and Iceland as a setting is divine.
I could have paid closer attention to the audiobook. Let’s start there. This was not beautifully written/translated, but it was a good enough mystery. I haven’t decided whether I’m going to continue with the series. I do like Ari Thor as a character and Iceland as a setting is divine.
A little opaque - but I may have found it harder to follow partly because of the unfamiliar Icelandic names (who was who).
Deeply enjoyed this, loved the setting, the characters, the way the plot develops and how the different stories and lives connect to each other. If you think about the weather and how everyone knows everything about each other, you actually start to feel Ari Thor’s claustrophobia. Can’t wait to read Jónasson’s next book!
Pretty good. Lots of characters. Not sure if I'll read the others or not yet. May have gotten me out of my reading rut, which is great. Got it in prep for a trip to Iceland!