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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I hope I’ve just found myself a new favourite author because it has been a WHILE. Absolutely quality, super atmospheric and creepily claustrophobic. Can’t wait for book two to arrive: I ordered it after reading only 50 pages!
I hope I’ve just found myself a new favourite author because it has been a WHILE. Absolutely quality, super atmospheric and creepily claustrophobic. Can’t wait for book two to arrive: I ordered it after reading only 50 pages!
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ari Thór, a rookie cop moves to a remote fishing village in northern Iceland, it’s suppose to be easy and a temporary posting. Nothing ever happens in the small village where nobody locks their doors at night.
Wrong.
We get a bloodied woman left in a frozen garden and an old guy is found dead.
SUSPENSE.
DRAMA.
WHODUNNIT.
Much like a barren ice land, of well, Iceland, this book had a whole lot of nothing for a good long while.
I’m not a newbie for Scandinavian lit, so I know the drill. Plain language. No metaphors. Straight to the point. No frills. All of this contributes to Nordic Noir books feeling more realistic than say their counterparts in North American thrillers and mysteries. For newbies of Nordic Noir in can be a bit jarring getting used to the pacing and the oversimplified language and style writing.
I was excited to pick up my first Icelandic Scandi Noir Lit as the genre is typically dominated by Swedish authors so it was nice to pick up something different. More herring less meatballs.
This story is slow as frozen molasses. We don’t get a dead body until Chapter 20….now that’s not the say there isn’t some tension build up, but truly, nobody died for like 100 pages. It’s a murder mystery…. We can’t really demistify our mystery until we get our murder.
Jónasson does ramp up the drama and suspense but all the good bits are in the last few chapters. The man had the audacity to end on a semi cliff hanger that makes me want to read book two because now we have some DRAAAAMMMAAA.
If you can stick with it, it’s a fine read.
But I wouldn’t blame you if you bail before you even find out who died. Like I said. It’s really slow.
Wrong.
We get a bloodied woman left in a frozen garden and an old guy is found dead.
SUSPENSE.
DRAMA.
WHODUNNIT.
Much like a barren ice land, of well, Iceland, this book had a whole lot of nothing for a good long while.
I’m not a newbie for Scandinavian lit, so I know the drill. Plain language. No metaphors. Straight to the point. No frills. All of this contributes to Nordic Noir books feeling more realistic than say their counterparts in North American thrillers and mysteries. For newbies of Nordic Noir in can be a bit jarring getting used to the pacing and the oversimplified language and style writing.
I was excited to pick up my first Icelandic Scandi Noir Lit as the genre is typically dominated by Swedish authors so it was nice to pick up something different. More herring less meatballs.
This story is slow as frozen molasses. We don’t get a dead body until Chapter 20….now that’s not the say there isn’t some tension build up, but truly, nobody died for like 100 pages. It’s a murder mystery…. We can’t really demistify our mystery until we get our murder.
Jónasson does ramp up the drama and suspense but all the good bits are in the last few chapters. The man had the audacity to end on a semi cliff hanger that makes me want to read book two because now we have some DRAAAAMMMAAA.
If you can stick with it, it’s a fine read.
But I wouldn’t blame you if you bail before you even find out who died. Like I said. It’s really slow.
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson is an atmospheric police procedural set in an isolated small town in Iceland. This first installment in the Dark Iceland series is a bit of a slow burner, but the characters and the setting make it very easy to savor the unfolding story.
A former philosophy and theology student, twenty-four year old Ari Thór Arason has finally found his niche at the police college in Reykjavík. However, finding employment proves elusive until he is offered a position in Siglufjörður. After impulsively accepting the job without discussing it first with his longtime girlfriend Kristín who refuses to move with him, Ari Thór sets off for his new home. With the winter darkness, seemingly unending snow and the isolation quickly becoming claustrophobic for Ari Thór, the sleepy village is soon shocked when beloved author Hrólfur Kristjánsson is found dead at the bottom of a staircase at the local theater. While everyone else is convinced Hrólfur's fall is a tragic accident, Ari Thór wonders if the death might be the result of foul play. When Linda Christensen is discovered stabbed and lying in the snow, Ari Thór cannot help but speculate the two incidents might be connected, but how?
Ari Thór is an interesting young man with a rather complicated past that continues to trouble him. Moving to the close-knit community of Siglufjörður might prove to be a smart career move in the long run, but in the present, his decision has a detrimental effect on both his relationship and his mental health. Depressed by Kristín's less than enthusiastic reaction and feeling claustrophobic by the isolation, darkness and unrelenting snowfall, Ari Thór is already second-guessing accepting the job when Hrólfur's body is discovered.
Enthusiastic about his first "real" case, Ari Thór views the death as suspicious but police chief Tómas is ready to label it as an accident after a cursory investigation. While he respects his boss's opinion, Ari Thór cannot help probing a little deeper into the circumstances surrounding Hrólfur's fall. However, in a town as small as Siglufjörður, it does not take long for rumors to begin circulating that Hrólfur might have been murdered and Tómas is none too pleased that Ari Thór is asking questions without permission. Tómas is equally vexed when someone begins leaking details of the case to a newspaper reporter. After Linda's body is found, Tómas, Ari Thór and veteran investigator Hlynur are definitely under pressure to find answers. Ari Thór might not be an experienced policeman, but he has good instincts that help him piece together the various clues.
While initially a little slow paced, Snowblind is a compelling mystery with a cast of intriguing characters. The isolation, unrelenting snow and dark winter days underscore Ari Thór's deepening depression and feelings of oppression. The leisurely unveiling of the two cases provides plenty of time for Ragnar Jónasson to fully flesh out the various characters which allows readers to become fully acquainted with them on a much more personal level. An outstanding beginning to the Dark Iceland series that will leave fans of the genre impatiently awaiting the next release.
A former philosophy and theology student, twenty-four year old Ari Thór Arason has finally found his niche at the police college in Reykjavík. However, finding employment proves elusive until he is offered a position in Siglufjörður. After impulsively accepting the job without discussing it first with his longtime girlfriend Kristín who refuses to move with him, Ari Thór sets off for his new home. With the winter darkness, seemingly unending snow and the isolation quickly becoming claustrophobic for Ari Thór, the sleepy village is soon shocked when beloved author Hrólfur Kristjánsson is found dead at the bottom of a staircase at the local theater. While everyone else is convinced Hrólfur's fall is a tragic accident, Ari Thór wonders if the death might be the result of foul play. When Linda Christensen is discovered stabbed and lying in the snow, Ari Thór cannot help but speculate the two incidents might be connected, but how?
Ari Thór is an interesting young man with a rather complicated past that continues to trouble him. Moving to the close-knit community of Siglufjörður might prove to be a smart career move in the long run, but in the present, his decision has a detrimental effect on both his relationship and his mental health. Depressed by Kristín's less than enthusiastic reaction and feeling claustrophobic by the isolation, darkness and unrelenting snowfall, Ari Thór is already second-guessing accepting the job when Hrólfur's body is discovered.
Enthusiastic about his first "real" case, Ari Thór views the death as suspicious but police chief Tómas is ready to label it as an accident after a cursory investigation. While he respects his boss's opinion, Ari Thór cannot help probing a little deeper into the circumstances surrounding Hrólfur's fall. However, in a town as small as Siglufjörður, it does not take long for rumors to begin circulating that Hrólfur might have been murdered and Tómas is none too pleased that Ari Thór is asking questions without permission. Tómas is equally vexed when someone begins leaking details of the case to a newspaper reporter. After Linda's body is found, Tómas, Ari Thór and veteran investigator Hlynur are definitely under pressure to find answers. Ari Thór might not be an experienced policeman, but he has good instincts that help him piece together the various clues.
While initially a little slow paced, Snowblind is a compelling mystery with a cast of intriguing characters. The isolation, unrelenting snow and dark winter days underscore Ari Thór's deepening depression and feelings of oppression. The leisurely unveiling of the two cases provides plenty of time for Ragnar Jónasson to fully flesh out the various characters which allows readers to become fully acquainted with them on a much more personal level. An outstanding beginning to the Dark Iceland series that will leave fans of the genre impatiently awaiting the next release.
Didn’t expect to enjoy it really. Icelandic stories have this certain way of writing.. but oh boy was I wrong. Pretty good! Will be reading the rest!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes