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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
Classic Nordic Noir. I liked the setting of the tiny remote village. Ari Thor is an engaging main character: young, untried, unsure, but clever and dogged.
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:
Complicated
This book has too many povs, mystery and thriller cliches, and all of the men are pieces of shit. I don’t understand how any one liked Ari Thor or why I had to read from every other character except him when he’s the MC half the time. This was messy and exhausting to read. I closed it with rage after hearing Kristin’s POV and then learning about her heartbreak.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had heard a lot about this book prior to finally picking it up but was expecting something different to the eventual read.
My experience of Nordic crime has tended to be dark and bleak with a world weary detective. In this book we find in the opposite situation, the detective, ari Thor is a rookie police officer who due to his age is naive and enthusiastic, the crime at the centre of the book could have come out of agatha Christie as a man appears to have fallen to his death in a drama society rehearsal with suspects lining up with various motives.
Why then at the end of the book was I curious to follow the characters? Perhaps ultimately the writer drew me into the claustrophobic world of a snow bound town where villains cannot escape and whilst not anxious about the plot and crimes I liked the characterisation.
The test will be how quickly I read book 2 but if you like cosy crime I would recommend this as a good read,albeit I'm not raving about the book.
My experience of Nordic crime has tended to be dark and bleak with a world weary detective. In this book we find in the opposite situation, the detective, ari Thor is a rookie police officer who due to his age is naive and enthusiastic, the crime at the centre of the book could have come out of agatha Christie as a man appears to have fallen to his death in a drama society rehearsal with suspects lining up with various motives.
Why then at the end of the book was I curious to follow the characters? Perhaps ultimately the writer drew me into the claustrophobic world of a snow bound town where villains cannot escape and whilst not anxious about the plot and crimes I liked the characterisation.
The test will be how quickly I read book 2 but if you like cosy crime I would recommend this as a good read,albeit I'm not raving about the book.
Finished reading: January 9th 2021
"This peaceful little town was being compressed by the snow, no longer a familiar winter embrace but a threat like never before. The white was no longer pure, but tinged blood red."
I've enjoyed his writing in the past and I've been looking forward to finally try his Dark Iceland series... And with the final book being recently published, I do hope to actually finish this series before the end of the year! Why? Let's just say that I ended up having a fantastic time with Snowblind and it turned out to be the perfect atmospheric nordic noir read to help me forget about the world as well as the ongoing heatwave down here for a few hours... I found myself to be hooked from the very beginning. There is just something about Ragnar Jonasson's writing that draws you straight in, and the many detailed descriptions really made the small town of Siglufjörður come alive. I really enjoyed meeting the new main character Ari Thor Arason, and even though I'm never a fan of the whole cheating angle somehow I didn't really mind too much here. It might just be that I was too intrigued by the many secrets in this small town and too busy enjoying the story to stand still by the small things that might have irked me otherwise... I did guess some of the twists, but I personally didn't mind too much as I enjoyed seeing the plot develop over time. Suspense and tension are build up successfully and the claustrofobic vibe of the snowed in town only added to that ominous feel. Snowblind turned out to be a great introduction to a series I already can't wait to continue!
3.5. Maybe it was the translation but descriptions were childlike in places
fast-paced