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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol
Very good debut that features sharp, clear portraits of the members of a small Icelandic town and their new policeman. The perfect read during a blizzard.
“Justice was nothing more than an illusion.”
Snow Blind by Ragnar Jónasson is set in the quiet fishing village of Siglufjordur. This is where a rookie cop named Ari Thór moves from Reykjavik, leaving behind his girlfriend to pursue his new career. Upon arrival he is thrusted into the strange events that take place which include a half naked woman bleeding to death in the snow and the tragic death of an elderly writer. As the snow blankets the town its up to Ari to work with the towns people to figure out what is happening in a place where nothing bad usually happens.
Straight away what stood out for me was how well the description of the small town was written. Each imaginative suggestion like the snow, the claustrophobia, the “new guy in town” dread was incorporated into the story perfectly. I felt that same anxious feeling as Ari was feeling and that was only the beginning of this character’s issues. The personal emotional ties between the characters was again executed in a way which put a spotlight at the right places in this murder mystery.
Our protagonist Ari is going through all the motions one would when starting a new job and leaving to move to a new place. This particular town which is always quiet and where nobody locks their doors has him unsettled and as his character shows power and strength it becomes more and more clear who may be behind the crimes that are circling this town. As expected his relationship with his girlfriend suffers due to his abrupt departure however the moment where they both talk are those the reader can relate to very well.
The mystery itself is one which is a tough one to crack. Once the culprit was revealed it was one I didn’t expect. The plot had so many twists which alongside the other story lines which were taking place, made it all the more a race to find out who did what and why.
All in all this is an enjoyable read, its got great characters which I can’t wait to revisit as this is book 1 in the Dark Iceland series. Im intrigued to see where the second book takes the reader. It’s one I would definitely recommend to fans of Nordic Noir.
Snow Blind by Ragnar Jónasson is set in the quiet fishing village of Siglufjordur. This is where a rookie cop named Ari Thór moves from Reykjavik, leaving behind his girlfriend to pursue his new career. Upon arrival he is thrusted into the strange events that take place which include a half naked woman bleeding to death in the snow and the tragic death of an elderly writer. As the snow blankets the town its up to Ari to work with the towns people to figure out what is happening in a place where nothing bad usually happens.
Straight away what stood out for me was how well the description of the small town was written. Each imaginative suggestion like the snow, the claustrophobia, the “new guy in town” dread was incorporated into the story perfectly. I felt that same anxious feeling as Ari was feeling and that was only the beginning of this character’s issues. The personal emotional ties between the characters was again executed in a way which put a spotlight at the right places in this murder mystery.
Our protagonist Ari is going through all the motions one would when starting a new job and leaving to move to a new place. This particular town which is always quiet and where nobody locks their doors has him unsettled and as his character shows power and strength it becomes more and more clear who may be behind the crimes that are circling this town. As expected his relationship with his girlfriend suffers due to his abrupt departure however the moment where they both talk are those the reader can relate to very well.
The mystery itself is one which is a tough one to crack. Once the culprit was revealed it was one I didn’t expect. The plot had so many twists which alongside the other story lines which were taking place, made it all the more a race to find out who did what and why.
All in all this is an enjoyable read, its got great characters which I can’t wait to revisit as this is book 1 in the Dark Iceland series. Im intrigued to see where the second book takes the reader. It’s one I would definitely recommend to fans of Nordic Noir.
This was all over the place. I won’t be reading the others.
I wanted to like this book - and there were some appealing elements but, in the end, the plot wasn't strong enough to carry my interest.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Good mystery by an Icelandic author. Interesting characters and fun to learn more about Iceland!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
Mystery set in Iceland - started out really good, but ended kind of meh. The mystery was good, characters could have been fleshed out a little more for my liking. Also did not like the lack of resolution/justice for Karl. I was annoyed by Ari Thor's lack of backbone when it came to the relationship between Kristin and Ugla.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide