Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
Ari Thór is a great character and my new fictional boyfriend. Fast-paced murder mystery - will definitely be reading more of this series!
I was really excited to read Snowblind, which is the first novel in a thriller series set in Iceland. Iceland is one of my favourite places in the world, and I enjoyed reliving some of my visits there through this book! Many consider this book as a thriller/Nordic Noir, but it also fits the bill as a traditional Agatha Christie-style crime novel.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Snowblind by Ragnor Jónasson is the first in an Iceland noir series. Originally published in 2010, this book was translated and published in the United States in 2015. We follow our protagonist Ari Thor Arason from Reykjavik to a small town on the northern coast when he takes his first job as a police officer. When he arrives in town he’s told nothing ever happens there.
Not long after his arrive, an esteemed write and chairman of the town’s Dramatic Society appears to have fallen down the stairs. Ruled as an accident until a women is found close to death, bleeding in the snow, there may be more to the older man’s death than meets the eye. Without an ounce of delicacy, Ari Thor digs into the lives of townspeople who definitely do not trust the newcomer.
Jónasson uses the setting to create tension. Surrounded by mountains and the ocean, the town is only reachable by a small mountain tunnel. Snow falls frequently and the tunnel becomes cut off due to a small avalanche. Tensions rise as the down becomes isolated and everyone feels trapped with a murderer.
Nordic mystery novels have risen in popularity over the last decade. Although I’ve read a few short stories from a collection of Swedish crime stories, Snowblind is my first Nordic novel. Recommended for fans of Agatha Christie, this seemed like perfect foray into the genre. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for the story as much as I would have liked.
I appreciated that the plot and murders weren’t very dark or graphic, as well as the amount of information about the characters we received before the murders. However, I never felt invested in the story or characters. While the story was definitely well written, I prefer older mysteries and historical fiction mysteries.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent
Snowblind is the first book in Ragnar Jonasson's Dark Iceland series centred on Ari Thór Arason. In this novel he is a rookie officer who, when he accepts a job offer, must move away from Reykjavik and his girlfriend, and adapt to life in Siglufjörður, a quiet fishing village in the far north of the country. He learns from Tómas, the police sergeant in charge of Siglufjörður police station, that nobody ever locks their doors because there's no point as nothing ever happens. Ari Thór's sense of isolation at this news is immediately palpable, he's in a strange town, one that views outsiders with suspicion and he somehow has to learn to work within this tight-knit community but if nothing happens how can he ever hope to be accepted?
However, the sudden death of celebrated local author, Hrólfur Kristjánsson, immediately plunges him into a case and he finds himself caught up in the secrets and lies of this little community. At first it is widely believed that Hrólfur's death may have been a tragic accident but Ari Thór suspects this may not be the truth, leading him to become further isolated from the locals who object to his questions about their relationships with one another. When a young woman is then found brutally attacked and left for dead, half-naked in the snow, it appears they may really have a killer in their midst. With the only road out of the town blocked following an avalanche, tensions rise as Ari Thór battles to control his growing claustrophobia as he strives to find the killer when he doesn't know who he can trust.
We slowly learn more about the community as Ragnar Jonasson cleverly switches the perspective numerous times meaning we discover little snippets about the various characters from their own thoughts and actions. There is a risk with multiple points of view that the narrative becomes confused but that never happens here, instead this gradual drip-feeding of hidden truths helps to build the tension and increased my desire to turn the pages to discover more. Ari Thór is an engaging protagonist, instinctive and impulsive; the twists and turns kept me captivated and the descriptions of the landscape and weather in Iceland are beautifully and atmospherically described.
I found Snowblind an unsettling read, perhaps because I suffer mildly from claustrophobia myself, the overwhelming sense of being trapped in this dark little town was palpable. I became so immersed in this world, in which the landscape was as much as character as the people of Siglufjörður, that I physically felt the tension, my chest became tight and I could sense the unease in the pit of my stomach. This of course, is in a strange way, exactly what I loved about Snowblind, to experience that deep connection with Ari Thór meant once I picked the book up I didn't put it down until I'd read the whole thing. To say a book made me feel anxious may seem an odd way to recommend it but I mean it as the highest compliment, to write a novel I felt as well as read is something very special and I thoroughly recommend Snowblind to anybody who enjoys gripping, atmospheric thrillers. I've already started reading the second book in the series, Nightblind!
However, the sudden death of celebrated local author, Hrólfur Kristjánsson, immediately plunges him into a case and he finds himself caught up in the secrets and lies of this little community. At first it is widely believed that Hrólfur's death may have been a tragic accident but Ari Thór suspects this may not be the truth, leading him to become further isolated from the locals who object to his questions about their relationships with one another. When a young woman is then found brutally attacked and left for dead, half-naked in the snow, it appears they may really have a killer in their midst. With the only road out of the town blocked following an avalanche, tensions rise as Ari Thór battles to control his growing claustrophobia as he strives to find the killer when he doesn't know who he can trust.
We slowly learn more about the community as Ragnar Jonasson cleverly switches the perspective numerous times meaning we discover little snippets about the various characters from their own thoughts and actions. There is a risk with multiple points of view that the narrative becomes confused but that never happens here, instead this gradual drip-feeding of hidden truths helps to build the tension and increased my desire to turn the pages to discover more. Ari Thór is an engaging protagonist, instinctive and impulsive; the twists and turns kept me captivated and the descriptions of the landscape and weather in Iceland are beautifully and atmospherically described.
I found Snowblind an unsettling read, perhaps because I suffer mildly from claustrophobia myself, the overwhelming sense of being trapped in this dark little town was palpable. I became so immersed in this world, in which the landscape was as much as character as the people of Siglufjörður, that I physically felt the tension, my chest became tight and I could sense the unease in the pit of my stomach. This of course, is in a strange way, exactly what I loved about Snowblind, to experience that deep connection with Ari Thór meant once I picked the book up I didn't put it down until I'd read the whole thing. To say a book made me feel anxious may seem an odd way to recommend it but I mean it as the highest compliment, to write a novel I felt as well as read is something very special and I thoroughly recommend Snowblind to anybody who enjoys gripping, atmospheric thrillers. I've already started reading the second book in the series, Nightblind!
dark
mysterious
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
I liked this well enough, I just didn't love it like others seem to. I've got the next 2 books so I'll probably continue the series. Maybe.
Wow, Wow, Wow! This book! What an impressive start to a series. Ragnar Jonasson has created a character with a backstory that is just wow. Each character has a story and something that makes them unique. The setting is very visual. The town has such character. I am purely in awe of this book and cannot wait to dive into the other books in this series and Ragnar’s other series. I will read each and every book written by this author until I die.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 stars. A solid first novel in the series. The novel is very atmospheric and the setting (a small town in northernmost Iceland) is certainly unique. I'm interested to see how the series and the characters develop.
Solid Scandinavian noir. A bit clunky occasionally, but perhaps that's a translation thing. I'd definitely read another - I like Icelandic books!