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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
What a great book. - I picked this up with a few other books by Nesser at a local Charity Shop and had never heard of the guy. But, I'm so glad I did.
This is a really well written coming of age story of a 14 year old boys 'normal' life that has lots of twists and turns running through it.
He is forced together with anthoer boy from his year, and they spend the summer with he and his brother living by the lake.
The whole 'murder' is more of a side atory to this interesting journey, and the actual 'reveal' at the end, though interesting, is not what made this a great read for me.
I loved it all and read it in 2 days (which for me, a slow reader, was very fast) and the only downside I thought was in the last chapter. This all relates to who the main character ends up with in the end. That was just a little odd. But other than that, it gave me goosebumps towards the end, and I felt like I'd shared this young lads happiest, and also sadest, moments.
I'm hoping all of Nessr's works are this engaging!
Over all 4.5 to 5 stars!
This is a really well written coming of age story of a 14 year old boys 'normal' life that has lots of twists and turns running through it.
He is forced together with anthoer boy from his year, and they spend the summer with he and his brother living by the lake.
The whole 'murder' is more of a side atory to this interesting journey, and the actual 'reveal' at the end, though interesting, is not what made this a great read for me.
I loved it all and read it in 2 days (which for me, a slow reader, was very fast) and the only downside I thought was in the last chapter. This all relates to who the main character ends up with in the end. That was just a little odd. But other than that, it gave me goosebumps towards the end, and I felt like I'd shared this young lads happiest, and also sadest, moments.
I'm hoping all of Nessr's works are this engaging!
Over all 4.5 to 5 stars!
Most people will know that Håkan Nesser is regarded as one of Sweden’s foremost crime writers, but The Summer of Kim Novak is more akin to a coming-of-age tale that just so happens to have a murder in it. It’s not a police procedural nor is it a typical whodunnit or whydunnit. But it does have a surprise ending in which the offender is revealed, albeit too late to bring to justice because the (Swedish) statute of limitations has expired.
The story is narrated by 14-year-old Erik, a dreamy boy, who has a crush on his relief teacher, Ewa Kaludis, who bears a striking resemblance to the Hollywood film actress Kim Novak.
When school finishes for the year, his father warns him it’s going to be a rough summer because his mother is on her deathbed.
Erik’s much older brother, Henry, will look after him during the long summer holiday before school resumes. Henry is taking the summer off to write a book and is staying in a summer house, which belongs to a relative, by Lake Möckeln, about 25km away.
Erik is allowed to bring his friend Edmund with him for company, and the pair are left to their own devices, swimming in the lake, fishing off the dock, cycling through the forest or hanging out in the nearest town.
One evening they attend a summer fair and spot their teacher, Ewa, in the crowd. It turns out she’s engaged to be married, and her financé is a big-shot handball player, Bertil “Super-Berra” Albertsson. But when they witness Super-Berra beating up another man, leaving him for dead, they’re suddenly afraid for Ewa.
Later, when Henry begins bringing Ewa home with him, both Erik and Edmund are astonished, not least because Ewa now appears to be Henry’s girlfriend. No mention is made of her financé until she turns up one day with a black eye and a split lip…
This is a quick read, one that showcases the agonies and ecstasies of young adolescence against the backdrop of a single languid life-changing summer.
To read a more detailed review, please visit my blog.
The story is narrated by 14-year-old Erik, a dreamy boy, who has a crush on his relief teacher, Ewa Kaludis, who bears a striking resemblance to the Hollywood film actress Kim Novak.
When school finishes for the year, his father warns him it’s going to be a rough summer because his mother is on her deathbed.
Erik’s much older brother, Henry, will look after him during the long summer holiday before school resumes. Henry is taking the summer off to write a book and is staying in a summer house, which belongs to a relative, by Lake Möckeln, about 25km away.
Erik is allowed to bring his friend Edmund with him for company, and the pair are left to their own devices, swimming in the lake, fishing off the dock, cycling through the forest or hanging out in the nearest town.
One evening they attend a summer fair and spot their teacher, Ewa, in the crowd. It turns out she’s engaged to be married, and her financé is a big-shot handball player, Bertil “Super-Berra” Albertsson. But when they witness Super-Berra beating up another man, leaving him for dead, they’re suddenly afraid for Ewa.
Later, when Henry begins bringing Ewa home with him, both Erik and Edmund are astonished, not least because Ewa now appears to be Henry’s girlfriend. No mention is made of her financé until she turns up one day with a black eye and a split lip…
This is a quick read, one that showcases the agonies and ecstasies of young adolescence against the backdrop of a single languid life-changing summer.
To read a more detailed review, please visit my blog.
en perfekt bok i den perfekta genren uppväxtromanutspeladpåsextiotaletmedpojkberättarjagsomintevethurmankommunicerarkänslorpåettsuntsätt
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Als hevige fan van Nesser's Barbarotti-reeks was ik bijzonder benieuwd naar deze standalone roman van Hakan Nesser. Jawel, roman.Want het is veel meer dan de gebruikelijke Nesser-thriller.Ok, er is een lijk en op het einde van het verhaal willen we allemaal weten wie het heeft gedaan. Maar het werk bevat zoveel meer. Het boek vertelt het verhaal van twee puberjongens die samen met de oudere broer van één van hen een zomer doorbrengen in een huisje bij een meer, terwijl de moeder van de 2 broers op sterven ligt in het ziekenhuis. Zo goed en zo kwaad als het kan proberen ze het beste te maken van wat een zware zomer belooft te worden. De wulpse, prachtige Ewa Kaludis / Kim Novak zorgt hierbij voor prima afleiding, de puberhormonen gieren in het rond. Diezelfde Ewa Kaludis heeft onrechtstreeks echter ook te maken met "het verschrikkelijke" dat die zomer staat te gebeuren. Dat verschrikkelijke blijkt niet de dood van de moeder te zijn, doch wel een ander overlijden. Thrilleraspecten op sublieme wijze verweven met een briljante roman, waarin je wordt meegesleurd in het leven van een veertienjarige. Onderweg word je nog wat getrakteerd op Zweedse wijsheden en een typisch Nesser-taalgebruik. Een boek dat aangenaam verrast. Een boek waarvan je wou dat het nog 100 pagina's langer was. Ben dus niet enkel fan van Barbarotti, maar ook van Kim Novak!
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Didnt even hate it because i needed to read it for school, I hate it cause what the actual fuck
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
riktigt barnperspektiv på allt men blev lite sexistisk i slutet :(, skulle inte behövt delen många år senare
Bookcrossing 2006
Read this a few years ago, before the film came out. It's set during a Swedish summer - two young friends off up to the summer house with older brother. Older brother starts seeing a girl who looks like Kim Novak - the young boys have crushes on her. The girl's ex boyfriend ends up getting killed... who did it?
The book is narrated by the younger brother, now an adult looking back to that summer. He also meets up with "Kim Novak" again, now both adults and the truth comes out, or as much of it ever will.
Read this a few years ago, before the film came out. It's set during a Swedish summer - two young friends off up to the summer house with older brother. Older brother starts seeing a girl who looks like Kim Novak - the young boys have crushes on her. The girl's ex boyfriend ends up getting killed... who did it?
The book is narrated by the younger brother, now an adult looking back to that summer. He also meets up with "Kim Novak" again, now both adults and the truth comes out, or as much of it ever will.