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lil_fork's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, and Child death
msewidan's review against another edition
2.0
مملة اوي الحقيقة وكمان فيه صعوبة فى تذكر الاسماء، عشان هى اسماء ايسلندية بس كنت أتمنى انه يختار اسامي لشخصيات روايته ابسط شوية
karinlib's review against another edition
3.0
This is the third in the series of Indridason's Icelandic thriller books. I keep coming back to them.
sofijakryz's review against another edition
4.0
This time detective Erlendur investigates a murder that‘s a bit unconventional: somebody kills a Santa Clause in one of the hotels in Reykjavik, leaving poor Santa‘s body in an extremely compromising position.
Why kill Santa? Santa part-timing as a doorman and a jack of all trades? A man barely worthy of note?
As usual – no suspects, everyone‘s hush hush barely mentioning any hints on what may have happened here. However, Erlendur finds a solution: he inhabits the hotel for the sake of investigation.
The storyline of „Voices“ was probably more convoluted than that of „Jar City“. More multilayered (a couple deus ex machina details aside). However, I found „Voices“ less tense in atmosphere – there are plenty of hotels all over the world and it turns out they all look pretty much the same.
The story is slower too. More flashbacks, which, even though revealing the wild and cruel side of Iceland and the events that led Erlendur to his current situation, were somewhat on the boring side. It feels like everyone who ended up detective in fiction have to have lost someone.
Flashback‘s on Erlendur‘s past aside, the story is also intertwined with another case investigated by Erlendur‘s colleague (a little boy gets cruelly beaten up). This story is told through his colleague‘s or his own flashbacks. I ended up having mixed impression: on one hand, this case reads so realistic, being quite shocking with desperation and telling exactly why it‘s so difficult to work in the police. On the other, it was irritating that this story ended up as some sort of filler to seal waiting gaps in the main case. Looked almost like it was considered as a separate story at some point, however, was deemed it would be too dragged out for a book or something. I somehow ended up willing to read through it asap just to get to the main story.
What else?
Pro: irritating former boss (thumbs up).
Con: police officer stressing on cookies more than on the case :(
Overall... Well, the story is actually quite good. And yet, something was missing.
Maybe I‘m just not quite in a detective story mood?
Why kill Santa? Santa part-timing as a doorman and a jack of all trades? A man barely worthy of note?
As usual – no suspects, everyone‘s hush hush barely mentioning any hints on what may have happened here. However, Erlendur finds a solution: he inhabits the hotel for the sake of investigation.
The storyline of „Voices“ was probably more convoluted than that of „Jar City“. More multilayered (a couple deus ex machina details aside). However, I found „Voices“ less tense in atmosphere – there are plenty of hotels all over the world and it turns out they all look pretty much the same.
The story is slower too. More flashbacks, which, even though revealing the wild and cruel side of Iceland and the events that led Erlendur to his current situation, were somewhat on the boring side. It feels like everyone who ended up detective in fiction have to have lost someone.
Flashback‘s on Erlendur‘s past aside, the story is also intertwined with another case investigated by Erlendur‘s colleague (a little boy gets cruelly beaten up). This story is told through his colleague‘s or his own flashbacks. I ended up having mixed impression: on one hand, this case reads so realistic, being quite shocking with desperation and telling exactly why it‘s so difficult to work in the police. On the other, it was irritating that this story ended up as some sort of filler to seal waiting gaps in the main case. Looked almost like it was considered as a separate story at some point, however, was deemed it would be too dragged out for a book or something. I somehow ended up willing to read through it asap just to get to the main story.
What else?
Pro: irritating former boss (thumbs up).
Con: police officer stressing on cookies more than on the case :(
Overall... Well, the story is actually quite good. And yet, something was missing.
Maybe I‘m just not quite in a detective story mood?
littletaiko's review against another edition
4.0
Latest in the wonderful if slightly depressing Iceland series featuring Inspector Erlendur. This time it's Christmas and they have been called to a hotel to investigate the murder of Santa Claus.
paopaulino's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sandin954's review against another edition
5.0
During the run-up to Christmas, Erlendur and his team are called in to investigate the murder of a doorman, who was found in his Santa costume, at a large Rejkjavik hotel. This was another exceptional crime novel by [a:Arnaldur Indriðason|47397|Arnaldur Indriðason|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1282382108p2/47397.jpg]. Very dark and introspective, the plot focuses on family relationships and secrets. The characters were all memorable, the Icelandic setting fascinating, and there was even a tiny bit of the absurd to lighten the tone occasionally.
ebokhyllami's review against another edition
3.0
En helt ok Erlendur-krim fra Island. Den svakeste til nå i rekken, synes jeg.