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paola_mobileread's review against another edition
2.0
What is it with Wallander? I really don't know. I am not even sure it served my particular purpose of a light read on the beach.
There is no suspence: I don't think I am giving anything away if I say that something happens at the beginning, and basically that's it, while Wallander and his team look for the "faceless killer" of the title.
There is no particularly cunning detective work: I won't spoil it for you, but every now and then some new facts or details emerge that add another piece to the "puzzle" - but the puzzle itself is not particularly puzzling. Indeed, I found myself beyond caring, as I merely wanted to finish a book I started, that is the only thing which kept me going for the 370+ pages of my edition.
There is no particularly sensitive analysis of Swedish society, at least he writes nothing which would not apply to any of the wealthy European countries dealing with immigration from their less wealthy neighbours. And the writing is not particularly good or atmospheric, though admittedly this may be an issue of translation. In the end, I presume the success of this series must be due to Wallander being a "normal" slightly clumsy sort of guy that a (most likely male) reader may relate to - but there are several such police detective characters ([a:Andrea Camilleri|17350|Andrea Camilleri|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1236953748p2/17350.jpg] springs immeditely to my Italian mind, or the anti-hero Aurelio Zen, created by [a:Michael Dibdin|43318|Michael Dibdin|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1284567982p2/43318.jpg] well before the appearance of Kurt Wallander on the scene). And Mankell is himself a bit repetitive as the same style is in and you find a similar style in the only other Mankell's book I read, [b:The Return of the Dancing Master|39797|The Return of the Dancing Master|Henning Mankell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320555009s/39797.jpg|1503602].
Of course, many people seem to love Wallander, but as far as I am concerned I think it will be a long time before I attempt number 2 in the Wallander series...
There is no suspence: I don't think I am giving anything away if I say that something happens at the beginning, and basically that's it, while Wallander and his team look for the "faceless killer" of the title.
There is no particularly cunning detective work: I won't spoil it for you, but every now and then some new facts or details emerge that add another piece to the "puzzle" - but the puzzle itself is not particularly puzzling. Indeed, I found myself beyond caring, as I merely wanted to finish a book I started, that is the only thing which kept me going for the 370+ pages of my edition.
There is no particularly sensitive analysis of Swedish society, at least he writes nothing which would not apply to any of the wealthy European countries dealing with immigration from their less wealthy neighbours. And the writing is not particularly good or atmospheric, though admittedly this may be an issue of translation. In the end, I presume the success of this series must be due to Wallander being a "normal" slightly clumsy sort of guy that a (most likely male) reader may relate to - but there are several such police detective characters ([a:Andrea Camilleri|17350|Andrea Camilleri|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1236953748p2/17350.jpg] springs immeditely to my Italian mind, or the anti-hero Aurelio Zen, created by [a:Michael Dibdin|43318|Michael Dibdin|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1284567982p2/43318.jpg] well before the appearance of Kurt Wallander on the scene). And Mankell is himself a bit repetitive as the same style is in and you find a similar style in the only other Mankell's book I read, [b:The Return of the Dancing Master|39797|The Return of the Dancing Master|Henning Mankell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320555009s/39797.jpg|1503602].
Of course, many people seem to love Wallander, but as far as I am concerned I think it will be a long time before I attempt number 2 in the Wallander series...
his_reidness's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
3.0
Amazon Prime lend. Nice first one a series, but also too long.
The main story of the brutal murders of a married couple meanders along. The side stories where ok. real problems and real people.
One of the themes was the rise of racism, fueled by asylum-seekers.
Could have been less other side stories, to give a shorter book and a faster read.
Not too much romance, sex only hinted at, taking place off-page.
Recommended. For fans of Sweden and a different take on crime for US-readers, this being typical European problems. I read this in German translation, the english one may be different.
The main story of the brutal murders of a married couple meanders along. The side stories where ok. real problems and real people.
One of the themes was the rise of racism, fueled by asylum-seekers.
Could have been less other side stories, to give a shorter book and a faster read.
Not too much romance, sex only hinted at, taking place off-page.
Recommended. For fans of Sweden and a different take on crime for US-readers, this being typical European problems. I read this in German translation, the english one may be different.
kiminohon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
iym's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
aceinit's review against another edition
2.0
I discovered this series thanks to the recent BBC adaptation starring Kenneth Branagh. Though Mankell's debut novel is a fast and easy read, the writing itself feels a bit flat and lifeless. Aside from the troubled Kurt Wallander, most of the other police officers are interchangeable and not well-defined. The resolution also felt a bit rushed and disappointing considering all the plodding work it took to get us there. I'm not sure if I will continue with the books or simply wait for new episodes on television. As far as crime fiction goes, this one was very middle of the road.