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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
I don’t really care for series, and I certainly don’t care for mysteries. I had originally picked up Mankell because I was trying to read more foreign authors, and since I like a lot of music from Sweden I figured I’d give the writing a try. Now here I am, five books later. I guess these things happen.
Up until this point in the series, Sidetracked is probably the best of the Wallander books, out-doing my previous favorite [b:The White Lioness|922981|The White Lioness (Wallander #3)|Henning Mankell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388271900s/922981.jpg|67116]. Mankell has really locked down what he wants to do with with his characters and setting. Previous books seemed to have veered around. The first book was a moderate mystery with a lot of tangential social commentary. [b:The Dogs of Riga|39795|The Dogs of Riga (Wallander #2)|Henning Mankell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341858828s/39795.jpg|1503624] was a failed attempt at international espionage, while The White Lioness was a successful run in the same vein. I’m not going to lie here, I can’t even remember what [b:The Man Who Smiled|39792|The Man Who Smiled (Wallander #4)|Henning Mankell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388265770s/39792.jpg|1323052] was even about, but I gave it four stars so it couldn’t have been that bad. With this installment, Mankell keeps us firmly in Sweden and pens an honestly suspenseful and engaging detective story.
The loadstone of the novel, as with the others, is the wonderful character of Wallander. Being inside of his head is an enormously interesting experience, not because he is dashing or gritty or a super sleuth, but because he is, to put it bluntly, just some guy. He worries a lot and goes through bouts of self-loathing. He forgets things and messes up. He takes his job personally to the point where he doesn’t take good care of himself. It's not even that Wallander is a particularly likable person, and I would say that if I met him i probably wouldn't like him. But, as they say, it's what’s on the inside that counts, and internally Wallander goes through things we have all felt at one time or another. For me, Wallander is just as interesting as the action going on around him.
The writing itself hasn’t changed much from from the first book. A lot of the narrative is taken up with meetings and reports and Wallander having one good think after another. Maybe this is how police work really goes, but the constant repetition can get a little tiring. Also I still don’t quite get the dialogue. Sometimes it sounds less like two people talking to each other and more like two people taking turns thinking out loud. I don’t know if this is Mankell’s writing or a translation thing or even a Swedish thing, but it certainly is unique. At this point though, I’m used to it, which allows the above-average story to stand out. Without going into too much detail, Mankell gives the reader just enough information along the way to enjoy watching Wallander figure out things the reader already knows. The only real misstep is the end; if you are ever confused as to what “anticlimactic” means, here is your answer. In fact, this was pretty much a five star book until the last 15 pages. Buzzkill.
Anyway, if you are already into the series this should be a high point. If you’re interested in Mankell, the first book is a perfectly good place to start. Just try not to get hooked.
Up until this point in the series, Sidetracked is probably the best of the Wallander books, out-doing my previous favorite [b:The White Lioness|922981|The White Lioness (Wallander #3)|Henning Mankell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388271900s/922981.jpg|67116]. Mankell has really locked down what he wants to do with with his characters and setting. Previous books seemed to have veered around. The first book was a moderate mystery with a lot of tangential social commentary. [b:The Dogs of Riga|39795|The Dogs of Riga (Wallander #2)|Henning Mankell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341858828s/39795.jpg|1503624] was a failed attempt at international espionage, while The White Lioness was a successful run in the same vein. I’m not going to lie here, I can’t even remember what [b:The Man Who Smiled|39792|The Man Who Smiled (Wallander #4)|Henning Mankell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388265770s/39792.jpg|1323052] was even about, but I gave it four stars so it couldn’t have been that bad. With this installment, Mankell keeps us firmly in Sweden and pens an honestly suspenseful and engaging detective story.
The loadstone of the novel, as with the others, is the wonderful character of Wallander. Being inside of his head is an enormously interesting experience, not because he is dashing or gritty or a super sleuth, but because he is, to put it bluntly, just some guy. He worries a lot and goes through bouts of self-loathing. He forgets things and messes up. He takes his job personally to the point where he doesn’t take good care of himself. It's not even that Wallander is a particularly likable person, and I would say that if I met him i probably wouldn't like him. But, as they say, it's what’s on the inside that counts, and internally Wallander goes through things we have all felt at one time or another. For me, Wallander is just as interesting as the action going on around him.
The writing itself hasn’t changed much from from the first book. A lot of the narrative is taken up with meetings and reports and Wallander having one good think after another. Maybe this is how police work really goes, but the constant repetition can get a little tiring. Also I still don’t quite get the dialogue. Sometimes it sounds less like two people talking to each other and more like two people taking turns thinking out loud. I don’t know if this is Mankell’s writing or a translation thing or even a Swedish thing, but it certainly is unique. At this point though, I’m used to it, which allows the above-average story to stand out. Without going into too much detail, Mankell gives the reader just enough information along the way to enjoy watching Wallander figure out things the reader already knows. The only real misstep is the end; if you are ever confused as to what “anticlimactic” means, here is your answer. In fact, this was pretty much a five star book until the last 15 pages. Buzzkill.
Anyway, if you are already into the series this should be a high point. If you’re interested in Mankell, the first book is a perfectly good place to start. Just try not to get hooked.
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:
No
This was my favorite Wallander story so far. In previous ones, where there's far less action, Mankell often moves the plot forward by saying something like, "In the future Wallander would look back on this day and think how there was an important shift to the investigation." This novel relies less on those sign posts. The plot is so exciting that the narration just follows the action.
Helmet-lukuhaasteen 2025 kohtaan 24. Kirjassa tehdään laittomuuksia.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was one of the books that the BBC made into a movie, starring Kenneth Branagh (RROW!) as Wallander. I thought this was going to make the book not so great because I knew how it was going to turn out, but there are so many details that weren't covered in the movie (and obviously all can't be) that it made the book even better! The movie was an excellent adaptation, but the book was much better. I am constantly impressed with each book in this series.
Onlangs gelezen: dit vijfde deel uit de Wallander-reeks van de Zweedse misdaadauteur. Plus: de continuïteit van Wallanders geschiedenis. De beslagen ouwe rot past prima in het rijtje obsessieve rechercheurs met Morse (Colin Dexter), Rebus (Ian Rankin) en Banks (Peter Robinson), al is hij eerder het slachtoffer van Scandinavische melancholie en niet van het wegvretende cynisme dat zijn Angelsaksische collega’s drijft. In Dwaalsporen (1995), dat draait rond een op hol geslagen seriemoordenaar die schijnbaar zonder enig verband vooraanstaanden scalpeert en op andere creatieve manieren over de kling jaagt, valt ook opnieuw de licht maatschappelijk geëngageerde inslag op. Probleem is dat Mankells goedbedoelde bekommernissen na enkele delen lichtjes belegen beginnen te klinken. Neen, Zweden is géén Aards Paradijs of weggemoffelde natie bevolkt door braven, en ja, het is wél een moderne, amorele maatschappij die geen comfortabele schoot kan bieden aan de burgers, we weten het intussen wel, meester. Onderhoudend is het boek zeker, al is het onnodig lang gerokken (in tegenstelling tot het superieure Midzomernachtmoord) en lijkt het net iets te veel geïnspireerd door de serial killer-hausse van zijn tijd. Prima stuff voor twee lege avonden, maar geen openbaringen hier.