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bluesnosrap's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Murder, Drug abuse, and Cannibalism
micaela_heinrich_arndt's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, Incest, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Mental illness, Homophobia, Gore, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Cannibalism, Body horror, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
edgwareviabank's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
NOTE: while my review is in English, I read the Italian translation of this book.
One of the reasons I love the Harry Hole series so much is that it always surprises me. I can't think of a single time I had the right hunch about a plot twist or a killer, even when it seemed oh-so-obvious up to the last chapter. So now I just sit back, try to resist the temptation to put a lot of effort into making guesses, and read on, knowing at some point the plot will subvert all of my expectations. It's become a part of the enjoyment.
This time, I got some things right. I was surprised Nesbø made them so easy to predict! My very first instinct about the killer wasn't the right one, but, unlike in previous Harry Hole novels, the dots to connect to work it all out appear much earlier on in Killing Moon. Still, even when I was certain I knew, I couldn't put the book down: spending time with the cast of familiar characters, and finding out how exactly they would get to the truth, was at least half the fun.
Now, does the series tend to rely on the same elements over and over? Definitely. Does it get old? Hell no. Harry Hole's investigations and thought processes follow a similar structure in many of the novels. Even when it's hard to guess who the killer is, it's clear who the author will prompt the reader to suspect. The "aging detective on a self-destructive drinking spiral" angle is played with as heavy a hand as ever, and of course, after the life-shattering events of The Knife, the novel that followed was bound to double down. A bit repetitive at times; but also, it's what makes it so easy to pick up any of the Harry Hole books as standalones, or to read them out of order (I started from The Snowman, and am still missing a few of the earlier novels, which I'll get to at some point).
I can think of a few crime authors that have overplayed their tropes to the point of making me scream at books in frustration. With Jo Nesbø, I see the repetition as part of a package I will buy any time it's on offer: the complex and well-constructed plots with continuous twists and hardly ever a loose end more than make up for it. I'm glad that The Knife wasn't the end of Harry Hole, as it so easily might have been. His adventures are Nesbø's best work, and one of the most consistently excellent series Nordic Noir has to offer.
One of the reasons I love the Harry Hole series so much is that it always surprises me. I can't think of a single time I had the right hunch about a plot twist or a killer, even when it seemed oh-so-obvious up to the last chapter. So now I just sit back, try to resist the temptation to put a lot of effort into making guesses, and read on, knowing at some point the plot will subvert all of my expectations. It's become a part of the enjoyment.
This time, I got some things right. I was surprised Nesbø made them so easy to predict! My very first instinct about the killer wasn't the right one, but, unlike in previous Harry Hole novels, the dots to connect to work it all out appear much earlier on in Killing Moon. Still, even when I was certain I knew, I couldn't put the book down: spending time with the cast of familiar characters, and finding out how exactly they would get to the truth, was at least half the fun.
Now, does the series tend to rely on the same elements over and over? Definitely. Does it get old? Hell no. Harry Hole's investigations and thought processes follow a similar structure in many of the novels. Even when it's hard to guess who the killer is, it's clear who the author will prompt the reader to suspect. The "aging detective on a self-destructive drinking spiral" angle is played with as heavy a hand as ever, and of course, after the life-shattering events of The Knife, the novel that followed was bound to double down. A bit repetitive at times; but also, it's what makes it so easy to pick up any of the Harry Hole books as standalones, or to read them out of order (I started from The Snowman, and am still missing a few of the earlier novels, which I'll get to at some point).
I can think of a few crime authors that have overplayed their tropes to the point of making me scream at books in frustration. With Jo Nesbø, I see the repetition as part of a package I will buy any time it's on offer: the complex and well-constructed plots with continuous twists and hardly ever a loose end more than make up for it. I'm glad that The Knife wasn't the end of Harry Hole, as it so easily might have been. His adventures are Nesbø's best work, and one of the most consistently excellent series Nordic Noir has to offer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Medical content, Sexual content, and Incest
Moderate: Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury
srm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Every time I read a Nesbo book, I'm so enthralled by the story and the characters, especially Harry, that I have to take a step back once it's all washed over me to just be impressed and how well constructed his books are. This is one is no exception, with Harry accepting a private investigating job with someone he'd rather not work for, particularly when all he really wants to do is drink himself to death. But, bless him, Harry will always jump in when it's a matter of helping someone he cares about, and so he has to track down a seeming serial killer with a penchant for brain destroying parasites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Murder, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Death, Vomit, Dementia, Drug use, Cancer, Cursing, Grief, Terminal illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Incest, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Homophobia, Blood, Excrement, Sexual content, and Animal cruelty
lamen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hochspannung mit Harry Hole
Harry Hole ist zurück und gleich mit einem Fall, der nichts für schwache Nerven ist.
Bevor man jedoch Hole und seinem außergewöhnlichen Ermittlerteam bestehend aus einem krebskranken Psychologen, einem korrupten Polizisten und einen drogendealenden Schulfreund bei der Aufklärung der äußerst grausamen Morde an zwei Frauen folgt, trifft man Harry Hole in L.A. an, wo er versucht, sich totzutrinken. Als die mexikanische Drogenmafia Lucille, eine Freundin von ihm und ehemalige Schauspielerin, mit dem Tod bedroht und eine Million von ihr verlangt, nimmt Hole den Auftrag eines Anwalts an, der ihm eine Menge Geld anbietet, wenn er den Ruf seines Mandanten, einen bekannten Immobilienmakler aus Oslo, schützt. Der Makler wird verdächtig mit dem Mord an den zwei Frauen etwas zu tun zu haben.
In Oslo macht Hole sich als Privatermittler an die Arbeit und ein Wettlauf gegen die Zeit beginnt.
Erzählt aus verschiedenen Perspektiven, darunter auch die des Täters, steigert sich die Spannung von Beginn an, um dann konstant hochgehalten zu werden und in einem nervenaufreibenden und wendungsreichen Finale zu enden.
Dank des atmosphärisch düsteren und eindringlichen Schreibstils des Autors folgt man gebannt, wie neben der Polizei, Harry Hole gemeinsam mit seinem Ermittlerteam jeweils knapp vor der Auflösung des Falles zu stehen scheint, um dann festzustellen, dass der Täter ihnen einen Schritt voraus ist und immer noch ein weiteres Puzzleteil zur Lösung fehlt.
Kurze Kapitel, eine gute und authentische Charakterzeichnung sowie mit Hole einen liebenswerten Antihelden, machen den Thriller von Anfang bis Ende lesenswert.
Nicht nur Fans von Harry Hole kommen bei "Blutmond" auf ihre Kosten, hat dieser Thriller doch alles, was einen guten Thriller ausmacht. Ein konstant hoher Spannungsbogen, zahlreiche falsche Fährten, der ein oder andere Schockmomente sowie ein außergewöhnlicher Fall sorgen für fesselnde Lesestunden. Nur einen empfindlichen Magen sollte man nicht haben.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, and Sexual content
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