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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Dark and thought-provoking mystery/thriller set in Copenhagen among 4 women who work at a genocide research center. The parallels between office bullying and the forces that might cause entire groups of people to wipe out other groups of people are both implicitly and explicitly discussed. I found it a very interesting book, and a little disturbing.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
#readtheworld Denmark
This might be one of my favorite books I've read so far this year.
The story follows four women working for an agency in Copenhagen that promotes education regarding genocide. When the women begin receiving threats, it turns the story into a magnificent psychological whodunnit.
The women initially suspect the subjects of their exposes on genocide, but then shift to suspicion of one another and even of themselves. The internal turmoil and anxiety send the characters into different depths of despair and madness as they try to identify the perpetrator.
Also, as a bonus, if this were a film, it would pass the Bechdel Test!
Highly recommend.
This might be one of my favorite books I've read so far this year.
The story follows four women working for an agency in Copenhagen that promotes education regarding genocide. When the women begin receiving threats, it turns the story into a magnificent psychological whodunnit.
The women initially suspect the subjects of their exposes on genocide, but then shift to suspicion of one another and even of themselves. The internal turmoil and anxiety send the characters into different depths of despair and madness as they try to identify the perpetrator.
Also, as a bonus, if this were a film, it would pass the Bechdel Test!
Highly recommend.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this novel from Christian Jungersen. Although it's not nearly as good and is also (in some ways) nothing like Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, it also does remind me of that series. Here's why: The Danish culture as portrayed in this novel is similar to Swedish culture, the principal characters are all strong women, the principal characters work in the field of human rights, there's a high tech element, and it's a thriller. I found that the writing constantly surprised me: I absolutely could not predict what the characters would do, and even their conversation was so un-American . . . it was very refreshing.
Okay, here's where you should stop reading this review if you want to avoid spoilers.
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After reading this novel, I am left with lots of questions. Did Iben really kill Rasmus? Why did Malene distract Mirko Zigic thus causing him to kill her rather than Iben? Was Malene's explanation of how Zigic came to learn of the existence of the emails plausible? Why did Zigic think Iben was Malene? Do you believe DID is as common as Grith and Iben seem to believe? Did Iben suffer from DID? Did Malene? Clearly, I miss being part of a book group. Share your responses if you've read this book.
Okay, here's where you should stop reading this review if you want to avoid spoilers.
------------------------------------------------------
After reading this novel, I am left with lots of questions. Did Iben really kill Rasmus? Why did Malene distract Mirko Zigic thus causing him to kill her rather than Iben? Was Malene's explanation of how Zigic came to learn of the existence of the emails plausible? Why did Zigic think Iben was Malene? Do you believe DID is as common as Grith and Iben seem to believe? Did Iben suffer from DID? Did Malene? Clearly, I miss being part of a book group. Share your responses if you've read this book.
A disturbing, well researched book. I need to go read something light now, human nature sucks!
this is an amazing book and really digs deep into the relationships of women that work together -- both the good and the bad. I would say that it gets about 70 percent of the dynamic right, and then 20 percent is off is due to the need to dramatize the situation to make a good book, and then 10 percent compeltly misses the way women interact.
This book again is one of the best I've read this year. It has stayed with me. The context of my life is having a newborn baby and it being the holidays. In that light, the focus on genocide and the ability for people to become murderers under certain circumstances when they would otherwise not think they could hurt anyone.
The book was written well, changing viewpoints when you most needed it to and not remaining with one viewpoint - which would have been impossible in the context of what the author was exploring.
SPOILER ALERT - I am unsure of one character's main motivation for writing the emails in the first place other than her general emotional malaise.
But other than that, it makes you think and makes you wonder about all the issues and whether you would be or have been a person who could do the things that happen in this book.
The book was written well, changing viewpoints when you most needed it to and not remaining with one viewpoint - which would have been impossible in the context of what the author was exploring.
SPOILER ALERT - I am unsure of one character's main motivation for writing the emails in the first place other than her general emotional malaise.
But other than that, it makes you think and makes you wonder about all the issues and whether you would be or have been a person who could do the things that happen in this book.
The Exception is supposed to be a microcosm of the group dynamics that lead perfectly ordinary people to commit horrendous atrocities, such as the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and the Stanford Prison Experiment catastrophe. So, in other words, the characters are not meant to be particularly likeable. Except did they have to be so petty, childish, bratty, and over-the-top? They even resort to breaking into someone's house at night to access her computer. One gets mad at another just for looking at her. Practical "jokes" are played.
At that point I was ready to hop into the story myself and start bitch-slapping every one of these insufferable, whiny "ladies" until they starting acting like responsible adult human beings again. Of course, presiding distantly and benevolently over the four hysterical females is Paul, the level-headed man, which gives The Exception some sadly sexist overtones. I mean, other than that one war criminal and his goons, all the male characters in this book come across as pretty normal when compared to the DCIG drama queens. Probably the best part is when Iben starts researching split personality disorder and goes to Paul to inform him that Ann-Lise doubtlessly has this highly rare condition. Srsly? But lo! there is hope. You can still be the Exception, that lone individual who rises up above the collective juggernaut and acts selflessly in defense of your fellow man, whatever the personal risk.
I can see what Jungersen was trying to do but this is not how to do it.
At that point I was ready to hop into the story myself and start bitch-slapping every one of these insufferable, whiny "ladies" until they starting acting like responsible adult human beings again. Of course, presiding distantly and benevolently over the four hysterical females is Paul, the level-headed man, which gives The Exception some sadly sexist overtones. I mean, other than that one war criminal and his goons, all the male characters in this book come across as pretty normal when compared to the DCIG drama queens. Probably the best part is when Iben starts researching split personality disorder and goes to Paul to inform him that Ann-Lise doubtlessly has this highly rare condition. Srsly? But lo! there is hope. You can still be the Exception, that lone individual who rises up above the collective juggernaut and acts selflessly in defense of your fellow man, whatever the personal risk.
I can see what Jungersen was trying to do but this is not how to do it.
Copenhagen, here I come! Crispbread, soft cheese, fruit, and yogurt for lunch with your co-workers on a snowy Danish day fighting genocide across the world? What a lovely picture, eh? Well throw in some split personalities, damaged egos, professional climbing, a Serb or two, and you got trouble!
This book was billed as a psychological thriller, but I am not sure that is a great fit description-wise. It was more about situational ethics, groupthink, and the varying perspectives multiple people can have on one series of events. And bullying, lots and lots of bullying.
This was an enjoyable page-turner with a somewhat fresh take on alternating point of view that was pretty well done. It got a bit clunky at times as the author took a few too many detours with educational bits on genocide.
The description of the three female characters began to contain some sexist or sterotypical elements about halfway through that were distracting, but this corrected itself as the plot itself became more and more outlandish toward the end 9but still enjoyable).
All in all, a good book to learn some about a culture I didn't know a lot about, an interesting chance to think about how genocide works some, and most interesting in the exposition of bullying among adults and the way power dynamics among in groups and out groups unravel.
This book was billed as a psychological thriller, but I am not sure that is a great fit description-wise. It was more about situational ethics, groupthink, and the varying perspectives multiple people can have on one series of events. And bullying, lots and lots of bullying.
This was an enjoyable page-turner with a somewhat fresh take on alternating point of view that was pretty well done. It got a bit clunky at times as the author took a few too many detours with educational bits on genocide.
The description of the three female characters began to contain some sexist or sterotypical elements about halfway through that were distracting, but this corrected itself as the plot itself became more and more outlandish toward the end 9but still enjoyable).
All in all, a good book to learn some about a culture I didn't know a lot about, an interesting chance to think about how genocide works some, and most interesting in the exposition of bullying among adults and the way power dynamics among in groups and out groups unravel.