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karinlib's review against another edition
2.0
I had heard that this author was good, but I really didn't see it. This didn't measure up to any of the other scandavian police procedurals I have read.
krobart's review against another edition
2.0
In contrast to Karin Fossum’s excellent The Indian Bride, I feel that The Water’s Edge is a fairly pedestrian effort. It is more about exploring the psychology of pedophilia than about solving the crime, than actually about developing the plot at all.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-waters-edge/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-waters-edge/
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
4.0
One of the things that I particularly love about really good crime fiction is the way that it highlights the human condition - warts and all. The thing I particularly love about Karin Fossum's books is the way that she explores the notion of the sad, the stupid, the moments in which things go awry. To my mind, there's something profoundly more sobering about the notion of momentary mistake or misjudgement - rather than the automatic presumption of evil.
THE WATER'S EDGE tackles the difficult subject of the death of a child (and the disappearance of another). When Reinhardt and Kristine Ris briefly pass an agitated man at the start of one of their regular walks, they have no idea that they will need to remember that man, his appearance, his state of mind and his vehicle. They only realise that after they discover the body of a young boy in the woods, and Inspector Sejer starts asking a lot of questions. The circumstances of the boy's death appear to be indicating a dreadful fate for the little boy, although the exact cause of death remains a mystery for quite a while. Sejer's investigation takes on an even more sinister overtone when a second little boy disappears.
Whilst the death of the little boy and the search for his attacker is paramount to Sejer, there's some interesting psychological exploration going on in THE WATER'S EDGE. Reinhardt and Kristine's marriage is a fragile affair to start off with, although Reinhardt's bull-headed stubbornness and self-involvement means he probably had no idea that Kristine has been having second thoughts about the relationship for a long time. As Reinhardt's voyeuristic reaction to the discover of the little boy becomes more and more extreme, it simply confirms for Kristine that her marriage has been a mistake. Add to that Reinhardt's refusal to have children and Kristine's increasing yearning for a child, and this is a relationship which is destined for problems. The portrayal of the affects of the boy's death in such a personal thing as the relationship of the hapless discoverers of the body poignantly draws a picture of how profound and unexpected the affects of murder can be.
The other side of the story - the perpetrator is equally telling. As strange as this may seem, there's some room for compassion for the perpetrator of these acts - these moments of misjudgement. Lifelong damage, instant mistakes, the sad, the pathetic, the inexcusable, the stupid, the unwittingly cruel, shame and personal loathing. It applies equally to the death of a poor little boy, his body laid out with some care and reverence in the woods, as it does to another little boy - overweight, over-indulged, different, ashamed and shamed against, who has gone missing.
THE WATER'S EDGE tackles the difficult subject of the death of a child (and the disappearance of another). When Reinhardt and Kristine Ris briefly pass an agitated man at the start of one of their regular walks, they have no idea that they will need to remember that man, his appearance, his state of mind and his vehicle. They only realise that after they discover the body of a young boy in the woods, and Inspector Sejer starts asking a lot of questions. The circumstances of the boy's death appear to be indicating a dreadful fate for the little boy, although the exact cause of death remains a mystery for quite a while. Sejer's investigation takes on an even more sinister overtone when a second little boy disappears.
Whilst the death of the little boy and the search for his attacker is paramount to Sejer, there's some interesting psychological exploration going on in THE WATER'S EDGE. Reinhardt and Kristine's marriage is a fragile affair to start off with, although Reinhardt's bull-headed stubbornness and self-involvement means he probably had no idea that Kristine has been having second thoughts about the relationship for a long time. As Reinhardt's voyeuristic reaction to the discover of the little boy becomes more and more extreme, it simply confirms for Kristine that her marriage has been a mistake. Add to that Reinhardt's refusal to have children and Kristine's increasing yearning for a child, and this is a relationship which is destined for problems. The portrayal of the affects of the boy's death in such a personal thing as the relationship of the hapless discoverers of the body poignantly draws a picture of how profound and unexpected the affects of murder can be.
The other side of the story - the perpetrator is equally telling. As strange as this may seem, there's some room for compassion for the perpetrator of these acts - these moments of misjudgement. Lifelong damage, instant mistakes, the sad, the pathetic, the inexcusable, the stupid, the unwittingly cruel, shame and personal loathing. It applies equally to the death of a poor little boy, his body laid out with some care and reverence in the woods, as it does to another little boy - overweight, over-indulged, different, ashamed and shamed against, who has gone missing.
antjerook's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book, the crime and the characters were quite realistic, no exaggereted plot, motives or complexity, every person in the book I can imagine clear, they are normal, no unbelievable monsters, no shining heroes, no unbarable atrocities.
I must admit I didn't like that one of the policemen spent a lot of time with finding explanations why the paedophile became a peadophile and what kind of childhood he had, but I guess, lot of people are asking such questions. Anyway, this is an intelligent and believable book and that's why I rated it with 4 stars.
I must admit I didn't like that one of the policemen spent a lot of time with finding explanations why the paedophile became a peadophile and what kind of childhood he had, but I guess, lot of people are asking such questions. Anyway, this is an intelligent and believable book and that's why I rated it with 4 stars.
paigealhasan's review against another edition
2.0
Alot was lost in translation but many times it was hard to follow what the atmosphere was supposed to feel like. Was it a tense moment or was it supposed to be sarcasm etc. Also it kind of just jumped into this strained relationship between Kristine and reinhardt but not alot of explanation as to why it was that way. Kristine's character was confusing. She was supposed to be the voice of reasons but once they found Brien it seemed like she no longer was. I also was hoping for a little more character development of Rheinhardt and what was up with the picture of the girl. What was her story what was reinhardts story etc. I also don't like how pedophilia is almost considered a kind of a preference or kink in this book as if it is something that can be tolerated in certain situations. But it could be an issue with translation from Norwegian to English not sure. Uncomfy tho.
snowflakeanddan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
aichakassem's review against another edition
3.0
Intressant och läsa då det är inte ett normalt ämne i böcker . Boken har ett lätt flyt och man läser ut den ganska fort , den är bra tycker jag fast ibland lite obehaglig då som sagt ämnet inte tas upp på detta sätt så ofta i andra böcker.