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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.
acejolras's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I knew going in how popular the Wallander TV adaptations are and was this a let down. I was prepared to keep it at 3* until the rushed ending killed the importance of most of the novel’s investigation. It leaned too far into procedural without tying anything together a little bit more to make it a satisfying literary experience.
I know Wallander isn’t meant to be super likeable, but it was infuriating watching a man make gigantic errors of judgment without punishment because, well, he’s a man. The sexual assault, written off as the fault of his drinking no less, really torpedoed the author for me. All the women in the book are treated in super gross ways - they’re either outright bitches or Wallander likes them because they do something for him.
This also could have been more interesting if it committed to exploring immigration and asylum seeking in Sweden. Instead of presenting it as a complex issue with gray areas, it came off as wishy-washy and rather xenophobic in places.
I know Wallander isn’t meant to be super likeable, but it was infuriating watching a man make gigantic errors of judgment without punishment because, well, he’s a man. The sexual assault, written off as the fault of his drinking no less, really torpedoed the author for me. All the women in the book are treated in super gross ways - they’re either outright bitches or Wallander likes them because they do something for him.
This also could have been more interesting if it committed to exploring immigration and asylum seeking in Sweden. Instead of presenting it as a complex issue with gray areas, it came off as wishy-washy and rather xenophobic in places.
mrlsdevos's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
2.5