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ingabbjarna's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Blood
sibbostar's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
This book picks up at the end of the previous book and instead of featuring Erlendur the focus is predominately on Elinborg instead. It was nice to get insight into the life of another member of the team. As usual though you get an interesting case as well as some other side stories to help showcase more well rounded characters.
kcfromaustcrime's review
4.0
When an author switches viewpoint in a long-running, popular series there's always a risk that some readers will be disappointed. Personally I find it can be one of the more satisfying uses of an ensemble cast, as was the case in OUTRAGE. Icelandic author Arnaldur Indridason has switched the viewpoint away from his normal main character Erlendur, to one of the lesser characters in the earlier books - Detective Elinborg.
Erlendur is around, more by way of reference than physically, as he appears to have headed off to the East Fjords, where he lived as a young boy. Given his fractured family it's possibly not surprising that he's dropped off the radar, although there is something at the end of the book that may intrigue some readers. Sigurdur Oli is present in this book, but in a low-key way.
Elinborg is investigating the discovery of the body of a young man, throat slashed, lying on the floor of his own home. Whilst the woman's shawl found in the apartment makes sense as a possible clue, it's a lingering smell that tweaks Elinborg's interest. Readers of earlier books will know that Elinborg is particularly known for her cooking, and it's that private passion that makes that smell something that she can work with.
This book is really doing what often happens in a debut, introducing and expanding on a central protagonist. In earlier books Elinborg has been very much a bit player, so OUTRAGE really gives readers a chance to get to know more about another member of Erlunder's team. The downside of that is that the plot of the book does take a while to get going, although once underway, it's actually quite clever. And uses some interesting cultural perspectives along the way.
There's an ongoing thread in all of Indridason's books about the nature of family, parental guilt and the difficulties with balancing personal lives and work commitments. Earlier books have taken readers into the relationship that Erlendur struggles to maintain with his own children, and the death of his brother when they were both children and the impact that has on his every day life. This book looks at Elinborg's own difficulties balancing the roles of wife, mother and police detective. The case revolves around family as well - the family of the victim, as well as the family of the perpetrator all play a part. Particularly interesting for this reader was the subtle comparison between the young teenage son of Elinborg and his relationship with his mother, and the very different teenage boy and his different relationship with his own mother in the earlier life of the murder victim. As always this mix of the personal and the professional creates the opportunity for readers to find some way of connecting with these characters, and, as with the early Erlendur books there's a great feeling of place, and culture built into OUTRAGE.
Despite the different viewpoint, and despite the plot of the book taking a while to move into focus, OUTRAGE really is another excellent, atmospheric, intricate and fascinating book.
Erlendur is around, more by way of reference than physically, as he appears to have headed off to the East Fjords, where he lived as a young boy. Given his fractured family it's possibly not surprising that he's dropped off the radar, although there is something at the end of the book that may intrigue some readers. Sigurdur Oli is present in this book, but in a low-key way.
Elinborg is investigating the discovery of the body of a young man, throat slashed, lying on the floor of his own home. Whilst the woman's shawl found in the apartment makes sense as a possible clue, it's a lingering smell that tweaks Elinborg's interest. Readers of earlier books will know that Elinborg is particularly known for her cooking, and it's that private passion that makes that smell something that she can work with.
This book is really doing what often happens in a debut, introducing and expanding on a central protagonist. In earlier books Elinborg has been very much a bit player, so OUTRAGE really gives readers a chance to get to know more about another member of Erlunder's team. The downside of that is that the plot of the book does take a while to get going, although once underway, it's actually quite clever. And uses some interesting cultural perspectives along the way.
There's an ongoing thread in all of Indridason's books about the nature of family, parental guilt and the difficulties with balancing personal lives and work commitments. Earlier books have taken readers into the relationship that Erlendur struggles to maintain with his own children, and the death of his brother when they were both children and the impact that has on his every day life. This book looks at Elinborg's own difficulties balancing the roles of wife, mother and police detective. The case revolves around family as well - the family of the victim, as well as the family of the perpetrator all play a part. Particularly interesting for this reader was the subtle comparison between the young teenage son of Elinborg and his relationship with his mother, and the very different teenage boy and his different relationship with his own mother in the earlier life of the murder victim. As always this mix of the personal and the professional creates the opportunity for readers to find some way of connecting with these characters, and, as with the early Erlendur books there's a great feeling of place, and culture built into OUTRAGE.
Despite the different viewpoint, and despite the plot of the book taking a while to move into focus, OUTRAGE really is another excellent, atmospheric, intricate and fascinating book.
sandin954's review
3.0
While Inspector Erlendur is on leave, his colleague Elinborg looks into the murder of a young man in Reykjavik. Elinborg is a much different character than Erlendur and I enjoyed how she brought her own style to the case.
ebokhyllami's review against another edition
3.0
Må si, at etter å ha lyttet meg gjennom Indridason-krim fra første boka i serien og frem til nå, så har jeg nådd metningspunktet. Igjen. Det er ikke dårlig. Det går bare fremdeles så veldig langsomt... "Irrganger" er helt riktig tittel. Mye smårør før man møysommelig passerer målstreken. Så definitivt grundig. Men spennende? Not so much...
amn028's review against another edition
4.0
This novel focuses on Elinborg, the female detective in the Erlendur series. While she works to solve the murder, the reader gets a in-depth and fleshed out strong female character juggling police work and family.
There are plenty of clues along the way to solve the mystery and pull the reader into the story. Typical of the Erlendur series, not all storylines are wrapped up neatly.
There are plenty of clues along the way to solve the mystery and pull the reader into the story. Typical of the Erlendur series, not all storylines are wrapped up neatly.
liberrydude's review against another edition
4.0
Inspector Erlunder is not in this mystery but concerns about his whereabouts are starting to grow upon the conclusion of this book. The principal character and protagonist in this mystery is Elinborg, the female protege of Erlunder. She takes on a murder with very little clues and solves it quickly. Or does she? Plus there's a linkage to another murder from the past. The author does a great job of showing the daily pressures of being a cop plus being a working mom. This book is all Elinborg. She is cool and detached yet also troubled by the events she is beginning to unravel. It showcases the advantages of female police officers whose nature of listening and communicating provides real dividends. A crazy woman who was a witness would have been dismissed by a male colleague but Elinborg listens to the ramblings and finds a suspect in the fog of info. She further lays into a male colleague who was too confrontational and direct with a suspect with the result of the suspect being alerted and less reticent. A very real glimpse into village life in rural Iceland is also conveyed. I liked Elinborg's character. She's not as flawed or grouchy as Erlunder. She could be you or me.
iriswildeboer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
saltycorpse's review
5.0
Despite Erlendur's absence in this installment (with Elinborg heading this investigation), this was one of the best novels in the series, and one of the most difficult, as it deals intimately with rape, the systemic failure of justice for rape victims and the difficulty of proving rape - and what vigilante justice can mean. Probably the most emotional novel yet in this series: Outrage is an appropriate title.