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trilby001's review against another edition
3.0
While first in the series, this novel came out in English after the next two. The problem for me is that it is set in a Sweden that existed nearly twenty years ago. I'd rather read historical fiction than plain old dated fiction.
tbrewster's review against another edition
3.0
Liked it, just wished the entire book would have been as good as the last 80!
sophiewilliams's review against another edition
2.0
Might have been a case of wrong book, wrong time, but I wasn't a fan of this. Too many points of view and too little time getting to know the main character
ejl2623's review against another edition
4.0
Wonderful characters. I will read every one of Hakan Nessers' novels. Amazed I missed him in the past. \
stelaw's review against another edition
2.0
My first Nesser book. I found the narrative disjointed at times and hard to follow. Van Veeteren seems quite an unpleasant detective and I have no idea of the significance of the book's title. I will try others in the series even though this one did not impress.
marko68's review against another edition
5.0
“He could feel it in the atmosphere, in the damp emptiness. As if this restaurant and this Sunday afternoon had been waiting for him”.
Chief Inspector Van Veeteren, snappish, sardonic, unsentimental, depressed and almost psychic in his ability to solve a crime is everything that is fundamental to Nordic Noir. Håkan Nesser, is undisputedly one of the godfathers of the genre and Mind’s Eye is the first of the Van Veeteren series, authored in 1993 and translated to English in 2008. As a character, Van Veeteren fulfils the somewhat cliched characteristics of classic Nordic Noir protagonists with the need to struggle with and refract their conflict-ridden private lives through their investigation of violent crimes and crumbling societies. Along with Mankell’s Wallander, Sjöwall and Wahlöö’s Martin Beck, Staalesen’s Varg Veum and Nesbø’s Harry Hole, Van Veeteren is the loveable unloveable antihero of Nesser’s classic series. Somewhat misogynistic, non-PC and at times a little questionable, Mind’s Eye is story with a clever plot that wraps around the psyche of characters against the backdrop of the wintery north.
I rarely read any books that are not set in real places as I find a real fascination in the sense of place that comes with dealing deeply into a corner of the world and its geography and history. Mind’s Eye is set in the fictional location of Maardam which I guess could be anywhere across Northern Europe. To be honest, I thought this would be a deal breaker for me, however, the characterisation was strong enough to override this sense of place which Nesser more than made up for in the fictional location anyway.
Mind’s Eye centres around the death of Eva Ringmar and features the classic “I was so drunk I can’t remember anything” plot foundation. Husband Janek Mitter is naturally the primary suspect and before you can say Scandi Noir, Van Veeteren is up to his eyeballs in intrigue.
I love Nesser’s approach to writing this one. It’s very procedural, yet not linear. It’s sequenced, yet not readily predictable. It follows formula, yet allows characterisation to be parallel with plot.
“A novel, a film, a play, Münster - they are nothing but stuffed life. Life that has been captured and stuffed like a taxidermist stuffs a dead animal. They are created so that we can reasonably examine it. Clamber out of reality and look at it from a distance. Are you with me?” P254
I can quite happily give this 5 stars.
Chief Inspector Van Veeteren, snappish, sardonic, unsentimental, depressed and almost psychic in his ability to solve a crime is everything that is fundamental to Nordic Noir. Håkan Nesser, is undisputedly one of the godfathers of the genre and Mind’s Eye is the first of the Van Veeteren series, authored in 1993 and translated to English in 2008. As a character, Van Veeteren fulfils the somewhat cliched characteristics of classic Nordic Noir protagonists with the need to struggle with and refract their conflict-ridden private lives through their investigation of violent crimes and crumbling societies. Along with Mankell’s Wallander, Sjöwall and Wahlöö’s Martin Beck, Staalesen’s Varg Veum and Nesbø’s Harry Hole, Van Veeteren is the loveable unloveable antihero of Nesser’s classic series. Somewhat misogynistic, non-PC and at times a little questionable, Mind’s Eye is story with a clever plot that wraps around the psyche of characters against the backdrop of the wintery north.
I rarely read any books that are not set in real places as I find a real fascination in the sense of place that comes with dealing deeply into a corner of the world and its geography and history. Mind’s Eye is set in the fictional location of Maardam which I guess could be anywhere across Northern Europe. To be honest, I thought this would be a deal breaker for me, however, the characterisation was strong enough to override this sense of place which Nesser more than made up for in the fictional location anyway.
Mind’s Eye centres around the death of Eva Ringmar and features the classic “I was so drunk I can’t remember anything” plot foundation. Husband Janek Mitter is naturally the primary suspect and before you can say Scandi Noir, Van Veeteren is up to his eyeballs in intrigue.
I love Nesser’s approach to writing this one. It’s very procedural, yet not linear. It’s sequenced, yet not readily predictable. It follows formula, yet allows characterisation to be parallel with plot.
“A novel, a film, a play, Münster - they are nothing but stuffed life. Life that has been captured and stuffed like a taxidermist stuffs a dead animal. They are created so that we can reasonably examine it. Clamber out of reality and look at it from a distance. Are you with me?” P254
I can quite happily give this 5 stars.
mascha_blue's review against another edition
3.0
The first installment of the Inspector Van Veeteren series, this police procedural takes place in Sweden. The murder of a teacher lands her husband in prison but Inspector Van Veeteren doesn't believe he's the killer. The novel is a fast read but does not stand out in a crowded field of excellent Scandinavian crime novels. It lacks the social commentary and description of the Scandinavian landscape that make this genre so special and intriguing. Still, the book is good enough to make me want to read others in the series to see if they will fulfill my expectations.
parsnip_road's review against another edition
3.0
Janek Mitter vaknar efter en synnerligen blöt kväll - och hittar sin fru, Eva, död i badkaret. Han har inget minne av vad som hänt och blir dömd för mordet. Kommissarie van Veeteren är tveksam till om rätt person tagits. Och hans tvivel bekräftas när Mitter hittas död I sin cell.
***
Jag erkänner villigt att jag inte hängde med i förvecklingarna - och helt plötsligt har de tagit den rätte mördaren och van Veeteren avslöjar hur det kommer sig att det är just denne. Och min tanke är att "jaha, där ser man - för det gjorde man inte innan". Så jag känner inget vidare förtroende för kommissarien och skippar således resterande böcker om honom.
***
Jag erkänner villigt att jag inte hängde med i förvecklingarna - och helt plötsligt har de tagit den rätte mördaren och van Veeteren avslöjar hur det kommer sig att det är just denne. Och min tanke är att "jaha, där ser man - för det gjorde man inte innan". Så jag känner inget vidare förtroende för kommissarien och skippar således resterande böcker om honom.
jrcurtis's review against another edition
2.0
I forgot what a bummer it is to read casual misogyny, especially the variety found in crime/mystery novels. Aside from that, still only okay-at-best.