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sdttmnn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lynnab's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
awellreadlady's review
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
melbsreads's review against another edition
2.5
Trigger warnings: death, murder, cheating, fire, drug use, violence.
I picked this up for $2 last year because I tend to really enjoy Scandinavian crime books and I try as much as possible to read books set outside the US and the UK so this definitely fit the bill. And then I put off reading it for over a year. Whoops?
Anyway. The mystery itself was pretty decent, but I feel like a lot of the story got bogged down in Axel's personal life in ways I didn't really care for. The descriptions of women were...not good. Exhibit A: "He looked at her naked body in the semi-darkness: her pussy, freshly shaved around the dark brown labia, the greasy pubic hair above it, her white skin, her hip sockets framing the skin on her stomach with the two stretch marks like barcodes on either side of her navel, which had turned outwards since Emma was born. Up and down went her breast in a calm rhythm; her nipples had crawled in on themselves."
Now, I don't know how most people describe the mother of their child, but I'm guessing it's not greasy pubes and inverted nipples. And sometime later, we get the following: "her tongue was hard and greedy, she tasted slightly sweet, of bolognese or ketchup". BOLOGNESE OR KETCHUP?!?!?! Ma'am. Brush your teeth please.
So while the mystery was fine, the rest was a big ol' nope. Especially once you add in my absolute least favourite description: "Corneliussen's mouth resembled a stitched-up chicken's anus".
I'm honestly not sure if this was a Book Problem or a Translation Problem but it was definitely a Problem For My Brain.
I picked this up for $2 last year because I tend to really enjoy Scandinavian crime books and I try as much as possible to read books set outside the US and the UK so this definitely fit the bill. And then I put off reading it for over a year. Whoops?
Anyway. The mystery itself was pretty decent, but I feel like a lot of the story got bogged down in Axel's personal life in ways I didn't really care for. The descriptions of women were...not good. Exhibit A: "He looked at her naked body in the semi-darkness: her pussy, freshly shaved around the dark brown labia, the greasy pubic hair above it, her white skin, her hip sockets framing the skin on her stomach with the two stretch marks like barcodes on either side of her navel, which had turned outwards since Emma was born. Up and down went her breast in a calm rhythm; her nipples had crawled in on themselves."
Now, I don't know how most people describe the mother of their child, but I'm guessing it's not greasy pubes and inverted nipples. And sometime later, we get the following: "her tongue was hard and greedy, she tasted slightly sweet, of bolognese or ketchup". BOLOGNESE OR KETCHUP?!?!?! Ma'am. Brush your teeth please.
So while the mystery was fine, the rest was a big ol' nope. Especially once you add in my absolute least favourite description: "Corneliussen's mouth resembled a stitched-up chicken's anus".
I'm honestly not sure if this was a Book Problem or a Translation Problem but it was definitely a Problem For My Brain.
ddbookreviews's review against another edition
3.0
There just is an unmistakable difference between American, British and Danish crime novels. After reading Jo Nesbo and Inger Wolf I have developed a taste for the Danish novels. Through the eyes of cynical and troubled policemen, you see a different side of the country and what the life of fighting crime does to a person.
The Danish authors are straight forward and do not sugar coat anything. They call it as they see it and write brutal honest stories.
In this Jesper Stein Novel, we meet Axel Steen, a very troubled investigator whose supervisor sorely wants him gone but also knows that he closes cases. Steen is divorced with a five-year-old daughter whom he loves very much. He lives in Norrebro, a mixed district that is rife with violence. During violent riots, Steen is called out to a murder that took place amidst heavy police presence.
Steen has to solve the crime and prove the police were not involved. This takes Steen into a hostile area of playing cat and mouse with the press and determining what the government's part in the whole mess was. He has to do all this while keeping his daughter from trying to wake the corpses in the morgue. His wife did not see the humor in this and restricted his visiting right, making life for Steen just so much harder.
It is a good but taxing read, if you are used to the American crime novels this would take you up a notch and introduce you to a new way of reading crime.
The Danish authors are straight forward and do not sugar coat anything. They call it as they see it and write brutal honest stories.
In this Jesper Stein Novel, we meet Axel Steen, a very troubled investigator whose supervisor sorely wants him gone but also knows that he closes cases. Steen is divorced with a five-year-old daughter whom he loves very much. He lives in Norrebro, a mixed district that is rife with violence. During violent riots, Steen is called out to a murder that took place amidst heavy police presence.
Steen has to solve the crime and prove the police were not involved. This takes Steen into a hostile area of playing cat and mouse with the press and determining what the government's part in the whole mess was. He has to do all this while keeping his daughter from trying to wake the corpses in the morgue. His wife did not see the humor in this and restricted his visiting right, making life for Steen just so much harder.
It is a good but taxing read, if you are used to the American crime novels this would take you up a notch and introduce you to a new way of reading crime.
raven88's review against another edition
4.0
In the best possible way, Unrest is very much a what you see is what you get type of thriller, as it ticks every single box required of a Scandinavian crime novel, and is extremely reflective of the genre as a whole. Indeed, as I was reading, I felt echoes of Nesbo, Larsson, Staalesen and Nesser throughout the book particularly in terms of plot and characterisation, and the density and slow burning feel of the plot again fulfils perfectly the familiar characteristics of the genre, so plenty to enjoy here for the Nordic noir fan…
The reader is thrust straight into the familiar realm of police conspiracy, so beloved of the Scandinavian set, suffused with the gritty, unflinching gaze on the political and social ills of Danish society. With a riot in full flow, the discovery of a body would seem an ordinary occurrence, but Stein perfectly hinges his whole narrative on why and how this victim is of such significance on a much larger canvas, and the wider ramifications of this killing. Stein presents a broad spectrum of issues including immigration, police corruption, the drug trade, trafficking and so on, and generally this is one of the more slow burning Scandinavian thrillers I have encountered, as reasons for, and suspects of the killing are slowly addressed, investigated and discounted as the plot develops. It did take me a while to slow down to the pace of the plot, and begin to appreciate the more laborious style of investigation that the main police protagonist, Axel Steen, finds himself embroiled in, in contrast to say the more compact style of other Nordic writers. I think Unrest is extremely reminiscent of some of the fine Nordic TV dramas that we love, with chicanery, social and political division and big meaty issues at its core. Consequently, the political and social elements of the plot and the tensions between the investigative branches , engaged me more, and I very much enjoyed Stein’s warts-and-all portrayal of Copenhagen. I thought he depicted beautifully the chasm between the areas of the city, both monetarily and structurally, and I loved the way his writing had shades of the old fashioned flaneur, with the very visual and observant tone of his descriptions, as Steen traverses the different neighbourhoods.
I’m sure regular readers of my reviews know of my general aversion to too much being made of the familial and romantic upsets of the main police protagonists, and to an extent this book did irritate me slightly in terms of this. Personally I grew a little tired of Steen’s domestic woes and his sexual involvement with a key witness, and the less said about his reves humides the better, but on a more positive note I found his professional persona contained some of my favourite characteristics of an officer operating to his own agenda and with his own methods. Stein imbues his detective with the cynical and slightly hangdog air so beloved in the genre, but this pall of negativity usefully detracts other people’s perceptions of Steen, thus revealing a keen mind and nose for a conspiracy. He’s also not afraid to get his hands dirty or to take a knock or two along the way, skating the boundaries of professional behaviour, but delighting us with his aversion to following the rules.
Overall, I enjoyed this new-to-me author, and judging by the praise the author receives across Europe, I think there may be more enjoyment to come in the company of Detective Superintendent Axel Steen. A solid Scandinavian thriller, and recommended for fans of the genre…
The reader is thrust straight into the familiar realm of police conspiracy, so beloved of the Scandinavian set, suffused with the gritty, unflinching gaze on the political and social ills of Danish society. With a riot in full flow, the discovery of a body would seem an ordinary occurrence, but Stein perfectly hinges his whole narrative on why and how this victim is of such significance on a much larger canvas, and the wider ramifications of this killing. Stein presents a broad spectrum of issues including immigration, police corruption, the drug trade, trafficking and so on, and generally this is one of the more slow burning Scandinavian thrillers I have encountered, as reasons for, and suspects of the killing are slowly addressed, investigated and discounted as the plot develops. It did take me a while to slow down to the pace of the plot, and begin to appreciate the more laborious style of investigation that the main police protagonist, Axel Steen, finds himself embroiled in, in contrast to say the more compact style of other Nordic writers. I think Unrest is extremely reminiscent of some of the fine Nordic TV dramas that we love, with chicanery, social and political division and big meaty issues at its core. Consequently, the political and social elements of the plot and the tensions between the investigative branches , engaged me more, and I very much enjoyed Stein’s warts-and-all portrayal of Copenhagen. I thought he depicted beautifully the chasm between the areas of the city, both monetarily and structurally, and I loved the way his writing had shades of the old fashioned flaneur, with the very visual and observant tone of his descriptions, as Steen traverses the different neighbourhoods.
I’m sure regular readers of my reviews know of my general aversion to too much being made of the familial and romantic upsets of the main police protagonists, and to an extent this book did irritate me slightly in terms of this. Personally I grew a little tired of Steen’s domestic woes and his sexual involvement with a key witness, and the less said about his reves humides the better, but on a more positive note I found his professional persona contained some of my favourite characteristics of an officer operating to his own agenda and with his own methods. Stein imbues his detective with the cynical and slightly hangdog air so beloved in the genre, but this pall of negativity usefully detracts other people’s perceptions of Steen, thus revealing a keen mind and nose for a conspiracy. He’s also not afraid to get his hands dirty or to take a knock or two along the way, skating the boundaries of professional behaviour, but delighting us with his aversion to following the rules.
Overall, I enjoyed this new-to-me author, and judging by the praise the author receives across Europe, I think there may be more enjoyment to come in the company of Detective Superintendent Axel Steen. A solid Scandinavian thriller, and recommended for fans of the genre…
nietzschesghost's review
4.0
I am a huge fan of Scandinavian Noir so this was a book I knew I wanted to read immediately. Jesper Stein is a multi-award winning crime writer. "Unrest" won the Danish Crime Academy’s Debut Novel Award in 2012 and the fourth book in this series entitled "Aisha" won the Danish Booksellers' Golden Laurels. He is also the third bestselling author in Denmark. Stein has written a number of books featuring Detective Chief Inspector Axel Steen and the rights to three of them have been purchased by SF Studios (producers of "The Bridge") with the intention of making three films based on Axel's exploits. His crime novels have been sold to more than ten countries, including France, Germany, Holland and Norway. It's safe to say he is a big talent. Why didn't I know about him sooner?
The corpse of unidentified man is found bound and hooded propped up against a gravestone at the central cemetery. Axel Steen is assigned to the case and it initially looks as though the culprit could be a member of the police force when camera footage is found. There also appears to be a link to the demolition of the nearby Youth House, a notorious spot where left-wing militants meet. However, Axel soon discovers that many people, both inside and outside of the police force, seem to be hindering the investigation in what looks like an attempt at stopping the case being solved. The clues then take him to unexpected places such as the Copenhagen underworld where drugs and gangs are rife. Axel will not stop until the killer is caught, no matter the consequences. And the consequences for Axel himself may turn out to be greater than expected.
I admired Axel's tenacity but he has some real personal issues to contend with. He is divorced from his wife who is hellbent on keeping him from being able to see his daughter. Axel's character is well-developed and despite him always being at odds with his bosses, I enjoyed reading about him. The story is well written, easy to get into and fast paced. I read it within a day as I couldn't put it down, it was so good. I cannot wait to read more from Stein as I loved his writing style and the creation of a flawed character in Steen. There is a lot of circumstances and situations throughout the story where you feel sympathy for Steen. I didn't mind that the author used that old trope of a Detective with personal issues which is really overused in crime fiction. It worked here and as I liked Axel this was neither here nor there for me.
All in all, a fantastic, dark and gritty read that I had fun with. I cannot wait to pick up some of Stein's other books, I know I am late to the party but better late than never, as they say! Mirror Books have secured the first five books in this series and this is the first time Stein's crime fiction has been translated into English. I look forward to the reading the whole of the series.
Publication Date - 19th July 2018
Many thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The corpse of unidentified man is found bound and hooded propped up against a gravestone at the central cemetery. Axel Steen is assigned to the case and it initially looks as though the culprit could be a member of the police force when camera footage is found. There also appears to be a link to the demolition of the nearby Youth House, a notorious spot where left-wing militants meet. However, Axel soon discovers that many people, both inside and outside of the police force, seem to be hindering the investigation in what looks like an attempt at stopping the case being solved. The clues then take him to unexpected places such as the Copenhagen underworld where drugs and gangs are rife. Axel will not stop until the killer is caught, no matter the consequences. And the consequences for Axel himself may turn out to be greater than expected.
I admired Axel's tenacity but he has some real personal issues to contend with. He is divorced from his wife who is hellbent on keeping him from being able to see his daughter. Axel's character is well-developed and despite him always being at odds with his bosses, I enjoyed reading about him. The story is well written, easy to get into and fast paced. I read it within a day as I couldn't put it down, it was so good. I cannot wait to read more from Stein as I loved his writing style and the creation of a flawed character in Steen. There is a lot of circumstances and situations throughout the story where you feel sympathy for Steen. I didn't mind that the author used that old trope of a Detective with personal issues which is really overused in crime fiction. It worked here and as I liked Axel this was neither here nor there for me.
All in all, a fantastic, dark and gritty read that I had fun with. I cannot wait to pick up some of Stein's other books, I know I am late to the party but better late than never, as they say! Mirror Books have secured the first five books in this series and this is the first time Stein's crime fiction has been translated into English. I look forward to the reading the whole of the series.
Publication Date - 19th July 2018
Many thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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