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kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
5.0
Any readers looking for something different - LEONA: THE DIE IS CAST could be just the ticket. There's so much here in the writing, and the styling that is very brave of this author.
Leona Lindberg is both a highly regarded investigator and an outsider. She has a personality disorder which makes her a tricky person to work with, and an even harder protagonist for a reader to establish a connection with. Her internal dialogue clearly shows she's aware of her limitations, that her interactions with others are flawed, and able to moderate that to some extent. Every now and again her true self breaks out though - and she offends, and annoys many around her.
She's also the one that's more than willing to take on yet another case in a workload that's killing her and her colleagues - the really odd case of a naked, bloody young girl who has robbed a bank.
Whilst that case, and subsequent crimes by this young child stay in the forefront of the investigation aspects of the book, Lindberg's personal life, her family and her background are slowly revealed. There is much that gives pause for thought about this protagonist, and whilst you might struggle to see her in the role of victim, there's a real challenge being thrown at the reader throughout this book. Getting inside the head of somebody who is so different, so blatant and so matter-of-fact about her own self-interest isn't a straight-forward experience, but it's very worthwhile in LEONA. The reveals are built deftly into the narrative, in exactly the matter-of-fact style you'd expect of somebody like Lindberg, and there's no doubt whatsoever from the very start that there's something about her that's not quite right.
Spending time in Lindberg's head is hard work to be honest, she's not the nicest of people to be around, and her ruthless use and disregard for everyone around her is startling, fascinating and profoundly discomforting. It's also instructive and, for this reader, surprisingly moving in the end. This is a woman who simply doesn't seem to give a damn about anybody else, and for a while readers will have to wonder why.
Needless to say the revelations come solidly throughout LEONA and saying much about the actual plot is difficult without huge spoilers. But if you're lucky enough to get a chance to read this book, no matter how off-putting you find your initial introduction to Leona Lindberg, stick with it. This is an unusual approach to the psychological crime thriller, from a style of crime fiction that concentrates on "why", rather than who or how or gotcha.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-leona-die-cast-jenny-rogneby
Leona Lindberg is both a highly regarded investigator and an outsider. She has a personality disorder which makes her a tricky person to work with, and an even harder protagonist for a reader to establish a connection with. Her internal dialogue clearly shows she's aware of her limitations, that her interactions with others are flawed, and able to moderate that to some extent. Every now and again her true self breaks out though - and she offends, and annoys many around her.
She's also the one that's more than willing to take on yet another case in a workload that's killing her and her colleagues - the really odd case of a naked, bloody young girl who has robbed a bank.
Whilst that case, and subsequent crimes by this young child stay in the forefront of the investigation aspects of the book, Lindberg's personal life, her family and her background are slowly revealed. There is much that gives pause for thought about this protagonist, and whilst you might struggle to see her in the role of victim, there's a real challenge being thrown at the reader throughout this book. Getting inside the head of somebody who is so different, so blatant and so matter-of-fact about her own self-interest isn't a straight-forward experience, but it's very worthwhile in LEONA. The reveals are built deftly into the narrative, in exactly the matter-of-fact style you'd expect of somebody like Lindberg, and there's no doubt whatsoever from the very start that there's something about her that's not quite right.
Spending time in Lindberg's head is hard work to be honest, she's not the nicest of people to be around, and her ruthless use and disregard for everyone around her is startling, fascinating and profoundly discomforting. It's also instructive and, for this reader, surprisingly moving in the end. This is a woman who simply doesn't seem to give a damn about anybody else, and for a while readers will have to wonder why.
Needless to say the revelations come solidly throughout LEONA and saying much about the actual plot is difficult without huge spoilers. But if you're lucky enough to get a chance to read this book, no matter how off-putting you find your initial introduction to Leona Lindberg, stick with it. This is an unusual approach to the psychological crime thriller, from a style of crime fiction that concentrates on "why", rather than who or how or gotcha.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-leona-die-cast-jenny-rogneby
carolpk's review against another edition
E-galley graciously provided by Edelweiss, Other Press and Author, Jenny Rogneby for my honest review. A shout out also to GR friend Denise's review.
To be published August 1, 2017.
This international crime thriller defies the genre and anything you thought you knew. The first in a series, it features Leona Lindberg of Stockholm’s Violent Crime Division. A seven-year old girl is used as a pawn in bank robbery in broad daylight. Crawling, naked and bloody she enters and deposits a tape recording of a thunderous man’s voice demanding the money and threatening the girl’s well being. Leona is a capable detective but is thwarted at every turn by her boss, a medium, and even her own husband.
The author's webpage is worth a look also, particularly this bio:
Jenny Rogneby's bio.a>
To be published August 1, 2017.
This international crime thriller defies the genre and anything you thought you knew. The first in a series, it features Leona Lindberg of Stockholm’s Violent Crime Division. A seven-year old girl is used as a pawn in bank robbery in broad daylight. Crawling, naked and bloody she enters and deposits a tape recording of a thunderous man’s voice demanding the money and threatening the girl’s well being. Leona is a capable detective but is thwarted at every turn by her boss, a medium, and even her own husband.
Spoiler
If despicable characterization is your thing, The Die is Cast (Leona #1) is a must.The author's webpage is worth a look also, particularly this bio:
Jenny Rogneby's bio.a>
zzzrevel's review against another edition
2.0
This did nothing for me. I actually found
it kind of stupid.
The writing is a bit juvenile and the plot
is outlandish and not in a good way.
I can't even say there is a 'protagonist'
in it. All characters are paper thin.
Why give it two stars then? Well, I
have to admit I had to see where this
was going to end up which was another
thing I thought was crazy here. But
if you don't start reading it, you won't
miss anything, and that is my recommendation.
it kind of stupid.
The writing is a bit juvenile and the plot
is outlandish and not in a good way.
I can't even say there is a 'protagonist'
in it. All characters are paper thin.
Why give it two stars then? Well, I
have to admit I had to see where this
was going to end up which was another
thing I thought was crazy here. But
if you don't start reading it, you won't
miss anything, and that is my recommendation.
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