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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Strange, dark, disturbing and violent... almost too much for my taste. I'm beginning to wonder about Lindqvist's childhood, what with all of these tales of bullying, not fitting in and murderous revenge.
Bizarre book. But good... not as good as "Let the Right One In," but good.
Bizarre book. But good... not as good as "Let the Right One In," but good.
I enjoy Lindqvist's writing style, but the story line was severely lacking here for me. The first half or so of the novel was great - captivating, eerie, unsettling, everything you'd expect. But once the story developed, it lost its focus and meandered between multiple angsty teenage characters with little to no point. I'm not sure what Lindqvist was trying to get across in the latter half of the book and the constant violence became tiring and lost its impact. All in all, this book just didn't do it for me.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence
I was on board for the first half and then got a bit bored for the other half. Gruesome and interesting, and I really like that we never find out what exactly Theres is but it just didn't engage me. Also am not quite sure how much I buy Teresa's transformation.
A cautionary tale of the dangers of not controlling teenage girls. Oh and ABBA.
A lot went on in this book. I like Lindqvist's style, as he's pretty light on superfluous description, but I just didn't feel invested in Theres' journey by the end. It was fun in parts, and definitely pretty gruesome and graphic in places. I wouldn't use the word disturbing, as it always felt it was obvious that I was reading a work of fiction. Some of the violence was pretty comical.
I won this book on First Reads by Goodreads
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
Little Star is the first book I've read by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I was floored. Not by the prose--which was entertaining, but not the best I've read--but how graphic Lindqvist's writing is. Granted, I've watched the films based on his previous novel, Let the Right One In, but I was not prepared for some of the gut-clenching scenes that I was introduced to.
The story opens on a once-famous family that finds and raises a secret "daughter" that is gifted with a beautiful voice. But this anonymous baby has something wrong with her, not physically, but mentally. The reader is then taken through the years as "Little One," as she is nicknamed, grows and becomes odder and odder. We meet another girl named Teresa and that's where the novel begins to slip away from the storyline that the reader has become acquainted with.
Though disgusting, Lindqvist's descriptions of the murders that do occur in the novel are very well written. The reader is left craving the next violent scene and as a result, Lindqvist promptly opens the door for the reader to step through and enter the minds of the various murderers. I think that's one of the reasons why readers are drawn to his writing: because of his ability to make even the most psychotic characters relatable. Also, he writes on disturbing topics with such ease that I can't help but wonder if he himself has committed a few unspoken crimes.
Though addicting and a very quick read (the chapters are shorter, making you read quicker than usual), the pace lagged on various occasions. At times, I felt that little moments told to us from the point of view of other characters (the narrator is third person, omniscient) were a bit dragged out and could have been told in much shorter spans.
Another point that hit me once I was done with the novel was the unanswered questions. The fate of the girl and her closest friend, Teresa, is pretty clear, but yet, we know nothing of what happens afterwards. I don't know if this is a trend with Lindqvist, but I for one want to know what the consequences will be after the characters' actions.
If you're a fan of Lindqvist, then definitely read Little Star. I'm not familiar with his work, but I do love the occasional Swedish novel. Little Star is one of those novels that will fill your morbid curiosity, then sit there churning, while making your world more unsettling as the conclusion approaches.
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
Little Star is the first book I've read by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I was floored. Not by the prose--which was entertaining, but not the best I've read--but how graphic Lindqvist's writing is. Granted, I've watched the films based on his previous novel, Let the Right One In, but I was not prepared for some of the gut-clenching scenes that I was introduced to.
The story opens on a once-famous family that finds and raises a secret "daughter" that is gifted with a beautiful voice. But this anonymous baby has something wrong with her, not physically, but mentally. The reader is then taken through the years as "Little One," as she is nicknamed, grows and becomes odder and odder. We meet another girl named Teresa and that's where the novel begins to slip away from the storyline that the reader has become acquainted with.
Though disgusting, Lindqvist's descriptions of the murders that do occur in the novel are very well written. The reader is left craving the next violent scene and as a result, Lindqvist promptly opens the door for the reader to step through and enter the minds of the various murderers. I think that's one of the reasons why readers are drawn to his writing: because of his ability to make even the most psychotic characters relatable. Also, he writes on disturbing topics with such ease that I can't help but wonder if he himself has committed a few unspoken crimes.
Though addicting and a very quick read (the chapters are shorter, making you read quicker than usual), the pace lagged on various occasions. At times, I felt that little moments told to us from the point of view of other characters (the narrator is third person, omniscient) were a bit dragged out and could have been told in much shorter spans.
Another point that hit me once I was done with the novel was the unanswered questions. The fate of the girl and her closest friend, Teresa, is pretty clear, but yet, we know nothing of what happens afterwards. I don't know if this is a trend with Lindqvist, but I for one want to know what the consequences will be after the characters' actions.
If you're a fan of Lindqvist, then definitely read Little Star. I'm not familiar with his work, but I do love the occasional Swedish novel. Little Star is one of those novels that will fill your morbid curiosity, then sit there churning, while making your world more unsettling as the conclusion approaches.
From the international bestselling author of the chilling and horrific Let the Right One, Handling the Undead and Harbor comes a new novel that appears innocent and charming at first, but eventually leads the reader down a long dark path, covered in blood and filled with bodies. Little Star will lull you into enjoyment and then terrify you all the way to the end.
Lennart finds an abandoned baby in the woods, left for dead. He brings it home, feeds and looks after it, much to the reluctance of his wife, Laila. A musical duo who have essentially disappeared into obscurity, Lennart finds a new lease of life with this baby who grows to become a beautiful young girl with a unique singing voice. Jerry, the son, eventually looks after the girl, moving to Stockholm, after his parents suffer a gruesome end, and the child enters a national singing contest and becomes a celebrity, renowned throughout Sweden. But she also has plans of her own, viewed through her fractured, distorted lens of a psyche, with an idea of what is good and right not shared by many others.
Lindqvist’s novel is an addictive read, much like his others, with a seemingly simple story that turns into something dark and sinister, combined with the harsh geology of Sweden, and his own unusual characters. Little Star will keep you up late, and by then you’ll be too scared to go to bed.
Originally written on November 10, 2012 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, go to Bookbanter
Lennart finds an abandoned baby in the woods, left for dead. He brings it home, feeds and looks after it, much to the reluctance of his wife, Laila. A musical duo who have essentially disappeared into obscurity, Lennart finds a new lease of life with this baby who grows to become a beautiful young girl with a unique singing voice. Jerry, the son, eventually looks after the girl, moving to Stockholm, after his parents suffer a gruesome end, and the child enters a national singing contest and becomes a celebrity, renowned throughout Sweden. But she also has plans of her own, viewed through her fractured, distorted lens of a psyche, with an idea of what is good and right not shared by many others.
Lindqvist’s novel is an addictive read, much like his others, with a seemingly simple story that turns into something dark and sinister, combined with the harsh geology of Sweden, and his own unusual characters. Little Star will keep you up late, and by then you’ll be too scared to go to bed.
Originally written on November 10, 2012 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, go to Bookbanter
My least favorite Lindqvist. I enjoyed it for the first 2/3 or so, but the last third felt a bit silly. The whole book is basically about the creepiness of children, specifically young girls, but even accepting that, their actions at the end just seemed senseless.