3.63 AVERAGE


+1/2

"абба" набуває нового звучання після ліндквістової "зірочки".
коли персонаж знаходить у неглибокій могилі посеред лісу загорнуте в пакет немовля, яке зачаровує його своїм ідеальним криком, починають закрадатися підозри, що нічим хорошим це не скінчиться. коли для того, щоб сховати цю дитину від світу, їй розповідають страшні історії про великих людей, які хочуть повбивати маленьких, підозри зміцнюються. після перших покійників це уже й не підозри, а тверде знання, що буде чорно і мрячно, і тільки розмах катастрофи залишається незрозумілий до останніх розділів.
ліндквіст дуже добре вміє витримувати паузу, розтягувати передчуття грози. добрі, мирні фрагменти роману – сімейне життя, юнацька дружба, зародження любові чи другі шанси – набувають особливо трепетного звучання в контексті того, що неодмінно станеться. і, може, читачам на цьому контрасті вдається самим трошки проникнутися тим, про що так багато роздумують персонажі: після смерті починаєш гостріше відчувати життя.

Someday people are going to come to their senses and realize that this book deserves to be just as popular, if not more so, than most horror novels that exist today. I've read rave reviews about hundreds of books on this site and have decided to read them based on those reviews; this is one of the special few who have exceeded my expectations in full. Goosebumps all over. Would be more anxious to reread if the climax didn't make me uncomfortable. Fantastic buildup, terrifying plotline, and incredible writing... I'll have my eye on this author for a while now, no doubt about it.

I usually review books in the same language I read them in, but I'll make an expection here. This book sat on my shelf for more than a year. I bought it immediately upon publication, but after having read a review that totally slaughtered it, I was sceptical. I make a point of staying clear of bad books. Yes, this is a bad book, it is a terrible book and I LOVED it. The writing is fluid, words ran like water through my fingers. The story is captivating and catapulted me back into my teenage years. There was no point denying my dark side reading this book - if I had tried to, this book would have been painful and I would have hated it for the truth it stated about me. As it was, I felt the hunger and the claws. My claws.

The story is that of Theres. She is found in the forest as an infant, in a plastic bag - left for dead - by mushroom hunting Lennart. He brings her home and hides her in his cellar. Theres is exceptionally musically gifted from the very beginning. However, her upbringing is detrimental, accentuating her troubled soul. She lacks a sense of morality, probably because she has no empathy, which in turn probably is a result of a lack of fantasy. There are some strong autistic elements about her.

The other main person in this story is Teresa. She is the same age as Theres and grows up in a normal family, fat and bullied. She comes in touch with Theres and together they make music. Teresa writes and Theres sings and their work carries through myspace and youtube into the hearts of other troubled young girls.

It is almost inconceivable that a man could have captured teenage girl angst as well as this author does. I didn't think anyone with a Y chromosome would have imagination enough to write something like this. John Ajvide Lindqvist is a horror writer and this is not perhaps a book you would expect from him. There is no supernatural or paranormal evil at all. It is just the "normal" human evil, which all of us carry, veiled and hidden in our hearts. Although not as thinly veiled as in these girls. The world has treated them badly and revenge is sweet. So sweet.

Det är otroligt vad duktig John Ajvide är på att dels sätta fingret på det helt vardagliga, och samtidigt på att göra det absurda vardagligt. Hans karaktärer tar sig för väldigt märkliga grejer, men han får det på något sätt att verka normalt, eller iallafall... förklarligt. Förståeligt. Han har också ett fenomenalt sätt att göra småsaker, och vanliga saker väldigt obehagliga. Som glassgubben i Människohamn. Och som den lilla, vackra flickan i Lilla stjärna. Genom att ta bort vanliga barns attribut och med vissa små beskrivningar antyda att hon inte är som alla andra gör han henne mer obehaglig än om han skulle basunera ut ett Samara i The Ring-liknande utseende och beteende. Det är otroligt skickligt. Läs!

Actually it ended up a great book, but it begs a lot of slow and a lot of time with horrible people before you get to that fact. Not sure most would put up with it to get there... At last, dark and Moody's and special if you can make it through.

3.5 stars

Beautifully twisted.

Disturbing, leaves many questions unanswered, but is a gripping read.

I like to this of this author as the Swedish version of Stephan King.