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rubybubbles's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm a weirdo that has read the HH series completely out of order and this is one of the last books (Not** in correct order) that I've read. Pro Tip: I envision HH as David Tennant.
I thought it was good, not great, but a bit messy and overly long. Plot and writing are better than previous books (in the correct order, The Bat, The Snowman, etc). You can see Nesbo improving as a mystery writer. However I got tired of the Scandinavian racism that came through in this book that I hated in The Bat. I could see it alienating a readers.
That said if you havent been offended or turned off by the length the books only get better and shorter in the correct order. He did well for the length and complexity.
I thought it was good, not great, but a bit messy and overly long. Plot and writing are better than previous books (in the correct order, The Bat, The Snowman, etc). You can see Nesbo improving as a mystery writer. However I got tired of the Scandinavian racism that came through in this book that I hated in The Bat. I could see it alienating a readers.
That said if you havent been offended or turned off by the length the books only get better and shorter in the correct order. He did well for the length and complexity.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
kaylanicole88's review against another edition
4.0
Overall the book was good but it was about 100-200 pages too long.
jason_pym's review against another edition
4.0
Great, gripping read with many, many twists and turns. It all hangs together really well, my only slight reservation is that the final reveal, that the killings are the result of a father-son conflict, doesn't convince. But the rest is so great you can sail by that one.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. This installment of the Harry Hole depression ride is more violent and exhausting than the series as a whole. It was crazy at times, and engrossing at other points. I really enjoy the character and the complexity of the writing. The series is full of bumps and grinds, but is realistic and chunky, which is what I really like.
amaris134's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
Really not a fan of the way Nesbø writes women. The way it was crudely hammered home that one of the female murder victims was fat. Every time she's brought up. We get it.
This one dragged a lot; had a few good moments. I think I enjoy Nesbø's work more when Harry Hole isn't involved...
Really not a fan of the way Nesbø writes women. The way it was crudely hammered home that one of the female murder victims was fat. Every time she's brought up. We get it.
This one dragged a lot; had a few good moments. I think I enjoy Nesbø's work more when Harry Hole isn't involved...
dankolar's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
linguaphile11's review against another edition
5.0
This series is the first series that has shown me what the evolution of the writer can do for the series, rather than just the plot alone. The Snowman, the book prior to this in the series, had a psychological aspect to it for the first time. This book doesn’t try and rinse and repeat the massive success of The Snowman, but it’s grittier and more dark than others. The antagonist is a case study on humanity and the worst of us, without being pretentious. Nesbø is heading in a great direction and I can’t wait to read the next. This series is what separates regular thrillers with Scandinavian Crime fiction. The landscape and climate are plot devices that help create isolation, sadness, and moods. The main character is always flawed in a way that’s lovable but not benign. Loved this book and aside from The Millennium series this is my favorite Scandinavian series!
megexpress's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first Harry Hole novel I've read, as well as it being my first Jo Nesbø novel. I was hooked from the very beginning. I had never heard of Jo Nesbø until I picked up this book from the nice looking cover. For this book, you should definitely judge it by its cover. I would read until the wee hours of the morning because it was just that addicting. Alas, I did guess who the "facilitator" of the murders was, as well as the actual murderer. My rating for the novel would be a 4.5, but I rounded it down because I guessed the murderer. I will continue to look for more Harry Hole novels, so I can have a good background story. Finally, the good thing about The Leopard is that, if you had not read the previous Harry Hole novels in the series, it didn't mention too much about the previous novels and filled in information that you might need to know.
greybeard49's review against another edition
4.0
Great crime novel - my first encounter with Jo Nesbo. Great characters and rollout of story very well handled and keeps reader gripping on with both hands. Small criticism that may have been overlong but am being a little 'picky' perhaps.