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bookph1le's review against another edition
3.0
It took me a long time to get into this book. Once I did, it was pretty good. More complete review to come.
Full review:
I'm a fan of Scandinavian crime fiction, so I was eager to read this book. While I enjoy psychological tension, this book started too slowly for me, and it took quite a while for me to get into it because I was waiting for the plot to happen. Once it did, I was much more engrossed in the book, but it didn't grab me as much as some similar books I've read. Some minor spoilers to follow.
Part of my problem may be that I picked this book up before reading the first. I felt lost every now and then as the book referenced the case solved in the previous book. Normally I don't start a series anywhere but with the first book, and this is exactly why. The fact that I didn't read the first book first may be part of what tempered my enjoyment of this one, so that's definitely a personal reaction and not a technical flaw with the book. Had I been invested in these characters after having read the first, I would probably have found the beginning sections of the book more compelling.
As it was, I thought it took too long to get to the case itself. Once the case comes to the fore, the book gets a lot more interesting. The aspect that struck me the most was the social commentary. As an American reading this, it's pretty eye-opening to get a view on what non-Americans think about our culture and its effects on the world. I don't want to give the plot away, so it's hard to address this aspect specifically. Suffice it to say I was interested in what this book had to say about serial killers and about violence in the U.S. in general.
The characters are good, but I sometimes had trouble keeping track of who was whom. Again, this may be partially due to my not having read the first book. They felt like distinct people to me, it was just that I had trouble connecting the name with the particular character's attributes. Perhaps most interesting of all to me was Jorge Chavez because I found it enlightening to gain some insight into race relations in other countries. I also found Nyberg's story compelling as it deals with his facing up to his past sins and trying to find a way forward. The conclusion to it felt realistic to me without being pat or trite.
As for the central mystery, it's a little hard to discuss without giving too much away. I liked how the book took my presumption of what it would be about and turned it. It really made me think about the way the U.S. interacts with our allies and how those allies view us and our behavior. There are some gruesome scenes that do an excellent job of making the reader examine and weigh the costs of U.S. policies.
One of the reasons why I enjoy Scandinavian crime fiction is that it's reflective and tends to ruminate on a lot of big themes as opposed to just offering flashy action. This book was no exception, but it didn't suck me under. Overall, it was a good read, but not one I'd place high on my list of great fiction of the genre.
Full review:
I'm a fan of Scandinavian crime fiction, so I was eager to read this book. While I enjoy psychological tension, this book started too slowly for me, and it took quite a while for me to get into it because I was waiting for the plot to happen. Once it did, I was much more engrossed in the book, but it didn't grab me as much as some similar books I've read. Some minor spoilers to follow.
Part of my problem may be that I picked this book up before reading the first. I felt lost every now and then as the book referenced the case solved in the previous book. Normally I don't start a series anywhere but with the first book, and this is exactly why. The fact that I didn't read the first book first may be part of what tempered my enjoyment of this one, so that's definitely a personal reaction and not a technical flaw with the book. Had I been invested in these characters after having read the first, I would probably have found the beginning sections of the book more compelling.
As it was, I thought it took too long to get to the case itself. Once the case comes to the fore, the book gets a lot more interesting. The aspect that struck me the most was the social commentary. As an American reading this, it's pretty eye-opening to get a view on what non-Americans think about our culture and its effects on the world. I don't want to give the plot away, so it's hard to address this aspect specifically. Suffice it to say I was interested in what this book had to say about serial killers and about violence in the U.S. in general.
The characters are good, but I sometimes had trouble keeping track of who was whom. Again, this may be partially due to my not having read the first book. They felt like distinct people to me, it was just that I had trouble connecting the name with the particular character's attributes. Perhaps most interesting of all to me was Jorge Chavez because I found it enlightening to gain some insight into race relations in other countries. I also found Nyberg's story compelling as it deals with his facing up to his past sins and trying to find a way forward. The conclusion to it felt realistic to me without being pat or trite.
As for the central mystery, it's a little hard to discuss without giving too much away. I liked how the book took my presumption of what it would be about and turned it. It really made me think about the way the U.S. interacts with our allies and how those allies view us and our behavior. There are some gruesome scenes that do an excellent job of making the reader examine and weigh the costs of U.S. policies.
One of the reasons why I enjoy Scandinavian crime fiction is that it's reflective and tends to ruminate on a lot of big themes as opposed to just offering flashy action. This book was no exception, but it didn't suck me under. Overall, it was a good read, but not one I'd place high on my list of great fiction of the genre.
peachykeenebooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
leonidasm's review against another edition
3.0
Ωραίο είναι που ο Dahl στριμώχνει το κοινωνικοπολιτικό του σχόλιο στην πλοκή. Μου δίνει ένα έξτρα ενδιαφέρον μιας και τα αστυνομικά δεν είναι το φόρτε μου.
Στρωτή γραφή, εμβαθύνει στους χαρακτήρες που εδώ πρόκειται για ομάδα αστυνομικών κι όχι για έναν κεντρικό ήρωα.
Κατάλαβα ότι διάβασα το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς γιατί κάνει συχνές αναφορές στην πρώτη υπόθεση και σου δείχνει από πού έρχονται οι ήρωες.
Η ανάλυση του στην ουσία της ψυχολογίας των Σουηδών και της Σουηδίας γενικότερα μέσα σε δύο σελίδες πολύ τίμια και τολμηρή.
Στρωτή γραφή, εμβαθύνει στους χαρακτήρες που εδώ πρόκειται για ομάδα αστυνομικών κι όχι για έναν κεντρικό ήρωα.
Κατάλαβα ότι διάβασα το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς γιατί κάνει συχνές αναφορές στην πρώτη υπόθεση και σου δείχνει από πού έρχονται οι ήρωες.
Η ανάλυση του στην ουσία της ψυχολογίας των Σουηδών και της Σουηδίας γενικότερα μέσα σε δύο σελίδες πολύ τίμια και τολμηρή.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't enjoy it as much as the first book but it was a classic and decent take on police procedures. I still think the pacing in these books are good and we uncover little by little in a good pace
izzle17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
andrew61's review against another edition
3.0
After a gap of 5 years I have finally picked up book 2 in ths Swedish police series. Set in Sweden the events of book 1 are fresh in the memory of Paul Hjelm and the other members of the elite A team set up to investigate the crimes in the first instalment.
Here , whilst unsure whether any new major crimes will arise a sudden call is received from the FBI that a renowned serial kiler, with a unique signature murder, had killed a Swedish art critic in Newark airport and was on a plane to stockholm . A man hunt ensues which had plenty of twists, turns and missteps. Very enjoyable read so will try and get to book 3 soon.
Here , whilst unsure whether any new major crimes will arise a sudden call is received from the FBI that a renowned serial kiler, with a unique signature murder, had killed a Swedish art critic in Newark airport and was on a plane to stockholm . A man hunt ensues which had plenty of twists, turns and missteps. Very enjoyable read so will try and get to book 3 soon.
fictionfan's review against another edition
4.0
Be careful what you wish for…
Paul Hjelm and the team have had very little to do since they wound up their last case in [b:The Blinded Man|17308635|The Blinded Man The first Intercrime thriller|Arne Dahl|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361749778s/17308635.jpg|1433799]. 'Violent crimes with an international character' seem to be in short supply. And Paul is bored...
'What they needed was a robust serial killer, of a robust, international character, thought Paul Hjelm as he slid back into his orgy of self-pity.'
Be careful what you wish for! Even as Paul thinks this, a serial killer is on his way to Sweden - a killer who tortures his victims in the cruellest ways - a killer so professional he has eluded the FBI for decades. But why is he coming to Sweden? And is this killer more than just your 'ordinary' psychopath?
In this second instalment of the Intercrime series, Dahl lets us see how the team members have developed since their experiences the year before. Although Paul is still the main character, we find out more about the lives of the others, particularly Nyberg and Norlander, and this adds an extra layer of interest to the book. Paul himself, happily, is suffering much less from the existential angst that afflicted him so much in the last book. Back with his wife, he still has feelings for the enigmatic Kerstin Holm though their relationship has changed. Kerstin is a much more rounded character here - in the last book she really seemed only to be there to allow Paul to fantasise about her, but in this one she becomes a real person.
At first this looked as if it was going to be a fairly straightforward manhunt for a serial killer book, but when Paul and Kersten go to America to liaise with the FBI, it becomes obvious there are some strange and unexpected things about this killer. Firstly, the method he uses was one developed during the Vietnam war and known to very few people. Secondly the killer had stopped fifteen years before, but has now started up again - the murder method remains the same but the type of victim has changed. And thirdly, the FBI's main suspect is dead. And yet the obvious explanation of copycat killings doesn't fit either since there are aspects to the crimes that a copycat couldn't have known. As the plot progresses, it become increasingly dark and complex, raising some uncomfortable questions of personal and state ethics.
I found this book to be both less complicated but deeper than The Blinded Man, and although there is some graphic violence right from the start, it's not the main focus. The translation by Rachel Willson-Broyles is fine, although as in the first book sometimes the humour doesn't travel very well. The plotting is very good, stretching but not breaking credibility, and the characterisation is much stronger and less stereotyped in this novel than the last. Recommended - and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Paul Hjelm and the team have had very little to do since they wound up their last case in [b:The Blinded Man|17308635|The Blinded Man The first Intercrime thriller|Arne Dahl|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361749778s/17308635.jpg|1433799]. 'Violent crimes with an international character' seem to be in short supply. And Paul is bored...
'What they needed was a robust serial killer, of a robust, international character, thought Paul Hjelm as he slid back into his orgy of self-pity.'
Be careful what you wish for! Even as Paul thinks this, a serial killer is on his way to Sweden - a killer who tortures his victims in the cruellest ways - a killer so professional he has eluded the FBI for decades. But why is he coming to Sweden? And is this killer more than just your 'ordinary' psychopath?
In this second instalment of the Intercrime series, Dahl lets us see how the team members have developed since their experiences the year before. Although Paul is still the main character, we find out more about the lives of the others, particularly Nyberg and Norlander, and this adds an extra layer of interest to the book. Paul himself, happily, is suffering much less from the existential angst that afflicted him so much in the last book. Back with his wife, he still has feelings for the enigmatic Kerstin Holm though their relationship has changed. Kerstin is a much more rounded character here - in the last book she really seemed only to be there to allow Paul to fantasise about her, but in this one she becomes a real person.
At first this looked as if it was going to be a fairly straightforward manhunt for a serial killer book, but when Paul and Kersten go to America to liaise with the FBI, it becomes obvious there are some strange and unexpected things about this killer. Firstly, the method he uses was one developed during the Vietnam war and known to very few people. Secondly the killer had stopped fifteen years before, but has now started up again - the murder method remains the same but the type of victim has changed. And thirdly, the FBI's main suspect is dead. And yet the obvious explanation of copycat killings doesn't fit either since there are aspects to the crimes that a copycat couldn't have known. As the plot progresses, it become increasingly dark and complex, raising some uncomfortable questions of personal and state ethics.
I found this book to be both less complicated but deeper than The Blinded Man, and although there is some graphic violence right from the start, it's not the main focus. The translation by Rachel Willson-Broyles is fine, although as in the first book sometimes the humour doesn't travel very well. The plotting is very good, stretching but not breaking credibility, and the characterisation is much stronger and less stereotyped in this novel than the last. Recommended - and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
ginatous's review against another edition
4.0
Follow up to Mysterioso. Hit all of the notes of Nordic Noir book. Enjoyed immensely.
wouter3659's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
aubergenie_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5