You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.31 AVERAGE
3.31 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
Juul's novella was a perfect read for a chilly, rainy weekend. I would never have discovered this gem if it were not for GR. I'm surprised that this story has not found its way to the cinema. Where is Liv Ullmann when you need her?
I'm not prepared to review TMOH at this point. Juul has given her readers a lot of food for thought in this short work right up to the last scene and what is left unsaid is probably more profound that what is actually on the printed page.
I will definitely revisit The Murder of Halland in the near future. Thanks for the recommendations!
"The rest is silence. Yet again, I realized that our lives take place inside our minds..."
I'm not prepared to review TMOH at this point. Juul has given her readers a lot of food for thought in this short work right up to the last scene and what is left unsaid is probably more profound that what is actually on the printed page.
I will definitely revisit The Murder of Halland in the near future. Thanks for the recommendations!
"The rest is silence. Yet again, I realized that our lives take place inside our minds..."
Fascinating but leaving you with more questions than answers
для цієї маленької книжки, яка починається з покійника, настільки неважливо, хто вбивця, що нам нічого й не кажуть прямим текстом. важливо, мабуть, про жінку покійного та її переживання, але вона занадто нудна й несимпатична, щоб хоч трохи перейнятися. якось так.
I was on a journey.
I'd taken a big book along: [b:The Man Who Loved Dogs|22237177|The Man Who Loved Dogs|Leonardo Padura|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408098774s/22237177.jpg|7308472]
It turned out not to be what I wanted to read just then.
Panic!
No book shops on the way.
What to do?
------------
Open the Kindle app on the trusty iPad and look through the mixed bag of titles.
[b:The Murder of Halland|14624369|The Murder of Halland|Pia Juul|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1338144615s/14624369.jpg|20268345]?
Can't remember when or why I bought it but I start reading it anyway.
------------
The sentences are short.
The narrative voice is quirky.
The characters are enigmatic.
The mystery itself even more so.
There is a dog but I let that pass.
------------
I'm already half-way through.
------------
I'm finished!
But I still haven't got to the end of my journey.
Back to the less interesting book in my bag: [b:The Man Who Loved Dogs|22237177|The Man Who Loved Dogs|Leonardo Padura|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408098774s/22237177.jpg|7308472].
-----------
Take out the iPad again just to check the time.
Perhaps a little glance at goodreads?
-----------
Journey over.
-----------
I'm off on a journey again tomorrow.
I've packed several books.
Something for every mood.
------------
I never did finish [b:The Man Who Loved Dogs|22237177|The Man Who Loved Dogs|Leonardo Padura|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408098774s/22237177.jpg|7308472].
I'd taken a big book along: [b:The Man Who Loved Dogs|22237177|The Man Who Loved Dogs|Leonardo Padura|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408098774s/22237177.jpg|7308472]
It turned out not to be what I wanted to read just then.
Panic!
No book shops on the way.
What to do?
------------
Open the Kindle app on the trusty iPad and look through the mixed bag of titles.
[b:The Murder of Halland|14624369|The Murder of Halland|Pia Juul|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1338144615s/14624369.jpg|20268345]?
Can't remember when or why I bought it but I start reading it anyway.
------------
The sentences are short.
The narrative voice is quirky.
The characters are enigmatic.
The mystery itself even more so.
There is a dog but I let that pass.
------------
I'm already half-way through.
------------
I'm finished!
But I still haven't got to the end of my journey.
Back to the less interesting book in my bag: [b:The Man Who Loved Dogs|22237177|The Man Who Loved Dogs|Leonardo Padura|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408098774s/22237177.jpg|7308472].
-----------
Take out the iPad again just to check the time.
Perhaps a little glance at goodreads?
-----------
Journey over.
-----------
I'm off on a journey again tomorrow.
I've packed several books.
Something for every mood.
------------
I never did finish [b:The Man Who Loved Dogs|22237177|The Man Who Loved Dogs|Leonardo Padura|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1408098774s/22237177.jpg|7308472].
'It wouldn't have helped if I had retold the story more accurately or slanted it differently. She drew her own conclusions. That's just one example. Other people behaved just like her. Me too. I wasn't any different.'
I can say with full conviction that I do not understand anything that happened. Bess was an interesting and very unreliable narrator, and not afraid to admit it. The tone was so... prosaic. Nothing really made sense, and I think that's kind of the point. This isn't our story, it's Bess'. Still not sure if that was enjoyable or not, though.
I can say with full conviction that I do not understand anything that happened. Bess was an interesting and very unreliable narrator, and not afraid to admit it. The tone was so... prosaic. Nothing really made sense, and I think that's kind of the point. This isn't our story, it's Bess'. Still not sure if that was enjoyable or not, though.
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Love a woman on the edge. An unreliable narrator, a murder and an exploration of grief - what’s there not to love.
Bess wakes up one morning to find her partner, Halland gone. There's a knock at the door and the police are arresting her for his murder. A witness declared his last words were “my wife has shot me” but Bess and Halland never married.
The sentences are short and the language sparse, creating the illusion of a woman in shock. She gradually goes through the stages of grief as she learns little things about Halland's life. It's a very believable little crime story in that Bess doesn't get involved in the investigation other than on her own personal level. It's much more about her feelings and trying to work out what was going on in Halland's mind.
The introduction, unmissable in large font, urges you not to skip the quotes. Each one is carefully selected for each chapter and I thought they added a little extra something. I am even tempted to look up some of the books they are taken from (and there is a handy bibliography at the end).
Originally written in Danish by Pia Juul, The Murder of Halland has been translated by Martin Aitken for Peirene Press. Peirene's mission is to publish the literary equivalent of films, top quality translations that can be read in an evening. Each year they publish three books under one theme, this year's being Small Epic.
The sentences are short and the language sparse, creating the illusion of a woman in shock. She gradually goes through the stages of grief as she learns little things about Halland's life. It's a very believable little crime story in that Bess doesn't get involved in the investigation other than on her own personal level. It's much more about her feelings and trying to work out what was going on in Halland's mind.
The introduction, unmissable in large font, urges you not to skip the quotes. Each one is carefully selected for each chapter and I thought they added a little extra something. I am even tempted to look up some of the books they are taken from (and there is a handy bibliography at the end).
Originally written in Danish by Pia Juul, The Murder of Halland has been translated by Martin Aitken for Peirene Press. Peirene's mission is to publish the literary equivalent of films, top quality translations that can be read in an evening. Each year they publish three books under one theme, this year's being Small Epic.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes