A review by krism
Les Bottes suédoises by Henning Mankell

4.0

I like Scandinavian crime dramas (niche, I know!) so when I saw this novel by the writer of the Inspector Kurt Wallander series, I picked it up. This is not a crime drama. The main character, Fredrik, is in his 70s and lives alone on an island off the coast of Sweden. One night his house burns down. Arson is suspected, but who? And how does one start over when they are in their 70s? Fredrik is a complex and not always likeable character. He is a loner but the fire brings many people into his life. I'll stop my review here because it's hard to describe the strange blend of odd relationships, Fredric's examination of his life, musings on the future, new life and deaths......