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thompsonmer44's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.25
toastam's review against another edition
2.0
It was okay. The pacing was a little underwhelming. The supernatural side story would have been stronger had it been tied into one of the present mysteries. Overall, I enjoyed the remote atmosphere of the tiny Icelandic village and the theme of village vs outsider. But the character development was problematic. Maybe I'm just a stickler for justice, but it's lousy that Una decides to let those innocent people stay in prison just because of her attraction for Thor. After she fought SO hard to discover the truth.
Meh.
Meh.
lothwolfjedi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
evertbooks's review against another edition
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
3.0
A mysterious thriller, which was hard to put down once things started moving!!
The story is very suspenseful, and I really liked how atmospheric it was. The cold, darkness and loneliness oozes from the pages.
The way the author kept building backstory during the story wasn't for me, I felt like it made it lose momentum.
Spooky.
The story is very suspenseful, and I really liked how atmospheric it was. The cold, darkness and loneliness oozes from the pages.
The way the author kept building backstory during the story wasn't for me, I felt like it made it lose momentum.
Spooky.
marilynw's review against another edition
4.0
The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jónasson,
Narrated by Amanda Redman
Thirty year old Una really has nothing to keep her in Reykjavík. She's a teacher who can't find full time work, she's running out of funds to even afford her crummy little apartment, her only friend has a family now and doesn't really have time for Una, her love life doesn't exist, and Una's past haunts her. So Una takes a job in a tiny, remote village of ten people.
A feeling of depression lurks in the air with this story. And that feeling follows Una to the tiny village of Skálar. Both Una and I thought she was probably making a big mistake and that feeling is so much stronger when she meets the villagers and they act so suspicious towards her. But can you blame them for wondering what is wrong with Una for her to want to come teach two little girls in the middle of nowhere? The only person who wants her there is the lady who she is boarding with but even she can be surly and secretive. Una seems to always be saying the wrong thing and her drinking is just getting worse as she frets about what a horrible mistake she has made to come to this village. The only bright spot is quiet, kind, bearded Thor, a man close to her age, who is clearly attracted her but also is off limits.
Up in her attic lodgings, Una is having nightmares, hearing and seeing a little girl in a white dress. Is this house haunted, is Una drinking too much, or both? When something horrible happens, it seems that the villagers pull away from Una even more, making it clear what a true outsider she is and that she is not welcome in the village. The more Una tries to understand what is going on, the more the ranks close against her.
The atmosphere is so bleak and heavy, it's hard to know what is real and what is in Una's head but I can't help believing Una despite her drinking. We knew something was very wrong in this village even before the Christmas tragedy and that wrongness is growing. I enjoyed this story a lot, and trusted Una despite her heavy drinking. Am I right to have faith in Una? In the end, I am very satisfied with the revelations and the way the story ended.
Published May 4, 2021 by Macmillan Audio
Narrated by Amanda Redman
Thirty year old Una really has nothing to keep her in Reykjavík. She's a teacher who can't find full time work, she's running out of funds to even afford her crummy little apartment, her only friend has a family now and doesn't really have time for Una, her love life doesn't exist, and Una's past haunts her. So Una takes a job in a tiny, remote village of ten people.
A feeling of depression lurks in the air with this story. And that feeling follows Una to the tiny village of Skálar. Both Una and I thought she was probably making a big mistake and that feeling is so much stronger when she meets the villagers and they act so suspicious towards her. But can you blame them for wondering what is wrong with Una for her to want to come teach two little girls in the middle of nowhere? The only person who wants her there is the lady who she is boarding with but even she can be surly and secretive. Una seems to always be saying the wrong thing and her drinking is just getting worse as she frets about what a horrible mistake she has made to come to this village. The only bright spot is quiet, kind, bearded Thor, a man close to her age, who is clearly attracted her but also is off limits.
Up in her attic lodgings, Una is having nightmares, hearing and seeing a little girl in a white dress. Is this house haunted, is Una drinking too much, or both? When something horrible happens, it seems that the villagers pull away from Una even more, making it clear what a true outsider she is and that she is not welcome in the village. The more Una tries to understand what is going on, the more the ranks close against her.
The atmosphere is so bleak and heavy, it's hard to know what is real and what is in Una's head but I can't help believing Una despite her drinking. We knew something was very wrong in this village even before the Christmas tragedy and that wrongness is growing. I enjoyed this story a lot, and trusted Una despite her heavy drinking. Am I right to have faith in Una? In the end, I am very satisfied with the revelations and the way the story ended.
Published May 4, 2021 by Macmillan Audio
prestonj662's review against another edition
5.0
Iceland at the end of the summer. You can feel the cold just thinking about it but Ragnar Jonasson brings a sharpness to the Icelandic coast, it’s bleakness and remoteness away from the big cities and towns. Most of the time I felt an intense claustrophobia reading this story. All eyes are on our lead female character. Everyone knows everyone and their business in Skalar except as a newcomer Una is definitely not included. A community of 10 means you can’t go far before someone notices you. You can pick up a reputation very quickly too. So it is just as easy to be completely isolated.
A good slow burning read that delivers us shocking stuff for our long way from home, not to mention from civilisation generally, Una, teaching just two pupils.
Would highly recommend.
A good slow burning read that delivers us shocking stuff for our long way from home, not to mention from civilisation generally, Una, teaching just two pupils.
Would highly recommend.
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
Very atmospheric suspense set in a small remote village in Iceland. Listened to the audio version which was narrated by Amanda Redman.
henrymarlene's review against another edition
5.0
I must say that Swedish authors have the market on crime noir. This book was phenomenal. Set on the edge of the world, (literally in Skalar, Iceland), ‘The Girl Who Died’ is the perfect blend of a psychological thriller with a little paranormal horror thrown in as a curve ball. The pure ingenuity behind Una moving to Skalar to teach two young girls inn a town of ten, and being thrown into a town where everyone knows everyone and everything – apart from Una – made this an exceptional read.
The ambience that surrounds Skalar is unsettling, and complements the personalities of each of the town’s inhabitants well. We may only see one of the characters for fleeting moments, but when we do they are larger than life, foreboding and you understand where Una’s weariness comes from. Una herself is a loner, unsure of who she was and where she was going; moving to a place in the middle of nowhere to find herself seems fortuitous, yet it is so much more hauntingly isolating than she could ever realise. Una cones to Skalar to teach Edda and Kolbrun, and stays in Salka and Edda’s house: an old family home with skeletons in its many closets. It is here she also sees another girl, and the questions start to arise. Apart from who the girl is, why is Gruffi out to annihilate her and run her out of town? Who is the mysterious man that turns up in Skalar, and what is he connected to? Why isn’t Una supported and why do the town leave her to flounder (no pun intended for the fishing village)? What does all this have to do with the house she is in? Like a marionette puppet, this book has all the right strings pulling at the right times, so creepy, so un-natural. So worth reading this one!
The ambience that surrounds Skalar is unsettling, and complements the personalities of each of the town’s inhabitants well. We may only see one of the characters for fleeting moments, but when we do they are larger than life, foreboding and you understand where Una’s weariness comes from. Una herself is a loner, unsure of who she was and where she was going; moving to a place in the middle of nowhere to find herself seems fortuitous, yet it is so much more hauntingly isolating than she could ever realise. Una cones to Skalar to teach Edda and Kolbrun, and stays in Salka and Edda’s house: an old family home with skeletons in its many closets. It is here she also sees another girl, and the questions start to arise. Apart from who the girl is, why is Gruffi out to annihilate her and run her out of town? Who is the mysterious man that turns up in Skalar, and what is he connected to? Why isn’t Una supported and why do the town leave her to flounder (no pun intended for the fishing village)? What does all this have to do with the house she is in? Like a marionette puppet, this book has all the right strings pulling at the right times, so creepy, so un-natural. So worth reading this one!