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charf47's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hjl41's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Lovely development of plot and characters
lezreadalot's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite as satisfying as the first book, or quite as interesting? I mean, I've definitely gotten invested enough in Sonja and Agla and Tómas and now María, and I want to know what becomes of them and this tangled little web. I guess I just had a few big hurdles I couldn't overcome. The more details we got about the financial schemes and Agla's involvement, the less I understood. That's definitely my fault; I don't think the book did a bad job of explaining it. Banking stuff just kinda goes over my head. On the drugs side, things once again got super cheesy and over the top in a way reminiscent of bad TV, and I didn't really like it. There's a supposed twist that was really easy to guess, and I just wasn't invested enough. There's lots of minor time skips, and little gaps that don't get completely filled, and that really took me out of the story sometimes.
And on the relationship side, it was nice to see things with Agla and Sonja move from the perpetual stand still, but the fact that we never see them really talk, and they both remain (for the most part) unaware of what's happening in each other's lives (even though there are huge things happening for them both) was kinda frustrating. It's not the main part of the story, far from it. Nevertheless, I was kinda over the secret keeping. I'm rooting for them as a couple, and we're slowly getting more backstory. But I wanted more.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Susannah Hampton; loved it again. I'm kinda worried about the third book, which I've already started and I'm not sure I like the direction we've taken, but I'm determined to finish this series and see what happens to everyone.
Content warnings:
And on the relationship side, it was nice to see things with Agla and Sonja move from the perpetual stand still, but the fact that we never see them really talk, and they both remain (for the most part) unaware of what's happening in each other's lives (even though there are huge things happening for them both) was kinda frustrating. It's not the main part of the story, far from it. Nevertheless, I was kinda over the secret keeping. I'm rooting for them as a couple, and we're slowly getting more backstory. But I wanted more.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Susannah Hampton; loved it again. I'm kinda worried about the third book, which I've already started and I'm not sure I like the direction we've taken, but I'm determined to finish this series and see what happens to everyone.
Content warnings:
Spoiler
murder, strangulation, violence, beatings, drug trade/usebtpbookclub's review against another edition
4.0
A new author for me! A first. I love how at the start of the book there is maps to show the locations in the book and a pronunciation guide for those long, complicated words. Set out brilliantly.
Trap is a Nordic crime thriller that I throughally enjoyed! Fast paced! It shows you the underworld of the drug community. I felt so sorry for poor Tomas stuck in the middle of it all not knowing what is actually going on and I also felt for his mother Sonja.
Clever. Gripping. A page turner of a reader. I awarded four stars and would highly recommend I am going to be reading Liljas previous book Snare as I enjoyed this one. Trap was translated by Quentin Bates so they deserve some credit too.
Trap is a Nordic crime thriller that I throughally enjoyed! Fast paced! It shows you the underworld of the drug community. I felt so sorry for poor Tomas stuck in the middle of it all not knowing what is actually going on and I also felt for his mother Sonja.
Clever. Gripping. A page turner of a reader. I awarded four stars and would highly recommend I am going to be reading Liljas previous book Snare as I enjoyed this one. Trap was translated by Quentin Bates so they deserve some credit too.
kadomi's review against another edition
3.0
The sequel to the high-pace Snare is a direct continuation of the first book, and gives us pretty much more of the same. It's also unfortunately pointing out more weaknesses here, that didn't bother me much in the first book, but annoy me now.
In any case, this is pretty much an Icelandic variation on Breaking Bad. We have regular folks here who have to break bad in order to survive. Mostly, our protagonist Sonja, who was forced to serve as drug mule so she can continue to see her son Tomas, but also Bragi, the customs inspector who wants to make sure his Alzheimer wife can spend her remaining days at home. And it gets wackier for Sonja who needs to deal with crazy Mexican narcos. Mr. José reminded me a lot of Tuco Salamanca in the Breaking Bad universe.
The novel is as fast-paced as the first one. Unfortunately, a massive amount of the story is wasted on the b-plot, which is about Agla and her financial transactions. I am pretty sure they'll fall on her feet in the final book, but for now they simply annoyed me because I found them boring. Agla is a very unlikeable character, I just don't know.
Ends with a note of happy end, so I am sure it'll all go to shit again in the first few pages of the final book, Cage.
In any case, this is pretty much an Icelandic variation on Breaking Bad. We have regular folks here who have to break bad in order to survive. Mostly, our protagonist Sonja, who was forced to serve as drug mule so she can continue to see her son Tomas, but also Bragi, the customs inspector who wants to make sure his Alzheimer wife can spend her remaining days at home. And it gets wackier for Sonja who needs to deal with crazy Mexican narcos. Mr. José reminded me a lot of Tuco Salamanca in the Breaking Bad universe.
The novel is as fast-paced as the first one. Unfortunately, a massive amount of the story is wasted on the b-plot, which is about Agla and her financial transactions. I am pretty sure they'll fall on her feet in the final book, but for now they simply annoyed me because I found them boring. Agla is a very unlikeable character, I just don't know.
Ends with a note of happy end, so I am sure it'll all go to shit again in the first few pages of the final book, Cage.
mpr2000's review against another edition
5.0
A nail bitting mystery that will make your heart pump faster than ever, because you will not be a simple reader in the story, you will feel the fear, the sweat and adrenaline beating in your own body since the first page!
First of all, this is the second part of the Reykjavik Noir series, and is so good that I highly recommend you to start from the beginning, in addition, have you seen the amazing cover? So related but subtile at the same time!
We will start the story with Sonya, that has to return home after trying to escape from her "business" with her loved son, sadly her husband finds her and returns with her at home and back to work again... But Sonya is a "polar bear" (as she describes herself) and even if it seems that life has thrown away with the worst turns in her life, she is brave enough to continue fighting for her son's life and their freedom.
I will not have any nice word for Adam, Sonya's ex-husband, he hates her so much that is capable of hurting their son to make Sonya do his will, I still don't know why she married him or how she could be so civilised near him.
Agla seems the must grey character in the story, we don't know for sure whose side she is, only that she really loves Sonya and tries to help her as much as she can, even if she doesn't know much of what's happening to her!
I really don't want to advance any part of the plot, is really a turn page story and full of surprises and complicated characters that makes you wonder who will trust Sonya, because none of them really care about her, simply the money and staying alive. So, if the last book was complicated, be prepared because this one will take you to the next level!
As you can read I am a big fan of this series; is original, very well written and full of twists that will leave the reader totally engaged from the first page, a must read!
First of all, this is the second part of the Reykjavik Noir series, and is so good that I highly recommend you to start from the beginning, in addition, have you seen the amazing cover? So related but subtile at the same time!
We will start the story with Sonya, that has to return home after trying to escape from her "business" with her loved son, sadly her husband finds her and returns with her at home and back to work again... But Sonya is a "polar bear" (as she describes herself) and even if it seems that life has thrown away with the worst turns in her life, she is brave enough to continue fighting for her son's life and their freedom.
I will not have any nice word for Adam, Sonya's ex-husband, he hates her so much that is capable of hurting their son to make Sonya do his will, I still don't know why she married him or how she could be so civilised near him.
Agla seems the must grey character in the story, we don't know for sure whose side she is, only that she really loves Sonya and tries to help her as much as she can, even if she doesn't know much of what's happening to her!
I really don't want to advance any part of the plot, is really a turn page story and full of surprises and complicated characters that makes you wonder who will trust Sonya, because none of them really care about her, simply the money and staying alive. So, if the last book was complicated, be prepared because this one will take you to the next level!
As you can read I am a big fan of this series; is original, very well written and full of twists that will leave the reader totally engaged from the first page, a must read!
sheeprustler's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0