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searlait_carolinehoey's review against another edition
dark
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
4.25
j_lbrbsblogs's review against another edition
4.0
4+*
I recently bought, read and reviewed Snare the first in this series and loved it so when the opportunity came along from Anne Cater and Orenda Books to join the BlogTour for Trap I was delighted, thrilled and happy to do so.
Would it be as good? Second books often take a dip for the reader, perhaps the after glow from a such a good first book means anything else has to do such a lot to even come near to matching that. Well Trap doesn’t disappoint.
It takes up the story from Snare seamlessly, which means that you really should read that first, it is written in the same crisp, clever and deft way with the short passages not only keeping you gripped right from the start but bringing pace, life and tension into this wonderfully plotted story.
We’re in 2011, Sonja is in Florida with Thomás but not for long. Freedom can be very fleeting as Sonja realises and running away turned out to be all too short. Back in Reykjavík Sonja finds herself back to square one, perhaps even worse off as she is not being allowed to see Thomás. She is formulating another plan because not seeing Thomás isn’t an option and she wants to be free. Still plans can be made but there are no guarantees they will work out as well as is hoped. There are many twists and turns in the book so even when unexpected help seems to offer you what you desire it may not be quite what it seems and maybe the cost will be too high.
We continue to hear from Agla both through the investigation that is being conducted into the financial crisis and with her relationship to Sonja. This thread sets the timing, the modern period, of the book and allows us to better understand it. It also gives the book more depth partly for this reason but also, more importantly for me, because of the way it connects and weaves the characters stories. Something that Lilja Sigurdardóttir does so well.
I loved many of the characters, I didn’t love some characters. None of them are wholly innocent but, as in ‘real life’, are often flawed. Telling the story mainly through Sonja’s perspective allows the reader to empathise even if we don’t agree with what happens, we can understand why the situation has come about, similarly with Agla and Bragi, which is perhaps why it is easy to connect to their stories. Thomás’ voice, which we hear now and again, is wonderful and gives a further perspective on how adult choices can impact their children’s lives and how children see the resulting situation.
The translation by Quentin Bates ensures that you live in the world created by Lilja Sigurdardóttir so fully you can feel the icy blasts or the drip of sweat, both from the geography of the book and the situations within it.
This is a terrific book, a cracking read and most definitely recommended. I for one can hardly wait for the third book – Cage – to be published in English.
With thanks to Orenda Books for an eCopy of Trap and to Anne for bringing me on board the Blog Tour.
I recently bought, read and reviewed Snare the first in this series and loved it so when the opportunity came along from Anne Cater and Orenda Books to join the BlogTour for Trap I was delighted, thrilled and happy to do so.
Would it be as good? Second books often take a dip for the reader, perhaps the after glow from a such a good first book means anything else has to do such a lot to even come near to matching that. Well Trap doesn’t disappoint.
It takes up the story from Snare seamlessly, which means that you really should read that first, it is written in the same crisp, clever and deft way with the short passages not only keeping you gripped right from the start but bringing pace, life and tension into this wonderfully plotted story.
We’re in 2011, Sonja is in Florida with Thomás but not for long. Freedom can be very fleeting as Sonja realises and running away turned out to be all too short. Back in Reykjavík Sonja finds herself back to square one, perhaps even worse off as she is not being allowed to see Thomás. She is formulating another plan because not seeing Thomás isn’t an option and she wants to be free. Still plans can be made but there are no guarantees they will work out as well as is hoped. There are many twists and turns in the book so even when unexpected help seems to offer you what you desire it may not be quite what it seems and maybe the cost will be too high.
We continue to hear from Agla both through the investigation that is being conducted into the financial crisis and with her relationship to Sonja. This thread sets the timing, the modern period, of the book and allows us to better understand it. It also gives the book more depth partly for this reason but also, more importantly for me, because of the way it connects and weaves the characters stories. Something that Lilja Sigurdardóttir does so well.
I loved many of the characters, I didn’t love some characters. None of them are wholly innocent but, as in ‘real life’, are often flawed. Telling the story mainly through Sonja’s perspective allows the reader to empathise even if we don’t agree with what happens, we can understand why the situation has come about, similarly with Agla and Bragi, which is perhaps why it is easy to connect to their stories. Thomás’ voice, which we hear now and again, is wonderful and gives a further perspective on how adult choices can impact their children’s lives and how children see the resulting situation.
The translation by Quentin Bates ensures that you live in the world created by Lilja Sigurdardóttir so fully you can feel the icy blasts or the drip of sweat, both from the geography of the book and the situations within it.
This is a terrific book, a cracking read and most definitely recommended. I for one can hardly wait for the third book – Cage – to be published in English.
With thanks to Orenda Books for an eCopy of Trap and to Anne for bringing me on board the Blog Tour.
5wamp_creature's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent! An unbroken chain of improbable events that you can read and enjoy in a couple of hours.
rebuiltbybooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
karlou's review against another edition
4.0
I have been looking forward to finding out what lies in store for Sonja and Agla after reading Snare last year. The short answer is much of the same - Sonja might have thought she'd escaped the snare that saw her forced to smuggle cocaine in a bid to regain control of her life and custody of her son, Tomas but she very quickly learns that freedom is elusive and she is still trapped. She may have Bragi on her side but she has made some dangerous enemies and will be forced to come face to face with a terrifying figure from her past and her naivety still sees her caught out on more than one occasion. Meanwhile, Agla could also be in a desperate situation if she can't figure out a way to repay the money she borrowed before the banking crash. However, she has become a far more proactive character than she was in Snare and though she still becomes needy and demanding when she is drunk, she seems to thrive on the adrenaline as she puts her risky schemes into action. Although Trap could be read as a standalone, it is a sequel and as such, I would strongly recommend reading Snare first.
Trap isn't the book for anybody who insists on likeable protagonists and I had conflicting feelings about both Sonja and Agla. I had a great deal of sympathy for Sonja when it came to her estrangement from Tomas thanks to her thoroughly unpleasant ex-husband but I found her quite cruel towards Agla at times. Agla loves Sonja but is also addicted to the thrill of her dodgy deals and is motivated by competition rather than greed. She is blasé about the risks she takes, convinced the authorities will never discover the true extent of her financial crimes. Bragi is still my favourite character and he has plenty of scenes again although I would have liked to have seen even more of him because the juxtaposition between his long career as a customs officer apprehending drug smugglers and his need to raise money in order to pay for care for his wife is so compelling. One of the more tense moments in the story comes when Bragi is involved and I found I was always looking forward to his next scene. I also loved Tomas again and felt Lilja Sigurdardóttir captured the voice of a young boy caught between his warring parents so well.
The convoluted plot switches between characters and Lilja Sigurdardóttir frequently teases the reader by increasing the tension and then leaving the scene to follow a different person. This very cleverly meant I couldn't put the book down as I needed to read on if I wanted to find out what happened! Most of the crime novels I read are about murders or violent crimes and although both occur in Trap, it's so refreshing to read a thriller which explores different criminal activities. Drug smuggling and money laundering both have far-reaching effects throughout the world of course and almost certainly influence our lives more than most crimes. I must extend my thanks here to Quentin Bates for his superb translation of the book for English readers. Trap is complex and surprisingly witty and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lilja Sigurdardóttir's intelligent and original novel.
Trap isn't the book for anybody who insists on likeable protagonists and I had conflicting feelings about both Sonja and Agla. I had a great deal of sympathy for Sonja when it came to her estrangement from Tomas thanks to her thoroughly unpleasant ex-husband but I found her quite cruel towards Agla at times. Agla loves Sonja but is also addicted to the thrill of her dodgy deals and is motivated by competition rather than greed. She is blasé about the risks she takes, convinced the authorities will never discover the true extent of her financial crimes. Bragi is still my favourite character and he has plenty of scenes again although I would have liked to have seen even more of him because the juxtaposition between his long career as a customs officer apprehending drug smugglers and his need to raise money in order to pay for care for his wife is so compelling. One of the more tense moments in the story comes when Bragi is involved and I found I was always looking forward to his next scene. I also loved Tomas again and felt Lilja Sigurdardóttir captured the voice of a young boy caught between his warring parents so well.
The convoluted plot switches between characters and Lilja Sigurdardóttir frequently teases the reader by increasing the tension and then leaving the scene to follow a different person. This very cleverly meant I couldn't put the book down as I needed to read on if I wanted to find out what happened! Most of the crime novels I read are about murders or violent crimes and although both occur in Trap, it's so refreshing to read a thriller which explores different criminal activities. Drug smuggling and money laundering both have far-reaching effects throughout the world of course and almost certainly influence our lives more than most crimes. I must extend my thanks here to Quentin Bates for his superb translation of the book for English readers. Trap is complex and surprisingly witty and I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lilja Sigurdardóttir's intelligent and original novel.
jess_reads_books's review against another edition
5.0
Sonja has taken her son Tomas and escaped to sunny Florida where she hopes to build a new life for them. She has finally been able to escape the trappings of the cocaine trade in Iceland. One day Tomas goes missing and soon a series of events are put into motion that will take Sonja straight back into the world she was desperately trying to escape. Along with her son, Sonja is whisked away back to Iceland where she will need to pay the consequences of her failed escape.
Back in Iceland we find that Sonja’s lover, Agla, is battling her own drama. She is awaiting her sentencing for an ongoing financial misconduct case against her and some of her former coworkers. It appears Agla also owes money to a powerful entity and looming jail time won’t get her out of paying her debts. Sonja is trying to distance herself from Agla as she sorts out her own troubles. Coming to Sonja’s aide is Bragi, a customs officer on the cusp of retirement and desperate to make quick money to take care of his dying wife. How will Sonja sort out the latest drama that has landed in her lap? Will she ever be free of the cocaine drug lords?
Lilja Sigurdardottir delivered an electrifying story about Sonja’s life in Iceland’s underground cocaine trade within the pages of SNARE. The clever and intense follow-up, TRAP, picks up right where SNARE left off. Instantly the reader is hooked once more on Sonja’s seemingly never ending drama. Despite thinking that she has officially escaped her troubles in the sunshine of Florida, life has another thing coming for Sonja. TRAP is a high energy story that will keep readers fully invested in the characters and on the edge of their seat waiting to see what conclusion Sigurdardottir has created this time!
The alternating POVs take a step up with the second installment in this trilogy, as the reader is treated with hearing from Tomas, Sonja’s young son, and Maria, an employee in the special investigators office who just happens to be looking into Agla. Old favorites, Sonja, Agla, and Bragi, are also back again, picking up their stories where we left off in the previous book. Each narrative has its own plotline and an interconnectedness with the others that really works to keep the pages turning. Short, snappy, and intense chapters further fuel this need to keep reading as it feels as though Sigurdardottir has mastered the art of a cliffhanger seemingly with each chapter. TRAP is a fantastic thrill ride of crime fiction that has solidified Lilja Sigurdardottir has a must read author for me!
A special thank you to Orenda Books for providing me with my free review copy!
Please be sure to check out all of the amazing bloggers heading up this exciting tour!
Back in Iceland we find that Sonja’s lover, Agla, is battling her own drama. She is awaiting her sentencing for an ongoing financial misconduct case against her and some of her former coworkers. It appears Agla also owes money to a powerful entity and looming jail time won’t get her out of paying her debts. Sonja is trying to distance herself from Agla as she sorts out her own troubles. Coming to Sonja’s aide is Bragi, a customs officer on the cusp of retirement and desperate to make quick money to take care of his dying wife. How will Sonja sort out the latest drama that has landed in her lap? Will she ever be free of the cocaine drug lords?
Lilja Sigurdardottir delivered an electrifying story about Sonja’s life in Iceland’s underground cocaine trade within the pages of SNARE. The clever and intense follow-up, TRAP, picks up right where SNARE left off. Instantly the reader is hooked once more on Sonja’s seemingly never ending drama. Despite thinking that she has officially escaped her troubles in the sunshine of Florida, life has another thing coming for Sonja. TRAP is a high energy story that will keep readers fully invested in the characters and on the edge of their seat waiting to see what conclusion Sigurdardottir has created this time!
The alternating POVs take a step up with the second installment in this trilogy, as the reader is treated with hearing from Tomas, Sonja’s young son, and Maria, an employee in the special investigators office who just happens to be looking into Agla. Old favorites, Sonja, Agla, and Bragi, are also back again, picking up their stories where we left off in the previous book. Each narrative has its own plotline and an interconnectedness with the others that really works to keep the pages turning. Short, snappy, and intense chapters further fuel this need to keep reading as it feels as though Sigurdardottir has mastered the art of a cliffhanger seemingly with each chapter. TRAP is a fantastic thrill ride of crime fiction that has solidified Lilja Sigurdardottir has a must read author for me!
A special thank you to Orenda Books for providing me with my free review copy!
Please be sure to check out all of the amazing bloggers heading up this exciting tour!
eila's review against another edition
The book wasn't marked as 'second in a series', so perhaps it'd have made a lot more sense as a sequel; I picked it up thinking it was a standalone novel. I found the characters really unlikeable and the pacing clunky. As someone with a pretty strong 'completionist' compulsion, I still couldn't get through more than a few dozen pages.
33lley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jackielaw's review against another edition
2.0
Trap, by Lilja Sigurðardóttir (translated by Quentin Bates), is the second novel in the author’s Reykjavik series of crime thrillers. I have not read the first. While the story holds together as a standalone I wondered if the limited backstory, which brought new readers up to speed, contributed to my inability to sympathise with any of the characters. Perhaps had I better understood how they ended up in the difficulties they must now face I would have felt more concern over their fates. It is hard to care for drug runners and murderers no matter how much they love those dear to them.
Opening in April 2011, in a trailer park in sunny Florida, Sonja wakes from an unplanned nap to realise that her young son, Tómas, is not where she expected. The pair are on the run from Adam, the boy’s father. He is furious that Sonja has thus far evaded him.
Forced to return to Iceland and resume her job as a drugs courier, Sonja contacts her former lover, Agla, for assistance. Neither of the women appear to understand what the other works as. Theirs is an unbalanced relationship based on sexual attraction – a driving lust and its associated jealousies.
Following the financial crash Agla’s money laundering activities are under investigation. What the authorities are unaware of is their size and reach. Needing to clear a large debt she schemes with others working the financial markets to pull off a lucrative deal. She has many associates who will benefit, operating in powerful places.
As both women call on their contacts in an attempt to extricate themselves from official attention and underworld danger, their games of cat and mouse are surveilled by circling predators. Agla’s activities have come under scrutiny from a diligent investigator at the special prosecutor’s office. Sonja finds herself caught between drug barons vying for power on both sides of the Atlantic, including Adam who is using Tómas as leverage. Even when supposed kingpins are taken down there is always another ready to step into the vacated space.
It is not hard to believe that this is how the mega wealthy operate, and that they will always have minions seeking to increase their personal power and influence by whatever means. The observations on the men involved – driven by ego and unwilling to admire any woman’s superior contribution to their business – were familiar.
Sonja’s strength and resilience were sometimes irritatingly erratic – perhaps this was an attempt to make her appear more human by showing occasional weakness.
Agla misunderstands love, associating it with some form of ownership and control, as did Adam. Despite being clear headed and capable in business she too suffers weaknesses – her egocentric attitude to Sonja, and cocaine.
The writing and structure maintain the tension as each character takes risks and encounters danger. The movement of drugs and money is portrayed as beyond the control of authority – above the law due to the influence of the globally wealthy. Although the story held my interest and attention I found this, and the way key characters were willing to behave in extremis, somewhat depressing to read.
Opening in April 2011, in a trailer park in sunny Florida, Sonja wakes from an unplanned nap to realise that her young son, Tómas, is not where she expected. The pair are on the run from Adam, the boy’s father. He is furious that Sonja has thus far evaded him.
Forced to return to Iceland and resume her job as a drugs courier, Sonja contacts her former lover, Agla, for assistance. Neither of the women appear to understand what the other works as. Theirs is an unbalanced relationship based on sexual attraction – a driving lust and its associated jealousies.
Following the financial crash Agla’s money laundering activities are under investigation. What the authorities are unaware of is their size and reach. Needing to clear a large debt she schemes with others working the financial markets to pull off a lucrative deal. She has many associates who will benefit, operating in powerful places.
As both women call on their contacts in an attempt to extricate themselves from official attention and underworld danger, their games of cat and mouse are surveilled by circling predators. Agla’s activities have come under scrutiny from a diligent investigator at the special prosecutor’s office. Sonja finds herself caught between drug barons vying for power on both sides of the Atlantic, including Adam who is using Tómas as leverage. Even when supposed kingpins are taken down there is always another ready to step into the vacated space.
It is not hard to believe that this is how the mega wealthy operate, and that they will always have minions seeking to increase their personal power and influence by whatever means. The observations on the men involved – driven by ego and unwilling to admire any woman’s superior contribution to their business – were familiar.
Sonja’s strength and resilience were sometimes irritatingly erratic – perhaps this was an attempt to make her appear more human by showing occasional weakness.
Agla misunderstands love, associating it with some form of ownership and control, as did Adam. Despite being clear headed and capable in business she too suffers weaknesses – her egocentric attitude to Sonja, and cocaine.
The writing and structure maintain the tension as each character takes risks and encounters danger. The movement of drugs and money is portrayed as beyond the control of authority – above the law due to the influence of the globally wealthy. Although the story held my interest and attention I found this, and the way key characters were willing to behave in extremis, somewhat depressing to read.