yvo_about_books's review
3.5
Finished January 16th 2022
"For most people two years is an eternity of moments and memories stacked on top of each other. For him it's no time at all."
After finally starting this series last December, I decided that one of my goals in 2022 would be to read the rest of the series. Pierced is book number two and once again evolves around journalist Henning Juul. He is a very interesting character and the mystery around the fire and the death of his son gives the plot itself a personal touch. It was fascinating to follow Henning as he tried to uncover the truth about Tori Pulli's crime as you keep wondering if he is really as innocent like he claims to be. The story shows you multiple POVs to help give insight in what is happening and slowly you will be able to forge a picture of how everything fits together. I do have to say that Pierced felt overlong for me and some parts dragged considerably; with tighter editing and about 200 pages less this story would have been a lot stronger. Still, there is just something about Pierced and Henning Juul himself that makes you keep reading until you find out the truth, and I will definitely try to read the next book soon to see what happens next.
booklover2312's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
2de hoek
markhoh's review against another edition
4.0
The second instalment of Thomas Enger’s Henning Juul series, ‘Pierced’ is fast paced, multi layered and an easy, page turning thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it maintained my interest readily. While it’s a stand alone story in its own right it continues to build on the underpinning story of the fire that killed Henning’s son, Jonas, and thickens the plot around this tragedy. Henning Juul is defined by this tragedy in so many ways and as the reader I continue to feel his pain and anguish, the scars of which he carries with him on a daily basis. He is a man consumed by his search for answers to that fire and this is the theme that binds all of the elements of this second story together.
I like the fact that Henning is a journalist as opposed to a detective. He employs his journalistic skills in a fact finding detective like manner which is refreshing. The fact that he’s not a blokes bloke but sits in side an emotional shell that is fragile resonates so beautifully with me.
During this book we are introduced to TV cameraman, Thorleif Brenden, who becomes pivotal as the story progresses. Thomas Enger develops his character skilfully and I could really sense the anguish, terror and horror that this man experiences.
The book ends with more questions and more clues regarding Jonas’ tragic death as Henning reverberates from the unfolding news. Book three in this series is an obvious must read for me...
I like the fact that Henning is a journalist as opposed to a detective. He employs his journalistic skills in a fact finding detective like manner which is refreshing. The fact that he’s not a blokes bloke but sits in side an emotional shell that is fragile resonates so beautifully with me.
During this book we are introduced to TV cameraman, Thorleif Brenden, who becomes pivotal as the story progresses. Thomas Enger develops his character skilfully and I could really sense the anguish, terror and horror that this man experiences.
The book ends with more questions and more clues regarding Jonas’ tragic death as Henning reverberates from the unfolding news. Book three in this series is an obvious must read for me...
rly18's review against another edition
5.0
You can find all my reviews at www.itsbooktalk.com
Please don't let the fact that the blurb above says "sequel" make you disregard this book because you haven't read the first book Burned because I haven't either and I didn't have one iota of a problem getting into this story and following the plot.
Henning Juul is an investigative journalist in Oslo whose son was killed in a fire at Henning's home that has left him scarred and disfigured. Little by little , Henning has come back from the brink of death and now, two years later, has returned to work at the online magazine 123News. Soon after returning, he receives a call from convicted murderer Tore Pulli, a previous enforcer turned property developer, who asks Henning to help prove his innocence; in exchange, he will tell him who was behind the fire at his flat that killed his son. Henning jumps at the offer and begins his own investigation into the murder for which Tore Pulli was convicted. Suffice it to say, there are ruthless people who aren't too thrilled that Henning is turning over stones and kicking up dust and it's not long before he realizes his own life is at risk. So many questions start to haunt him...Has he made a deal with the devil? Does Tore Pulli really know who set fire to his flat or is he stringing Henning along to get himself out of prison? What was Henning investigating before the fire that someone wanted to silence him for? Since he has no memory of the weeks prior to the fire, Henning knows that if he can answer this third question, he'll find out who's responsible for his son's death.
I know I've focused so far on Henning's investigation of Tore Pulli, but it's important to note that there are several threads to this story which bring us a wide variety of compelling characters, all of whom had intriguing backstories and storylines. I literally had no idea how or if they'd all tie in together but rest assured, Enger has a plan and it's masterfully executed! While the plot is complex, not once did I feel lost. In fact, I was so enthralled by the characters and the layered mystery that I couldn't turn the pages quick enough. At one point I thought to myself...stop trying to figure it all out and sit back and enjoy being completely snowed over by the addictive plot and perfect pacing! This brings me to my need to highlight Enger's brilliant use of short chapters with cliffhanger endings. I just couldn't stop reading as I HAD to know how things would turn out from one chapter to the next..the result was a binge readathon in which I finished this book in about a day and a half. And that included a day of traveling involving 2 flights, 2 airports etc in which my kindle was basically stuck to my face.
Pierced has MANY strengths in addition to the ones I've just discussed but the one I really want to emphasize is Enger's ability to bring Henning, along with a cast of other memorable characters to life. For better or worse (some are truly frightening), they were realistic and multidimensional. I read somewhere that when you find a character that you connect with, root for, sympathize with whatever, then you, the reader, will follow that character wherever he/she goes and that's how I feel about Henning Juul. He could've been folding laundry, driving through McDonald's etc and I would follow him because that's just how connected I am to this character. Of course, something exciting would probably end up happening to him while he folded the laundry, but you get my point. This book, in particular, and the series overall have everything I look for in a crime story and I can't wait to see what Enger has in store for us in the future!
Please don't let the fact that the blurb above says "sequel" make you disregard this book because you haven't read the first book Burned because I haven't either and I didn't have one iota of a problem getting into this story and following the plot.
Henning Juul is an investigative journalist in Oslo whose son was killed in a fire at Henning's home that has left him scarred and disfigured. Little by little , Henning has come back from the brink of death and now, two years later, has returned to work at the online magazine 123News. Soon after returning, he receives a call from convicted murderer Tore Pulli, a previous enforcer turned property developer, who asks Henning to help prove his innocence; in exchange, he will tell him who was behind the fire at his flat that killed his son. Henning jumps at the offer and begins his own investigation into the murder for which Tore Pulli was convicted. Suffice it to say, there are ruthless people who aren't too thrilled that Henning is turning over stones and kicking up dust and it's not long before he realizes his own life is at risk. So many questions start to haunt him...Has he made a deal with the devil? Does Tore Pulli really know who set fire to his flat or is he stringing Henning along to get himself out of prison? What was Henning investigating before the fire that someone wanted to silence him for? Since he has no memory of the weeks prior to the fire, Henning knows that if he can answer this third question, he'll find out who's responsible for his son's death.
I know I've focused so far on Henning's investigation of Tore Pulli, but it's important to note that there are several threads to this story which bring us a wide variety of compelling characters, all of whom had intriguing backstories and storylines. I literally had no idea how or if they'd all tie in together but rest assured, Enger has a plan and it's masterfully executed! While the plot is complex, not once did I feel lost. In fact, I was so enthralled by the characters and the layered mystery that I couldn't turn the pages quick enough. At one point I thought to myself...stop trying to figure it all out and sit back and enjoy being completely snowed over by the addictive plot and perfect pacing! This brings me to my need to highlight Enger's brilliant use of short chapters with cliffhanger endings. I just couldn't stop reading as I HAD to know how things would turn out from one chapter to the next..the result was a binge readathon in which I finished this book in about a day and a half. And that included a day of traveling involving 2 flights, 2 airports etc in which my kindle was basically stuck to my face.
Pierced has MANY strengths in addition to the ones I've just discussed but the one I really want to emphasize is Enger's ability to bring Henning, along with a cast of other memorable characters to life. For better or worse (some are truly frightening), they were realistic and multidimensional. I read somewhere that when you find a character that you connect with, root for, sympathize with whatever, then you, the reader, will follow that character wherever he/she goes and that's how I feel about Henning Juul. He could've been folding laundry, driving through McDonald's etc and I would follow him because that's just how connected I am to this character. Of course, something exciting would probably end up happening to him while he folded the laundry, but you get my point. This book, in particular, and the series overall have everything I look for in a crime story and I can't wait to see what Enger has in store for us in the future!
kmmi_booklover's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 *s.
I read the first Henning Juul novel, "Burned", years ago and gave it five stars. I may have waited too long before I read this one. While I did remember the backstory and enjoyed it, I had a hard time getting into the crime in this story. I struggled keeping track of characters at first but eventually kept them straight. I am interested enough in the back story to continue on and I won't wait so long this time.
I read the first Henning Juul novel, "Burned", years ago and gave it five stars. I may have waited too long before I read this one. While I did remember the backstory and enjoyed it, I had a hard time getting into the crime in this story. I struggled keeping track of characters at first but eventually kept them straight. I am interested enough in the back story to continue on and I won't wait so long this time.
itsbooktalk's review against another edition
5.0
You can find all my reviews at www.itsbooktalk.com
Please don't let the fact that the blurb above says "sequel" make you disregard this book because you haven't read the first book Burned because I haven't either and I didn't have one iota of a problem getting into this story and following the plot.
Henning Juul is an investigative journalist in Oslo whose son was killed in a fire at Henning's home that has left him scarred and disfigured. Little by little , Henning has come back from the brink of death and now, two years later, has returned to work at the online magazine 123News. Soon after returning, he receives a call from convicted murderer Tore Pulli, a previous enforcer turned property developer, who asks Henning to help prove his innocence; in exchange, he will tell him who was behind the fire at his flat that killed his son. Henning jumps at the offer and begins his own investigation into the murder for which Tore Pulli was convicted. Suffice it to say, there are ruthless people who aren't too thrilled that Henning is turning over stones and kicking up dust and it's not long before he realizes his own life is at risk. So many questions start to haunt him...Has he made a deal with the devil? Does Tore Pulli really know who set fire to his flat or is he stringing Henning along to get himself out of prison? What was Henning investigating before the fire that someone wanted to silence him for? Since he has no memory of the weeks prior to the fire, Henning knows that if he can answer this third question, he'll find out who's responsible for his son's death.
I know I've focused so far on Henning's investigation of Tore Pulli, but it's important to note that there are several threads to this story which bring us a wide variety of compelling characters, all of whom had intriguing backstories and storylines. I literally had no idea how or if they'd all tie in together but rest assured, Enger has a plan and it's masterfully executed! While the plot is complex, not once did I feel lost. In fact, I was so enthralled by the characters and the layered mystery that I couldn't turn the pages quick enough. At one point I thought to myself...stop trying to figure it all out and sit back and enjoy being completely snowed over by the addictive plot and perfect pacing! This brings me to my need to highlight Enger's brilliant use of short chapters with cliffhanger endings. I just couldn't stop reading as I HAD to know how things would turn out from one chapter to the next..the result was a binge readathon in which I finished this book in about a day and a half. And that included a day of traveling involving 2 flights, 2 airports etc in which my kindle was basically stuck to my face.
Pierced has MANY strengths in addition to the ones I've just discussed but the one I really want to emphasize is Enger's ability to bring Henning, along with a cast of other memorable characters to life. For better or worse (some are truly frightening), they were realistic and multidimensional. I read somewhere that when you find a character that you connect with, root for, sympathize with whatever, then you, the reader, will follow that character wherever he/she goes and that's how I feel about Henning Juul. He could've been folding laundry, driving through McDonald's etc and I would follow him because that's just how connected I am to this character. Of course, something exciting would probably end up happening to him while he folded the laundry, but you get my point. This book, in particular, and the series overall have everything I look for in a crime story and I can't wait to see what Enger has in store for us in the future!
Please don't let the fact that the blurb above says "sequel" make you disregard this book because you haven't read the first book Burned because I haven't either and I didn't have one iota of a problem getting into this story and following the plot.
Henning Juul is an investigative journalist in Oslo whose son was killed in a fire at Henning's home that has left him scarred and disfigured. Little by little , Henning has come back from the brink of death and now, two years later, has returned to work at the online magazine 123News. Soon after returning, he receives a call from convicted murderer Tore Pulli, a previous enforcer turned property developer, who asks Henning to help prove his innocence; in exchange, he will tell him who was behind the fire at his flat that killed his son. Henning jumps at the offer and begins his own investigation into the murder for which Tore Pulli was convicted. Suffice it to say, there are ruthless people who aren't too thrilled that Henning is turning over stones and kicking up dust and it's not long before he realizes his own life is at risk. So many questions start to haunt him...Has he made a deal with the devil? Does Tore Pulli really know who set fire to his flat or is he stringing Henning along to get himself out of prison? What was Henning investigating before the fire that someone wanted to silence him for? Since he has no memory of the weeks prior to the fire, Henning knows that if he can answer this third question, he'll find out who's responsible for his son's death.
I know I've focused so far on Henning's investigation of Tore Pulli, but it's important to note that there are several threads to this story which bring us a wide variety of compelling characters, all of whom had intriguing backstories and storylines. I literally had no idea how or if they'd all tie in together but rest assured, Enger has a plan and it's masterfully executed! While the plot is complex, not once did I feel lost. In fact, I was so enthralled by the characters and the layered mystery that I couldn't turn the pages quick enough. At one point I thought to myself...stop trying to figure it all out and sit back and enjoy being completely snowed over by the addictive plot and perfect pacing! This brings me to my need to highlight Enger's brilliant use of short chapters with cliffhanger endings. I just couldn't stop reading as I HAD to know how things would turn out from one chapter to the next..the result was a binge readathon in which I finished this book in about a day and a half. And that included a day of traveling involving 2 flights, 2 airports etc in which my kindle was basically stuck to my face.
Pierced has MANY strengths in addition to the ones I've just discussed but the one I really want to emphasize is Enger's ability to bring Henning, along with a cast of other memorable characters to life. For better or worse (some are truly frightening), they were realistic and multidimensional. I read somewhere that when you find a character that you connect with, root for, sympathize with whatever, then you, the reader, will follow that character wherever he/she goes and that's how I feel about Henning Juul. He could've been folding laundry, driving through McDonald's etc and I would follow him because that's just how connected I am to this character. Of course, something exciting would probably end up happening to him while he folded the laundry, but you get my point. This book, in particular, and the series overall have everything I look for in a crime story and I can't wait to see what Enger has in store for us in the future!
odettebrethouwer's review against another edition
4.0
Just as the other book I've read by Thomas Enger, he is really good. The book feels like your average good Sandinavian thriller. Except the main character is a journalist that works closely with the police, while usually the main character works at the police. I don't know how realistic the work of the journalists is, but it didn;t bother me.
But the last part, the showdown, my gosh, genius plot! Love it, extra star because all the pieces fit toghether so nicely.
But the last part, the showdown, my gosh, genius plot! Love it, extra star because all the pieces fit toghether so nicely.
beyourownmuse's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
it was okay.