batforanna's review against another edition
5.0
Superb crime series, each book gets better and better.
crazysecondname's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Story war gut. serh gut sogar. es hätten5 Sterne sein können. aber die ersten 100 Seiten haben mich einfach so angefuckt. Und dann halt auch zwischendurch wieder n bisschen was. also nichts von der story einfach nur die Leute
Spoiler
ich mein wie fucking unreif ist Erla bitte meine güte. Komm mal bitte klar. ich hab am Anfang das Buch weglegen müssen weil die auf dem Revier alle plötzlich Kindergarten gespielt haben. was bei näherer Überlegung ne Beleidigung für alle Kindergartenkinder ist. Es war einfach so unnötig und es hat mich letztes Buch schon gestört. und ich liebe diese serie aber wenn ich morgen buch 4 anfange und Erla immernoch so scheiße ist, werdens maximal 3 sterne. was soll denn das werd mal erwachsen ey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
stisa06's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
technomage's review against another edition
3.0
I discovered this author while looking for a copy of the blue fox and have read two of her other stand alone novels but this is the first of her detective series that I have read.
It starts with a victim filmed being killed by her killer and left with her body is the number 2.
Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freya need to find a killer but more importantly find victim number 1.
Its a good tale and I look forward to reading others in this series.
It starts with a victim filmed being killed by her killer and left with her body is the number 2.
Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freya need to find a killer but more importantly find victim number 1.
Its a good tale and I look forward to reading others in this series.
jdglasgow's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I liked THE ABSOLUTION alright, I suppose; it’s not like it’s any worse than either of the previous books in the series, but I think maybe I’m just growing too comfortable with it? Huldar and Freyja are still enjoyable characters to spend time with and the mystery about who the killer is and whether they will strike again is entertaining, but it doesn’t seem like the series is striving to do anything new. There’s no growth, nothing exciting about this one to drive the series forward. Which is fine because, like I said, it’s enjoyable enough. But it already does feel like there’s going to be diminishing returns.
That said, one thing that stuck out to me in this book was a theme of rationalization. The murders are related to bullying: both the bullies themselves and the murderer rationalize their behavior—the bullies by convincing themselves that what they are doing is just a joke, or is less serious online than in real life, or isn’t really their fault because somebody else was the ringleader; the murderer by persuading himself that this action is good, actually, and by disclaiming any responsibility for his daughter’s condition. Even Huldar rationalizes his behavior, as when he enters Mördur’s apartment without a warrant. It all puts me in mind of Octavia E. Butler’s KINDRED which I recently read. A major part of that book was about how otherwise intelligent or good-intentioned people can come to accept and rationalize away their involvement in the institution of slavery. Obviously the context is different between the two, but the broader idea is the same: convincing yourself that what you are doing is *not bad*.
The identity of the killer, which turns out to actually be multiple people working ‘Strangers on a Train’-style under the advice and consent of a third person, is a surprising revelation in that this precise arrangement could hardly have been guessed, though the savvy reader would have pegged both culprits as suspects. However, personally I wasn’t trying to stay a step ahead and casting guesses about the responsible party like I had with the last book. Somehow I wasn’t sucked into the mystery as much this time around. Whether that’s the fault of me as reader or the book for not compelling me to engage with it in some ineffable way I cannot say.
It’s good, it’s fine. It’s a quick read—I finished in two days. I would keep reading the series but I don’t expect it to hit five stars. As peculiar as it sounds to say about a series which centers on brutal murders, the “Children’s House” series is turning into sort of a comfort read. I know it’ll be solid going forward and that can be enough sometimes.
That said, one thing that stuck out to me in this book was a theme of rationalization. The murders are related to bullying: both the bullies themselves and the murderer rationalize their behavior—the bullies by convincing themselves that what they are doing is just a joke, or is less serious online than in real life, or isn’t really their fault because somebody else was the ringleader; the murderer by persuading himself that this action is good, actually, and by disclaiming any responsibility for his daughter’s condition. Even Huldar rationalizes his behavior, as when he enters Mördur’s apartment without a warrant. It all puts me in mind of Octavia E. Butler’s KINDRED which I recently read. A major part of that book was about how otherwise intelligent or good-intentioned people can come to accept and rationalize away their involvement in the institution of slavery. Obviously the context is different between the two, but the broader idea is the same: convincing yourself that what you are doing is *not bad*.
The identity of the killer, which turns out to actually be multiple people working ‘Strangers on a Train’-style under the advice and consent of a third person, is a surprising revelation in that this precise arrangement could hardly have been guessed, though the savvy reader would have pegged both culprits as suspects. However, personally I wasn’t trying to stay a step ahead and casting guesses about the responsible party like I had with the last book. Somehow I wasn’t sucked into the mystery as much this time around. Whether that’s the fault of me as reader or the book for not compelling me to engage with it in some ineffable way I cannot say.
It’s good, it’s fine. It’s a quick read—I finished in two days. I would keep reading the series but I don’t expect it to hit five stars. As peculiar as it sounds to say about a series which centers on brutal murders, the “Children’s House” series is turning into sort of a comfort read. I know it’ll be solid going forward and that can be enough sometimes.
nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
niinaaaaa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
marloesleest's review
3.0
Een tienermeisje wordt op gruwelijke wijze aangevallen in de bioscoop waar ze werkt en even later ontvangen haar vrienden angstaanjagende video’s via Snapchat. Deze zijn vanaf haar telefoon verstuurd en op de beelden smeekt ze doodsbang om vergeving. Wanneer haar lichaam wordt gevonden, is dat gemerkt met het cijfer 2. Enkele dagen later wordt het levenloze lichaam van een jongen gevonden. Hierop is het cijfer 3 aangebracht. Politiecommissaris Hulder maakt deel uit van het onderzoeksteam en ook psychologe Freyja wordt weer bij het onderzoek betrokken. Het vinden van slachtoffer 1 heeft de hoogste prioriteit, omdat dat hopelijk zal leiden naar de dader. Freyja zal de vrienden en vriendinnen van de slachtoffers ondervragen en denkt al snel dat de moorden iets te maken moeten hebben met (cyber)pesten, waar zij zelf vroeger ook slachtoffer van is geweest.
Dit derde boek met Huldar en Freyja in de hoofdrollen begint ijzingwekkend en je wordt direct in het verhaal gesmeten. Het heeft een actueel onderwerp en Sigurdardóttir heeft duidelijk de nadruk willen leggen op de gevolgen van pestgedrag, niet alleen voor degene die gepest wordt, maar ook voor zijn of haar omgeving en naasten.
Het boek bestaat uit veel korte hoofdstukken en de schrijfstijl is vlot, wat er samen met het interessante onderwerp voor zorgt dat je door blijft lezen. Helaas vond ik dit deel wel een stuk minder spannend dan de vorige boeken. Door verschillende herhalingen en de focus op persoonlijke strubbelingen, waardoor politiemedewerkers elkaar soms meer tegen lijken te werken dan dat ze gemotiveerd zijn om een moordonderzoek te voltooien, stagneren zowel het tempo als de spanning wat in het middenstuk. Tegen het einde wordt de spanning wel verhoogd en neemt het verhaal enkele onverwachte wendingen. Je krijgt het gevoel dat vrijwel iedere persoon die in het boek voorkomt wel iets met de moorden te maken zou kunnen hebben en het einde is verrassend, waardoor ik zeker benieuwd ben naar Lava, dat in september zal verschijnen. Hopelijk weet Yrsa Sigurdardóttir me dan weer omver te blazen!
Dit derde boek met Huldar en Freyja in de hoofdrollen begint ijzingwekkend en je wordt direct in het verhaal gesmeten. Het heeft een actueel onderwerp en Sigurdardóttir heeft duidelijk de nadruk willen leggen op de gevolgen van pestgedrag, niet alleen voor degene die gepest wordt, maar ook voor zijn of haar omgeving en naasten.
Het boek bestaat uit veel korte hoofdstukken en de schrijfstijl is vlot, wat er samen met het interessante onderwerp voor zorgt dat je door blijft lezen. Helaas vond ik dit deel wel een stuk minder spannend dan de vorige boeken. Door verschillende herhalingen en de focus op persoonlijke strubbelingen, waardoor politiemedewerkers elkaar soms meer tegen lijken te werken dan dat ze gemotiveerd zijn om een moordonderzoek te voltooien, stagneren zowel het tempo als de spanning wat in het middenstuk. Tegen het einde wordt de spanning wel verhoogd en neemt het verhaal enkele onverwachte wendingen. Je krijgt het gevoel dat vrijwel iedere persoon die in het boek voorkomt wel iets met de moorden te maken zou kunnen hebben en het einde is verrassend, waardoor ik zeker benieuwd ben naar Lava, dat in september zal verschijnen. Hopelijk weet Yrsa Sigurdardóttir me dan weer omver te blazen!
amelie5m's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.0
kirkw1972's review against another edition
4.0
I've read all in this series so far but I was particularly intrigued this time with the murders centering around Snapchat. I don't have Snapchat. I don't want it. I was put off ever downloading it by a colleague who showed me how they can check up on what their friends and re doing and where they are just by looking up their app avatars. That terrifies me. In this book, the murders are 'announced' via Snapchat when the killer sends photos of the crime to everyone on the victims contact list. Yeah I am never downloading this app....
The characters themselves build on the previous books and I'm starting to really enjoy them now. Not sure if it's something lost in translation or intentional but sometimes they seem a little cold. I still like them though.
The twist of the whodunnit at the end confused me a bit and even after reading it all the way through I still only think I've under stood part of it. Hard to explain without spoilers. It is intriguing and reminded me of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems. Slight confusion aside I did like the thinking behind it.
The bullying angle is horrific. Nothing really stands out as a memory of being bullied. I was more the kid on the middle that's neither bullied or popular; just plodding through school til it was over however I have a few family members who were bullied. Most recently a younger one who suffered the most horrific online abuse I've personally witnessed and some of the bullies online actions have been true for this young person I know. So easy these days to sit behind a keyboard and forget these are human beings that are being attacked. Bullying past and present is the subject behind the killings. As with a few things, the scarier because it's based on reality. So I applaud the relevance of the storyline.
Overall really good read and I look forward to the next.
The characters themselves build on the previous books and I'm starting to really enjoy them now. Not sure if it's something lost in translation or intentional but sometimes they seem a little cold. I still like them though.
The twist of the whodunnit at the end confused me a bit and even after reading it all the way through I still only think I've under stood part of it. Hard to explain without spoilers. It is intriguing and reminded me of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems. Slight confusion aside I did like the thinking behind it.
The bullying angle is horrific. Nothing really stands out as a memory of being bullied. I was more the kid on the middle that's neither bullied or popular; just plodding through school til it was over however I have a few family members who were bullied. Most recently a younger one who suffered the most horrific online abuse I've personally witnessed and some of the bullies online actions have been true for this young person I know. So easy these days to sit behind a keyboard and forget these are human beings that are being attacked. Bullying past and present is the subject behind the killings. As with a few things, the scarier because it's based on reality. So I applaud the relevance of the storyline.
Overall really good read and I look forward to the next.