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huntergoebel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
juliereadzintherockies's review against another edition
4.0
The farther I read, the harder it was to put down this bold and gritty historical fiction/thriller/horror (I’m not sure exactly what to call it). I have to admit, this gutsy story didn’t start that way, though. If I hadn’t been reading it as a Buddy Read, I might have given up and moved to something else. I’m glad I stuck with it!
Yes...it is dark, gruesome and vividly detailed, but so eloquently written! Given the fact it takes place in the 1700’s, I wasn’t expecting a sappy, glorified story.
A mutilated corpse is found in Larder Lake. Mutilated might not be the appropriate word to describe the dead body. I’m not sure there is a word that describes the vicious acts done to this unidentifiable individual. Thus begins the investigation by Winge and Cardell. I didn’t care much for either at the beginning of the book, but they soon became captivating and fascinating characters, in a book filled with monsters. Winge was a little harder to warm up to, but he became my favorite.
The book was split into four parts, and as hard as it was to imagine, each part was more macabre and horrific than the previous. Yet I was completely fascinated and couldn’t stop reading
Yes...it is dark, gruesome and vividly detailed, but so eloquently written! Given the fact it takes place in the 1700’s, I wasn’t expecting a sappy, glorified story.
“Men are shitting and pissing themselves where they stand and the excrement is mixed with the blood under our heels. Even sweat smells different in the face of death, did you know that? Mix it all with gun smoke and you end up with the devil’s own perfume.”
A mutilated corpse is found in Larder Lake. Mutilated might not be the appropriate word to describe the dead body. I’m not sure there is a word that describes the vicious acts done to this unidentifiable individual. Thus begins the investigation by Winge and Cardell. I didn’t care much for either at the beginning of the book, but they soon became captivating and fascinating characters, in a book filled with monsters. Winge was a little harder to warm up to, but he became my favorite.
“You are a cold one, Cecil Winge. No wonder you’re so at ease in the presence of the dead. Let me return your powers of observation with some of my own: You don’t eat enough. If I were you, I would try to spend more time at the dinner table and less on the latrine.”
The book was split into four parts, and as hard as it was to imagine, each part was more macabre and horrific than the previous. Yet I was completely fascinated and couldn’t stop reading
kallsie's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer, I got an advance copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Honestly this reads like something the love child of Steig Larrson and Jeffrey Deaver would have written. It has those lovely elements of a great Scandinavian thriller with dark, twisty, uncomfortable crime and criminal that Deaver and his ilk are wont to create.
I really enjoyed this, part II made me squirm a little bit (really, really don't read this if you are triggered by torture) but all in all as a whole it really worked.
The writing at first had me a little puzzled, I wondered if the translator was taking liberties or something, but realized that the author was just really attempting to emulate a time and a place. When it clicked, it clicked and the reading was smoother for it.
The protagonists were all flawed but likeable, and I'm anxious to see if there will be more to be said about Winge and Cardell.
I feel like this book is going to do extremely well!
Honestly this reads like something the love child of Steig Larrson and Jeffrey Deaver would have written. It has those lovely elements of a great Scandinavian thriller with dark, twisty, uncomfortable crime and criminal that Deaver and his ilk are wont to create.
I really enjoyed this, part II made me squirm a little bit (really, really don't read this if you are triggered by torture) but all in all as a whole it really worked.
The writing at first had me a little puzzled, I wondered if the translator was taking liberties or something, but realized that the author was just really attempting to emulate a time and a place. When it clicked, it clicked and the reading was smoother for it.
The protagonists were all flawed but likeable, and I'm anxious to see if there will be more to be said about Winge and Cardell.
I feel like this book is going to do extremely well!
aubergenie_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lostinfrance's review against another edition
3.0
I have this fascination with Scandinavian thrillers, so when I saw this on the shelf at work, I grabbed it. I thought (misread) that this book took place in modern times, but was about a murder back in the 18th century. Nope.
This is the story of a limbless body that is found floating in the waters of Stockholm in 1793 and two men's search to find the killer (and tormentor). It also follows the story of a man who was forced to kill another--- and a woman who was found in the wrong place and her fight to stay alive.
The story is gruesome and often heart wrenching--- a man who misses his sister so much that he continues to write her after he has left home--- and tells her of all the things that happen to him after he finds himself in a debt he can't repay. A woman who is barely surviving and loses her mother, so has to sell fruit to stay alive and is accused of prostitution. The torture that takes place inside the debtor's prison. I really couldn't read this at home late at night--- it is what nightmares are made of, but I continued reading it because I wanted to know who killed the limbless (tongueless) body....and why he was treated so cruelly.
I am not sure I am fully convinced the author had to include all of the characters he did--- or that I really thought the reason the man committed the torture was warranted. I never did find any compassion for him. But, I did reading about Sweden and a time period I know nothing about.
Read if you enjoy historical fiction--- and Scandinavian thrillers AND you don't have a weak stomach.
This is the story of a limbless body that is found floating in the waters of Stockholm in 1793 and two men's search to find the killer (and tormentor). It also follows the story of a man who was forced to kill another--- and a woman who was found in the wrong place and her fight to stay alive.
The story is gruesome and often heart wrenching--- a man who misses his sister so much that he continues to write her after he has left home--- and tells her of all the things that happen to him after he finds himself in a debt he can't repay. A woman who is barely surviving and loses her mother, so has to sell fruit to stay alive and is accused of prostitution. The torture that takes place inside the debtor's prison. I really couldn't read this at home late at night--- it is what nightmares are made of, but I continued reading it because I wanted to know who killed the limbless (tongueless) body....and why he was treated so cruelly.
I am not sure I am fully convinced the author had to include all of the characters he did--- or that I really thought the reason the man committed the torture was warranted. I never did find any compassion for him. But, I did reading about Sweden and a time period I know nothing about.
Read if you enjoy historical fiction--- and Scandinavian thrillers AND you don't have a weak stomach.
spooky_queen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
2.75
duncbell's review against another edition
3.0
A grim and brutal world brilliantly painted. It zips along. The dialogue is a bit clunky and everything is turned up to 11 with plenty of implausible plot and unlikely outcomes. I really enjoyed this but it did require the disengagement of large parts of my critical brain.
abouteurydike's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dottienic123's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0