jmatkinson1's review against another edition
5.0
Henning Juul is returning to work as a journalist after a fire in his flat which killed his son. Mentally and physically scarred Juul has to cope with changes at his online newspaper, his boss is a former mentee of his and he is working in partnership with the man his ex-wife is seeing. Quickly Juul becomes involved in a murder story, a young woman is found in a tent, stoned to death, flogged and with her hand chopped off. The police immediately think that this is a ritual crime linked to Sharia law and committed by her Pakistani boyfriend. Juul is not so sure...
I am embarrassed to say that this book had been sitting unread for several years which is a real pity. The translation is excellent in the fact that it keeps a real lyricism to the writing but seems to flow incredibly smoothly. The plot is very tight, there are numerous twists and turns and a nicely unresolved resolution. By looking at what seems a ritualistic crime Enger highlights the tensions between immigrants and the local populace in Norway, the crude approach of the police exemplifies this. Juul is sympathetic character with an excellent backstory and this has the makings of a really gripping series of novels
I am embarrassed to say that this book had been sitting unread for several years which is a real pity. The translation is excellent in the fact that it keeps a real lyricism to the writing but seems to flow incredibly smoothly. The plot is very tight, there are numerous twists and turns and a nicely unresolved resolution. By looking at what seems a ritualistic crime Enger highlights the tensions between immigrants and the local populace in Norway, the crude approach of the police exemplifies this. Juul is sympathetic character with an excellent backstory and this has the makings of a really gripping series of novels
w33alker's review against another edition
3.0
A lit'l hard to get into, but once you do, it's a fun read. A puzzle esqe mystery that leaves ya ready for the next book.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
Finished December 22nd 2021
"We surround ourselves with phrases, never contemplating what they suggest, how superfluous they are and how little meaning they convey."
Spoiler
I wanted to squeeze in one last translation before the end of 2021 and I've been wanting to start this series for a while, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to finally do so. I already knew that I was going to like his writing style as I've read his work before, and Burned turned out to be a great introduction to the Henning Juul series. True, the pace was a tad slow in points and the plot could have been sharper, but the main character is intriguing and I liked reading the crime story from a journalist's POV. There are lots of twists to keep you occupied along the way, and the murder case itself is interesting and more complex than expected. I will definitely be looking forward to the next book! One of my goals in 2022 will be to read the rest of the books of this series...P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
christina_34's review against another edition
3.0
Burned was an interesting enough summer read with a lot of suspence. A great companion for the beach.
markhoh's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this one! It’s a little bit different from the other Scandi Noir books that I’ve read probably mainly in that the main character is a journalist as opposed to a person from the police force. We are introduced to Henning Juul who I actually immediately had a sense of sympathy for which turned to empathy as I came to know him. Henning has been through unspeakable tragedy with the death of his son Jonas in a house fire in circumstances that are unthinkable as a parent. I think the father in me resonated with him big time and I found myself actually wanting to be his mate.
The book is a fairly easy and steady read. It’s a page turner without being a page turner but I really loved that. The plot isn’t difficult to follow but at the same time is complex. I like that contrast as I’m reading. I also like that while the crime is solved it’s not resolved either. Thomas Enger has really been able to navigate these paradoxical type threads which I really enjoyed.
Looking forward to reading the next one.
The book is a fairly easy and steady read. It’s a page turner without being a page turner but I really loved that. The plot isn’t difficult to follow but at the same time is complex. I like that contrast as I’m reading. I also like that while the crime is solved it’s not resolved either. Thomas Enger has really been able to navigate these paradoxical type threads which I really enjoyed.
Looking forward to reading the next one.
luvtoread_ad's review against another edition
5.0
This book was very hard to put down!! I got this book from the library but I am adding it to my cart! Great from beginning to end. First time I ever heard about Thomas Enger and I he is my favorite International author!
Henning Juul is a veteran investigative crime reporter in Olso, Norway. Henning goes through a terrible tragedy to going back to work to a shocking and brutal crime he has to investigate. This book has it all, brutal crimes, religion issues, murder investigation and personal tragedy. Henning is not just a regular reporter, he has his issues and secrets. A must read!
Henning Juul is a veteran investigative crime reporter in Olso, Norway. Henning goes through a terrible tragedy to going back to work to a shocking and brutal crime he has to investigate. This book has it all, brutal crimes, religion issues, murder investigation and personal tragedy. Henning is not just a regular reporter, he has his issues and secrets. A must read!
dorthepedersen_reads's review against another edition
2.0
To eller tre stjerner... bum-bum... men jeg fortsætter med at være lidt nærig med stjernerne :-) I dette tilfælde er det sådan set OK læsning, men det hele er på en eller anden måde for "konstrueret". Der er lagt op til endnu en Den Store Nordiske Krimiserie, og allerede dét er lettere irriterende. På den anden side fejler plottet ikke noget, og jeg kan godt lide det lidt poetiske sprog. Måske er der potentiale? På den allersidste side kommer der en vinkel på, som måske gør, at man er NØDT til at læse efterfølgerne... Så kan man bare håbe, at ham der den uendeligt irriterende kriminalbetjent med en kvindelig kollega er forsvundet ud af historien!!
vjovanovic438's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mitrusheva's review against another edition
4.0
Приятна изненада се оказа този автор. Това е първата негова книга, която чета и със сигурност няма да остане последната.
Различното в романа е, че главният герой не е разследващ полицай, а журналист, което дава малко по-различна перспектива към повествованието.
Написан интелигентно, увлекателно и с лека доза хумор трилър. Има своите малки недостатъци, но са пренебрежими и не особено дразнещи.
Различното в романа е, че главният герой не е разследващ полицай, а журналист, което дава малко по-различна перспектива към повествованието.
Написан интелигентно, увлекателно и с лека доза хумор трилър. Има своите малки недостатъци, но са пренебрежими и не особено дразнещи.