Reviews

The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jónasson

janey's review against another edition

2.0

Well, I deliberately picked this up because I needed something light, so I have only myself to blame...

torchyblane's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

ratalitdeslivres's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Was waiting for a gigantic plost, ended up really really disappointed :/ 

erinlcrane's review against another edition

3.0

2.5 stars rounded up. It was so short that I kept going, but it ended up getting worse by the end. I was sort of entertained, so sure, it was fine.

I found the reveals at the end quite dull, and I was frustrated by the haunting. It didn't matter and felt disconnected from the main plot.

Perhaps the entirely unimaginative and irrelevant title should have clued me in. ;)

deschatjes's review against another edition

3.0

Thriller / ghost story quite compelling.

elaine1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jane_stani's review against another edition

4.0

I've enjoyed all the Ragnar Jónasson detective novels that I've read. Good plotting, always a twist, interesting settings.

darkskybooks's review against another edition

4.0

The Icelandic branch of Nordic Noir is an intriguing one. That such a tiny and safe country can produce such impressive crime writing is impressive. Ragnar Jonasson is the third author from this small subgenre that I have tried (after Yrsa Sigurðardóttir and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir). There is definitely something about dark northern winters that give a particularly wild and bleak feel to Nordic noir and Ragnar captures this with aplomb in The Girl Who Died. Here we are are transported to a remote hamlet on a northern peninsular of Iceland, about as bleak and isolated as you can get. A young teacher from Reykjavik has been employed to teach the settlement's two young children. However, such small communities are close nit affairs and outsiders are distrusted and this is no exception. The sense of isolation of the location is effectively compounded by this culture and this loneliness and bleakness feeds effectively into the story as the protagonist takes to drink for comfort.

When a death occurs that is remarkably similar to an earlier one, the teacher starts digging. Ragnar uses the isolation of the setting, the secretive and tight nit nature of such isolated communities and the bleakness of Icelandic winters to conjure an effective and chilling crime mystery. I am a fan of Nordic Noir and this is a worthy addition to the oeuvre.

laure_sr's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

asthebugglows's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

3.0