A review by secre
The Girl Who Died by Ragnar Jónasson

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This Girl Who Died is a slow paced not-quite-thriller, set in a remote and tiny 1980's Icelandic village. Skálar is home to only ten adults and two children, and Una takes up a job in teaching the children. It's got a bleak and Gothic atmosphere to it and the author does well at bringing this small village to life around you. Where it falls down somewhat is the plot; not a lot happens for the vast majority of the novel and when things finally get moving, it's a little too late to engage you.

It took me a long time to get into the novel because of that and whilst the suspense builds up slowly, with real life events being heightened by the possibility of a supernatural force at work, the ending felt like a bit of a cop out. What I did like about it was the characterisations and the very real level of deception and mistrust throughout the tiny village to Una as a new interloper. Jónasson writes the characters in a very believable way, and this along with the dark atmosphere makes it a very evocative read.

This is going to be one of those novels that some people will adore for the atmosphere and the sense of time and place. For me, it didn't quite work as the narrative felt weak in comparison.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title. 
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