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A review by nglofile
The Dying Game by Asa Avdic
3.0
A sampling of the review and publicity comparisons for this book: Agatha Christie-meets-George Orwell, Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," The Hunger Games, Eggers' The Circle, and The Handmaid's Tale. Some are more apt than others, but they do set a level of expectation that is difficult to meet.
Set in a future Sweden under martial law, the story establishes a cruel yet somehow credible premise: candidates for a top secret government position are unknowingly subjected to a psychological test to evaluate their suitability. Sent to an isolated island, one will appear to be murdered and the others will be assessed on how they respond. Anna, our viewpoint character, is the one who will be 'killed' and then observe secretly. As anyone would expect, complications arise.
The narrative is intriguing, but the characters are difficult to truly grab on to. That's partly by design and is often a hallmark of European storytelling, but it is also where the comparisons to those well-known titles above break down. With periodic revelations and doubling-back and time-jumps, the reader needs a grounding which is only sort of present.
An interesting idea and a partially satisfying one. The coda has some punch, but it is unfortunately undermined by how quickly it is broached before the curtain falls.
Set in a future Sweden under martial law, the story establishes a cruel yet somehow credible premise: candidates for a top secret government position are unknowingly subjected to a psychological test to evaluate their suitability. Sent to an isolated island, one will appear to be murdered and the others will be assessed on how they respond. Anna, our viewpoint character, is the one who will be 'killed' and then observe secretly. As anyone would expect, complications arise.
The narrative is intriguing, but the characters are difficult to truly grab on to. That's partly by design and is often a hallmark of European storytelling, but it is also where the comparisons to those well-known titles above break down. With periodic revelations and doubling-back and time-jumps, the reader needs a grounding which is only sort of present.
An interesting idea and a partially satisfying one. The coda has some punch, but it is unfortunately undermined by how quickly it is broached before the curtain falls.