3

It is one of the novels, that I cannot say directly, if I like it. My first impression was that the novel is weak, but it seems to me, that the main reason for it is the translation from Icelandic to english. I really hope, that if only this book is translated to Russian, it will be the Icelandic- Russian translation.I read this novel in English, however, it was obvious that it is just an interpretation. Firstly, in some paragraphs there are even some repetitions of the whole words. Moreover, as far as I know, in Icelandic version there are more disruptions, especially refer to nature.

I heard about the novel sue to the Amazon advertisement. I read the description and it seemed to me, that it gonna be a good thriller in a closed space. I was waiting for the fear of unsnapped situation and the atmosphere of darkness and closeness. The author mentioned several times about claustrophobia of Ari Thor, but it seemed so unnatural. I would rather read some King’s horrors for the same topic. The gene of the novel is Icelandic noir. It was my first experience, however, I did not manage something special to make it a separated genre. The same as a usual detective. I know as well, that the author was inspired by gather Kristi, but I didn’t see her influence in the story: neither in the plot, nor in the style.

One more my big disappointment was, that this novel has so many useless characters. Well, not useless, but I definitely do not need so many extra information about their biography. From my point of view, either the author had to concentrate on main ones and exclude so many side characters, or to ,make side characters deeper so that they are interesting. But we get just some sketches instead of the real people. Especially it was difficult to remember all this biographies with this Icelandic and impossible names. In the end of the book, I hardly forget whose childhood I read in the beginning. The key point here is that the book is the first one in the series. So, it is good to have some insights in characters’ lives. But I hope, the author will remind it in future. And it would be better to spread up all the biographies and do not put them all together in the first book.

Furthermore, in spite of the dates before each chapter, there were not the feeling of the time among all the story. I mean, that even the one day could be during the 50 pages and some useless and not so rich for the actions days were one chapter with 5 pages only. But it was not a problem. The thing, that makes me confuse is, for instance, when the author told about childhood of the characters. I missed all the time the time period or at least at what age it took place. And that’s why I had no idea about was the thief a young boy or in his mis-ages when he did this bugler, that was described in the book. And I suppose, it is rather important, especially for the future situations with an inherit, movements and parents.

A bright spot is an investigation by itself. I really enjoyed the story, and interesting to read, what happened. But there is also a drop of an oil in the honey jar. If you wanna get to know the key of the story, read the last three pages. Seriously, you would not miss anything. All other pages are full of turns of investigations, characters and nature descriptions, talks, feelings and changing of locations. Reader even does not know, what they talk about explicitly. It turns out only in the end without any hints or thought of the main character.

Honestly, I was not so bored by these two investigations, that I did not really care who was the murder(and it is in the detective!). For men, the most interesting part, that makes all the novel looks good is he love story(in the detective again!). Yes, in the thriller, in the so called Icelandic noir there is a third of the book for the love triangle! But is so alive, that make whole reading for me. Thanks author, that he did not make one of the girls a bitch, or a murderer or something else. No, there is a real choice of a real character. I have my own opinion and thought, how it had to develop for Ari Thor. But we have what we have.. And I really enjoyed the end of this story. It is open. And It is better, that the author in the last few pages did not write the quick end. The open ending encourages me to read the next book. But there is a huge problem: in English the next one is basically the sixth in this series. And it starts within 6 years after the one, when Ari Thor just gave a birth to his son! But I am really curious: what, how and why was between! Don’t think that I will read all the series, cause I already got to know the end, and I am completely satisfied with these knowledges only.

And one thing, that I did not understand, as a reader is why Ragnar put 3(not one or two, but the whole three) crimes in one book. Okay, maybe let us count two only. But even one would be nice and enough for such a thin book. The second accident was in the background and does not have any sense or a big role in a plot.

And the my last opinion about this book is the main antagonist. He turned out to be the pure evil! He did everything to show, that he is bad. He seemed usual and kind in the neighing but after he looked like as a main enemy of Bond: sure evil!

So, I enjoyed the language and the descriptions. But I did not have the atmosphere of fear. And honestly, after this book I would like to visit and judge the beauty of Iceland by myself. Liked the investigation and the main turn, it was unexpected for me. And an awesome love story, that I was worry about while reading.