Alright. I know that certain books require you to suspend a fair amount of your disbelief, but this book is ridiculous. It is certainly not “Totally oAlright. I know that certain books require you to suspend a fair amount of your disbelief, but this book is ridiculous. It is certainly not “Totally original” (David Baldacci) or “Brilliant” (Stephen Fry). I know it’s the kind of book I can recommend to people who like Sebastian Fitzek - it’s about as believable as his books - and the prose is pretty much on the same level. I don’t expect literary fiction when I pick up a thriller, but I also don’t expect to need painkillers because I keep having to roll my eyes all the time. I know there are better thrillers out there, and more convincing ones, but this has put me off the genre for a while. ...more
I definitely wouldn't have read this one if it weren't for my job, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It's a solid thriller that's really easy tI definitely wouldn't have read this one if it weren't for my job, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It's a solid thriller that's really easy to read - I almost flew through the first half, and the final hundred pages made it difficult to put the book down.
Helena grew up with her mother and her father in the marshes, not knowing that her mother had been kidnapped and they both were her father's captive. Fifteen years later, having long since escaped her father and living a new and happy life with her own family, Helena has to face her past anew when her father escapes from prison and she is the only one who has a chance of stopping him.
I really liked Helena, and the way her story unfolded. I especially liked the way her coming of age was written and found her behaviour and feelings believable throughout the book. It's not the kind of book destined to become a favourite of mine, but it is one I have no trouble recommending....more
I was doing my rounds at our store (I wish I was kidding), and there it was. Obviously I had seen it before, but suddenly This book called out to me.
I was doing my rounds at our store (I wish I was kidding), and there it was. Obviously I had seen it before, but suddenly I thought, I think I want to read this, and read the prologue. I was 99% sure at that point, and then a customer asked me about ten minutes later whether I had read it, and that sealed the deal.
So now I've read it, and it was really, really good. I'm not that into thrillers, in general, and this had the same weakness all thrillers have for me, which is a relatively weak final showdown, but the build-up towards that and the writing was great. And I don't wamt people to get the wrong idea, the ending wasn't bad. It's just that the final confrontation always feels so formulaic, and somehow that becomes even more noticeable for me with a good book.
The story is set in Korea, and it's about the son of a man responsible for a great tragedy. After seven years of doing his best to live with his past, the son is finally confronted with the truth of what happened.
Withiut spoiling anything I just want to mention that I really liked the way guilt and responsibility are handled in this novel. It's a rather dark book, for sure, but it also isn't depressing or anything. It's full of humans, with all that entails.
The Korean setting was part of what intrigued me - I wouldn't swear on it, but I don't think I ever read a book by a Korean author before. And to be honest I don't think the story would have interested me if it had been a generic American setting.
I'm really glad this book found me, and I do kind of hope the customer who asked me about it really does come back to talk to me about it because it was really awesome....more
I devoured this book in a little under three hours, so that should tell you something. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but this one had me hooked by tI devoured this book in a little under three hours, so that should tell you something. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but this one had me hooked by the first page.
It's the story of Jan, a child care worker who starts his new job at a small pre-school that is connected to a mental hospital so that the children can still have - supervised - contact to their mentally ill parents. What makes this book so interesting and compelling is that you know pretty much from the get go that the protagonist is hiding something and that he is up to something. Thus, you spend most of the time reading wondering whether he is trustworthy or not, and since Theorin is a good writer, he doles out hint after hint, unveiling everything at a pace that always feels teasing and never frustrating.
A really well-done thriller without any gore and with an ending that doesn't disappoint. ...more
A more than decent thriller about a woman who is incapable of keeping her memories longer than a day - whenever she goes to sleep, she forg3.5 stars.
A more than decent thriller about a woman who is incapable of keeping her memories longer than a day - whenever she goes to sleep, she forgets everything about herself and her life.
What I liked about it was that it wasn't as creepy as it could have been and hardly ever went for the cheap thrills. You get a good impression of what it must feel like to actually lose and rediscover yourself every day. However, at the end of the day it's a thriller and it's kind of trapped inside the genre's form. I found the ending rather predictable, but it still was a good and quick read. ...more
4.5 stars - I'm trying to be a bit less generous with 5 stars ratings, but this was really good.
What makes a thriller a thriller? I actually had a dis4.5 stars - I'm trying to be a bit less generous with 5 stars ratings, but this was really good.
What makes a thriller a thriller? I actually had a discussion about this with my colleagues at work, because despite this book's subtitle and even though the word is also mentioned twice on the back of the cover, it didn't feel like a "typical" thriller to me. It's always a matter of definition, of course - the thing is that in "Shibumi" the suspense doesn't come from the plot, but from the character.
I usually don't trust quotes mentioned in the blurb, but for once I have to agree with it - Nikolai Hel is indeed one of the most remarkable protagonists I've encountered in a thriller. He's a professional killer with a fascinating background - the son of a Russian woman and a German he grew up in Shanghai and later Japan and has a very strict code of honor. He's difficult to like, but I found it impossible not to side with him.
In the beginning I found that the age of the book - it was first published in 1979 - was very obvious, but not necessarily in a bad way. And as the focus shifted to Hel, I stopped noticing it altogether.
I read this because Don Winslow, an author I have come to like a lot, has written a sequel. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but it was a really a great read. I expected a much less intelligent, much more action-focused book and instead I got the kind of book I love to read at the moment - one where the suspense is much more quiet and a little less obvious, but all the more stronger because of it. And I'm very glad that there's a sequel. ...more
This time it has to be five stars. I spent all day at work gushing about this - this was so much fun, and so exciting, and Nikolai is the most fascinaThis time it has to be five stars. I spent all day at work gushing about this - this was so much fun, and so exciting, and Nikolai is the most fascinating character! I enjoyed this a lot, and because there were none of the politically incorrect opinions that made "Shibumi" a little uncomfortable sometimes I enjoyed this even more than "Shibumi", although I would say that "Shibumi" is the better book.
Don Winslow really delivers a worthy sequel here, however. I found it absolutely fascinating to see how the style of the book differed from his usual way of writing, but it is still very obviously a Don Winslow book. It's more action focused than "Shibumi", but still manages to introduce and capture the characters in a way that remains true to the original. In fact, I'm positive it can be read without knowing the original, but personally I think that once you get to know Nikolai Hel you want to read all there is about him, and more (at least that's the way I feel).
I have to say that I read both books at the best time possible - I've been reading a few books with an Asian setting, and these two fit in nicely with my current interests in Buddhism and Asian history and culture. And "Satori" certainly cemented my enthusiasm for Don Winslow. Once I finished a few more books on my to read pile, I get to buy another one of his books. I can hardly wait. ...more
Aaah. Okay, see, there's a reason I don't read thrillers that often, and that's because they freak me out. I know that's what they're supposed to, butAaah. Okay, see, there's a reason I don't read thrillers that often, and that's because they freak me out. I know that's what they're supposed to, but that kind of thrill isn't what I usually like. Usually.
This was a great read, gripping and suspenseful, with twists I didn't see coming. A very eerie setting, especially because I kept thinking of an island that was sort of like Arkham is in the video game. That added to the being-freaked-out-feeling, I think.
I don't think I can go see the movie now, though, because I'm pretty sure knowing the ending would spoil it for me. But I don't regret having read it. And at some point, I might check out other books by Dennis Lehane.
(As for the rating, it probably deserves closer to four stars rather than three, but I'm trying to be a little stricter there.)...more
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