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Harry Hole #7
小薪械卸薪懈褟 褔芯胁械泻
袗薪褌懈谐械褉芯褟褌 啸邪褉懈 啸褍谢械, 锌芯谢懈褑械泄褋泻懈褟褌 懈薪褋锌械泻褌芯褉 薪邪 屑械卸写褍薪邪褉芯写薪芯 锌褉懈蟹薪邪褌懈褟 泻褉懈屑懈-邪胁褌芯褉 挟 袧械褋斜褜芯, 褋械 蟹邪胁褉褗褖邪 胁 褋屑褉邪蟹褟胁邪褖 褌褉懈谢褗褉, 泻芯泄褌芯 褖械 谐芯 锌褉懈斜谢懈卸懈 写芯 褉褗斜邪 薪邪 谢褍写芯褋褌褌邪.
袨褋谢芯 锌褉械蟹 薪芯械屑胁褉懈. 袩邪写薪邪谢 械 锌褗褉胁懈褟褌 褋薪褟谐. 袦芯屑褔械 薪邪 懈屑械 挟薪邪褋 褋械 褋褗斜褍卸写邪 锌褉械蟹 薪芯褖褌邪 懈 芯褌泻褉懈胁邪, 褔械 屑邪泄泻邪 屑褍 褟 薪褟屑邪. 袩芯谐谢械卸写邪 锌褉械蟹 锌褉芯蟹芯褉械褑邪 懈 胁懈卸写邪 薪邪 褋褌褍写械薪邪褌邪 谢褍薪薪邪 褋胁械褌谢懈薪邪 褋薪械卸薪懈褟 褔芯胁械泻, 泻芯泄褌芯 锌芯-褉邪薪芯 褋褗褖邪褌邪 胁械褔械褉 褋械 械 锌芯褟胁懈谢 薪械芯斜褟褋薪懈屑芯 胁 写胁芯褉邪 懈屑. 袗 芯泻芯谢芯 胁褉邪褌邪 薪邪 褋薪械卸薪懈褟 褔芯胁械泻 械 褍胁懈褌 褉芯蟹芯胁懈褟褌 褕邪谢, 泻芯泄褌芯 写械褌械褌芯 械 锌芯写邪褉懈谢芯 薪邪 屑邪泄泻邪 褋懈 蟹邪 袣芯谢械写邪.
啸褍谢械 锌褉芯蟹懈褉邪 胁褉褗蟹泻邪 屑械卸写褍 蟹邪锌谢邪褕懈褌械谢薪芯 锌懈褋屑芯 写芯 薪械谐芯 懈 懈蟹褔械蟹胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 屑邪泄泻邪褌邪 薪邪 挟薪邪褋, 胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯 懈 薪邪 芯褖械 写褍蟹懈薪邪 卸械薪懈, 锌芯褌褗薪邪谢懈 胁 薪械懈蟹胁械褋褌薪芯褋褌 胁褋械 锌芯 锌褗褉胁懈 褋薪褟谐. 小褗褋 蟹邪写褗谢斜芯褔邪胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 褉邪蟹褋谢械写胁邪薪械褌芯 褍褋械褖邪薪械褌芯 屑褍, 褔械 械 锌懈芯薪泻邪 胁 褍卸邪褋褟胁邪褖邪 懈谐褉邪, 褋褌邪胁邪 胁褋械 锌芯-芯褋械蟹邪械屑芯, 邪 褍斜懈械褑褗褌 褋褗蟹写邪胁邪 懈 锌芯褋褌芯褟薪薪芯 锌褉芯屑械薪褟 锌褉邪胁懈谢邪褌邪.
小胁懈褉械锌, 薪邪锌褉械谐薪邪褌, 褋 斜褉懈谢褟薪褌薪芯 褉邪蟹胁懈褌懈 芯斜褉邪蟹懈 懈 锌褉芯褋屑褍泻邪薪邪 芯褌 蟹谢芯泻芯斜邪 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉邪, 鈥炐⌒叫敌缎叫秆� 褔芯胁械泻鈥� 械 薪邪械谢械泻褌褉懈蟹懈褉邪褖邪 褌胁芯褉斜邪 芯褌 械写懈薪 芯褌 薪邪泄-写芯斜褉懈褌械 泻褉懈屑懈薪邪谢薪懈 邪胁褌芯褉懈 薪邪 薪邪褕械褌芯 胁褉械屑械.
袨褋谢芯 锌褉械蟹 薪芯械屑胁褉懈. 袩邪写薪邪谢 械 锌褗褉胁懈褟褌 褋薪褟谐. 袦芯屑褔械 薪邪 懈屑械 挟薪邪褋 褋械 褋褗斜褍卸写邪 锌褉械蟹 薪芯褖褌邪 懈 芯褌泻褉懈胁邪, 褔械 屑邪泄泻邪 屑褍 褟 薪褟屑邪. 袩芯谐谢械卸写邪 锌褉械蟹 锌褉芯蟹芯褉械褑邪 懈 胁懈卸写邪 薪邪 褋褌褍写械薪邪褌邪 谢褍薪薪邪 褋胁械褌谢懈薪邪 褋薪械卸薪懈褟 褔芯胁械泻, 泻芯泄褌芯 锌芯-褉邪薪芯 褋褗褖邪褌邪 胁械褔械褉 褋械 械 锌芯褟胁懈谢 薪械芯斜褟褋薪懈屑芯 胁 写胁芯褉邪 懈屑. 袗 芯泻芯谢芯 胁褉邪褌邪 薪邪 褋薪械卸薪懈褟 褔芯胁械泻 械 褍胁懈褌 褉芯蟹芯胁懈褟褌 褕邪谢, 泻芯泄褌芯 写械褌械褌芯 械 锌芯写邪褉懈谢芯 薪邪 屑邪泄泻邪 褋懈 蟹邪 袣芯谢械写邪.
啸褍谢械 锌褉芯蟹懈褉邪 胁褉褗蟹泻邪 屑械卸写褍 蟹邪锌谢邪褕懈褌械谢薪芯 锌懈褋屑芯 写芯 薪械谐芯 懈 懈蟹褔械蟹胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 屑邪泄泻邪褌邪 薪邪 挟薪邪褋, 胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯 懈 薪邪 芯褖械 写褍蟹懈薪邪 卸械薪懈, 锌芯褌褗薪邪谢懈 胁 薪械懈蟹胁械褋褌薪芯褋褌 胁褋械 锌芯 锌褗褉胁懈 褋薪褟谐. 小褗褋 蟹邪写褗谢斜芯褔邪胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 褉邪蟹褋谢械写胁邪薪械褌芯 褍褋械褖邪薪械褌芯 屑褍, 褔械 械 锌懈芯薪泻邪 胁 褍卸邪褋褟胁邪褖邪 懈谐褉邪, 褋褌邪胁邪 胁褋械 锌芯-芯褋械蟹邪械屑芯, 邪 褍斜懈械褑褗褌 褋褗蟹写邪胁邪 懈 锌芯褋褌芯褟薪薪芯 锌褉芯屑械薪褟 锌褉邪胁懈谢邪褌邪.
小胁懈褉械锌, 薪邪锌褉械谐薪邪褌, 褋 斜褉懈谢褟薪褌薪芯 褉邪蟹胁懈褌懈 芯斜褉邪蟹懈 懈 锌褉芯褋屑褍泻邪薪邪 芯褌 蟹谢芯泻芯斜邪 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉邪, 鈥炐⌒叫敌缎叫秆� 褔芯胁械泻鈥� 械 薪邪械谢械泻褌褉懈蟹懈褉邪褖邪 褌胁芯褉斜邪 芯褌 械写懈薪 芯褌 薪邪泄-写芯斜褉懈褌械 泻褉懈屑懈薪邪谢薪懈 邪胁褌芯褉懈 薪邪 薪邪褕械褌芯 胁褉械屑械.
504 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2007
5,902 people are currently reading
70.5k people want to read
About the author
Jo Nesb酶
215听books22.4k听followersJo Nesb酶 is a bestselling Norwegian author and musician. He was born in Oslo and grew up in Molde. Nesb酶 graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics with a degree in economics. Nesb酶 is primarily famous for his crime novels about Detective Harry Hole, but he is also the main vocals and songwriter for the Norwegian rock band Di Derre. In 2007 Nesb酶 also released his first children's book, Doktor Proktors Prompepulver.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,703 reviews
November 30, 2019
鈥滼onas stood up on one of the kitchen chairs and peered out. And, sure enough, there on the lawn in front of the house was a snowman. It was, as his mother had said, big. It鈥檚 eyes and mouth were made with pebbles and the nose was a carrot. The snowman had no hat, cap or scarf, and only one arm, a thin twig Jonas guessed had been taken from the hedge. However, there was something odd about the snowman. It was facing the wrong way. He didn鈥檛 know why, but it ought to have been looking out onto the road, toward the open space.鈥�
Instead, it was looking at YOU.
Just an odd thing, maybe a joke by the neighborhood kids, but unsettling, nonetheless. They didn鈥檛 see anyone making the snowman. When Jonas鈥� mother turns up missing, he finds the pink scarf he鈥檇 given her as a present, wrapped around the snowman.
***SHIVER*** what does that mean, Harry?
A strange case like this rapidly becomes several connected strange cases as more women go missing, and a snowman appeareth. There can only be one guy in Norway who has the experience to take on a demented serial killer.
Katrine Bratt is Harry鈥檚 new partner. I know of two partners he has had since I started reading the series, and they are both...dead. Harry might be at the center of any storm, but the debris always seems to land on those around him. Katrine is intelligent, alluring, and sexy, but more importantly, she really seems to understand Harry, which most of the time Harry has a hard time getting Harry, so there is hope that she could prove useful. Harry explains the job as he sees it:
鈥濃€橧 would guess you鈥檙e fairly proud of your investigative talent.鈥橻Katrine asks]
鈥榊ou mean the rat-catching gene? The innate ability to lock up people with mental illnesses, addiction problems, well-under-average intellects and well-above-average childhood deprivations?鈥�
鈥楽o we鈥檙e just rat-catchers, then?鈥�
鈥榊ep. And that鈥檚 why we鈥檙e so happy when once in a blue moon a case like this lands on our table. A chance to go big-game hunting, to shoot a lion, an elephant, a fucking dinosaur.鈥欌€�
One of the things I really like about Nesbo is that he always works in books, movies, and music into his novels. This conversation that Harry has with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Rakel, cracks me up.
鈥濃€橳he Rules of Attraction?鈥� Harry repeated, taken aback. 鈥楬ave you got it?鈥�
鈥榊ou said it was on your list of most underrated modern films.鈥�
鈥榊es, but you never like those films.鈥�
鈥楾hat鈥檚 not true.鈥�
鈥榊ou didn鈥檛 like Starship Troopers.鈥�
鈥楾hat鈥檚 because it鈥檚 a crap macho film.鈥�
鈥業t鈥檚 satire,鈥� Harry said.
鈥極f what?鈥�
鈥楢merican society鈥檚 inherent fascism. The Hardy Boys meet Hitler Youth.鈥�
鈥楥ome on, Harry. War on giant insects on a remote planet?鈥�
鈥楩ear of foreigners.鈥欌€�
Harry always seems to be a half step behind the Snowman. One of the problems with serial killers like The Snowman is there is nothing readily apparent that ties them to their victims, so basically you have to wait until a new victim appears and hope the killer makes a mistake. It becomes all too personal though when Rakel finds a note on her windshield.
鈥漌e鈥檙e going to die whore!鈥�
We鈥檙e? What the heck does that mean? Rakel is moving in her latest boyfriend, a doctor named Mathias, but she keeps ending up at Harry鈥檚 apartment warming his bed. One of those situations where she can鈥檛 live with Harry, but she also can鈥檛 seem to live without raising and lowering his flag either.
She fits the killer鈥檚 profile.
Harry is truly up against a diabolical killer this time. A man targeting women who have strayed...but how does the killer know these things about these women? Time is of the essence, and red herrings send Harry and his team scrambling down looping paths that get them no closer to the killer. The case becomes all too personal as Harry鈥檚 new partner, Katrine, and Rakel become targeted by鈥�the Snowman.
Jo Nesbo, as always, kept me turning pages. I groaned with frustration when promising leads turned out to be dead ends. In a case like this, nothing can be ignored because the investigators are so desperate for a viable lead. In the end I had to hope that Harry would weave enough clues together to form a noose around the killer. Highly recommend. I can鈥檛 wait to see one of my favorite actors, Michael Fassbender, bring Harry Hole to life on the big screen.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:
Instead, it was looking at YOU.
Just an odd thing, maybe a joke by the neighborhood kids, but unsettling, nonetheless. They didn鈥檛 see anyone making the snowman. When Jonas鈥� mother turns up missing, he finds the pink scarf he鈥檇 given her as a present, wrapped around the snowman.
***SHIVER*** what does that mean, Harry?
A strange case like this rapidly becomes several connected strange cases as more women go missing, and a snowman appeareth. There can only be one guy in Norway who has the experience to take on a demented serial killer.
Harry Hole
VS
The Snowman
Katrine Bratt is Harry鈥檚 new partner. I know of two partners he has had since I started reading the series, and they are both...dead. Harry might be at the center of any storm, but the debris always seems to land on those around him. Katrine is intelligent, alluring, and sexy, but more importantly, she really seems to understand Harry, which most of the time Harry has a hard time getting Harry, so there is hope that she could prove useful. Harry explains the job as he sees it:
鈥濃€橧 would guess you鈥檙e fairly proud of your investigative talent.鈥橻Katrine asks]
鈥榊ou mean the rat-catching gene? The innate ability to lock up people with mental illnesses, addiction problems, well-under-average intellects and well-above-average childhood deprivations?鈥�
鈥楽o we鈥檙e just rat-catchers, then?鈥�
鈥榊ep. And that鈥檚 why we鈥檙e so happy when once in a blue moon a case like this lands on our table. A chance to go big-game hunting, to shoot a lion, an elephant, a fucking dinosaur.鈥欌€�
One of the things I really like about Nesbo is that he always works in books, movies, and music into his novels. This conversation that Harry has with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Rakel, cracks me up.
鈥濃€橳he Rules of Attraction?鈥� Harry repeated, taken aback. 鈥楬ave you got it?鈥�
鈥榊ou said it was on your list of most underrated modern films.鈥�
鈥榊es, but you never like those films.鈥�
鈥楾hat鈥檚 not true.鈥�
鈥榊ou didn鈥檛 like Starship Troopers.鈥�
鈥楾hat鈥檚 because it鈥檚 a crap macho film.鈥�
鈥業t鈥檚 satire,鈥� Harry said.
鈥極f what?鈥�
鈥楢merican society鈥檚 inherent fascism. The Hardy Boys meet Hitler Youth.鈥�
鈥楥ome on, Harry. War on giant insects on a remote planet?鈥�
鈥楩ear of foreigners.鈥欌€�
Harry always seems to be a half step behind the Snowman. One of the problems with serial killers like The Snowman is there is nothing readily apparent that ties them to their victims, so basically you have to wait until a new victim appears and hope the killer makes a mistake. It becomes all too personal though when Rakel finds a note on her windshield.
鈥漌e鈥檙e going to die whore!鈥�
We鈥檙e? What the heck does that mean? Rakel is moving in her latest boyfriend, a doctor named Mathias, but she keeps ending up at Harry鈥檚 apartment warming his bed. One of those situations where she can鈥檛 live with Harry, but she also can鈥檛 seem to live without raising and lowering his flag either.
She fits the killer鈥檚 profile.
Harry is truly up against a diabolical killer this time. A man targeting women who have strayed...but how does the killer know these things about these women? Time is of the essence, and red herrings send Harry and his team scrambling down looping paths that get them no closer to the killer. The case becomes all too personal as Harry鈥檚 new partner, Katrine, and Rakel become targeted by鈥�the Snowman.
Jo Nesbo, as always, kept me turning pages. I groaned with frustration when promising leads turned out to be dead ends. In a case like this, nothing can be ignored because the investigators are so desperate for a viable lead. In the end I had to hope that Harry would weave enough clues together to form a noose around the killer. Highly recommend. I can鈥檛 wait to see one of my favorite actors, Michael Fassbender, bring Harry Hole to life on the big screen.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:
September 6, 2017
I was invited to read 'The Snowman ' by the publisher, prior to its release in cinemas in October 2017, and have given an honest review in exchange.
As a little girl I used to love the first snowfall of winter, and the fun that accompanied it, like sledging down hills with complete abandon and snowball fights, but best of all was building a snowman. Great effort went into making this little guy look good - a borrowed cap and scarf from dad - a few buttons from mum's sewing box - however, the snowman in Jo Nesbo's thriller doesn't have such pleasant connotations, on the contrary, it elicits feelings of abject terror!
November in Oslo, and the first snowfall of the year covers the gloomy landscape. A young boy discovers his mother missing and ventures outdoors to look for her, but all he finds is his mother's pink scarf wrapped around a snowman in the front yard that appeared mysteriously the day before. And so begins Harry Hole's seventh investigation in this extremely popular series.
Investigations reveal that numerous women have gone missing over the years, all of them on the day of a first snowfall, but their bodies have never been found. As even more go missing, Harry receives a letter from the perpetrator wanting to play games, wanting to pit his wits against Oslo's most famous serial killer hunter. Let the games commence!
Harry is up against an extremely intelligent killer, and the tension never let's up for a minute - the depressingly somber landscape only adds to the fear. The plot is complex, clever, and leads to many suspects, each of them perfectly plausible, but all is not what it seems, and there are many twists and turns before 'The Snowman' is finally revealed. Another winner from Jo Nesbo.
Thank you to Random House UK Vintage Publishing for my ARC.
As a little girl I used to love the first snowfall of winter, and the fun that accompanied it, like sledging down hills with complete abandon and snowball fights, but best of all was building a snowman. Great effort went into making this little guy look good - a borrowed cap and scarf from dad - a few buttons from mum's sewing box - however, the snowman in Jo Nesbo's thriller doesn't have such pleasant connotations, on the contrary, it elicits feelings of abject terror!
November in Oslo, and the first snowfall of the year covers the gloomy landscape. A young boy discovers his mother missing and ventures outdoors to look for her, but all he finds is his mother's pink scarf wrapped around a snowman in the front yard that appeared mysteriously the day before. And so begins Harry Hole's seventh investigation in this extremely popular series.
Investigations reveal that numerous women have gone missing over the years, all of them on the day of a first snowfall, but their bodies have never been found. As even more go missing, Harry receives a letter from the perpetrator wanting to play games, wanting to pit his wits against Oslo's most famous serial killer hunter. Let the games commence!
Harry is up against an extremely intelligent killer, and the tension never let's up for a minute - the depressingly somber landscape only adds to the fear. The plot is complex, clever, and leads to many suspects, each of them perfectly plausible, but all is not what it seems, and there are many twists and turns before 'The Snowman' is finally revealed. Another winner from Jo Nesbo.
Thank you to Random House UK Vintage Publishing for my ARC.
October 24, 2017
2 Stars
I am just not a Jo Nesbo fan! I'm sorry I tried. I read 'The Bat' thought well that was dull and confusing. Then everyone was saying don't judge the series by the first two novels. Jump ahead it gets soooo good. So I was like, I will jump so far ahead I will go straight for the book they deemed so good that they made it into a bloody movie. And all I can say is a resounding meh! That's right it was meh very meh.
The story follows our functioning alcoholic detective Harry Hole. I'm using the word detective quite liberally here because there seems to be more flailing on his part and less actual detecting. I do not understand why he is compared to the cautious and meticulous mind of Hercule Poirot or the brilliant and keen eye of Sherlock Holmes. He is basically how I imagine most cops in real life to be which is completely useless. He doesn't solve shit all instead he accuses everybody and anybody and when suspects are basically narrowed down to the last one he goes I've solved it!! It's like my fucking dog has solved it at this point man.
The murder of young women and the use of snowmen as creepy calling card was interesting for the first bit then you have to trudge through 70% of the novel and about a million forgettable suspects before you get to the end which saved this novel from being given a 1 star rating. The end is quite thrilling. The murderer is found out, you get a glimpse into his mind (which is alway my cup of tea), and then there's the chase and all that lovely action. The only problem is you have got to be very patient and get through a shit ton of humming and hawing over the case to get to that juicy ending. All and all is it worth it? Not really the ending is good but I had to read a fuck ton of nothing before anything of interest began.
Also I'm just going to go out on limb here after reading my second Harry Hole novel and assume that Jo Nesbo only writes women as whores, victims or crackpots. Women in his novels are either ruled by their Vaginas or their emotions. It became so sexist I wouldn't have been surprised if Harry Hole declared the murderer was a woman on her period PMSing hard! Can Harry Hole have a strong female in his life whose panties don't seem to disintegrate around him because he soooo irresistible?? The writer has mentioned numerous times that Harry Hole is borderline ugly, just sits in silence, and drinks all day. I haven't been to Norway but my god is the prospects that slim that the slurring drunk at the bar is the only option for these stunning ladies.
Until Nesbo learns how to portray women as the strong complex creatures we are, I think me and Jo Nesbo are going to have to part ways from here.
I am just not a Jo Nesbo fan! I'm sorry I tried. I read 'The Bat' thought well that was dull and confusing. Then everyone was saying don't judge the series by the first two novels. Jump ahead it gets soooo good. So I was like, I will jump so far ahead I will go straight for the book they deemed so good that they made it into a bloody movie. And all I can say is a resounding meh! That's right it was meh very meh.
The story follows our functioning alcoholic detective Harry Hole. I'm using the word detective quite liberally here because there seems to be more flailing on his part and less actual detecting. I do not understand why he is compared to the cautious and meticulous mind of Hercule Poirot or the brilliant and keen eye of Sherlock Holmes. He is basically how I imagine most cops in real life to be which is completely useless. He doesn't solve shit all instead he accuses everybody and anybody and when suspects are basically narrowed down to the last one he goes I've solved it!! It's like my fucking dog has solved it at this point man.
The murder of young women and the use of snowmen as creepy calling card was interesting for the first bit then you have to trudge through 70% of the novel and about a million forgettable suspects before you get to the end which saved this novel from being given a 1 star rating. The end is quite thrilling. The murderer is found out, you get a glimpse into his mind (which is alway my cup of tea), and then there's the chase and all that lovely action. The only problem is you have got to be very patient and get through a shit ton of humming and hawing over the case to get to that juicy ending. All and all is it worth it? Not really the ending is good but I had to read a fuck ton of nothing before anything of interest began.
Also I'm just going to go out on limb here after reading my second Harry Hole novel and assume that Jo Nesbo only writes women as whores, victims or crackpots. Women in his novels are either ruled by their Vaginas or their emotions. It became so sexist I wouldn't have been surprised if Harry Hole declared the murderer was a woman on her period PMSing hard! Can Harry Hole have a strong female in his life whose panties don't seem to disintegrate around him because he soooo irresistible?? The writer has mentioned numerous times that Harry Hole is borderline ugly, just sits in silence, and drinks all day. I haven't been to Norway but my god is the prospects that slim that the slurring drunk at the bar is the only option for these stunning ladies.
Until Nesbo learns how to portray women as the strong complex creatures we are, I think me and Jo Nesbo are going to have to part ways from here.
August 26, 2017
This is a re-read for me, it is the 7th in the Harry Hole series set in Oslo, Norway. It is now a major film with Michael Fassbender as Harry, I admit to being intrigued to see how this novel translates into this movie! We have the usual gloomy and downbeat portrayal of Norway, its weather and its people. A young boy finds his mother missing and goes outside. There he finds a snowman has appeared, adorned with a scarf belonging to his mother. Oslo police have Harry investigate with his new partner, Katrine Bratt. As Harry digs into the case, it emerges there are eleven missing women through the years and not a body to be found. Harry concludes that there is a serial killer on the loose, an analysis that his superiors dismiss. That is until Harry gets a letter from the killer looking to lock horns with him. And so ensues a battle of wits in a macabre story with numerous twists. My re-read confirms to me that this is one of the better books in the series, although The Redbreast is my favourite. Looking forward to seeing the film. Many thanks to Random House Vintage for an ARC.
August 11, 2018
If you like a complicated plot with a lot of characters and many twists and turns, here鈥檚 the book for you. Nesbo, a Norwegian author, is one of the Scandinavian noir mystery/police detective writers. This book is one of a dozen he has written featuring the police detective Harry Hole.
Nesbo is obviously a brilliant guy. Consider that he is also a professional rock musician and song writer, and that as an economics major he has been a stockbroker and journalist. Until sidelined by an injury, he was a professional footballer (soccer).
On to the story: in peaceful Norway, for years now, after the first snowfall of the season, someone builds a snowman in the yard of a woman and then shortly brutalizes and kills her. Sometimes body parts and personal items are found in the snowman. The perpetrator (he? she?) is obviously toying with the police.
It鈥檚 a long book (500 pages in the paperback I read) and during the story, Harry solves the case five times! You read that right 鈥� four times during the investigation, the police think they have found their man, but they were wrong. It鈥檚 truly amazing to think that Norway could produce five people capable of dismembering women and taunting the police by leaving clues in a snowman, but there you have it, and it鈥檚 a tribute to Nesbo鈥檚 writing that these five scenarios and the clues and motives all seemed plausible at the time.
It鈥檚 also a tribute to Nesbo鈥檚 writing that I never felt lost or overwhelmed by the complicated plot 鈥� you just have to make a bit of an effort to keep track of character names. We get a lot of local color of Oslo and Bergen and we follow Harry鈥檚 personal life (he鈥檚 an ex-alcoholic) along with that of his ex-, her son and new male friend. An attractive young woman who is one of Harry鈥檚 detective partners provides interest too. A good read.
top image from henriksen.deviantart.com
bottom image: Snowman by OhLizz on deviantart.com
Nesbo is obviously a brilliant guy. Consider that he is also a professional rock musician and song writer, and that as an economics major he has been a stockbroker and journalist. Until sidelined by an injury, he was a professional footballer (soccer).
On to the story: in peaceful Norway, for years now, after the first snowfall of the season, someone builds a snowman in the yard of a woman and then shortly brutalizes and kills her. Sometimes body parts and personal items are found in the snowman. The perpetrator (he? she?) is obviously toying with the police.
It鈥檚 a long book (500 pages in the paperback I read) and during the story, Harry solves the case five times! You read that right 鈥� four times during the investigation, the police think they have found their man, but they were wrong. It鈥檚 truly amazing to think that Norway could produce five people capable of dismembering women and taunting the police by leaving clues in a snowman, but there you have it, and it鈥檚 a tribute to Nesbo鈥檚 writing that these five scenarios and the clues and motives all seemed plausible at the time.
It鈥檚 also a tribute to Nesbo鈥檚 writing that I never felt lost or overwhelmed by the complicated plot 鈥� you just have to make a bit of an effort to keep track of character names. We get a lot of local color of Oslo and Bergen and we follow Harry鈥檚 personal life (he鈥檚 an ex-alcoholic) along with that of his ex-, her son and new male friend. An attractive young woman who is one of Harry鈥檚 detective partners provides interest too. A good read.
top image from henriksen.deviantart.com
bottom image: Snowman by OhLizz on deviantart.com
August 3, 2024
PERCH脡 SPARISCONO QUELLI CHE TORNANO
Se non avessi visto il trailer del film uscito in questi giorni, che mette insieme Michael Fassbender protagonista e Tomas Alfredson regista, un鈥檃bbinata da brividi, probabilmente non avrei letto questo romanzo.
Tanto pi霉 che ho scoperto essere la settima avventura del commissario Harry Hole, nel frattempo arrivate a undici.
E invece, l鈥檋o preso, iniziato, e letto. In quarantotto ore. Cio猫, divorato: ho letto sette/otto ore al giorno. Meno male che era un weekend.
Anzi, no, non lo era, mi sono preso un luned矛 libero per finirlo.
Una sequela di clich茅, a cominciare dal serial killer (il solito serial killer), proseguendo per il poliziotto dilaniato dai suoi demoni incarnati nel vizio di bere (il solito poliziotto), l鈥檃more impossibile (il solito amore impossibile), i soliti dirigenti che ostacolano le indagini (i soliti ostacoli), eccetera.
Per貌, 猫 una sequela di clich茅 messa insieme con cura e sapienza, gusto e bravura. Godibilissima, divertente, emozionante.
Il mio problema con questo genere di libri 猫 che li prendo per alternarli a letture lente e complesse, ma poi non riesco pi霉 ad abbandonarli. L鈥檃lternanza va a farsi benedire, io divoro il libro in questione, quello che rientra in 鈥榪uesto genere di libri鈥� e dopo, una volta divorato, mi ritrovo davanti la lettura lenta e complessa che non 猫 progredita di una pagina.
E mi chiedo cosa ci sia di cos矛 avvolgente e attraente e gustoso ed emozionante nella solita caccia al solito noiosissimo serial killer, che sembrano tutti geni del male, quando invece sono sempre solo schizzatelli, pi霉 o meno dichiarati.
Cos鈥櫭� che inchioda alla pagina, perfino quando lo scrittore ogni tanto ha una sbavatura di gusto, ogni tanto una di credibilit脿, e magari il redattore ogni tanto 猫 pure sbadato?
Non 猫 come con i film horror, che servono a misurare la propria resistenza, voglio vedere fin dove arrivo, quanto posso resistere, sono bravo l鈥檋o visto tutto senza coprirmi gli occhi: queste pagine non fanno affatto paura, tutt鈥檃ltro, sono rassicuranti. Sar貌 mica cos矛 ingenuo da credere che tutto il male sia contenuto in queste pagine, che non ne rimanga fuori neppure un po鈥�?!
Comunque, Trilogia Millennium a parte, preferisco di gran lunga il cosiddetto noir mediterraneo a quello cosiddetto nordico, che di serial killer si nutre, di rassicuranti corpi sgozzati seviziati squartati smembrati spolpati sbranati spappolati.
NIENTE SPARISCE, VA SOLTANTO DA UN鈥橝LTRA PARTE
PS
FENOMENOLOGIA DEL SERIAL KILLER:
La stragrande maggioranza degli assassini seriali sono uomini (84%).
Rispetto al delinquente comune, che normalmente utilizza un'arma da fuoco, nel serial killer la percentuale di chi impiega questo mezzo di offesa si abbassa: si nota (nonostante che, anche in queste ipotesi l'arma da fuoco sia il mezzo offensivo pi霉 utilizzato), una certa predilezione per il contatto con la vittima; questo ci 猫 dimostrato dalla ampia percentuale di strangolamenti, soffocamenti, annegamenti e dal massiccio uso di armi bianche.
脠 da sottolineare che le donne rispetto agli uomini prediligono l'uso di sostanze venefiche come mezzo di offesa (66% circa).
Il serial killer al momento del suo primo delitto ha, in media, ventinove anni. 脠 generalmente un soggetto di razza bianca (per l'83% dei casi), che, se eterosessuale, attacca di preferenza le donne (55% circa).
Se non avessi visto il trailer del film uscito in questi giorni, che mette insieme Michael Fassbender protagonista e Tomas Alfredson regista, un鈥檃bbinata da brividi, probabilmente non avrei letto questo romanzo.
Tanto pi霉 che ho scoperto essere la settima avventura del commissario Harry Hole, nel frattempo arrivate a undici.
E invece, l鈥檋o preso, iniziato, e letto. In quarantotto ore. Cio猫, divorato: ho letto sette/otto ore al giorno. Meno male che era un weekend.
Anzi, no, non lo era, mi sono preso un luned矛 libero per finirlo.
Una sequela di clich茅, a cominciare dal serial killer (il solito serial killer), proseguendo per il poliziotto dilaniato dai suoi demoni incarnati nel vizio di bere (il solito poliziotto), l鈥檃more impossibile (il solito amore impossibile), i soliti dirigenti che ostacolano le indagini (i soliti ostacoli), eccetera.
Per貌, 猫 una sequela di clich茅 messa insieme con cura e sapienza, gusto e bravura. Godibilissima, divertente, emozionante.
Il mio problema con questo genere di libri 猫 che li prendo per alternarli a letture lente e complesse, ma poi non riesco pi霉 ad abbandonarli. L鈥檃lternanza va a farsi benedire, io divoro il libro in questione, quello che rientra in 鈥榪uesto genere di libri鈥� e dopo, una volta divorato, mi ritrovo davanti la lettura lenta e complessa che non 猫 progredita di una pagina.
E mi chiedo cosa ci sia di cos矛 avvolgente e attraente e gustoso ed emozionante nella solita caccia al solito noiosissimo serial killer, che sembrano tutti geni del male, quando invece sono sempre solo schizzatelli, pi霉 o meno dichiarati.
Cos鈥櫭� che inchioda alla pagina, perfino quando lo scrittore ogni tanto ha una sbavatura di gusto, ogni tanto una di credibilit脿, e magari il redattore ogni tanto 猫 pure sbadato?
Non 猫 come con i film horror, che servono a misurare la propria resistenza, voglio vedere fin dove arrivo, quanto posso resistere, sono bravo l鈥檋o visto tutto senza coprirmi gli occhi: queste pagine non fanno affatto paura, tutt鈥檃ltro, sono rassicuranti. Sar貌 mica cos矛 ingenuo da credere che tutto il male sia contenuto in queste pagine, che non ne rimanga fuori neppure un po鈥�?!
Comunque, Trilogia Millennium a parte, preferisco di gran lunga il cosiddetto noir mediterraneo a quello cosiddetto nordico, che di serial killer si nutre, di rassicuranti corpi sgozzati seviziati squartati smembrati spolpati sbranati spappolati.
NIENTE SPARISCE, VA SOLTANTO DA UN鈥橝LTRA PARTE
PS
FENOMENOLOGIA DEL SERIAL KILLER:
La stragrande maggioranza degli assassini seriali sono uomini (84%).
Rispetto al delinquente comune, che normalmente utilizza un'arma da fuoco, nel serial killer la percentuale di chi impiega questo mezzo di offesa si abbassa: si nota (nonostante che, anche in queste ipotesi l'arma da fuoco sia il mezzo offensivo pi霉 utilizzato), una certa predilezione per il contatto con la vittima; questo ci 猫 dimostrato dalla ampia percentuale di strangolamenti, soffocamenti, annegamenti e dal massiccio uso di armi bianche.
脠 da sottolineare che le donne rispetto agli uomini prediligono l'uso di sostanze venefiche come mezzo di offesa (66% circa).
Il serial killer al momento del suo primo delitto ha, in media, ventinove anni. 脠 generalmente un soggetto di razza bianca (per l'83% dei casi), che, se eterosessuale, attacca di preferenza le donne (55% circa).
December 21, 2022
Why I chose to read this book:
1. a few years ago, I watched the movie based on this book, and even though I figured out who the Snowman/serial killer was partway through the show, the story intrigued me enough to read the book (I found a copy at a local thrift shop); and,
2. December 2022 is my "Winter/Christmas Month".
Praises:
1. definitely works as a suspense/thriller! Some scenes gave me goosebumps!
2. even though this is Book #7 in the "Inspector Harry Hole" series, it works as a standalone;
3. protagonist Harry Hole is quite realistic. He has his demons, so he doesn't come across as a superhero. I enjoyed some of his witty lines;
4. just when you think you figured out who the Snowman is, a red herring gets tossed in; and,
5. I connected to the references of various landmarks in Oslo - the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Holmenkollen ski jump - since hubby and I visited these places on our honeymoon back in 1988.
Niggles:
1. I had a little trouble keeping some characters straight at first. Luckily, they all came together as the story progressed;
2. I was confused by some jumping around between paragraphs. Was I missing details? Was this an issue with translation? and,
3. what's up with all the references to singers and what they're singing about? Were these meant to be filler?
Overall Thoughts:
Once I got past some awkwardness in the first 60-some pages, I quite enjoyed the fast-paced action as Harry Hole tried to track down the Snowman.
Recommendation?
Great for readers who enjoy action-packed suspense/thrillers!
1. a few years ago, I watched the movie based on this book, and even though I figured out who the Snowman/serial killer was partway through the show, the story intrigued me enough to read the book (I found a copy at a local thrift shop); and,
2. December 2022 is my "Winter/Christmas Month".
Praises:
1. definitely works as a suspense/thriller! Some scenes gave me goosebumps!
2. even though this is Book #7 in the "Inspector Harry Hole" series, it works as a standalone;
3. protagonist Harry Hole is quite realistic. He has his demons, so he doesn't come across as a superhero. I enjoyed some of his witty lines;
4. just when you think you figured out who the Snowman is, a red herring gets tossed in; and,
5. I connected to the references of various landmarks in Oslo - the Kon-Tiki Museum and the Holmenkollen ski jump - since hubby and I visited these places on our honeymoon back in 1988.
Niggles:
1. I had a little trouble keeping some characters straight at first. Luckily, they all came together as the story progressed;
2. I was confused by some jumping around between paragraphs. Was I missing details? Was this an issue with translation? and,
3. what's up with all the references to singers and what they're singing about? Were these meant to be filler?
Overall Thoughts:
Once I got past some awkwardness in the first 60-some pages, I quite enjoyed the fast-paced action as Harry Hole tried to track down the Snowman.
Recommendation?
Great for readers who enjoy action-packed suspense/thrillers!
August 14, 2022
The seventh and most widely known book (it was a Richard & Judy Book Club selection in the UK) in the Detective Harry Hole series, centres around the idea that up to 20% of Norwegians do not know the identity of their real dad! The 'Snowman' has been killing mostly woman, mostly mothers, over many years, and as Harry turns up the heat on the case, it begins to look like that everyone... and I mean absolutely everyone, is being manipulated by the killer! Not as good as Larssen or the Wallander books, but still quality Scandinavian crime fiction. 6 out of 12
2022 read; 2011 read
2022 read; 2011 read
July 27, 2017
Intense!!! I loved it!!! I really really liked the authors writing style. It was detailed, unique, and very intricate. I was googling stuff left and right. Lol. I can't wait for the movie with Michael Fassbender!! Yum!!
October 6, 2017
So I can鈥檛 remember if I鈥檓 watching TV... or maybe I鈥檓 listening to some NPR podcast or something, but I hear about this movie called The Snowman directed by the same guy who did Let the Right One In and based on a novel by this Jo Nesbo dude. Hey! Jo Nesbo! I know that name! I鈥檝e seen his books floating around on 欧宝娱乐. I鈥檝e seen people I know, love, and respect reading, loving, and recommending his books.
But I found myself in a bit of a dilemma. I started thinking about all the other times I鈥檝e tried to read a mystery/thriller book from a series. Patterson, Coben, that Girl with the Dragon Tattoo guy, Connelly, etc. I always start strong, but those books have never really done it for me. They鈥檙e fine, but they never really go beyond fine. I like books that are beyond fine. In fact, from now on, when I really like a book, and someone asks me what I thought about the book I read and liked, and I have a chance to respond, and I also love commas, anyway, I鈥檓 going to start responding by saying, 鈥淢an, that book was beyond fine.鈥�
Ask me what I thought about Jo Nesbo鈥檚 The Snowman. Go ahead. I鈥檒l pause here and give you a chance to ask.
Oh, I鈥檓 glad you asked. I thought this book was beyond fine. A solid four stars. I don鈥檛 know five stars would be. Maybe extraordinarily beyond fine. Exceptionally beyond fine. Incrementally beyond fine.
The Snowman is beyond fine.
This is the seventh book in the Harry Hole series, and it鈥檚 the first book I鈥檝e read, but I never really felt lost or confused. There are some references to prior events and characters, but things are explained well. You can read this one without starting with The Bat. I hear The Bat isn鈥檛 all that great anyway. It鈥檚 below fine, I guess.
Nesbo weaves together a very intense page-turner with characters that matter and twists that actually make you pause and drop the book for a sec before you can continue. I blew through the second half of the book. In fact, I woke up early this morning just so I could read the end of the story... and I am not a morning person. Thank God for coffee. Can I get an amen?
I鈥檓 excited for the movie. I鈥檓 excited to read more Nesbo. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was caught up in this thing, and the ending did not disappoint. Oh, and on a side note, I liked all of Nesbo鈥檚 music references. He threw out names like Ryan Adams and Gillian Welch. He鈥檚 got good taste. Well, he mentioned Slipknot a few times, too, so maybe not.
Check this one out. Let鈥檚 hope the movie is just as good. Or at least beyond fine.
But I found myself in a bit of a dilemma. I started thinking about all the other times I鈥檝e tried to read a mystery/thriller book from a series. Patterson, Coben, that Girl with the Dragon Tattoo guy, Connelly, etc. I always start strong, but those books have never really done it for me. They鈥檙e fine, but they never really go beyond fine. I like books that are beyond fine. In fact, from now on, when I really like a book, and someone asks me what I thought about the book I read and liked, and I have a chance to respond, and I also love commas, anyway, I鈥檓 going to start responding by saying, 鈥淢an, that book was beyond fine.鈥�
Ask me what I thought about Jo Nesbo鈥檚 The Snowman. Go ahead. I鈥檒l pause here and give you a chance to ask.
Oh, I鈥檓 glad you asked. I thought this book was beyond fine. A solid four stars. I don鈥檛 know five stars would be. Maybe extraordinarily beyond fine. Exceptionally beyond fine. Incrementally beyond fine.
The Snowman is beyond fine.
This is the seventh book in the Harry Hole series, and it鈥檚 the first book I鈥檝e read, but I never really felt lost or confused. There are some references to prior events and characters, but things are explained well. You can read this one without starting with The Bat. I hear The Bat isn鈥檛 all that great anyway. It鈥檚 below fine, I guess.
Nesbo weaves together a very intense page-turner with characters that matter and twists that actually make you pause and drop the book for a sec before you can continue. I blew through the second half of the book. In fact, I woke up early this morning just so I could read the end of the story... and I am not a morning person. Thank God for coffee. Can I get an amen?
I鈥檓 excited for the movie. I鈥檓 excited to read more Nesbo. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was caught up in this thing, and the ending did not disappoint. Oh, and on a side note, I liked all of Nesbo鈥檚 music references. He threw out names like Ryan Adams and Gillian Welch. He鈥檚 got good taste. Well, he mentioned Slipknot a few times, too, so maybe not.
Check this one out. Let鈥檚 hope the movie is just as good. Or at least beyond fine.
November 13, 2018
2.5 to 3 stars
Eh . . . I know I have mentioned something along these lines in my previous Jo Nesbo/Harry Hole reviews, but I feel like he writes to intentionally confuse the reader 鈥� and I am not sure it is in a good way. Sure, we all love to be pulled into the complicated web of a mystery. But, when things get so out there and are going is so many directions that you cannot keep up anymore, it is no longer fun!
If I were to diagram this book, I would put some big, fairly straightforward plot points I was able to keep track of at the top 鈥� nice, straight arrows linking them. But, I am reminded of the anecdote where the duck calmly moves along the surface of the water, but its feet are going crazy below! Underneath the main plot points are hundreds of random plot points scanning various different time frames and linking to each other in very bizarre ways. The points and arrows in this area would end up looking like a plate of spaghetti and meatballs!
Your response to this might be,鈥滿atthew, well, you just are not smart enough to understand all the intricacies鈥�. Perhaps, but I have read other intricate mysteries and have stayed interested and aware of what was going on with little to no confusion. So, there is just something about the way that Nesbo writes that just loses me.
Also, while I don鈥檛 mind sexual content in the book if it moves the plot, some of the random references in this book were quite extreme and seemed to be there more to shock than anything else. I can give them a little leeway for developing the personality of a couple of characters, but still seemed a bit much. In the end, they didn鈥檛 bother me, but you may want to proceed cautiously if they might bother you.
I will say that the main plot points were interesting and enjoyable to follow. Also, once I got everything sorted out in my head it led up to a pretty decent climax.
鈥淲hy continue with the series?鈥� you ask. Well, someone gave me book 8 in the series (The Leopard) a few years ago and I have been working my way up to it. I haven鈥檛 minded going through the series (a few of the books have been pretty enjoyable), but I am not sure I would have stuck with it if I did not have the goal of book 8!
Eh . . . I know I have mentioned something along these lines in my previous Jo Nesbo/Harry Hole reviews, but I feel like he writes to intentionally confuse the reader 鈥� and I am not sure it is in a good way. Sure, we all love to be pulled into the complicated web of a mystery. But, when things get so out there and are going is so many directions that you cannot keep up anymore, it is no longer fun!
If I were to diagram this book, I would put some big, fairly straightforward plot points I was able to keep track of at the top 鈥� nice, straight arrows linking them. But, I am reminded of the anecdote where the duck calmly moves along the surface of the water, but its feet are going crazy below! Underneath the main plot points are hundreds of random plot points scanning various different time frames and linking to each other in very bizarre ways. The points and arrows in this area would end up looking like a plate of spaghetti and meatballs!
Your response to this might be,鈥滿atthew, well, you just are not smart enough to understand all the intricacies鈥�. Perhaps, but I have read other intricate mysteries and have stayed interested and aware of what was going on with little to no confusion. So, there is just something about the way that Nesbo writes that just loses me.
Also, while I don鈥檛 mind sexual content in the book if it moves the plot, some of the random references in this book were quite extreme and seemed to be there more to shock than anything else. I can give them a little leeway for developing the personality of a couple of characters, but still seemed a bit much. In the end, they didn鈥檛 bother me, but you may want to proceed cautiously if they might bother you.
I will say that the main plot points were interesting and enjoyable to follow. Also, once I got everything sorted out in my head it led up to a pretty decent climax.
鈥淲hy continue with the series?鈥� you ask. Well, someone gave me book 8 in the series (The Leopard) a few years ago and I have been working my way up to it. I haven鈥檛 minded going through the series (a few of the books have been pretty enjoyable), but I am not sure I would have stuck with it if I did not have the goal of book 8!
July 20, 2011
if this had been the first book i'd read of the series, it would also be the last.
'the other end!' she exclaimed, removing her hands from her face. 'we'll have to begin at the other end. in bergen!'
'no,' harry whispered with the last air he had left in his lungs. 'bergen's not an end. could you ...?'
he looked up at her. saw her dark eyes fill with tears.
"IT'S MY PERIOD,' she whispered.
honestly. i'm amazed i bothered to finish. i was completely unable to get lost in the characters or believe they could be real people. snippets like the excerpt above just tell me the author believes very driven women who put themselves through law school and later work their way through a mostly male police force would use menstruation as a crutch. couple that with all the transparent naming of movies & bands and i feel like i know more about the author himself than i do about a detective about whom i've now read four books.
'the other end!' she exclaimed, removing her hands from her face. 'we'll have to begin at the other end. in bergen!'
'no,' harry whispered with the last air he had left in his lungs. 'bergen's not an end. could you ...?'
he looked up at her. saw her dark eyes fill with tears.
"IT'S MY PERIOD,' she whispered.
honestly. i'm amazed i bothered to finish. i was completely unable to get lost in the characters or believe they could be real people. snippets like the excerpt above just tell me the author believes very driven women who put themselves through law school and later work their way through a mostly male police force would use menstruation as a crutch. couple that with all the transparent naming of movies & bands and i feel like i know more about the author himself than i do about a detective about whom i've now read four books.
April 7, 2013
Here's the thing about the recent popularity of Scandinavian writers and if you're a Nordic Thriller aficionado you couldn't care less about the distinction: the novels are depressed, somber, filled with ennui, a lack of humor, with flawed characters if not suffused with a strong tendency towards determinism; in short, whether you're reading , , or you are likely reading . If you live in Scandinavia you might consider this par for the course, ennui is imbued into the populace (as it is also reflected in the works of prominent Russian writers - comes to mind). Just as we continue to struggle here in the States with our history of slavery and the resulting racial tensions, so do Europe and Scandinavia struggle in coming to terms with Nazism and the Bolshevik revolution (More than a few reviewers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Nordic writers' pre-occupation with Nazism). And yet, the rise in popularity of these Nordic thrillers here in the States is puzzling given our strong tendency towards literary Romanticism. We like for the good guys to win, we like emotion, we like our heroes (as opposed to anti-heroes) we enjoy free will, and in general consider ourselves in control of our own lives.
Having said that: there is excellence in Literary Naturalism. The above doesn't mean we can't enjoy a well written novel, an intriguing mystery, a flawed anti-hero, a well crafted story written in the style of literary Naturalism. It doesn't mean we can't enjoy the works of . I did.
In Jo Nesbo's words: "I come from a family of readers and story tellers." With a librarian mother and a father who sat before the fire and told the kids stories they wanted to hear (each repetition bringing something new to the tale) Jo's foundation was carved in stone. Again, in his own life story we sense the determinism filtering into his life: he wanted to be a soccer star but an injury put a quick stop to this; with a dreadful feeling of fate guiding his life he entered the military in the hopes something would happen (what happened was "Self-Discipline"); thinking he might want to be an economist he entered the world of finance which he abandoned as well; someone told him he could play guitar (he only knew 3 chords) and he formed several bands, being the most successful; and finally he wrote (on an airplane to begin with) and he never stopped.
The Redbreast is Jo Nesbo's third Harry Hole (pronounced "Hooleh") novel (the other two not being translated for a US audience as of yet) and is Nesbo's claim to fame. So, this is where we start. Yes, the books should be read in order! For an American audience, Harry Hole can be likened to ; he defies authority, is an outcast within his own organization, is best left alone to do this job (his office is at the end of the hall), is more of an anti-hero than a hero, has trouble with his romantic life, lives alone, has a fierce propensity for justice (as opposed to the Law) and once let loose is like a pit bull with a bone fastened to his jaws. But perhaps the most compelling reason why Harry Hole has such a following is Nesbo's devastating characterization of what exactly comprises a flawed hero. Upon reflection, American hard-boiled writers don't come close to accomplishing the same. This is not too dissimilar to the way Nesbo sees himself.
Bjarne M酶ller, my former boss, says people like me always choose the line of most resistance. It's in what he calls our 'accursed nature'. That's why we always end up on our own. I don't know. I like being alone. Perhaps I have grown to like my self-image of being a loner, too....I think you have to find something about yourself that you like in order to survive. Some people say being alone is unsociable and selfish. But you're independent and you don't drag others down with you, if that's the way you're heading. Many people are afraid of being alone. But it made me feel strong, free and invulnerable.
And...ah, yes, there is the matter of plot! So how do we justify this decided streak of fate/determinism within the novels with Nesbo's apparent mastery of plot? The two seemingly ought to contradict each other. On the one hand, we have Nesbo's almost Shakespearean tendency to cast characters as marionette puppets on the strings of fate (the very opposite of plot), while on the other hand we are riveted by the very complex actions and reactions made by Harry Hole during his investigations (Nesbo is a master at not adding anything superfluous to his novels). Perhaps it is an unholy marriage between the two that transfixes us. His plots are intricate, very complex, the seemingly irrelevant details exposed throughout the novels become larger than life as the story closes, and they can weave through time, forward and backward, as the story unfolds. But, with a little alacrity, we can remember we are reading Naturalism and so it isn't always Harry Hole making events happen, but rather the reverse, it is the events that move Harry Hole. Again, it is a matter of preference but in Nesbo's case it is done with utter expertise as a writer.
The exposition/setting is often Scandinavia: the weather is somber, the descriptions grey-like, the people absorbed with alcohol and withdrawn, if not bundled and sequestered. And yet, the dialogue and scenes are full of references to other millieus', continents, languages, and cleverly hidden philosophical references that speak to a widely cultured audience (as opposed to American writers of this genre who rarely venture beyond the borders of their land, if not their own State). And as with plot, there are no superfluous details. Everything in the novels matters and Nesbo does not forget even the tiniest detail to which he's made a seemingly furtive reference earlier on in the story. This is one of the biggest reasons why I love Jo Nesbo.
I thoroughly enjoyed Jo Nesbo's The Redbreast and am currently reading the remaining Harry Hole novels. I remain intrigued by events left undone (such as the fate of our undiscovered villain in this and other stories). You'll just have to read the novels to find out more.
Oh, yes, as with other series this review is likely to be repeated for all (unless there is a drastic divergence from what I have written here). So, if you've read this review, you've read 'em all. Enjoy!
Having said that: there is excellence in Literary Naturalism. The above doesn't mean we can't enjoy a well written novel, an intriguing mystery, a flawed anti-hero, a well crafted story written in the style of literary Naturalism. It doesn't mean we can't enjoy the works of . I did.
In Jo Nesbo's words: "I come from a family of readers and story tellers." With a librarian mother and a father who sat before the fire and told the kids stories they wanted to hear (each repetition bringing something new to the tale) Jo's foundation was carved in stone. Again, in his own life story we sense the determinism filtering into his life: he wanted to be a soccer star but an injury put a quick stop to this; with a dreadful feeling of fate guiding his life he entered the military in the hopes something would happen (what happened was "Self-Discipline"); thinking he might want to be an economist he entered the world of finance which he abandoned as well; someone told him he could play guitar (he only knew 3 chords) and he formed several bands, being the most successful; and finally he wrote (on an airplane to begin with) and he never stopped.
The Redbreast is Jo Nesbo's third Harry Hole (pronounced "Hooleh") novel (the other two not being translated for a US audience as of yet) and is Nesbo's claim to fame. So, this is where we start. Yes, the books should be read in order! For an American audience, Harry Hole can be likened to ; he defies authority, is an outcast within his own organization, is best left alone to do this job (his office is at the end of the hall), is more of an anti-hero than a hero, has trouble with his romantic life, lives alone, has a fierce propensity for justice (as opposed to the Law) and once let loose is like a pit bull with a bone fastened to his jaws. But perhaps the most compelling reason why Harry Hole has such a following is Nesbo's devastating characterization of what exactly comprises a flawed hero. Upon reflection, American hard-boiled writers don't come close to accomplishing the same. This is not too dissimilar to the way Nesbo sees himself.
Bjarne M酶ller, my former boss, says people like me always choose the line of most resistance. It's in what he calls our 'accursed nature'. That's why we always end up on our own. I don't know. I like being alone. Perhaps I have grown to like my self-image of being a loner, too....I think you have to find something about yourself that you like in order to survive. Some people say being alone is unsociable and selfish. But you're independent and you don't drag others down with you, if that's the way you're heading. Many people are afraid of being alone. But it made me feel strong, free and invulnerable.
And...ah, yes, there is the matter of plot! So how do we justify this decided streak of fate/determinism within the novels with Nesbo's apparent mastery of plot? The two seemingly ought to contradict each other. On the one hand, we have Nesbo's almost Shakespearean tendency to cast characters as marionette puppets on the strings of fate (the very opposite of plot), while on the other hand we are riveted by the very complex actions and reactions made by Harry Hole during his investigations (Nesbo is a master at not adding anything superfluous to his novels). Perhaps it is an unholy marriage between the two that transfixes us. His plots are intricate, very complex, the seemingly irrelevant details exposed throughout the novels become larger than life as the story closes, and they can weave through time, forward and backward, as the story unfolds. But, with a little alacrity, we can remember we are reading Naturalism and so it isn't always Harry Hole making events happen, but rather the reverse, it is the events that move Harry Hole. Again, it is a matter of preference but in Nesbo's case it is done with utter expertise as a writer.
The exposition/setting is often Scandinavia: the weather is somber, the descriptions grey-like, the people absorbed with alcohol and withdrawn, if not bundled and sequestered. And yet, the dialogue and scenes are full of references to other millieus', continents, languages, and cleverly hidden philosophical references that speak to a widely cultured audience (as opposed to American writers of this genre who rarely venture beyond the borders of their land, if not their own State). And as with plot, there are no superfluous details. Everything in the novels matters and Nesbo does not forget even the tiniest detail to which he's made a seemingly furtive reference earlier on in the story. This is one of the biggest reasons why I love Jo Nesbo.
I thoroughly enjoyed Jo Nesbo's The Redbreast and am currently reading the remaining Harry Hole novels. I remain intrigued by events left undone (such as the fate of our undiscovered villain in this and other stories). You'll just have to read the novels to find out more.
Oh, yes, as with other series this review is likely to be repeated for all (unless there is a drastic divergence from what I have written here). So, if you've read this review, you've read 'em all. Enjoy!
June 9, 2024
Oh boy, where do I even start with this book? It totally blew my mind and now I'm rethinking my plan to take a break from this series鈥攄ang it!
The story kicks off with this poor little boy shivering in a cold car while his mom's off doing, well, not-so-motherly things in a hotel room. I was on edge, thinking, "If something creepy grabs this kid, I'm outta here!" Talk about starting with a bang! The suspense was killer right from the get-go.
Now, I gotta admit, the middle got a bit tangled and complicated鈥攃lassic Nesbo style. But hang in there! Everything gets tied up beautifully in the end, leaving you with that satisfying "ahh" feeling.
The story kicks off with this poor little boy shivering in a cold car while his mom's off doing, well, not-so-motherly things in a hotel room. I was on edge, thinking, "If something creepy grabs this kid, I'm outta here!" Talk about starting with a bang! The suspense was killer right from the get-go.
Now, I gotta admit, the middle got a bit tangled and complicated鈥攃lassic Nesbo style. But hang in there! Everything gets tied up beautifully in the end, leaving you with that satisfying "ahh" feeling.
December 31, 2022
Well, once again thrillers and murder investigations not my genre. The book was OK, though. I remember watching the movie adaptation of this novel. So I knew who was a killer, but the reading still wasn't boring. Mainly because of the atmosphere: I've been reading it in Norway during snowy winter. And maybe if it didn't have so many cliches - like an alcoholic detectives and serial killer with a childhood trauma, who 'punishes women' - I would enjoyed it more.
November 10, 2017
Good introduction to the Harry Hole series!
I'm glad I read this book and I'll be starting at the beginning of the series. I did not care for Harry Hole by the middle of the book but then his character was better for me by the end. I have a feeling this is due to not knowing his backstory, why he battles alcoholism, why he's a lone wolf and some of the personal demons he struggles with. Once I get more information about his character, I'm sure I'm going to love this guy.
So my advice is to start at the beginning of the series so you understand Harry Hole and all the other characters in the Oslo Police Department, along with his personal relationship with Rakel and Oleg.
I loved how the book took us along on the case of catching the Snowman. Going through each clue, a new person of interest and getting hidden information about the victims. I enjoyed Jo Nesbo's writing style on building up the mystery and tension of who the Snowman was. There were a few plot twists in the book that I figured out but it was still well done!
I wish that I knew Norway better and how to pronounce the names of all the cities and towns along with the characters names! I struggled with that a bit and I guess I need to travel to Norway one day! Woohoo! :)
I recommend this book to people that enjoy crime thrillers and mysteries!
I'm glad I read this book and I'll be starting at the beginning of the series. I did not care for Harry Hole by the middle of the book but then his character was better for me by the end. I have a feeling this is due to not knowing his backstory, why he battles alcoholism, why he's a lone wolf and some of the personal demons he struggles with. Once I get more information about his character, I'm sure I'm going to love this guy.
So my advice is to start at the beginning of the series so you understand Harry Hole and all the other characters in the Oslo Police Department, along with his personal relationship with Rakel and Oleg.
I loved how the book took us along on the case of catching the Snowman. Going through each clue, a new person of interest and getting hidden information about the victims. I enjoyed Jo Nesbo's writing style on building up the mystery and tension of who the Snowman was. There were a few plot twists in the book that I figured out but it was still well done!
I wish that I knew Norway better and how to pronounce the names of all the cities and towns along with the characters names! I struggled with that a bit and I guess I need to travel to Norway one day! Woohoo! :)
I recommend this book to people that enjoy crime thrillers and mysteries!
February 13, 2019
螌蟺蠅蟼 尉苇蟻蔚蟿蔚 未蔚谓 未喂伪尾维味蠅 蟽蠂蔚未蠈谓 蟺慰蟿苇 伪蟽蟿蠀谓慰渭喂魏维.螘委谓伪喂 蟿慰 渭蠈谓慰 蔚委未慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 伪蟺慰蠁蔚蠉纬蠅 纬喂伪蟿委 未蔚谓 渭' 蔚蠀蠂伪蟻喂蟽蟿蔚委 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪.螌渭蠅蟼 苇谓伪蟼 伪蟺' 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓伪纬谓蠅蟽蟿喂魏慰蠉蟼 渭慰蠀 蟽蟿蠈蠂慰蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 2019 蔚委谓伪喂 谓伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 尾喂尾位委伪 蟿畏蟼 尾喂尾位喂慰胃萎魏畏蟼 渭慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 蟿伪 苇蠂蠅 魏伪喂蟻蠈,苇蟿蟽喂 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋蟽蠅 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蠂喂慰谓维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰.
鈥淲hat is worse? Taking the life of a person who wants to live or taking death from a person who wants to die.鈥�
螠蔚 魏蟻维蟿畏蟽蔚 伪蟺蝿蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻蠋蟿蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 苇蠅蟼 蟿喂蟼 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委蔚蟼 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 尾伪蟻蔚胃蠋 萎 谓伪 魏慰蠀蟻伪蟽蟿蠋 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀.螕委谓慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿慰慰慰蟽伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪蠁萎蟽蠅 伪蟺蝿蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀.
螕蟻萎纬慰蟻慰,伪谓伪蟿蟻喂蠂喂伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈,渭蔚 蟺慰位蠉 伪纬蠅谓委伪 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位苇蟼 伪谓伪蟿蟻慰蟺苇蟼(蟿慰蠀位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰谓 纬喂伪 蔚渭苇谓伪).
螣 围维蟻喂 蔚委谓伪喂 渭慰谓伪未喂魏蠈蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻伪蟼 蟿蠈蟽慰 苇尉蠀蟺谓慰蟼 魏伪喂 渭慰谓伪蠂喂魏蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 伪纬伪蟺畏蟿蠈蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀渭蟺维胃畏蟽伪 伪渭苇蟽蠅蟼.
鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e looking for until you find it,鈥�
Harry answered. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a methodology.鈥�
螇尉蔚蟻伪 蠈蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 Nesbo 魏伪喂 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 尉蔚魏喂谓萎蟽蠅 渭蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈.
螠蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 渭慰蠀 蠁伪喂谓蠈蟿伪谓 蟿蔚蟻维蟽蟿喂慰 伪位位维 慰喂 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蠁蔚蠉纬慰蠀谓 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 纬蟻萎纬慰蟻伪 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 渭畏谓 蟽伪蟼 蟿蟻慰渭维味蔚喂.
围维蟻畏魏伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 魏伪喂 委蟽蠅蟼 蟽蟿慰 渭苇位位慰谓 尉伪谓伪未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 魏维蟿喂 未喂魏蠈 蟿慰蠀.
螒谓 苇蠂蔚蟿蔚 谓伪 渭慰蠀 蟺蟻慰蟿蔚委谓蔚蟿蔚 魏维蟺慰喂慰 维位位慰 未喂魏蠈 蟿慰蠀 纬蟻维蠄蟿蔚 渭慰蠀 蟽蟿伪 蟽蠂蠈位喂伪.
鈥淲hat is worse? Taking the life of a person who wants to live or taking death from a person who wants to die.鈥�
螠蔚 魏蟻维蟿畏蟽蔚 伪蟺蝿蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻蠋蟿蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 苇蠅蟼 蟿喂蟼 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委蔚蟼 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 尾伪蟻蔚胃蠋 萎 谓伪 魏慰蠀蟻伪蟽蟿蠋 魏伪胃蠈位慰蠀.螕委谓慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿慰慰慰蟽伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻慰蠉蟽伪 谓伪 蟿慰 伪蠁萎蟽蠅 伪蟺蝿蟿伪 蠂苇蟻喂伪 渭慰蠀.
螕蟻萎纬慰蟻慰,伪谓伪蟿蟻喂蠂喂伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈,渭蔚 蟺慰位蠉 伪纬蠅谓委伪 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位苇蟼 伪谓伪蟿蟻慰蟺苇蟼(蟿慰蠀位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰谓 纬喂伪 蔚渭苇谓伪).
螣 围维蟻喂 蔚委谓伪喂 渭慰谓伪未喂魏蠈蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻伪蟼 蟿蠈蟽慰 苇尉蠀蟺谓慰蟼 魏伪喂 渭慰谓伪蠂喂魏蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蟿蠈蟽慰 伪纬伪蟺畏蟿蠈蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀渭蟺维胃畏蟽伪 伪渭苇蟽蠅蟼.
鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e looking for until you find it,鈥�
Harry answered. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a methodology.鈥�
螇尉蔚蟻伪 蠈蟿喂 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 Nesbo 魏伪喂 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 尉蔚魏喂谓萎蟽蠅 渭蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈.
螠蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 渭慰蠀 蠁伪喂谓蠈蟿伪谓 蟿蔚蟻维蟽蟿喂慰 伪位位维 慰喂 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蠁蔚蠉纬慰蠀谓 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 纬蟻萎纬慰蟻伪 纬喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 渭畏谓 蟽伪蟼 蟿蟻慰渭维味蔚喂.
围维蟻畏魏伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪 魏伪喂 委蟽蠅蟼 蟽蟿慰 渭苇位位慰谓 尉伪谓伪未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 魏维蟿喂 未喂魏蠈 蟿慰蠀.
螒谓 苇蠂蔚蟿蔚 谓伪 渭慰蠀 蟺蟻慰蟿蔚委谓蔚蟿蔚 魏维蟺慰喂慰 维位位慰 未喂魏蠈 蟿慰蠀 纬蟻维蠄蟿蔚 渭慰蠀 蟽蟿伪 蟽蠂蠈位喂伪.
February 21, 2018
韦苇位蔚喂慰. 螚 蠀蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏 蔚魏蟿蠀位委蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蟿慰 蟺喂慰 魏蟻蠉慰 魏伪喂 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蠂喂慰蠉渭慰蟻 渭慰蠀 螌蟽位慰 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰 蠀蟺蔚蟻纬伪渭维蟿慰蟼 围维蟻喂 围蠈位蔚 魏伪位蔚委蟿伪喂 谓伪 蔚尉喂蠂谓喂维蟽蔚喂 渭喂伪 蟽蔚喂蟻维 伪蟺蠈 蟽蟿蠀纬蔚蟻维 蔚纬魏位萎渭伪蟿伪, 蔚谓蠈蟼 蟺伪位伪尾慰蠉 蟺慰蠀 蟽魏慰蟿蠋谓蔚喂 渭蔚 苇谓伪 蟽蠀纬魏蔚魏蟻喂渭苇谓慰 渭慰蟿委尾慰 蟿伪 胃蠉渭伪蟿维 蟿慰蠀. 螖蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 蔚蠉魏慰位慰 蠈渭蠅蟼 谓伪 蟿慰谓 蟽蠀位位维尾蔚喂, 纬喂伪蟿委 伪蠀蟿蠈蟼 未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼鈥� 伪蠀蟿蠈蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蠂喂慰谓维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼.
10 伪蟽蟿蔚蟻维魏喂伪.
10 伪蟽蟿蔚蟻维魏喂伪.
January 24, 2021
I read this for a video I did, it ended up being pretty underwhelming for me, see the video here:
January 5, 2018
鈥淒id you know that darkness has a taste?鈥�
Beware of the snowman in your front yard. It may not be as innocent as it seems!
Well, the snowmen in this book are not. Or rather the person who makes them.
A well written, suspenseful and atmospheric novel, with morbid storyline, abundant suspects and ample twists and turns.
This is my second Jo Nesbo, the 7th in Harry Hole series and definitely not my last.
Beware of the snowman in your front yard. It may not be as innocent as it seems!
Well, the snowmen in this book are not. Or rather the person who makes them.
A well written, suspenseful and atmospheric novel, with morbid storyline, abundant suspects and ample twists and turns.
This is my second Jo Nesbo, the 7th in Harry Hole series and definitely not my last.
January 14, 2018
Seek help, Nesbo. You are sick.
Somewhat higher ratio of detective work to fluff in this book. A sidekick here knows her business.
Very linear writing style (or translation), far better than the mess of book #1 The Bat, but very pedestrian and flat.
One very good scene of detectives at work, then more fluff and cliche.
And less than 20% in, there is a very unpleasant murder, described in FIRST PERSON victim's detail, brutal and unrelenting, and presented as titillation and gratuitous sick violence. Super-Ugh.
In my rarely humble opinion, there are only two reasons an author includes such graphic brutality: 1) they want to sell more books to sicko readers and/or 2) they are a sicko themselves. Ugh.
I assume there will be more of this horror for money, but not for me. I am done, Final Goodbye Jo Nesbo you sick feck!
Somewhat higher ratio of detective work to fluff in this book. A sidekick here knows her business.
Very linear writing style (or translation), far better than the mess of book #1 The Bat, but very pedestrian and flat.
One very good scene of detectives at work, then more fluff and cliche.
And less than 20% in, there is a very unpleasant murder, described in FIRST PERSON victim's detail, brutal and unrelenting, and presented as titillation and gratuitous sick violence. Super-Ugh.
In my rarely humble opinion, there are only two reasons an author includes such graphic brutality: 1) they want to sell more books to sicko readers and/or 2) they are a sicko themselves. Ugh.
I assume there will be more of this horror for money, but not for me. I am done, Final Goodbye Jo Nesbo you sick feck!
December 26, 2019
Good solid crime thriller. Got on track of this book via goodreads mention, great tip! I loved the atmosphere in the book, dark but beautiful too, the grim, well written story line, the characters, Harry, the snowy Oslo and Bergen scenes(visited both cities few times so memories...). Great ending. I can see this one on tv or in the theatre. Will definitely read more of this author.
July 14, 2011
Although Nesbo is apparently a household name abroad- especially in his native Norway- he is just starting to receive acclaim in the States. His reputation appears to be well-deserved.
Admittedly, I did have to work a little to get into the book at first. The Snowman is the seventh Harry Hole novel, so I felt a bit like I was overhearing the middle of a conversation. I also had somewhat of a learning curve to overcome when it came to the landscape, characters, and the political structure of the Norwegian law enforcement. Additionally, I found the frequent references to early 1990/2000s American politics a bit odd.
However, once I had a chance to settle into the world of Harry Hole, I was hooked. Hole is my kind of antihero- he's rough, full of action with little regard for politics or personal consequences, and determined to suss out the truth no matter what the outcome; yet he is still a man with a tender core, he has his own strong code of ethics and an intense respect for justice.
The red herrings, frequent twists and shocking revelations really kept the story moving along, and the ending was ridiculously vivid and suspenseful. I hope that Harper Collins plays on the success of this novel and goes back to release the Harry Hole novels in order. I'd be first on line for my copies.
Admittedly, I did have to work a little to get into the book at first. The Snowman is the seventh Harry Hole novel, so I felt a bit like I was overhearing the middle of a conversation. I also had somewhat of a learning curve to overcome when it came to the landscape, characters, and the political structure of the Norwegian law enforcement. Additionally, I found the frequent references to early 1990/2000s American politics a bit odd.
However, once I had a chance to settle into the world of Harry Hole, I was hooked. Hole is my kind of antihero- he's rough, full of action with little regard for politics or personal consequences, and determined to suss out the truth no matter what the outcome; yet he is still a man with a tender core, he has his own strong code of ethics and an intense respect for justice.
The red herrings, frequent twists and shocking revelations really kept the story moving along, and the ending was ridiculously vivid and suspenseful. I hope that Harper Collins plays on the success of this novel and goes back to release the Harry Hole novels in order. I'd be first on line for my copies.
October 29, 2017
I can promise you one thing; my days of making snowmen are over. No more! The British winter isn鈥檛 far away and if one of my neighbours decides to build a snowman in our quiet, secluded street, I鈥檓 booking the first flight to Barbados and running! I鈥檓 not kidding; this is one hell of a creepy crime thriller! 鈥� They don鈥檛 have snow in Barbados do they?
UPDATE:
Two days ago I entered the world of the snowman and within seven pages I know I was hooked. Psychologically it scared me to death; I guess it had the desired effect!
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to die鈥� a young lad proclaims in the back of his mother鈥檚 car.
Jo Nesbo鈥檚 鈥淭he Snowman鈥� is without doubt one the best books I have read in the last six months, it has everything. A tight storyline; electrifying pace and imaginative prose; all morphing together to produce a magnificent on the edge of your seat Norwegian thriller. You won鈥檛 know who to trust!
The Independent newspaper claims Jo Nesbo is the next Stieg Larsson 鈥� I鈥檒l go one further and say Jo Nesbo is the next Jo Nesbo.
Translated by Don Bartlett, The Snowman is the fifth internationally acclaimed novel featuring Inspector Harry Hole.
Soon the first snow will come. And then he will appear again. The Snowman. And when the snow has gone, he will have taken someone else. What you should ask yourself is this; 鈥淲ho made the snowman鈥�? Who makes snowmen? Who gave birth to the Murris? For the Snowman doesn鈥檛 know.
Jonas wakes to a house filled with silence. His father left the night before to catch an overnight flight and when he went to bed he only had his mother and a snowman in the garden for company 鈥� A creepy snowman he hadn鈥檛 built. He cries out for his mother but when no one answers he walks out into the garden; the snowman is there and so is the pink scarf he gave his mother for Christmas. His mother is missing.
UPDATE:
UPDATE:
Two days ago I entered the world of the snowman and within seven pages I know I was hooked. Psychologically it scared me to death; I guess it had the desired effect!
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to die鈥� a young lad proclaims in the back of his mother鈥檚 car.
Jo Nesbo鈥檚 鈥淭he Snowman鈥� is without doubt one the best books I have read in the last six months, it has everything. A tight storyline; electrifying pace and imaginative prose; all morphing together to produce a magnificent on the edge of your seat Norwegian thriller. You won鈥檛 know who to trust!
The Independent newspaper claims Jo Nesbo is the next Stieg Larsson 鈥� I鈥檒l go one further and say Jo Nesbo is the next Jo Nesbo.
Translated by Don Bartlett, The Snowman is the fifth internationally acclaimed novel featuring Inspector Harry Hole.
Soon the first snow will come. And then he will appear again. The Snowman. And when the snow has gone, he will have taken someone else. What you should ask yourself is this; 鈥淲ho made the snowman鈥�? Who makes snowmen? Who gave birth to the Murris? For the Snowman doesn鈥檛 know.
Jonas wakes to a house filled with silence. His father left the night before to catch an overnight flight and when he went to bed he only had his mother and a snowman in the garden for company 鈥� A creepy snowman he hadn鈥檛 built. He cries out for his mother but when no one answers he walks out into the garden; the snowman is there and so is the pink scarf he gave his mother for Christmas. His mother is missing.
UPDATE:
September 30, 2016
This was a really good mystery/thriller. One of the best I've read in awhile. The author has you following Harry Hole around as he investigates a string of murders involving married women with children. You have been given easy clues, but there are still red herrings. Like any real investigation, we have to go through a process of elimination. But,after a few dead ends, the author practically hits you over the head with a brick, so if you were paying any attention, you know who "The Snowman" is. But, then, a feeling of real dread starts to form. I felt like screaming at Harry. I saw what was happening and felt helpless to stop it. I couldn't put the book down. Very clever!
This was my first novel by Jo Nesbo, but it won't be my last. in fact, I'm am adding more of his books to my wish list. Over all an A.
This was my first novel by Jo Nesbo, but it won't be my last. in fact, I'm am adding more of his books to my wish list. Over all an A.
October 30, 2016
The Snowman is a blizzard of cliches, a swirling maelstrom of silly nightmares and a great mound of nonsense. It's a serial-killer murder-mystery where the narration shifts so much and the details are handed out so inconsistently you feel like the author is leading you around by the nose. The red-herrings are numerous and obvious (multiple times, the police become convinced they've caught the killer; the back-slapping is so strenuous I'm surprised there aren't more injuries) and the depictions of murder so over-the-top I found myself laughing out loud (imagine every possible combination of snowman imagery + corpse you can think of.) But worst of all was how often my BS detector went off when any character (ANY character) opened their mouth to mention something about how they feel the world works.
On this final point I feel compelled to provide examples. At one point, a supposedly intelligent (though arrogant) pundit claims George W. Bush's re-election as president was a good thing for international security because his advisers are brilliant; ignoring the fact that those clever minds thought the invasion of Iraq was a good idea, that surely Sadam Hussein was hiding WMDs (even though his hiding his own weakness was just as plausible) and that they came into office thinking the great security issue they'd face would be ballistic missile defense (as opposed to terrorism.)
At another point, a supposedly smart detective comments that highly-intelligent people are obsessed with IQ, for after all, they have a whole society built on it (Mensa.) This ignores the fact that Mensa is a fairly small organization; about 100,000 members despite being international and with a potential membership of tens of millions (2% of the whole world.) You would have more reason to look at the historic membership of the Ku Klux Klan (over a million at one point in just the United States) and claim that 'white people sure are obsessed with being white.'
At still another point, a supposedly clever TV psychologist (or something like that) claims that humans revere heroic losses more than victories and uses Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo as his prime example. And to a degree that's true, Waterloo is a revered and highly remarked battle... IN ENGLAND! YOU KNOW, THE COUNTRY THAT WON THE BATTLE!
By around page 100 I started skimming; the pages flew past like snowflakes but it still felt like shoveling 2-foot-high slush. Hopefully the catharsis of review will prove enough to clear my mental driveway.
On this final point I feel compelled to provide examples. At one point, a supposedly intelligent (though arrogant) pundit claims George W. Bush's re-election as president was a good thing for international security because his advisers are brilliant; ignoring the fact that those clever minds thought the invasion of Iraq was a good idea, that surely Sadam Hussein was hiding WMDs (even though his hiding his own weakness was just as plausible) and that they came into office thinking the great security issue they'd face would be ballistic missile defense (as opposed to terrorism.)
At another point, a supposedly smart detective comments that highly-intelligent people are obsessed with IQ, for after all, they have a whole society built on it (Mensa.) This ignores the fact that Mensa is a fairly small organization; about 100,000 members despite being international and with a potential membership of tens of millions (2% of the whole world.) You would have more reason to look at the historic membership of the Ku Klux Klan (over a million at one point in just the United States) and claim that 'white people sure are obsessed with being white.'
At still another point, a supposedly clever TV psychologist (or something like that) claims that humans revere heroic losses more than victories and uses Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo as his prime example. And to a degree that's true, Waterloo is a revered and highly remarked battle... IN ENGLAND! YOU KNOW, THE COUNTRY THAT WON THE BATTLE!
By around page 100 I started skimming; the pages flew past like snowflakes but it still felt like shoveling 2-foot-high slush. Hopefully the catharsis of review will prove enough to clear my mental driveway.
April 4, 2025
Este debe ser quiz谩s el libro que menos me ha costado seguir en toda la saga (7 libros hasta ahora) y que m谩s atenci贸n le puse. Debo decir que vi la pel铆cula hace varios meses y la encontr茅 muy mediocre. Pero el libro? Vaya que me gust贸.
Me gusta cuando la historia tiene un toque original, o "creepy"... como lo de hacer un mu帽eco de nieve en se帽al de advertencia a la polic铆a o de alg煤n asesinato o de que algo malo viene. Me gusta la descripci贸n de la Noruega fr铆a e invernal que da Nesbo durante todo el libro. Es un libro largo, pero para nada aburrido. Hay muchos "plot twists" en la historia y mucha gente debe pagar con su vida para poder encontrar al verdadero psic贸pata.
Seg煤n yo, el personaje y personalidad de Harry se desarrolla much铆simo aqu铆, tanto en el aspecto personal, de madurez y sobre todo su lado m谩s paterno, a pesar de que no tenga hijos biol贸gicos. Quiz谩s mi parte favorita del libro es al final de la tercera parte, cuando Harry cree (y yo tambi茅n lo cre铆) que Jonas estaba muerto en la cama. Dios, casi me levant茅 del sill贸n donde estaba leyendo. Eso fue de verdad intenso. Muy intenso.
En cuanto a los otros personajes, me alegr贸 el giro que dio el personaje de Hagen, quien ahora est谩 confiando m谩s en Harry. No tengo pruebas, pero mi coraz贸n dice que Rakel sigue amando a Harry profundamente, y no hablar del cari帽o de Oleg por Harry y viceversa.
Lo 煤nico que me hizo un poco de ruido en la cabeza: En libros anteriores, Beate Lonn tuvo un papel muy importante y ahora apenas se la menciona un par de veces, aunque debo decir que me emocion贸 mucho la primera vez que Nesbo la mencion贸 aqu铆. Estaba esperando esa parte con muchas ansias. Me encantar铆a que en los pr贸ximos libros se le d茅 m谩s protagonismo a ella.
Lo 煤ltimo: A mi parecer, Nesbo reemplaz贸 a Halvorsen por Skarre demasiado r谩pido. Es como que de un momento a otro el mismo personaje cambi贸 de nombre y es ahora el "Robin" de Harry. Halvorsen es irremplazable.
En fin. Disfrut茅 much铆simo el libro. Ahora voy por el pr贸ximo de la saga!
Me gusta cuando la historia tiene un toque original, o "creepy"... como lo de hacer un mu帽eco de nieve en se帽al de advertencia a la polic铆a o de alg煤n asesinato o de que algo malo viene. Me gusta la descripci贸n de la Noruega fr铆a e invernal que da Nesbo durante todo el libro. Es un libro largo, pero para nada aburrido. Hay muchos "plot twists" en la historia y mucha gente debe pagar con su vida para poder encontrar al verdadero psic贸pata.
Seg煤n yo, el personaje y personalidad de Harry se desarrolla much铆simo aqu铆, tanto en el aspecto personal, de madurez y sobre todo su lado m谩s paterno, a pesar de que no tenga hijos biol贸gicos. Quiz谩s mi parte favorita del libro es al final de la tercera parte, cuando Harry cree (y yo tambi茅n lo cre铆) que Jonas estaba muerto en la cama. Dios, casi me levant茅 del sill贸n donde estaba leyendo. Eso fue de verdad intenso. Muy intenso.
En cuanto a los otros personajes, me alegr贸 el giro que dio el personaje de Hagen, quien ahora est谩 confiando m谩s en Harry. No tengo pruebas, pero mi coraz贸n dice que Rakel sigue amando a Harry profundamente, y no hablar del cari帽o de Oleg por Harry y viceversa.
Lo 煤nico que me hizo un poco de ruido en la cabeza: En libros anteriores, Beate Lonn tuvo un papel muy importante y ahora apenas se la menciona un par de veces, aunque debo decir que me emocion贸 mucho la primera vez que Nesbo la mencion贸 aqu铆. Estaba esperando esa parte con muchas ansias. Me encantar铆a que en los pr贸ximos libros se le d茅 m谩s protagonismo a ella.
Lo 煤ltimo: A mi parecer, Nesbo reemplaz贸 a Halvorsen por Skarre demasiado r谩pido. Es como que de un momento a otro el mismo personaje cambi贸 de nombre y es ahora el "Robin" de Harry. Halvorsen es irremplazable.
En fin. Disfrut茅 much铆simo el libro. Ahora voy por el pr贸ximo de la saga!
February 20, 2019
This was my first book by this author and I'm definitely going to more, because I absolutely devoured this one!
I had a suspicion how everything is going to pan out from early on and was proved to be correct, but I still was questioning myself throughout the story, because there were so many twists and turns.
I often find several plot twists in crime books to be annoying, simply because they are too overdone, but that totally wasn't the case here. Everything still seemed realistic and fitting.
The writing style was great, I truly felt a huge amount of suspense and even had to take a moment to catch my breath at some parts.
I also felt connected to the characters and now want to find out more about them. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
I had a suspicion how everything is going to pan out from early on and was proved to be correct, but I still was questioning myself throughout the story, because there were so many twists and turns.
I often find several plot twists in crime books to be annoying, simply because they are too overdone, but that totally wasn't the case here. Everything still seemed realistic and fitting.
The writing style was great, I truly felt a huge amount of suspense and even had to take a moment to catch my breath at some parts.
I also felt connected to the characters and now want to find out more about them. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
March 14, 2024
賲鬲兀爻賮丕賳賴 丕賳诏丕乇 丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 賳蹖爻鬲. 賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┴必� 禺賵卮賲 亘蹖丕丿 賵賱蹖 丕蹖賳 丿賵賲蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘蹖賴 讴賴 丕夭卮 禺賵賳丿賲 賵 亘丕夭賲 趩賳丿丕賳 丿賵爻鬲 賳丿丕卮鬲賲
讴賱丕賸 丕蹖賳讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屬囏� 賲賳胤賯蹖 亘賵丿賳 乇賵 賮丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁� 鬲丕 爻讴丕賳爻鈥屬囏й� 丿乇丕賲丕鬲蹖讴 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳 亘丕亘 賲蹖賱 賲賳 賳蹖爻鬲
丕賱亘鬲賴 賲鬲賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵賵賳賴. 卮乇賵毓卮 賴賲 禺蹖賱蹖 禺賵亘賴 賵賱蹖 乇賮鬲賴 乇賮鬲賴 囟毓蹖賮鈥屫� 卮丿 賴蹖 賵 丕賵賳 丿乇丕賲丕鬲蹖讴鈥� 讴乇丿賳鈥屬囏� 鬲賵 匕賵賯 賲蹖鈥屫藏�
蹖賴 丕賯鬲亘丕爻 爻蹖賳賲丕蹖蹖 賴賲 丿丕乇賴 讴賴 賮丕噩毓賴鈥屫�
讴賱丕賸 丕蹖賳讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴鈥屬囏� 賲賳胤賯蹖 亘賵丿賳 乇賵 賮丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁� 鬲丕 爻讴丕賳爻鈥屬囏й� 丿乇丕賲丕鬲蹖讴 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳 亘丕亘 賲蹖賱 賲賳 賳蹖爻鬲
丕賱亘鬲賴 賲鬲賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵賵賳賴. 卮乇賵毓卮 賴賲 禺蹖賱蹖 禺賵亘賴 賵賱蹖 乇賮鬲賴 乇賮鬲賴 囟毓蹖賮鈥屫� 卮丿 賴蹖 賵 丕賵賳 丿乇丕賲丕鬲蹖讴鈥� 讴乇丿賳鈥屬囏� 鬲賵 匕賵賯 賲蹖鈥屫藏�
蹖賴 丕賯鬲亘丕爻 爻蹖賳賲丕蹖蹖 賴賲 丿丕乇賴 讴賴 賮丕噩毓賴鈥屫�
November 27, 2011
This might have been worth three stars, because I quite enjoyed it, but I鈥檝e been stingy and given it just two, because of the disproportionate number of five star ratings it has, which I don鈥檛 think it deserves. It鈥檚 not a bad read by any means, the story is engaging, gripping at times, and genuinely creepy in places. But it鈥檚 far too long, so many red herrings it became tedious, and there were some utterly pointless non-sequiturs (eg the mould man, or was I missing some subtle reference there?), and the writing is dreadfully clumsy (the sex scene in the first chapter had me helpless with laughter which I don鈥檛 think was the intention), and excessively detailed in description, as if the writer was thinking of the eventual film adaptation 鈥� and with some ruthless excisions, I鈥檓 sure this book would make a tense and entertaining two hour film, which is probably a better way to experience it than the much longer time it takes to read it. And I鈥檝e read this week that Martin Scorsese, no less, has already signed up for it鈥�. See:
I doubt very much whether I鈥檒l read any more of Jo Nesbo鈥檚 novels, but I probably will go to see the film of the Snowman.
I doubt very much whether I鈥檒l read any more of Jo Nesbo鈥檚 novels, but I probably will go to see the film of the Snowman.
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