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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Murder
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Winterkill is a bittersweet book in the Dark Iceland series. Knowing it is the last book makes it all the more emotive because we’re saying goodbye to a character that we’ve been with for six books now. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve read and loved every one of these books, and Winterkill is no different.
Winterkill is a sophisticated narrative, more so than previous books. It is dealing with relevant issues in today’s society which makes it all the more emotive for the reader. It is very current, while also maintaining that Christie-esque old time feeling that you pick up on in the other books in the series so far.
I found Winterkill to be quite a sad read in terms of the subject matter. You, as a reader, really feel for some of the characters as they are going through this horrible time. Jónasson really captures the emotionally fragile states of grief and trauma in Winterkill.
The sense of isolation in both the location and the way the characters are experiencing their own versions of isolation in their lives was very well captured. It does seem like loneliness and/or isolation are almost tangible characters themselves in Winterkill such is their prevalence throughout the narrative.
Emotional, atmospheric and deeply unsettling, Winterkill is a poignant and fitting end to a series that has held me captivated from the opening lines of Snowblind.
Highly recommended.
Always.
Winterkill is a sophisticated narrative, more so than previous books. It is dealing with relevant issues in today’s society which makes it all the more emotive for the reader. It is very current, while also maintaining that Christie-esque old time feeling that you pick up on in the other books in the series so far.
I found Winterkill to be quite a sad read in terms of the subject matter. You, as a reader, really feel for some of the characters as they are going through this horrible time. Jónasson really captures the emotionally fragile states of grief and trauma in Winterkill.
The sense of isolation in both the location and the way the characters are experiencing their own versions of isolation in their lives was very well captured. It does seem like loneliness and/or isolation are almost tangible characters themselves in Winterkill such is their prevalence throughout the narrative.
Emotional, atmospheric and deeply unsettling, Winterkill is a poignant and fitting end to a series that has held me captivated from the opening lines of Snowblind.
Highly recommended.
Always.
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A short read at just over 200 pages. For me, not enough atmosphere or depth of character / plot. I found some of the dialogues unrealistic. Overall a little disappointed, perhaps just not my type of read.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Back by popular demand, Winterkill marks the culmination of the excellent Dark Iceland series. Ragnar Jonasson will not let us part ways with police inspector Ari Thór Arason without one last tricky case to test him with, as a blizzard threatens Siglufjörður, and Arason undergoes his own personal reckoning…
Jonasson has a wonderful knack of putting a dark, sordid crime at the heart of his books but never fails to leave you with a more overriding final impression of the essential goodness of his central character, police inspector Ari Thór Arason. Grappling with the repercussions of his relationship break up, the temptation of a revived dalliance, the seeming lack of respect afforded to him despite his promotion, and a case of suicide that leads to a nasty conclusion, Arason has more than enough on his plate. However, once again, through Jonasson’s meticulous characterisation of Arason, we traverse his own personal and professional highs and lows, wanting to give him a good shake at some points, or a reassuring hug at others. His parting from his former boss Tomas (now based in Reykjavik) provides moments of pure pathos, but somehow lessens the impetus of the book, as the way they worked together and bounced ideas arounds added a nice little frisson to their investigations. In matters of the heart, Arason remains largely floundering as usual, unsure as to whether his former relationship with the mother of his child has any chance of being resurrected, or whether to pursue an old flame, the flames of which had seemingly been doused near the beginning of the series. It is these ruminations on his future happiness that do rather slow the book down at times, but at least it sets our minds at rest that there is some hope of a new life and fresh beginnings for our earnest police officer.
Once again, the rugged and at time inhospitable landscape of Siglufjörður permeates the book, where even an upcoming religious festival cannot curtail the inclemency of the climate, and the particular difficulties it places on its inhabitants. Although Arason has one eye on a new posting in Reykjavik, he himself recognises the way that this remote little town has exerted its influence on him both in a real and metaphorical sense, ” By now, he felt a strong sense of connection to Siglufjörður. Something was keeping him here, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what. It was almost as if the place didn’t want him to leave… he had grown to love the isolation and tranquillity of the place.”
Although with this backdrop of Arason’s emotional back and forth, the central crime is a little linear in its progression, it is a sordid enough little mystery, for Jonasson to expose the darkness that lies behind the veneer of respectability. Having just discovered that Winterkill was written mainly because of popular demand for another book in the pretty much faultless Dark Iceland series, I did find it a little more slight compared to the others. However, it is still worth a look as the strength of his characterisation, and beautiful sense of place holds true throughout.
Jonasson has a wonderful knack of putting a dark, sordid crime at the heart of his books but never fails to leave you with a more overriding final impression of the essential goodness of his central character, police inspector Ari Thór Arason. Grappling with the repercussions of his relationship break up, the temptation of a revived dalliance, the seeming lack of respect afforded to him despite his promotion, and a case of suicide that leads to a nasty conclusion, Arason has more than enough on his plate. However, once again, through Jonasson’s meticulous characterisation of Arason, we traverse his own personal and professional highs and lows, wanting to give him a good shake at some points, or a reassuring hug at others. His parting from his former boss Tomas (now based in Reykjavik) provides moments of pure pathos, but somehow lessens the impetus of the book, as the way they worked together and bounced ideas arounds added a nice little frisson to their investigations. In matters of the heart, Arason remains largely floundering as usual, unsure as to whether his former relationship with the mother of his child has any chance of being resurrected, or whether to pursue an old flame, the flames of which had seemingly been doused near the beginning of the series. It is these ruminations on his future happiness that do rather slow the book down at times, but at least it sets our minds at rest that there is some hope of a new life and fresh beginnings for our earnest police officer.
Once again, the rugged and at time inhospitable landscape of Siglufjörður permeates the book, where even an upcoming religious festival cannot curtail the inclemency of the climate, and the particular difficulties it places on its inhabitants. Although Arason has one eye on a new posting in Reykjavik, he himself recognises the way that this remote little town has exerted its influence on him both in a real and metaphorical sense, ” By now, he felt a strong sense of connection to Siglufjörður. Something was keeping him here, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what. It was almost as if the place didn’t want him to leave… he had grown to love the isolation and tranquillity of the place.”
Although with this backdrop of Arason’s emotional back and forth, the central crime is a little linear in its progression, it is a sordid enough little mystery, for Jonasson to expose the darkness that lies behind the veneer of respectability. Having just discovered that Winterkill was written mainly because of popular demand for another book in the pretty much faultless Dark Iceland series, I did find it a little more slight compared to the others. However, it is still worth a look as the strength of his characterisation, and beautiful sense of place holds true throughout.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated