This is an amazing achievement by Mark Haddon, the world according to a boy who sees it differently.
Although there are genuinely funny moments, overall the book made me feel melancholy. The effect that the main character, Christopher, has on the people round him because he can't see the world the way they do is genuinely moving. As he suffers from Aspergers Syndrome, it is difficult for him to read people and he also clings to certain routines that can drive other people to distraction. It is incredible how well it is conveyed in the book, that sense of isolation from the world as most people perceive it.
A beautiful and informative book; one that is well worth reading.
Hakan Nesser's Inspector Van Veeteren is an unusual detective. The stories are set in a fictitious northern European country that is part Sweden, part Denmark and a big part Holland. It makes for a compelling fantasy country that borrows from its inspirations and ends up unique.
In this book, although the Inspector seems worn down by the job and ready to quit, he pursues the culprit with vigour. The story itself is quite sad as a man is jailed for killing his lover and is then himself murdered by the real culprit. The original murder victim turns out to have been a victim of men all her life.
I have read a lot of Scandinavian authors recently and there is something about the way they draw their characters that I find I can't resist. Another top class read.
This book is earlier in the life of Harry Hole that Snowman.
It is a politically charged book, dealing with Norwegian Nationalism and the Nazis. It revolves around the complicated life of a Norwegian soldier who fought beside the Nazis on the Eastern Front and is brought up to date when he decides to assassinate the Crown Prince of Norway.
Once again I found myself totally caught up in Harry's world and I look forward to travelling with him again on another adventure.
I found this a strange read. You know who commits the crime early in the book, the detective, Ann Lindell, hardly features and the ending is frustrating. I don't know if there is a sequel planned but if not it becomes even more annoying. I know that real life doesn't have neat endings but that's why I read fiction.
It is populated with a large cast of characters and it is the diversity of their stories that make the book worthwhile.
The ending is the one thing that relegates it to 3.5 stars if that had been an option, other then that it is a diverting read.
This was the first Harry Bosch novel that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the old curmudgeonly detective.
The contrast in the setting between Los Angeles and Hong Kong was interesting, the detective out of his comfort zone pursuing a very personal agenda.
I will definitely be catching up with the adventures of Harry Bosch.
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