This series is from Sweden and is published in translation for American readers. Very popular in its native country, there is a Swedish tv seriesas well.
This is the third novel. There are six published in the U.S. and more will be coming. The novels are atmospheric and have a strong sense of place. There are characters who are engaging and readers returning to the series will be interested in what has transpired for them since they were last met.
In Guiltless, a lot is going on although the story unfolds at a leisurely pace. Protagonist Nora is making decisions about her marriage while her closest and platonic friend Thomas is looking again at his failed relationship. A twenty year old girl has disappeared. What happened to her and why form the heart of the narrative.
The story is told in two timelines. One is current while the earlier one takes place in the 1920s. They intersect over the course of the novel. I found the parts set in the past to be incredibly painful to read, even to the point of wanting to skim them. They are critical to the story but I wish that there had been fewer of these chapters.
A subtext of the book is what makes a good parent and what happens when parenting goes disastrously wrong. These wrongs can and do lead to long impacting generational issues.
I liked spending time with the series main characters and will certainly read further novels in the series. However SPOILER ALERT:
The father in the historical sections was abused and is an abuser. This is what I found quite painful to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
Do you look up when you are inside? This book has made me think more about viewing the ceilings wherever I go. There is so much to see there; sometimes the sights are beautiful, sometimes they may be symbolic or there to make a point.
What a great resource for kids who are getting a dog, have a dog or just love dogs. This book is well organized with many appealing photos and illustrations. There are things to make like treats, toys and dog beds, facts on breeds, quizzes and more. Even more important though are all of the helpful sections on how a dog communicates and how to train and raise a dog so that the dog and all family members are happy.
There is so much talk about immigrants these days. Children, of course, become aware of what is going on in the world around them as well. This book will be a good conversation starter for both emigrant children and those who go to school, play and live along with them.
This title is full of facts and experiments that kids can do at home to learn more about the work of rocket scientists and the universe in which we live. For example, I learned why rocket ships are shaped as they are and how this helps with take off. I could then have launched a small rocket from home. Another entry has to do with what one might weigh on different planets. A few other subject headings include Landing on a Comet, Astronaut Training and Space Toilets.
This book is certain to attract new, young readers to the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a highly engaging, somewhat simplified but not too much so, retelling of this Sherlock Holmes tale. I very much enjoyed reading the story in this version. In addition to the text, there are appealing, cartoon like illustrations, boxes that describe terms that children may not know and fun extras like a list that Dr. Watson wrote or a copy of a telegram. So, get a child you know this book and a magnifying glass. They will soon be trying to solve the case.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 