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Ewert Grens #2
Box 21
When a severely wounded woman is brought to a hospital in Stockholm, doctors are horrified to learn that her injuries are the result of a brutal whipping. She is Lydia, a victim of people-trafficking, a young girl from Lithuania sold by her boyfriend and now trapped in a Stockholm brothel, forced to repay her "debt." In the same hospital, police officer Sven Sundkvist and senior officer Ewert Grens are chasing a lead that may just expose a notorious mafia boss, a dangerous man Grens hates with a vengeance. Two stories of passionate reprisal twist together, ending in a dramatic climax,two bullet-riddled bodies and a room full of hostages in the hospital's basement. But in the cold light of day, will Sven protect the senior officer he so admires, even from his own corruption?
404 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 364 reviews
May 15, 2019
Otro duro tema se recoge en este nuevo caso, unas redes de explotación, un tráfico de personas y unas víctimas que sabemos que están ahí, practicamente en cualquier ciudad.
A diferencia del libro anterior, en este la trama te permite jugar un poco haciendo alguna suposición, que puede que aciertes.
En este libro la propia investigación afecta a la relación entre los dos investigadores. Yo no tenía claro cuál iba a ser a reacción de Sven y ya veremos en el siguiente libro si tiene consecuencias esa decisión.
Anoto su reflexión. No es el sentimiento de culpabilidad, es la verguenza.
Valoración: 8,5/10
Lectura: Abril 2019
A diferencia del libro anterior, en este la trama te permite jugar un poco haciendo alguna suposición, que puede que aciertes.
En este libro la propia investigación afecta a la relación entre los dos investigadores. Yo no tenía claro cuál iba a ser a reacción de Sven y ya veremos en el siguiente libro si tiene consecuencias esa decisión.
Anoto su reflexión. No es el sentimiento de culpabilidad, es la verguenza.
Valoración: 8,5/10
Lectura: Abril 2019
February 24, 2018
If you like a crime book where justice is served and the villains pay for their crimes, don't read this novel. I was very frustrated and saddened by the ending.
March 11, 2018
A novel that's pretty tough reading in places because of its agenda, which is to make you aware of and furious about the widespread crime of sex slavery -- in particular, the vile trafficking of gullible young women from Eastern Europe into the West's prostitution industry, and the rapes and beatings to which they're subjected not just by their clients but as part of their "training."
In Stockholm, enslaved Lithuanian prostitute Lydia is broken free from her captors when one of them whips her nearly to death. The cops, led by Superintendent Ewert Brens, investigate the case, but before they've gotten very far Lydia, despite her injuries, manages to escape her hospital ward, take hostages, and demand that Brens send to her as negotiator his colleague and oldest friend Bengt Nordwall. Once Nordwall is in front of her, she murders him and kills herself.
Obviously Nordwall was part of the gang involved in bringing Lydia and countless others like her into slavery. At first Brens can't believe it; then, when circumstances dictate that he has to believe it, he decides to submerge the evidence of Nordwall's crime, telling himself that he's doing so solely in order to protect the man's widow and her children from the knowledge that her beloved husband and their beloved father was a monster.
Grens's sidekick, Sven Sundkvist, eventually cottons on to what's happening, but then he too must face a moral dilemma . . .
It's not much of a spoiler to say that the two central cops here make wrong decision after wrong decision. There's a pretty savage twist ending (I actually saw it coming, but it was still a bit of a kick in the gut when it came) that makes it clear to us that not too long after the tale's ending the error of their decisions is going to be made starkly obvious to Grens and Sundkvist -- and indeed to the world at large -- but that does nothing to change the underlying point: unless there's a really determined effort, not by cops or legislators but by the men who're stupid enough to ignore the hideous abuse and keep the industry hugely profitable through their custom, this human sex trafficking is never going to end.
In the description above, I've ignored various other plot lines that are fairly gripping in their own right but seem to me to be less important to the novel's purpose because, as I implied at the outset, this is less a thriller -- even though it's billed on the cover as such -- than a fiercely political book. I'm not talking about the politics of left or right, here, but the politics of ethics, of human rights, and of humanity.
The book's not perfect -- my only complaint of any real substance is that I found the characterization of Grens to be a tad unconvincing -- but it's highly recommended nonetheless.
In Stockholm, enslaved Lithuanian prostitute Lydia is broken free from her captors when one of them whips her nearly to death. The cops, led by Superintendent Ewert Brens, investigate the case, but before they've gotten very far Lydia, despite her injuries, manages to escape her hospital ward, take hostages, and demand that Brens send to her as negotiator his colleague and oldest friend Bengt Nordwall. Once Nordwall is in front of her, she murders him and kills herself.
Obviously Nordwall was part of the gang involved in bringing Lydia and countless others like her into slavery. At first Brens can't believe it; then, when circumstances dictate that he has to believe it, he decides to submerge the evidence of Nordwall's crime, telling himself that he's doing so solely in order to protect the man's widow and her children from the knowledge that her beloved husband and their beloved father was a monster.
Grens's sidekick, Sven Sundkvist, eventually cottons on to what's happening, but then he too must face a moral dilemma . . .
It's not much of a spoiler to say that the two central cops here make wrong decision after wrong decision. There's a pretty savage twist ending (I actually saw it coming, but it was still a bit of a kick in the gut when it came) that makes it clear to us that not too long after the tale's ending the error of their decisions is going to be made starkly obvious to Grens and Sundkvist -- and indeed to the world at large -- but that does nothing to change the underlying point: unless there's a really determined effort, not by cops or legislators but by the men who're stupid enough to ignore the hideous abuse and keep the industry hugely profitable through their custom, this human sex trafficking is never going to end.
In the description above, I've ignored various other plot lines that are fairly gripping in their own right but seem to me to be less important to the novel's purpose because, as I implied at the outset, this is less a thriller -- even though it's billed on the cover as such -- than a fiercely political book. I'm not talking about the politics of left or right, here, but the politics of ethics, of human rights, and of humanity.
The book's not perfect -- my only complaint of any real substance is that I found the characterization of Grens to be a tad unconvincing -- but it's highly recommended nonetheless.
May 31, 2010
PROTAGONIST: Detec. Ewert Grens
SETTING: Stockholm
RATING: 4.5
It’s really disheartening to think of the thousands (millions?) of women’s lives that have been destroyed by the sex slave industry. BOX 21 takes us deep into that world by focusing on the situation of two Lithuanian women who were forced into sex slavery in Sweden. The book tells their story in a very straightforward manner. The wrongs that they have to endure are heartrending. Locked into an apartment for three years and forced to service at least a dozen men each day, Lydia Grajauskas and Alena Sijusareva have adapted to their situation, both in different ways. Lydia performs extra acts for the men and keeps the money that she charges hidden from the pimp in hopes of eventually breaking away. Before she can do so, he beats her almost to death and ends up in the hospital. She escapes from her room and manages to hold several hospital workers hostage. It isn’t clear what she is seeking; only later, do all of her actions and the final resolution of the situation make horrifying sense.
Ewert Grens is the lead detective handling the case. He is a man who is renowned for the results of his investigations and his laser-like focus on every case he handles. However, he’s haunted by an incident that occurred many years earlier that resulted in the destruction of the woman he loves, who is now institutionalized. The man that he blames, Jochum Lang, is a mob enforcer who has just been released from prison; Ewert becomes consumed by his need to punish Lang. Despite the fact that he is known for his ethics and integrity, Grens begins to bend the rules in very inappropriate ways, tampering with evidence, in an effort to protect his best and only friend’s reputation. His younger partner, Sven Sundkvist, faces off with Ewert—but it’s hard to paint things black and white when it means that innocent people may be hurt.
The plight of the sex slaves was well rendered, factual without being sensational or prurient. It was sad to see how innocent young women were fooled and used so disgracefully. There are no happy endings; it’s something that is almost impossible to stop. There is always a gullible girl who will believe that she is escaping to a better life, unfortunately. The parallel story of Grens’ slide into compromising his integrity is riveting as well. In a twisted sense of justice, he allows a man he knows to be innocent to be convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, a kind of payback for the crimes that he did commit.
BOX 21 is an intense book, with an unflinching view of reality. It goes beyond being a thriller or police procedural; reading the book forces one to consider the nature of justice and vengeance, women’s rights and how far we are willing to go to protect a loved one. The final resolution made my jaw drop; the beautifully wrapped package really masks a snake. On the minus side, the characterization was a bit flat and the narrative jumped around between time periods and points of view in a way that was at times confusing.
Anders Roslund is the former head of Culture News on Swedish television; Borge Hellstrom is an ex-criminal who helps rehabilitate drug addicts and young criminals. They’ve written several books together; I for one will eagerly await their translation into English.
SETTING: Stockholm
RATING: 4.5
It’s really disheartening to think of the thousands (millions?) of women’s lives that have been destroyed by the sex slave industry. BOX 21 takes us deep into that world by focusing on the situation of two Lithuanian women who were forced into sex slavery in Sweden. The book tells their story in a very straightforward manner. The wrongs that they have to endure are heartrending. Locked into an apartment for three years and forced to service at least a dozen men each day, Lydia Grajauskas and Alena Sijusareva have adapted to their situation, both in different ways. Lydia performs extra acts for the men and keeps the money that she charges hidden from the pimp in hopes of eventually breaking away. Before she can do so, he beats her almost to death and ends up in the hospital. She escapes from her room and manages to hold several hospital workers hostage. It isn’t clear what she is seeking; only later, do all of her actions and the final resolution of the situation make horrifying sense.
Ewert Grens is the lead detective handling the case. He is a man who is renowned for the results of his investigations and his laser-like focus on every case he handles. However, he’s haunted by an incident that occurred many years earlier that resulted in the destruction of the woman he loves, who is now institutionalized. The man that he blames, Jochum Lang, is a mob enforcer who has just been released from prison; Ewert becomes consumed by his need to punish Lang. Despite the fact that he is known for his ethics and integrity, Grens begins to bend the rules in very inappropriate ways, tampering with evidence, in an effort to protect his best and only friend’s reputation. His younger partner, Sven Sundkvist, faces off with Ewert—but it’s hard to paint things black and white when it means that innocent people may be hurt.
The plight of the sex slaves was well rendered, factual without being sensational or prurient. It was sad to see how innocent young women were fooled and used so disgracefully. There are no happy endings; it’s something that is almost impossible to stop. There is always a gullible girl who will believe that she is escaping to a better life, unfortunately. The parallel story of Grens’ slide into compromising his integrity is riveting as well. In a twisted sense of justice, he allows a man he knows to be innocent to be convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, a kind of payback for the crimes that he did commit.
BOX 21 is an intense book, with an unflinching view of reality. It goes beyond being a thriller or police procedural; reading the book forces one to consider the nature of justice and vengeance, women’s rights and how far we are willing to go to protect a loved one. The final resolution made my jaw drop; the beautifully wrapped package really masks a snake. On the minus side, the characterization was a bit flat and the narrative jumped around between time periods and points of view in a way that was at times confusing.
Anders Roslund is the former head of Culture News on Swedish television; Borge Hellstrom is an ex-criminal who helps rehabilitate drug addicts and young criminals. They’ve written several books together; I for one will eagerly await their translation into English.
February 17, 2010
Having read somewhere that fans of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo would also like this book, I picked it up. It's nothing like Stieg Larsson's book at all. In his novel, there's a mystery to be had as well as a strong heroine who lives by her own inner sense of morality and never wavers. Here, what you've got is a police procedural, a story of revenge and betrayal, and at its heart, an ethical and moral dilemma. That's not to say that this isn't a good book (it is), but it's a different animal altogether than Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
The main focus of this novel centers around the sex-slave trade. Young girls Lydia Grajauskas and Alena Sljusareva lived in Lithuania until promises of good jobs in Sweden brought them there, only to realize the first night on the boat trip to their new home that they had been horribly misled. They find themselves locked in the rooms of a house, prisoners, kept there by a nasty piece of work named Dmitri, brutalized into submission and forced to perform twelve times a day for various regular clientele. Their situation has lasted three years and comes to a head one day, bringing the police into the situation, beginning a story that will absolutely make you cringe and want to look away as you read it. But you can't.
Aside from Lydia and Alena, the main characters in the novel are policemen, especially Ewert Grens, a detective who has been obsessively gunning for a criminal named Jochum Lang who years earlier, caused Grens' partner Anni to live in a permanent state of brain damage and to be confined to a wheelchair. Grens is a puzzle to his co-workers -- his crime-solving rate is high, and he's good at his job, but since Anni's accident, he's been a loner, spending his time as a chronic workaholic, finding some solace in the music of a pop singer from the 1960s. As Grens works the case involving Lydia and Alena, he comes into possession of some information that leads him to a critical juncture both in his life and in his career. His partner, Sundqvist, can't figure out what's going on until an order from above sends him off to find out the truth.
This is a dark book all the way through to the last page, which actually made my blood run cold. There are no feel-good or warm fuzzy moments here, no happy endings, and you will definitely have food for thought after you've finished. It's well written, the plotlines hang together well and all in all it is a great read.
I'd recommend it to people who like Scandinavian crime fiction, or crime fiction in general on a somewhat more gritty and realistic level than the usual fare.
The main focus of this novel centers around the sex-slave trade. Young girls Lydia Grajauskas and Alena Sljusareva lived in Lithuania until promises of good jobs in Sweden brought them there, only to realize the first night on the boat trip to their new home that they had been horribly misled. They find themselves locked in the rooms of a house, prisoners, kept there by a nasty piece of work named Dmitri, brutalized into submission and forced to perform twelve times a day for various regular clientele. Their situation has lasted three years and comes to a head one day, bringing the police into the situation, beginning a story that will absolutely make you cringe and want to look away as you read it. But you can't.
Aside from Lydia and Alena, the main characters in the novel are policemen, especially Ewert Grens, a detective who has been obsessively gunning for a criminal named Jochum Lang who years earlier, caused Grens' partner Anni to live in a permanent state of brain damage and to be confined to a wheelchair. Grens is a puzzle to his co-workers -- his crime-solving rate is high, and he's good at his job, but since Anni's accident, he's been a loner, spending his time as a chronic workaholic, finding some solace in the music of a pop singer from the 1960s. As Grens works the case involving Lydia and Alena, he comes into possession of some information that leads him to a critical juncture both in his life and in his career. His partner, Sundqvist, can't figure out what's going on until an order from above sends him off to find out the truth.
This is a dark book all the way through to the last page, which actually made my blood run cold. There are no feel-good or warm fuzzy moments here, no happy endings, and you will definitely have food for thought after you've finished. It's well written, the plotlines hang together well and all in all it is a great read.
I'd recommend it to people who like Scandinavian crime fiction, or crime fiction in general on a somewhat more gritty and realistic level than the usual fare.
November 9, 2010
This novel centers around the trafficking of sex workers from the Baltic states to Sweden, which is apparently a big problem, as it seems to pop up in a lot of Swedish crime novels (and was the subject of a harrowing film called Lilya-4-Ever). Though I found this book tautly written and difficult to predict, it's awfully bleak.
The Russian mob does a nice business by hoodwinking young girls, with the promise of high-paying jobs, into leaving their humble origins in Russia or the Baltic states and coming to Sweden. Once there, they are virtually enslaved and forced to work as prostitutes. Box 21, by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom, cover this in nauseating detail, describing their tricks as spitting on them, beating them, and penetrating them anally. They are left as shells of people, doped up and wishing they were dead. One woman finally has enough and fights back, and her pimp savagely beats her, so much that it alerts the authorities. Once in the hospital, she plans her revenge.
Her story really is secondary to that of the policeman who takes her case, an old, cynical detective called Ewert Grens. He has never really gotten over the assault on the only love of his life, a former colleague who was brain damaged in the attack. He hungers for revenge against the man who did it, who has just been released from prison and is now the suspect in the murder investigation of a junkie who sold heroin cut with washing detergent.
This novel is not for the feint of heart. Not only do we learn more than we could ever want to about the illegal sex trade, but the world-weariness of the police is as dreary as a Scandinavian winter. Characters try to be noble, but ultimately fail, and we are left with a twist (though I saw it coming) that is really deflating. I liked this book, but I can't say I enjoyed it.
The Russian mob does a nice business by hoodwinking young girls, with the promise of high-paying jobs, into leaving their humble origins in Russia or the Baltic states and coming to Sweden. Once there, they are virtually enslaved and forced to work as prostitutes. Box 21, by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom, cover this in nauseating detail, describing their tricks as spitting on them, beating them, and penetrating them anally. They are left as shells of people, doped up and wishing they were dead. One woman finally has enough and fights back, and her pimp savagely beats her, so much that it alerts the authorities. Once in the hospital, she plans her revenge.
Her story really is secondary to that of the policeman who takes her case, an old, cynical detective called Ewert Grens. He has never really gotten over the assault on the only love of his life, a former colleague who was brain damaged in the attack. He hungers for revenge against the man who did it, who has just been released from prison and is now the suspect in the murder investigation of a junkie who sold heroin cut with washing detergent.
This novel is not for the feint of heart. Not only do we learn more than we could ever want to about the illegal sex trade, but the world-weariness of the police is as dreary as a Scandinavian winter. Characters try to be noble, but ultimately fail, and we are left with a twist (though I saw it coming) that is really deflating. I liked this book, but I can't say I enjoyed it.
September 21, 2015
Silly, run-of-the-mill thriller "spiced" with sex and gruesome violence. Skip in favor of almost anything.
On a side note, the writers of this one said in an interview in Sweden's largest newspaper that the fact that a number of police procedural authors were collaborating on books nowadays were because of...them(!) Apparently, in their minds, they invented the method in 2004. Just to mention the most blatant counter argument; Maj Sjöwall & Wahlöö Per - 10 groundbreaking, defining novels, kicked off with Roseanna in 1965. Not that this embarrassing lack of knowledge and humility would affect my rating in any way, er...
On a side note, the writers of this one said in an interview in Sweden's largest newspaper that the fact that a number of police procedural authors were collaborating on books nowadays were because of...them(!) Apparently, in their minds, they invented the method in 2004. Just to mention the most blatant counter argument; Maj Sjöwall & Wahlöö Per - 10 groundbreaking, defining novels, kicked off with Roseanna in 1965. Not that this embarrassing lack of knowledge and humility would affect my rating in any way, er...
November 16, 2018
Tam bir zaman kaybı. Hani belki üç yıldız alırdı ama onun açıklaması "liked it". I didn't like this one at all! Bu olsa olsa "it was ok". Olduğu da bu zaten.
Oysa ki ne umutla almıştım ve başlamıştım. Bron/broen tadında yavaş ilerlese bile gereksiz detaya girmeyen, sürükleyici bir İsveç polisiyesi beklemiştim. Peki ne buldum? Neyin ne olduğu daha kitabın ortasından belli olan, zerre heyecan veya zeka içermeyen vasat ötesi bir kitap.
***SPOILER***
Hele o gerizekalı polis Ewert Grens yok mu? Yıllar önce arkadaşının başına gelen ve bundan dolayı kendini suçladığı kazanın öcünü hırsla almaya çalışırken suça karışmış başka bir arkadaşını korumak için için otuz yıllık mesleğini tehlikeye atacak şekilde delil karartması saçmalık değil de nedir? Peki ya Sven'in de buna uyması. Olum hadi biriniz salaksınız hepiniz mi salaksınız? Kitap değil sıkıcı ve kötü yazılmış bir tiyatro oyunu sanki.
***SPOILER***
Okumayın arkadaşım, bunu da okumayıverin.
Sevgiler, saygılar.
Oysa ki ne umutla almıştım ve başlamıştım. Bron/broen tadında yavaş ilerlese bile gereksiz detaya girmeyen, sürükleyici bir İsveç polisiyesi beklemiştim. Peki ne buldum? Neyin ne olduğu daha kitabın ortasından belli olan, zerre heyecan veya zeka içermeyen vasat ötesi bir kitap.
***SPOILER***
Hele o gerizekalı polis Ewert Grens yok mu? Yıllar önce arkadaşının başına gelen ve bundan dolayı kendini suçladığı kazanın öcünü hırsla almaya çalışırken suça karışmış başka bir arkadaşını korumak için için otuz yıllık mesleğini tehlikeye atacak şekilde delil karartması saçmalık değil de nedir? Peki ya Sven'in de buna uyması. Olum hadi biriniz salaksınız hepiniz mi salaksınız? Kitap değil sıkıcı ve kötü yazılmış bir tiyatro oyunu sanki.
***SPOILER***
Okumayın arkadaşım, bunu da okumayıverin.
Sevgiler, saygılar.
May 3, 2010
not very well written AT ALL.. not "bound to please fans of Stieg Larsson" because Steig Larssons characters jump off the page, you feel for them, understand them, care for them worry for them hate them. Box 21 is such a disappointment. These characters are so one dimensional that their actions do not make sense, and not in the artsy "well humans are complex creatures and do not always make complete sense". It's just simply poorly written.
May 24, 2015
I would give it 5 stars easily if I didn't find disgusting what Grens an Sundkvist did. Stuff like that happen, of course, but in this case their reasons don't justify that in any way. I thought that from the beginning, it wasn't just the ending making me condemn their acts.
May 31, 2023
Den här va rage
October 8, 2018
Roslund y Hellström nos ofrecen en esta despiadada y durísima novela un impactante, inusual y crítico retrato de la sociedad sueca.
Aclamada por la crítica internacional, Estocolmo, Estación Central ha consolidado a este equipo de autores como uno de los mejores representantes de la narrativa sueca actual.
Anders Roslund ha trabajado durante muchos años como director del programa informativo «Aktuellt» y ha recibido varios premios al mejor periodista de investigación.
Börge Hellström es un ex delincuente que trabaja en el campo de la rehabilitación de jóvenes convictos y drogadictos. Es uno de los fundadores de KRIS, una organización sin ánimo de lucro que ayuda a exprisioneros durante sus primeros años de libertad.
Roslund y Hellström se conocieron cuando el primero estaba investigando para un documental sobre KRIS. Börge Hellström se convirtió en uno de los protagonistas del documental y su amistad con Anders Roslund sobrevivió al extraordinario y alentador éxito del programa.
Fruto de la afinidad literaria que se produjo entre ambos nacieron novelas tan brillantes como ésta.
Como novela policíaca es muy entretenida y se lee de un tirón. Es verdad que me ha parecido una novela dura y un tema inquietante que refleja el lado más oscuro de la naturaleza humana, provocando una impotencia ante la injusticia que tardas en olvidar . Lo que resulta más estremecedor es saber que lo que estás leyendo puede estar sucediendo en cualquier país de Europa. Por lo demás es muy interesante, aunque tengo que decir que no estoy de acuerdo con algunas de las decisiones que toman los investigadores del caso.
Aclamada por la crítica internacional, Estocolmo, Estación Central ha consolidado a este equipo de autores como uno de los mejores representantes de la narrativa sueca actual.
Anders Roslund ha trabajado durante muchos años como director del programa informativo «Aktuellt» y ha recibido varios premios al mejor periodista de investigación.
Börge Hellström es un ex delincuente que trabaja en el campo de la rehabilitación de jóvenes convictos y drogadictos. Es uno de los fundadores de KRIS, una organización sin ánimo de lucro que ayuda a exprisioneros durante sus primeros años de libertad.
Roslund y Hellström se conocieron cuando el primero estaba investigando para un documental sobre KRIS. Börge Hellström se convirtió en uno de los protagonistas del documental y su amistad con Anders Roslund sobrevivió al extraordinario y alentador éxito del programa.
Fruto de la afinidad literaria que se produjo entre ambos nacieron novelas tan brillantes como ésta.
Como novela policíaca es muy entretenida y se lee de un tirón. Es verdad que me ha parecido una novela dura y un tema inquietante que refleja el lado más oscuro de la naturaleza humana, provocando una impotencia ante la injusticia que tardas en olvidar . Lo que resulta más estremecedor es saber que lo que estás leyendo puede estar sucediendo en cualquier país de Europa. Por lo demás es muy interesante, aunque tengo que decir que no estoy de acuerdo con algunas de las decisiones que toman los investigadores del caso.
August 19, 2012
I had a hard time rating this book. It's well written--the characterization is good, once things get going, and the plotting and pacing are good as well. That being said, the book is about despicable people doing horrific things, and two policemen who are so concerned about a partner's reputation that they destroy evidence without giving a single thought to stopping the bad guys.
The theme is an increasingly common one: young girls taken from Eastern European countries with a promise of a better life in the West, only to be forced into prostitution. There's a series of crimes, a seedy cast of characters, a bent cop, and two cops who discover the truth--only to cover it up.
The thing that made me want to throw the book against the wall: the two cops investigating the crimes had evidence that would have allowed them to stop the human trafficking, and with no thought whatsoever to that aspect, they destroy the evidence; their only concern is the dead cop's reputation and his wife's feelings. I didn't get the impression the authors were making a statement about police cynicism and the futility of trying to stop these criminals, it seemed like a genuine omission from the book, like nobody was supposed to look at the bigger picture.
I wasn't sure whether to give this two stars or four, so I split the difference; it gets a bonus star for craftsmanship.
The theme is an increasingly common one: young girls taken from Eastern European countries with a promise of a better life in the West, only to be forced into prostitution. There's a series of crimes, a seedy cast of characters, a bent cop, and two cops who discover the truth--only to cover it up.
The thing that made me want to throw the book against the wall: the two cops investigating the crimes had evidence that would have allowed them to stop the human trafficking, and with no thought whatsoever to that aspect, they destroy the evidence; their only concern is the dead cop's reputation and his wife's feelings. I didn't get the impression the authors were making a statement about police cynicism and the futility of trying to stop these criminals, it seemed like a genuine omission from the book, like nobody was supposed to look at the bigger picture.
I wasn't sure whether to give this two stars or four, so I split the difference; it gets a bonus star for craftsmanship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2011
Hmmmmm, not so much. A thriller set in Stockholm. The main character is a detective superintendent who, 30 years earlier, watched his partner, also the love of his life get gunned down. She lived, and resides in a facility where she is cared for, and has the brain function of a baby. She does not know Grens, her former lover. But he spends his entire life mourning her loss, alienating everyone in his life except the other police officer who was at the scene. They form a strong bond and friendship. Grens uses all his waking hours trying to find a way to put the man responsible behind bars for life.
Meantime, very young Latvian teens are being brought to Sweden and then sold into a 'life' of prostitution - having to service 12 men per day behind the locked doors of an undisclosed apartment and endure horrific beatings from their bastard pimp. The story races along for a while and then slows down. Grens, the grieving detective becomes increasingly frustrating for this reader as he is unable to move past his anger and grief.
At the end, it's a sad and twisted world, that's very hard to navigate.
Meantime, very young Latvian teens are being brought to Sweden and then sold into a 'life' of prostitution - having to service 12 men per day behind the locked doors of an undisclosed apartment and endure horrific beatings from their bastard pimp. The story races along for a while and then slows down. Grens, the grieving detective becomes increasingly frustrating for this reader as he is unable to move past his anger and grief.
At the end, it's a sad and twisted world, that's very hard to navigate.
December 22, 2011
The Vault (in my translation, Box 21) by Anders Roslund is the second in a series following the gritty cases of hard-core police detectives Gresn & Sundkvist. There is passion but no sentimentality in this police procedural about a young girl kidnapped from Vilnius and forced into prostitution who seeks vengeance and the vengeance Detective Grens seeks on the man who destroyed the life of fellow detective (and love of his life) Anni, 20 years earlier.
The story is often sordid, filled with junkies, contrasting with the apparently happy middle class lives of families that in fact often cover their own sordid secrets. The book is a can't-put-down page-turner that is both painful and exciting.
The story is often sordid, filled with junkies, contrasting with the apparently happy middle class lives of families that in fact often cover their own sordid secrets. The book is a can't-put-down page-turner that is both painful and exciting.
September 13, 2010
This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a really long time. I liked everything about it, the writing style, the characters, everything was perfect. This would be the perfect gift for the reader in your life.
September 3, 2021
This book is grim. Drug addicts, sex trafficking, abuse, murder, suicide, basically 400 pages of bleakness.
At the core of the story lies the question if it is okay to keep the truth from someone to cause them no more pain. Can recommend to read to find out.
At the core of the story lies the question if it is okay to keep the truth from someone to cause them no more pain. Can recommend to read to find out.
September 4, 2020
Goed boek, smaakt naar meer.
July 16, 2021
En riktigt bra deckare av Roslund & Hellström. När jag satte mig så kunde jag inte slita mig.
Tycker att författarna har gjort ett riktigt bra jobb att nå fram med sitt budskap genom att blanda verklighet och fiktion. Majoriteten som läsar denna boken kommer nog att märka att detta område är betydligt större än vad man trodde att det var. Kommer nog vara någon form av ögonöppnare för de flesta.
Kort sagt så är det en riktigt bra bok som jag fick en ögonöppnare av detta stora problem som finns i hela samhället utan att någon märker det. Högst läsvärd.
Tycker att författarna har gjort ett riktigt bra jobb att nå fram med sitt budskap genom att blanda verklighet och fiktion. Majoriteten som läsar denna boken kommer nog att märka att detta område är betydligt större än vad man trodde att det var. Kommer nog vara någon form av ögonöppnare för de flesta.
Kort sagt så är det en riktigt bra bok som jag fick en ögonöppnare av detta stora problem som finns i hela samhället utan att någon märker det. Högst läsvärd.
April 11, 2025
Karm raamat. Võtsin puhkusele kaasa lugemiseks & alustasin lennukis. Esimese 10lk sain aru, et rannalugemiseks olin ikka väga vale valiku teinud ja heitsin raamatu kõrvale. Järgmine päev pakkisin siiski randa kaasa & proovisin uuesti. Ikka karm ja panin kotti. Aga siis paari h pärast võtsin taas ette ja lugesin lõpuni. Hästi kirjutatud raamat, aga karmid elukäigud. Lõpplahendus teeb vihaseks ka.
June 17, 2025
Tung. Hemsk. Jobbig. Bra. Äkta.
Återigen en semester-sträckläsning, den här gången en bok som var jobbigare än jag var beredd på men bra, äkta skriven. Väckte tankar om vad det är för samhälle vi faktiskt lever i, hur lite man ser, hur mycket man blundar för.
Återigen en semester-sträckläsning, den här gången en bok som var jobbigare än jag var beredd på men bra, äkta skriven. Väckte tankar om vad det är för samhälle vi faktiskt lever i, hur lite man ser, hur mycket man blundar för.
October 3, 2022
Not a great read. I could not get invested in any of the characters. Everything about it was depressing
August 21, 2023
Superbra kriminalroman så om man gillar genren är den värd att läsa. Väldigt rå och visar samhällets mörka sidor. 👍🏻👍🏻
August 15, 2025
Tyckte tyvärr att extramaterialet var bättre och intressantare än själva boken
August 20, 2016
RATING: 4.5
It’s really disheartening to think of the thousands (millions?) of women’s lives that have been destroyed by the sex slave industry. BOX 21 takes us deep into that world by focusing on the situation of two Lithuanian women who were forced into sex slavery in Sweden. The book tells their story in a very straightforward manner. The wrongs that they have to endure are heartrending. Locked into an apartment for three years and forced to service at least a dozen men each day, Lydia Grajauskas and Alena Sijusareva have adapted to their situation, both in different ways. Lydia performs extra acts for the men and keeps the money that she charges hidden from the pimp in hopes of eventually breaking away. Before she can do so, he beats her almost to death and ends up in the hospital. She escapes from her room and manages to hold several hospital workers hostage. It isn’t clear what she is seeking; only later, do all of her actions and the final resolution of the situation make horrifying sense.
Ewert Grens is the lead detective handling the case. He is a man who is renowned for the results of his investigations and his laser-like focus on every case he handles. However, he’s haunted by an incident that occurred many years earlier that resulted in the destruction of the woman he loves, who is now institutionalized. The man that he blames, Jochum Lang, is a mob enforcer who has just been released from prison; Ewert becomes consumed by his need to punish Lang. Despite the fact that he is known for his ethics and integrity, Grens begins to bend the rules in very inappropriate ways, tampering with evidence, in an effort to protect his best and only friend’s reputation. His younger partner, Sven Sundkvist, faces off with Ewert—but it’s hard to paint things black and white when it means that innocent people may be hurt.
The plight of the sex slaves was well rendered, factual without being sensational or prurient. It was sad to see how innocent young women were fooled and used so disgracefully. There are no happy endings; it’s something that is almost impossible to stop. There is always a gullible girl who will believe that she is escaping to a better life, unfortunately. The parallel story of Grens’ slide into compromising his integrity is riveting as well. In a twisted sense of justice, he allows a man he knows to be innocent to be convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, a kind of payback for the crimes that he did commit.
BOX 21 is an intense book, with an unflinching view of reality. It goes beyond being a thriller or police procedural; reading the book forces one to consider the nature of justice and vengeance, women’s rights and how far we are willing to go to protect a loved one. The final resolution made my jaw drop; the beautifully wrapped package really masks a snake. On the minus side, the characterization was a bit flat and the narrative jumped around between time periods and points of view in a way that was at times confusing.
Anders Roslund is the former head of Culture News on Swedish television; Borge Hellstrom is an ex-criminal who helps rehabilitate drug addicts and young criminals. They’ve written several books together; I for one will eagerly await their translation into English.
It’s really disheartening to think of the thousands (millions?) of women’s lives that have been destroyed by the sex slave industry. BOX 21 takes us deep into that world by focusing on the situation of two Lithuanian women who were forced into sex slavery in Sweden. The book tells their story in a very straightforward manner. The wrongs that they have to endure are heartrending. Locked into an apartment for three years and forced to service at least a dozen men each day, Lydia Grajauskas and Alena Sijusareva have adapted to their situation, both in different ways. Lydia performs extra acts for the men and keeps the money that she charges hidden from the pimp in hopes of eventually breaking away. Before she can do so, he beats her almost to death and ends up in the hospital. She escapes from her room and manages to hold several hospital workers hostage. It isn’t clear what she is seeking; only later, do all of her actions and the final resolution of the situation make horrifying sense.
Ewert Grens is the lead detective handling the case. He is a man who is renowned for the results of his investigations and his laser-like focus on every case he handles. However, he’s haunted by an incident that occurred many years earlier that resulted in the destruction of the woman he loves, who is now institutionalized. The man that he blames, Jochum Lang, is a mob enforcer who has just been released from prison; Ewert becomes consumed by his need to punish Lang. Despite the fact that he is known for his ethics and integrity, Grens begins to bend the rules in very inappropriate ways, tampering with evidence, in an effort to protect his best and only friend’s reputation. His younger partner, Sven Sundkvist, faces off with Ewert—but it’s hard to paint things black and white when it means that innocent people may be hurt.
The plight of the sex slaves was well rendered, factual without being sensational or prurient. It was sad to see how innocent young women were fooled and used so disgracefully. There are no happy endings; it’s something that is almost impossible to stop. There is always a gullible girl who will believe that she is escaping to a better life, unfortunately. The parallel story of Grens’ slide into compromising his integrity is riveting as well. In a twisted sense of justice, he allows a man he knows to be innocent to be convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, a kind of payback for the crimes that he did commit.
BOX 21 is an intense book, with an unflinching view of reality. It goes beyond being a thriller or police procedural; reading the book forces one to consider the nature of justice and vengeance, women’s rights and how far we are willing to go to protect a loved one. The final resolution made my jaw drop; the beautifully wrapped package really masks a snake. On the minus side, the characterization was a bit flat and the narrative jumped around between time periods and points of view in a way that was at times confusing.
Anders Roslund is the former head of Culture News on Swedish television; Borge Hellstrom is an ex-criminal who helps rehabilitate drug addicts and young criminals. They’ve written several books together; I for one will eagerly await their translation into English.
April 16, 2012
Hlavní hrdinkou tohoto románu je Lydia Grajaukas, která byla pod slibem zaměstnání a svobody přepravena z Litvy do Švédska (Stockholmu). Ale ukázalo se, že byla další obětí překupnictví s bílým masem a koupil ji pasák jménem Dimitrij. Když si Lydia po letech bokem něco ušetří, vždy za extra služby si řekla něco na víc, odmítne dále dělat kurvu. Dimitrij ji za to zbije do bezvědomí, ale s podezřením na domácí násilí do bytu vtrhne policie.
V Södermalmské nemocnici, ve které právě Lydia leží, se nalezne mrtvé tělo feťáka. Alena, která byla také kurva patřící Dimitrijovi, propašuje do nemocnice pistoly, provaz a semtex. Díky těmto věcem Lydie zadrží 5 rukojmí v márnici nemocnice, všem zaváže ruce a připevní na ně semtex. Kvůli výbušnině na chodbách k márnici, se k ní a rukojmím ani policie nedostane. A jediné, co Lydie chce, je pomstít se člověku, který, podle ní, má život jaký žila na svědomí.
Pověsila telefon zpátky do vidlice na zdi. Zapnula mobilní telefon, zmáčkla tlačítko se zeleným symbolem a zvolila čtyřmístný kód, jak ji to naučil starší lékař.
Čekala jenom několik vteřin.
Ozvalo se zvonění, přesně jak očekávala.
Nechala telefon chvíli zvonit, potom ho zvedla, ten černý, který visel na zdi.
„Čas vypršel.“
Hlas Bengta Nordwalla.
„Lydie, potřebujeme…“
Prudce udeřila do telefonu.
„Udělali jste, o co jsem vás žádala?“
„Potřebujeme trochu víc času. Jenom chvíli. Abychom stačili vyřídit nedorozumění s telefony.“
Po čele jí stékal studený pot. Každý nádech cítila jako bodnutí do žeber. Bylo jí zatěžko se soustředit, udržet bolest v šachu. Uhodila ústím pistole do telefonu. Tentokrát víckrát, důrazněji. Ale neřekla ani slovo.
Bengt Nordwall čekal, slyšel její vzdalující se kroky. Věděla, že se opět otáčí ke kolegům, kteří tam stáli se sluchátky a snažili se porozumět. Chytil telefon, po chvíli zavolal, tak hlasitě, jak mu to dovoloval strach.
„Haló!“
Slyšel, jak se ozvěna odráží ode zdí, jak jeho slova tančí místností.
„Haló!“
Potom uslyšel to, co slyšet nechtěl.
Box 21 není kniha pro slabší povahy. Nejen, že se dozvíme o nelegálním obchodu se sexem, více než bychom chtěly, ale i policejním systému ve Švédsku. Během knihy stále měníme vlastní názor na většinu postav – s odpornými postavami můžeme po čase cítit soucit a naopak. Žádný člověk z knížky není vyloženě ten dobrý a ten špatný.
V Södermalmské nemocnici, ve které právě Lydia leží, se nalezne mrtvé tělo feťáka. Alena, která byla také kurva patřící Dimitrijovi, propašuje do nemocnice pistoly, provaz a semtex. Díky těmto věcem Lydie zadrží 5 rukojmí v márnici nemocnice, všem zaváže ruce a připevní na ně semtex. Kvůli výbušnině na chodbách k márnici, se k ní a rukojmím ani policie nedostane. A jediné, co Lydie chce, je pomstít se člověku, který, podle ní, má život jaký žila na svědomí.
Pověsila telefon zpátky do vidlice na zdi. Zapnula mobilní telefon, zmáčkla tlačítko se zeleným symbolem a zvolila čtyřmístný kód, jak ji to naučil starší lékař.
Čekala jenom několik vteřin.
Ozvalo se zvonění, přesně jak očekávala.
Nechala telefon chvíli zvonit, potom ho zvedla, ten černý, který visel na zdi.
„Čas vypršel.“
Hlas Bengta Nordwalla.
„Lydie, potřebujeme…“
Prudce udeřila do telefonu.
„Udělali jste, o co jsem vás žádala?“
„Potřebujeme trochu víc času. Jenom chvíli. Abychom stačili vyřídit nedorozumění s telefony.“
Po čele jí stékal studený pot. Každý nádech cítila jako bodnutí do žeber. Bylo jí zatěžko se soustředit, udržet bolest v šachu. Uhodila ústím pistole do telefonu. Tentokrát víckrát, důrazněji. Ale neřekla ani slovo.
Bengt Nordwall čekal, slyšel její vzdalující se kroky. Věděla, že se opět otáčí ke kolegům, kteří tam stáli se sluchátky a snažili se porozumět. Chytil telefon, po chvíli zavolal, tak hlasitě, jak mu to dovoloval strach.
„Haló!“
Slyšel, jak se ozvěna odráží ode zdí, jak jeho slova tančí místností.
„Haló!“
Potom uslyšel to, co slyšet nechtěl.
Box 21 není kniha pro slabší povahy. Nejen, že se dozvíme o nelegálním obchodu se sexem, více než bychom chtěly, ale i policejním systému ve Švédsku. Během knihy stále měníme vlastní názor na většinu postav – s odpornými postavami můžeme po čase cítit soucit a naopak. Žádný člověk z knížky není vyloženě ten dobrý a ten špatný.
August 25, 2025
Detta är andra boken i serien om Ewert Grens, denna kom ut 2005. Den första heter Odjuret.
Det är sex år sedan jag läste första boken i serien, så det var inte så mycket som jag kom ihåg. Jag brukar rekommendera att man läser en serie i rätt ordning för att få med det mesta när det kommer till hur de återkommande karaktärerna utvecklas. Jag märkte inget direkt att jag inte hade handlingen från förra boken färsk i minnet, så det går absolut bra att läsa de som fristående.
Ser tillbaka på vad jag tyckte om första boken så ser jag att jag ansåg att boken inte följde polisen så jättemycket, att det var flera andra som man följde. Nu kommer jag inte ihåg hur mycket plats varje person fick i handlingen. Men jag märker något liknande här. Det är inte bara en som man följer mycket, utan det är utspridd rätt så jämnt mellan en handfull karaktärer.
Så jag skulle säga att än så länge är det inte riktigt en serie om Ewert Gren, kanske han tar en större roll i kommande böcker. Det känns mera som att det är handlingen, ämnet författarna berör, som är den centrala karaktären, om man nu kan kalla den för det. Varje person är viktiga och de har alla sin historia att berätta, sitt mörker och demoner som de måste hantera.
För om det är något som denna bok är så är den mörk och brutal, inte brutal som i att den är blodig och våldsam, nej brutal i den bemärkelsen att den visar upp samhällets mörka sida, som vi vanliga kanske väljer att inte se.
Det finns nog ingen karaktär i centrum som är god, de lever alla i en gråzon och en del av dem ställs inför dilemma som gör att de måste avgöra vad som är rätt och vad som är fel. Men rätt och fel finns inget glasklart svar på, enligt lagen eller enligt något annat inom sig. Val som gör att man kan leva med sig själv.
Detta är en deckare som förmedlar så mycket mera än spänning och underhållning, även om den absolut gör detta. Nej, den har en djup när det kommer till det samhällskritiska och även det inre inom människan.
Jag rekommenderar denna till alla som vill ha en tyngre, men ej svårläst, spänningsroman. Som har en otrolig insikt i samhällets baksida och mångbottnade karaktärer.
http://hakanshylla.blogspot.com
Det är sex år sedan jag läste första boken i serien, så det var inte så mycket som jag kom ihåg. Jag brukar rekommendera att man läser en serie i rätt ordning för att få med det mesta när det kommer till hur de återkommande karaktärerna utvecklas. Jag märkte inget direkt att jag inte hade handlingen från förra boken färsk i minnet, så det går absolut bra att läsa de som fristående.
Ser tillbaka på vad jag tyckte om första boken så ser jag att jag ansåg att boken inte följde polisen så jättemycket, att det var flera andra som man följde. Nu kommer jag inte ihåg hur mycket plats varje person fick i handlingen. Men jag märker något liknande här. Det är inte bara en som man följer mycket, utan det är utspridd rätt så jämnt mellan en handfull karaktärer.
Så jag skulle säga att än så länge är det inte riktigt en serie om Ewert Gren, kanske han tar en större roll i kommande böcker. Det känns mera som att det är handlingen, ämnet författarna berör, som är den centrala karaktären, om man nu kan kalla den för det. Varje person är viktiga och de har alla sin historia att berätta, sitt mörker och demoner som de måste hantera.
För om det är något som denna bok är så är den mörk och brutal, inte brutal som i att den är blodig och våldsam, nej brutal i den bemärkelsen att den visar upp samhällets mörka sida, som vi vanliga kanske väljer att inte se.
Det finns nog ingen karaktär i centrum som är god, de lever alla i en gråzon och en del av dem ställs inför dilemma som gör att de måste avgöra vad som är rätt och vad som är fel. Men rätt och fel finns inget glasklart svar på, enligt lagen eller enligt något annat inom sig. Val som gör att man kan leva med sig själv.
Detta är en deckare som förmedlar så mycket mera än spänning och underhållning, även om den absolut gör detta. Nej, den har en djup när det kommer till det samhällskritiska och även det inre inom människan.
Jag rekommenderar denna till alla som vill ha en tyngre, men ej svårläst, spänningsroman. Som har en otrolig insikt i samhällets baksida och mångbottnade karaktärer.
http://hakanshylla.blogspot.com
April 19, 2015
Crime novels are generally not something that holds a lot of interest for me, but I have to admit that I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Box 21 deals with human trafficking and sexual slavery, so trigger warning for those who might have sensitivities to those subjects. The chapters were short and alternated between the perspectives of several characters which kept the pacing fast. I liked characters' who had perspective chapters where not just the main detectives (Ewert Grens and Sven Sundkvist) but also victims, criminals, and other people involved in the justice process. Having victims and criminals with their own chapters kept things interesting for me, and I think that is part of the reason why this crime novel held my attention better than others I have tried in the past. Or maybe my taste in novels is just expanding. Either way, it was a quick read and I was eager to know what happened next.
Despite not having a huge deal of experience with reading crime novels, I feel like this novel wasn't exactly original. That doesn't mean it was bad by any means though. Sometimes ideas are used a lot because they work and are entertaining. There were two plot twists that I predicted before it was actually explained, but I didn't mind because it made me feel like I was super clever to figure things out early, haha. My one complaint with the novel is that occasionally it felt a little awkward in the wording of things. I think is this more of an issue with translation than the actual story, but it was enough to make me notice and break my focus on the story. That is why I knocked a star off. I would read more in the Grens and Sundkvist series or more by these authors.
Despite not having a huge deal of experience with reading crime novels, I feel like this novel wasn't exactly original. That doesn't mean it was bad by any means though. Sometimes ideas are used a lot because they work and are entertaining. There were two plot twists that I predicted before it was actually explained, but I didn't mind because it made me feel like I was super clever to figure things out early, haha. My one complaint with the novel is that occasionally it felt a little awkward in the wording of things. I think is this more of an issue with translation than the actual story, but it was enough to make me notice and break my focus on the story. That is why I knocked a star off. I would read more in the Grens and Sundkvist series or more by these authors.
November 3, 2016
''Αυτή η ντροπή είναι μεγαλύτερη από οτιδήποτε άλλο. Αυτό το τίμημα δεν είναι κανένας διατεθειμένος να το πληρώσει. Μια απομόνωση της οποίας η διάρκεια είναι παντοτινή'' (Σελ. 437)
Κάθε βιβλίο των Roslund kai Hellstrom που διαβάζω με αφήνει στο τέλος με μια πικρή αίσθηση, τα φινάλε των σκοτεινών ιστοριών τους δεν προσφέρουν κανενός είδους κάθαρση, δεν μπορούμε να μιλήσουμε για δικαίωση του θυματος και τιμωρία του θύτη και αυτό συμβαίνει επειδή σε όλο το βιβλίο το εξαιρετικό, σουηδικό συγγραφικό δίδυμο κάνει ότι μπορεί για να αλλοιώσει τα όρια που χωρίζουν τον ένοχο από τον αθώο. Προσωπικά, θεωρώ ότι η ''Θυρίδα'' είναι το πιο βαρύ και μελαγχολικο τους έργο και εν μέρει αυτό οφείλεται στο κεντρικό θέμα (trafficking-πορνεία). Η αγφήγηση είναι γρηήγορη και πυκνή, είναι ένα ''γεμάτο'' βιβλίο που δεν σε αφήνει να πάρεις ανάσα μέχρι και την τελευταία φράση του βιβλίου όπου φανερώνεται το μεγάλο plot twist. Στο περιθώριο της εξέλιξης αυτής της καλά ΄΄δεμένης΄΄ πλοκής, οι Roslund και Hellstrom στοχάζονται πάνω στο αίσθημα της ντροπής και της συντριπτικής επίδρασής της στους ανθρώπους. Οι περιγραφές είναι σκληρές και ρεαλιστικές, σχεδόν νατουραλιστικές ( ας μην ξεχνάμε ότι ο ίδιος ο Hellstrom είναι πρώην κατάδικος και ασχολείται έντονα με οργανώσεις κοινωνικής μέριμνας και επανένταξης) και οι διάλογοι είναι σύντομοι κοφτοί και απότομοι σαν τον χαρακτήρα του κεντρικού ήρωα-ντετέκτιβ Ewert Grens ( η λέξη ''Grens'' στα σουηδικά σημαίνει το όριο).
Για τους πιστούς του σκανδιναβικού crime συστήνεται ανεπιφύλακτα, για όσους δεν θέλουν σκοτεινές και ψυχοπλακωτικές ιστορίες δεν θα το πρότεινα σε καμία περίπτωση.
Κάθε βιβλίο των Roslund kai Hellstrom που διαβάζω με αφήνει στο τέλος με μια πικρή αίσθηση, τα φινάλε των σκοτεινών ιστοριών τους δεν προσφέρουν κανενός είδους κάθαρση, δεν μπορούμε να μιλήσουμε για δικαίωση του θυματος και τιμωρία του θύτη και αυτό συμβαίνει επειδή σε όλο το βιβλίο το εξαιρετικό, σουηδικό συγγραφικό δίδυμο κάνει ότι μπορεί για να αλλοιώσει τα όρια που χωρίζουν τον ένοχο από τον αθώο. Προσωπικά, θεωρώ ότι η ''Θυρίδα'' είναι το πιο βαρύ και μελαγχολικο τους έργο και εν μέρει αυτό οφείλεται στο κεντρικό θέμα (trafficking-πορνεία). Η αγφήγηση είναι γρηήγορη και πυκνή, είναι ένα ''γεμάτο'' βιβλίο που δεν σε αφήνει να πάρεις ανάσα μέχρι και την τελευταία φράση του βιβλίου όπου φανερώνεται το μεγάλο plot twist. Στο περιθώριο της εξέλιξης αυτής της καλά ΄΄δεμένης΄΄ πλοκής, οι Roslund και Hellstrom στοχάζονται πάνω στο αίσθημα της ντροπής και της συντριπτικής επίδρασής της στους ανθρώπους. Οι περιγραφές είναι σκληρές και ρεαλιστικές, σχεδόν νατουραλιστικές ( ας μην ξεχνάμε ότι ο ίδιος ο Hellstrom είναι πρώην κατάδικος και ασχολείται έντονα με οργανώσεις κοινωνικής μέριμνας και επανένταξης) και οι διάλογοι είναι σύντομοι κοφτοί και απότομοι σαν τον χαρακτήρα του κεντρικού ήρωα-ντετέκτιβ Ewert Grens ( η λέξη ''Grens'' στα σουηδικά σημαίνει το όριο).
Για τους πιστούς του σκανδιναβικού crime συστήνεται ανεπιφύλακτα, για όσους δεν θέλουν σκοτεινές και ψυχοπλακωτικές ιστορίες δεν θα το πρότεινα σε καμία περίπτωση.
January 2, 2010
I was really excited to start Box 21 and was kind of disappointed by the result. This book was marketed towards the fans of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and as "the best crime thriller of the year" to which it fell short. Many parts of the book dragged on and were predictable (especially the big "reveal" at the end) which kind of ruined the book for me. And although this book dealt with deplorable issues such as human trafficking, I didn't feel as moved as I should have--maybe due to the translation? (Originally a Scandinavian thriller).
Overall, it was an okay read. I might have enjoyed it more had it not been for the hype (or overhype as the case may be).
The subject material is not for everybody as it does deal with sensitive issues which are graphically described.
Overall, it was an okay read. I might have enjoyed it more had it not been for the hype (or overhype as the case may be).
The subject material is not for everybody as it does deal with sensitive issues which are graphically described.
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