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Hartland trilogie #1
De vlinder en de storm
De vlinder en de storm is het eerste boek in de Hartland Trilogie en werd bekroond met de Schaduwprijs.
Achter een ordinaire hit-and-run op een Afghaans jongetje in het Amsterdamse Bos blijkt een wereld van kindersmokkel en machtsmisbruik schuil te gaan. Journalisten Farah Hafez en Paul Chapelle gaan op onderzoek uit en raken levensgevaarlijk verstrikt in een internationaal crimineel netwerk en een politiek spel.
Achter een ordinaire hit-and-run op een Afghaans jongetje in het Amsterdamse Bos blijkt een wereld van kindersmokkel en machtsmisbruik schuil te gaan. Journalisten Farah Hafez en Paul Chapelle gaan op onderzoek uit en raken levensgevaarlijk verstrikt in een internationaal crimineel netwerk en een politiek spel.
586 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2013
15 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Walter Lucius
11 books13 followersWalter Lucius is the pen name of Walter Goverde. He was born in Den Helder, the Netherlands, in 1954. The writer, sceenwriter, producer and director died on 22 July 2021 at the age of 67. He suffered since a long time from serious depressions.
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March 24, 2017DNF @ 20%
I gave this until 20% to give this a bit of a chance before I decided to give it up (I wanted to give it up at 5%).
I'm disappointed to put this one down because I thought it could be a new series to get into... but no. This is not a badly written book and already the premise for the crime is pretty unique. But I have an issue with our main character, Farah, and the fact that this was already overly sexual for a police procedural type novel.
My issues with the main character are as follows:
- She is some sort of kung fu master, with an aggressive rage she can't control, but she's soft as anything really... Cliche.
- She is a model... Or rather she is described as a model lookalike. Why does she have to be so pretty? So she gets her way with everyone that she meets? Give me a break.
- She drives a fancy old "badass" car. Oh, she's soooo cool.
- She has the most expensive of clothing brands to wear and is sleeping with a movie director? It's time to stop.
As for the sexual bits, here's my issues:
- Farah just happens to walk into the blast from a fire engine? Results of this? Wet tshirt, and she's not wearing a bra. Lots of breast talk. Gross.
- Before the first 5% of the book is over we have a sex scene that's semi graphic. I'm no prude but it just didn't feel right.
So that's why I put this book down so early. I feel bad, it's a Netgalley book and I don't like DNFing a book given to me for the purposes of a review, but I wouldn't have been able to finish this one before publication date, or even within a week, probably.
Note: if you're into police procedurals you may very well like this book, this is just my personal preference for the kind of crime novels I like to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I gave this until 20% to give this a bit of a chance before I decided to give it up (I wanted to give it up at 5%).
I'm disappointed to put this one down because I thought it could be a new series to get into... but no. This is not a badly written book and already the premise for the crime is pretty unique. But I have an issue with our main character, Farah, and the fact that this was already overly sexual for a police procedural type novel.
My issues with the main character are as follows:
- She is some sort of kung fu master, with an aggressive rage she can't control, but she's soft as anything really... Cliche.
- She is a model... Or rather she is described as a model lookalike. Why does she have to be so pretty? So she gets her way with everyone that she meets? Give me a break.
- She drives a fancy old "badass" car. Oh, she's soooo cool.
- She has the most expensive of clothing brands to wear and is sleeping with a movie director? It's time to stop.
As for the sexual bits, here's my issues:
- Farah just happens to walk into the blast from a fire engine? Results of this? Wet tshirt, and she's not wearing a bra. Lots of breast talk. Gross.
- Before the first 5% of the book is over we have a sex scene that's semi graphic. I'm no prude but it just didn't feel right.
So that's why I put this book down so early. I feel bad, it's a Netgalley book and I don't like DNFing a book given to me for the purposes of a review, but I wouldn't have been able to finish this one before publication date, or even within a week, probably.
Note: if you're into police procedurals you may very well like this book, this is just my personal preference for the kind of crime novels I like to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2017
Walter Lucius butterfly on the storm, was brilliant in every sense, I finished this book in the early hours of the morning.
Thank you everyone at NG the publishers and to Walter Lucius for allowing me to read this awesome novel, recommended this novel to everyone.
Thank you everyone at NG the publishers and to Walter Lucius for allowing me to read this awesome novel, recommended this novel to everyone.
March 27, 2017
Butterfly on the Storm is a multi-layered thriller with an original premise, it was something that I haven't seen tackled in another thriller before. It wanted to achieve so much, and the story and characters were so ambitious, and while in the end it didn’t really work for me, I can acknowledge the mastery in which the author presented themes such as corruption, sexual slavery, political games and greed, all in a way was that felt extremely genuine.
It was well written and you can clearly see how much research went in creating the story and the world but unfortunately, at times, it’s hard to care about the story when the characters don’t resonate with you. The only character that I liked was the doctor, Danielle, but she gets the most page-time at the start of the book, which is probably the reason why I liked the first part of this book better than the last.
If you’re into complex political thrillers that are not only fun to read, but also reflect on the current issues of our society, then you should give Butterfly on the Storm a go.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for providing me with this copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
It was well written and you can clearly see how much research went in creating the story and the world but unfortunately, at times, it’s hard to care about the story when the characters don’t resonate with you. The only character that I liked was the doctor, Danielle, but she gets the most page-time at the start of the book, which is probably the reason why I liked the first part of this book better than the last.
If you’re into complex political thrillers that are not only fun to read, but also reflect on the current issues of our society, then you should give Butterfly on the Storm a go.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for providing me with this copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2017
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.
This had all the elements to be a great story. Regrettably, the author continually got in the way of the presentation. Here’s a rundown on the book, without spoilers:
Author Walter Lucius has crafted a world that is filled with interesting characters. The plot is woven with care, and the cast of characters aid in the telling of the tale. Some of the characters are brilliant. Detective Marouan Diba, part of the supporting cast, reveals much of what drives him, and the mysterious, regular caller to his cell phone is a fantastic and scary creation.
You can tell the author has taken great care to understand his characters. Readers are allowed deep glimpses into their thoughts and actions, which is a positive. Understanding the motivations help to drive this book forward. The problem, though, is in the method Mr. Lucius presents this information. We are not given the chance to see how the characters are affected by viewing their actions. Instead, we are taken into that person’s thoughts, and given lengthy explanations on every tiny facet of a reaction. While informative, this is more telling than showing, and adds pages and pages unnecessarily to the book. More pages, more opportunities to slow down the conversations and the plot.
Mr. Lucius also tends to rely on a particular writing technique, and uses it over and over and over. There are constant instances in the book where a point is made, and then it is emphasized with a partial sentence. Numerous chapters end this way, and the method is employed throughout the book. Additionally, the habit of using incomplete sentences pops up a lot. Employed sparingly, this technique can be powerful. Used habitually, it becomes an annoyance.
Because of the nature of the book, it is imperative for the writer to have a solid understanding of the different professions he assigns to his characters. Some of the events that happen in the hospital appear melodramatic and staged, as well as clashing with the reality of how doctors are assigned their tasks within the daily operations of a large medical facility. The police procedures described are not what are usually followed in an early investigation (for instance, allowing the public to walk around in a crime scene area, to allow a forensic expert to ignore their important tasks and instantly fall into a conversation with the crime scene intruder, or to completely ignore the obvious and cordon off or at least investigate the possibility of a larger crime scene area). I recognize that by disregarding the usual procedures the heroine is seen as a strong character with incredible investigative skills, but ignoring standard police procedure in order to create this character drops a powerful, realistic story down to the level of a fantasy.
The strongest part of the book is the plot itself. Mr. Lucius winds first this way, then that, twisting all the different strands until you wonder how he will be able to bring them all together. The author effortlessly drives the story to its conclusion, managing to do this without dropping a single strand.
For those who like to know, there are profanities in the book (including f-bombs), although the profanities are not used by all the characters.
Bottom line: Strong, well-designed plot, with an interesting story and motivated characters to go along with it, weakened by constant partial sentences and a disregard for basic police (and possibly hospital) procedures. Even so, I was leaning toward three-and-a-half stars rounded to four until I reached the final page and discovered this long book ends with a cliffhanger. Authors should rely on the strength of their finished product to bring readers back rather than force them to buy the next book to find out the ending. Three stars.
This had all the elements to be a great story. Regrettably, the author continually got in the way of the presentation. Here’s a rundown on the book, without spoilers:
Author Walter Lucius has crafted a world that is filled with interesting characters. The plot is woven with care, and the cast of characters aid in the telling of the tale. Some of the characters are brilliant. Detective Marouan Diba, part of the supporting cast, reveals much of what drives him, and the mysterious, regular caller to his cell phone is a fantastic and scary creation.
You can tell the author has taken great care to understand his characters. Readers are allowed deep glimpses into their thoughts and actions, which is a positive. Understanding the motivations help to drive this book forward. The problem, though, is in the method Mr. Lucius presents this information. We are not given the chance to see how the characters are affected by viewing their actions. Instead, we are taken into that person’s thoughts, and given lengthy explanations on every tiny facet of a reaction. While informative, this is more telling than showing, and adds pages and pages unnecessarily to the book. More pages, more opportunities to slow down the conversations and the plot.
Mr. Lucius also tends to rely on a particular writing technique, and uses it over and over and over. There are constant instances in the book where a point is made, and then it is emphasized with a partial sentence. Numerous chapters end this way, and the method is employed throughout the book. Additionally, the habit of using incomplete sentences pops up a lot. Employed sparingly, this technique can be powerful. Used habitually, it becomes an annoyance.
Because of the nature of the book, it is imperative for the writer to have a solid understanding of the different professions he assigns to his characters. Some of the events that happen in the hospital appear melodramatic and staged, as well as clashing with the reality of how doctors are assigned their tasks within the daily operations of a large medical facility. The police procedures described are not what are usually followed in an early investigation (for instance, allowing the public to walk around in a crime scene area, to allow a forensic expert to ignore their important tasks and instantly fall into a conversation with the crime scene intruder, or to completely ignore the obvious and cordon off or at least investigate the possibility of a larger crime scene area). I recognize that by disregarding the usual procedures the heroine is seen as a strong character with incredible investigative skills, but ignoring standard police procedure in order to create this character drops a powerful, realistic story down to the level of a fantasy.
The strongest part of the book is the plot itself. Mr. Lucius winds first this way, then that, twisting all the different strands until you wonder how he will be able to bring them all together. The author effortlessly drives the story to its conclusion, managing to do this without dropping a single strand.
For those who like to know, there are profanities in the book (including f-bombs), although the profanities are not used by all the characters.
Bottom line: Strong, well-designed plot, with an interesting story and motivated characters to go along with it, weakened by constant partial sentences and a disregard for basic police (and possibly hospital) procedures. Even so, I was leaning toward three-and-a-half stars rounded to four until I reached the final page and discovered this long book ends with a cliffhanger. Authors should rely on the strength of their finished product to bring readers back rather than force them to buy the next book to find out the ending. Three stars.
April 25, 2018
Ik had nog niet eerder van Walter Lucius gehoord. Totdat ik dit eboek via Elly’s choice kreeg. Dit boek is zijn debuut. Hoewel ik wel vaker thrillers van Nederlandse schrijvers lees, is het lang geleden dat ik zo’n goed uitgewerkte Nederlandse thriller heb gelezen. Er spelen allerlei verhaallijnen door elkaar, wat het boek interessant maakt. Overigens kun je goed merken dat dit boek geschreven is als onderdeel van een trilogie. Hoewel het een redelijk afgerond verhaal is, is nog niet alles opgelost. Ik kijk dan ook uit naar deel 2. En hopelijk is er binnenkort ook meer bekend over wanneer deel 3 uitkomt.
September 10, 2015
Voor mij het beste boek dat ik de afgelopen jaren gelezen heb.
Goed onderbouwd, zeer sterke en boeiende personages, intrigerend en spannend. Geloofwaardige dialogen en bovenal, zeer goed geschreven!
Het meermaals toevallig kruisen en de uiteindelijke samenloop van de verschillende verhaallijnen zorgt voor een meeslepend verhaal dat leest als een wervelende actiethriller.
Slechts 1 minpuntje, maar dat wordt hopelijk in deel 2, Schaduwval, opgehelderd, wat was dat met die regen?
Een aanrader voor de fans van Stieg Larssons' Millennium-trilogie.
Rest slechts... Wanneer verschijnt deel 2??
Goed onderbouwd, zeer sterke en boeiende personages, intrigerend en spannend. Geloofwaardige dialogen en bovenal, zeer goed geschreven!
Het meermaals toevallig kruisen en de uiteindelijke samenloop van de verschillende verhaallijnen zorgt voor een meeslepend verhaal dat leest als een wervelende actiethriller.
Slechts 1 minpuntje, maar dat wordt hopelijk in deel 2, Schaduwval, opgehelderd, wat was dat met die regen?
Een aanrader voor de fans van Stieg Larssons' Millennium-trilogie.
Rest slechts... Wanneer verschijnt deel 2??
March 23, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for an advance copy of Butterfly On The Storm, the first novel in The Heartland trilogy, set mostly in Amsterdam.
A young boy is knocked down on a country road and left for dead. Who he is and what he was doing there is a mystery to detectives Diba and Calvino. Journalist Farah Hafez is at the hospital on an unrelated matter when she hears the boy speak and offers her services as a translator. The boy's accident sets off a chain of events which lead all three investigators into extremely murky waters.
Butterfly on the Storm is undoubtably an ambitious novel, taking on the big themes of corruption, the Russian oligarchy, paedophilia and the role of immigrants in Dutch society - I don't think it is an accident that all 3 protagonists have foreign heritages. I did not, however, find it an easy novel to follow and felt that some of the connections were tenuous at best. This may be because it is not a gripping read and it is easy to put down. I'm unsure if this is due to the translation or just the way the novel is. The ending is action packed but very inconclusive, obviously setting up the sequel. I don't like cliffhangers in novels and this one is a doozy.
The author seems ambivalent about his protagonists. The reader is given plenty of information about them, their actions and reactions but it is still difficult to really know them or identify with them.
All I can say is that, based on this novel, comparisons with the Millennium trilogy are wide of the mark.
A young boy is knocked down on a country road and left for dead. Who he is and what he was doing there is a mystery to detectives Diba and Calvino. Journalist Farah Hafez is at the hospital on an unrelated matter when she hears the boy speak and offers her services as a translator. The boy's accident sets off a chain of events which lead all three investigators into extremely murky waters.
Butterfly on the Storm is undoubtably an ambitious novel, taking on the big themes of corruption, the Russian oligarchy, paedophilia and the role of immigrants in Dutch society - I don't think it is an accident that all 3 protagonists have foreign heritages. I did not, however, find it an easy novel to follow and felt that some of the connections were tenuous at best. This may be because it is not a gripping read and it is easy to put down. I'm unsure if this is due to the translation or just the way the novel is. The ending is action packed but very inconclusive, obviously setting up the sequel. I don't like cliffhangers in novels and this one is a doozy.
The author seems ambivalent about his protagonists. The reader is given plenty of information about them, their actions and reactions but it is still difficult to really know them or identify with them.
All I can say is that, based on this novel, comparisons with the Millennium trilogy are wide of the mark.
July 6, 2021
What did I think of this book? When I first began it I was unsure if I would finish it, all the characters seemed imbued with superlative powers of perception. After around 120 pages the story really picked up and it got to where you didn't really want to put the book down. The author did his homework and this is partly where the book fell short a little. Readers familiar with Litvinenko and Politivskaya will recognise many of the things in here, and at times the main characters escaped from their portrayals as normal, into superhuman status again, which I found a little disappointing. But the saving grace was the plot and subplots contained inside the tale which, like waves on a beach, built up and built up before breaking and rushing up the shore. The ending was brilliant and unpredictable and literally saved until the last page. As stated I was unsure about continuing with it initially but am glad that I did. The latter part of the book saved it from becoming only three stars. As the first part of a trilogy I am curious as to what the next two books will be like.
August 31, 2020
Een knap debuut met een boeiend en op het laatst spannend verhaal.
April 8, 2017
I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
This book came highly recommended and I loved it. This is a crisply written thriller with interesting, well executed characters. Whilst the book had a fairly steady pace, there is enough intrigue and building of the plot, to keep me reading it constantly so as to find out how the story ended.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!!!
5 stars from me
This book came highly recommended and I loved it. This is a crisply written thriller with interesting, well executed characters. Whilst the book had a fairly steady pace, there is enough intrigue and building of the plot, to keep me reading it constantly so as to find out how the story ended.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!!!
5 stars from me
March 24, 2019
Farah Hafez, a journalist in Amsterdam, becomes involved with a disturbing case when a young Afghan boy is found on the road, apparently a victim of a hit-and-run accident.
The first in a trilogy of books, the story itself was quite good, and it dealt with quite a lot of issues; paedophilia, tensions around immigration, corrupt officials, etc. There are lots of characters with interweaving stories, so the reader has to be alert. The main thing that brought down the star rating was the fact that the main character, Farah, is unconvincing, in fact she's more an idea of what a male author thinks a female character should be like. She's totally unreasonable in some parts . Also female characters can be sexy without being objectified. I have the second book in my TBR pile to read, but can't say I'm very eager.
The first in a trilogy of books, the story itself was quite good, and it dealt with quite a lot of issues; paedophilia, tensions around immigration, corrupt officials, etc. There are lots of characters with interweaving stories, so the reader has to be alert. The main thing that brought down the star rating was the fact that the main character, Farah, is unconvincing, in fact she's more an idea of what a male author thinks a female character should be like. She's totally unreasonable in some parts . Also female characters can be sexy without being objectified. I have the second book in my TBR pile to read, but can't say I'm very eager.
August 24, 2018
This book started well for me with enough engaging characters and an interesting plot line. As I got half to two thirds way through I found myself getting less interested in the details and must admit to skimming through parts of it. There are many interesting cultural references...Afghan, Dutch, Moroccan, Russian......and it all got a bit intertwined in the end. However, I did finish it!
April 2, 2017
I think this may be my first thriller set in the Netherlands, I enjoy reading books set in different locations as it provides a pleasant change of scenery and through books, I get to travel the globe.
Butterfly on the Storm is a complex and layered story that follows investigative journalist, Farah Hafez, as she investigates the events that led to the hit-and-run of a little boy. The first medic on the scene, Danielle, works to save the little boy, but in a misguided effort to use this boy’s story to raise awareness of children’s suffering everywhere, she places the boy in further danger. Police officers, Calvino and Diba, are assigned to the case. Everyone involved soon realises this case is bigger than any of them ever thought – this is crime on an international level, Netherlands, South Africa, Russia and Afghanistan, this crime spans continents. Is Farah up to the task of cracking this case? She’s up against some extremely powerful and dangerous people who will do anything to keep their keep their secrets safe.
“Some people carry death in their eyes. Establish contact with them and you run the risk of contamination.”
The plot is extremely well detailed, the characters are plenty but the story is so well told, in the sense that you are able to follow it without becoming confused. Surprisingly, I didn’t really feel drawn to any of the characters, despite the backstory of the main characters being shared with us, and I think, at times, my lack of connection to any particular character made this story lose its momentum in places. It’s really hard when in a book of this length you don’t have a character to root for, something to push you on with the read.
Fear not the big book, they say, at 528 pages, I feel like I read the entire trilogy in one book! That was especially true in the last 10% of the story, where it really seemed to drag, which unfortunately leaves me little incentive to pick up book two, however, I can be persuaded if it’s not so long in length! If you struggle with books of a longer length, it may be wise to steer clear of this one but it you enjoy getting stuck in a complex case that spans continents with strong themes of corruption and bribery, give this book a read.
Overall, this book wasn’t as fast-paced and thrilling as I’d hoped; here I can’t help but wonder if anything was lost in translation, creating the thrill is all about how you use words and a particular phrase may read as extremely thrilling in Dutch, but lose its thrill in translation. This story reminded me a little of the TV crime drama, Homeland, so if you enjoy a political crime mystery, this may be the book for you; having said that, this book would make a great book to TV series adaptation.
*My thanks to the author and publisher for granting me access to a digital copy of this book via Netgalley*
Butterfly on the Storm is a complex and layered story that follows investigative journalist, Farah Hafez, as she investigates the events that led to the hit-and-run of a little boy. The first medic on the scene, Danielle, works to save the little boy, but in a misguided effort to use this boy’s story to raise awareness of children’s suffering everywhere, she places the boy in further danger. Police officers, Calvino and Diba, are assigned to the case. Everyone involved soon realises this case is bigger than any of them ever thought – this is crime on an international level, Netherlands, South Africa, Russia and Afghanistan, this crime spans continents. Is Farah up to the task of cracking this case? She’s up against some extremely powerful and dangerous people who will do anything to keep their keep their secrets safe.
“Some people carry death in their eyes. Establish contact with them and you run the risk of contamination.”
The plot is extremely well detailed, the characters are plenty but the story is so well told, in the sense that you are able to follow it without becoming confused. Surprisingly, I didn’t really feel drawn to any of the characters, despite the backstory of the main characters being shared with us, and I think, at times, my lack of connection to any particular character made this story lose its momentum in places. It’s really hard when in a book of this length you don’t have a character to root for, something to push you on with the read.
Fear not the big book, they say, at 528 pages, I feel like I read the entire trilogy in one book! That was especially true in the last 10% of the story, where it really seemed to drag, which unfortunately leaves me little incentive to pick up book two, however, I can be persuaded if it’s not so long in length! If you struggle with books of a longer length, it may be wise to steer clear of this one but it you enjoy getting stuck in a complex case that spans continents with strong themes of corruption and bribery, give this book a read.
Overall, this book wasn’t as fast-paced and thrilling as I’d hoped; here I can’t help but wonder if anything was lost in translation, creating the thrill is all about how you use words and a particular phrase may read as extremely thrilling in Dutch, but lose its thrill in translation. This story reminded me a little of the TV crime drama, Homeland, so if you enjoy a political crime mystery, this may be the book for you; having said that, this book would make a great book to TV series adaptation.
*My thanks to the author and publisher for granting me access to a digital copy of this book via Netgalley*
June 13, 2017
A complex, multi layered plot which makes for an interesting read. The author describes an Amsterdam and Netherlands which seems rife with corruption on all levels, I doubt if this makes him popular with everyone. I really enjoyed many parts of this book, the plot is unusual and it is well structured. I particularly liked the different POV on events and the way the author interweaves the different threads is impressive.
My main issue is with the character of Farah. I don't understand why so many writers have to make a female lead character a femme fatale with almost all the male characters besotted with them. It just detracts from the storyline and it wouldn't happen with a male lead character. In addition, she is supposed to be a martial arts expert, I always thought that part of the teaching was self control and yet she flies off the handle all the time.
Even so, it is very readable and covers important issues so I will probably read the the rest of the trilogy to see how it concludes.
My thanks to Netgalley for this copy.
My main issue is with the character of Farah. I don't understand why so many writers have to make a female lead character a femme fatale with almost all the male characters besotted with them. It just detracts from the storyline and it wouldn't happen with a male lead character. In addition, she is supposed to be a martial arts expert, I always thought that part of the teaching was self control and yet she flies off the handle all the time.
Even so, it is very readable and covers important issues so I will probably read the the rest of the trilogy to see how it concludes.
My thanks to Netgalley for this copy.
March 30, 2017
As I was hoping, this is going to be the first in a series of detective thrillers.
An Afghan boy is knocked down by a wood outside Amsterdam. Detectives Calvino and Diba are on the case. At the hospital, journalist Farah Hafez happens to be at the hospital and can translate for the boy and comfort him until he goes in for emergency surgery.
This novel spans a huge amount of corruption, immigration issues, paedophilia and the Russian Oligarchy.
What spoiled it for me, was the character, Farah Hafez. She simply didn't ring true. She was depicted as a kung fu expert with too much description of her sexuality. This didn't make her role clear, just that she was looking sexy at inappropriate moments during the plot.
However, the book is enjoyable and I would recommend it to those who don't find this sort of sexuality inappropriate in a thriller.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to Netgalley for this opportunity.
July 30, 2020
A young boy is found close to death in a road near Amsterdam. Journalist Farah recognises the Afghan costume he's wearing when brought into the hospital and investigates what seems to feel personal to her. The doctor who treats him and the detectives in charge all intertwine during the course of the investigation. This was a decent crime novel and a solid start to a trilogy. The plot was good but there were things that didn't sit right such as the hyper sexualisation of the female characters and some of the sex scenes were unnecessary for the progression of the storyline. Other than that, there's nothing preventing me from wishing to continue with these books.
November 24, 2019
Sterk tot het een na laatste deel. Laatste deel ‘To much’. Niveau goede Scandinavische thrillers. En alle passages die zich Nederland (Amsterdam) afspelen is herkenbaar en daarom aansprekend. Maar aan de andere kant, je weet dat de beschreven bak geweld zelfs in Amsterdam niet kan plaatsvinden. Als je zoiets over Stockholm leest kan het op een of andere manier waar zijn. Dus ja spannend , maar teveel van het goede.
October 3, 2014
Ein Unfall im Amsterdamer Wald, ein junges Mädchen wird dabei schwer verletzt, der Verursacher begeht Fahrerflucht. Die Ärztin Danielle kämpft um das Leben des Mädchens, doch schnell stellt sich heraus, dass es gar kein Mädchen, sondern ein Junge ist, in einem Kleid, mit Schmuck und geschminkt, fremdländischer Herkunft und der Sprache nicht mächtig. In der Klinik stößt die Journalistin Farah Hafez zufällig hinzu, sie spricht Dari und weiß auch, um welchen grausamen Kult es sich handeln könnte: ein Tanzjunge, der älteren Männern zu Diensten ist und offenbar flüchten konnte. Farah beginnt mit den Recherchen, im Gegensatz zur Ärztin will sie jedoch erst intensiv nachforschen, bevor sie damit an die Öffentlichkeit geht. Danielle dauert das zu lange, mit Hilfe einer Sensationsreporterin breitet sie den Fall des Jungen vorm großen Publikum aus und bringt damit nicht nur das Kind in Gefahr, sondern auch sich selbst.
Der Roman hat einen spannenden Grundplot, der um die Geschichte des Jungen angesiedelt ist. Auch die Figur der Farah Hafez ist komplex und mit Brüchen gestaltet, so dass sie durch den Thriller tragen kann. Allerdings wird schnell klar, dass der Autor sich nicht entscheiden konnte, welche Geschichte er erzählen möchte und immer mehr Nebenschauplätze eröffnet. Farahs komplexe Familiengeschichte in Afghanistan, die Flucht nach der Machtübernahme der Sowjets, ein schlechter Journalist, der in Südafrika dem Ansehen seines Vaters nachjagt, ein korrupter Polizist, dessen Ehe in die Brüche geht und der sich für die falsche Seite entscheidet, eine Ärztin geplagt von alten Geistern, russische Oligarchen, die die Wirtschaft bestimmen, Kinderpornographie und Missbraucht, schwarze Witwen – die Liste ließe sich noch länger fortsetzen, so dermaßen verzettelt sich Walter Lucius in seiner Story. Je mehr er hineinpackt, desto flacher werden dabei die Figuren, ihr Handeln lässt kaum mehr Logik erkennen, Plausibilität zum dem zuvor geschilderten fehlt gänzlich.
Die unsäglichen Actionszenen, die in sich völlig überflüssig sind und urplötzlich wie durch einen magischen Zufall alle Figuren auf derselben Stelle erscheinen lassen, entbehren jeder Nachvollziehbarkeit. Auch die sich im Laufe der Handlung steigernden übermenschlichen Fähigkeiten der Figuren - die ins Koma geprügelt fröhlich pfeifend aufstehen, natürlich wie aus den Ei gepellt daherschreiten und offenbar keinerlei Schmerzen verspüren – es fällt schwer das Buch noch ernst zu nehmen, je weiter man liest. Der blutende Himmel, der auf wenigen Seiten stark überstrapaziert wird, ist mein persönlicher Tiefpunkt auf sprachlicher wie auch der Handlungsebene.
Nach starkem Anfang ein böser Absturz, der in einem erzählerischen Fiasko endet, das man als Leser nicht mehr glauben kann. Viel gewollt und wenig erreicht.
Der Roman hat einen spannenden Grundplot, der um die Geschichte des Jungen angesiedelt ist. Auch die Figur der Farah Hafez ist komplex und mit Brüchen gestaltet, so dass sie durch den Thriller tragen kann. Allerdings wird schnell klar, dass der Autor sich nicht entscheiden konnte, welche Geschichte er erzählen möchte und immer mehr Nebenschauplätze eröffnet. Farahs komplexe Familiengeschichte in Afghanistan, die Flucht nach der Machtübernahme der Sowjets, ein schlechter Journalist, der in Südafrika dem Ansehen seines Vaters nachjagt, ein korrupter Polizist, dessen Ehe in die Brüche geht und der sich für die falsche Seite entscheidet, eine Ärztin geplagt von alten Geistern, russische Oligarchen, die die Wirtschaft bestimmen, Kinderpornographie und Missbraucht, schwarze Witwen – die Liste ließe sich noch länger fortsetzen, so dermaßen verzettelt sich Walter Lucius in seiner Story. Je mehr er hineinpackt, desto flacher werden dabei die Figuren, ihr Handeln lässt kaum mehr Logik erkennen, Plausibilität zum dem zuvor geschilderten fehlt gänzlich.
Die unsäglichen Actionszenen, die in sich völlig überflüssig sind und urplötzlich wie durch einen magischen Zufall alle Figuren auf derselben Stelle erscheinen lassen, entbehren jeder Nachvollziehbarkeit. Auch die sich im Laufe der Handlung steigernden übermenschlichen Fähigkeiten der Figuren - die ins Koma geprügelt fröhlich pfeifend aufstehen, natürlich wie aus den Ei gepellt daherschreiten und offenbar keinerlei Schmerzen verspüren – es fällt schwer das Buch noch ernst zu nehmen, je weiter man liest. Der blutende Himmel, der auf wenigen Seiten stark überstrapaziert wird, ist mein persönlicher Tiefpunkt auf sprachlicher wie auch der Handlungsebene.
Nach starkem Anfang ein böser Absturz, der in einem erzählerischen Fiasko endet, das man als Leser nicht mehr glauben kann. Viel gewollt und wenig erreicht.
September 24, 2014
Die Leseprobe hat mich begeistert und ich wollte mehr. Dann hielt ich das Buch in den Händen und wollte auf der Stelle zu lesen Beginnen. Ich habe es nicht weggelegt bis - ja, bis ich an die Stelle gelangt bin, wo auch die Leseprobe endete. Danach verfiel das Buch in lange, ausufernde Passagen über die handelnden Personen, die alle irgendwie Traumatisiert und Problembehaftet sind. Die Ermittler sind mir immer unsympathischer geworden und die Journalistin Hafez merkwürdiger. Halluzinationen, ein ganzer Haufen Zufälle und immer politischere Motive.
Zu Beginn habe ich es geliebt. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und einfach zu lesen. Der Autor Walter Lucius versteht es, Bilder zu erzeugen. Ein Talent zu schreiben. Die Geschichte selbst jedoch ist nur zu beginn vielversprechend.
Da wird ein Junge in Mädchenkleidung gefunden, was auf ein altes Ritual hinweist: der Junge wurde wahrscheinlich eingekleidet und dann an den höchstbietenden für eine Nacht verkauft.
Der Name des Jungen fällt nie, und auch die Ermittlungen um den Jungen selbst geraten bald in den Hintergrund. Ein wenig wird noch eingestreut, aber das Hauptthema bleibt schnell die Politik und die Traumata und Hintergrundgeschichten der Protagonisten.
So schnell "Schmetterling im Sturm" mich in seinen Bann gezogen hatte, so schnell hat es mich auch wieder verloren. Ich habe lange gerungen, das Buch wieder aus der Hand zu legen und habe es doch letzlich gelesen. Zum Glück. Zumindest das letzte drittel der Geschichte konnte wieder ein wenig der Anfangsspannung erlangen, so, dass ich es zumindest nicht mit einem ganz schlechten Nachgeschmack beiseite lege.
Einen Polit-Thriller habe ich nicht erwartet, vielleicht habe ich auch was übersehen. Wenn ich es gewusst hätte, hätte ich mich auf den Titel vermutlich nicht eingelassen. Mein Fazit: ich werde die anderen Teile wohl eher nicht mehr lesen. Ich bin zufrieden, aber nicht begeistert von Schmetterling im Sturm. Zum einen habe ich mehr erwartet. Mehr Spannung, mehr von dem Jungen, mehr Ermittlung, ehrlich gesagt auch mehr Grausamkeit, denn es geht um eines der grausamsten Themen überhaupt. Zum anderen wurde die Spannung eher ab- statt aufgebaut im Laufe der Handlung.
Zu Beginn habe ich es geliebt. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und einfach zu lesen. Der Autor Walter Lucius versteht es, Bilder zu erzeugen. Ein Talent zu schreiben. Die Geschichte selbst jedoch ist nur zu beginn vielversprechend.
Da wird ein Junge in Mädchenkleidung gefunden, was auf ein altes Ritual hinweist: der Junge wurde wahrscheinlich eingekleidet und dann an den höchstbietenden für eine Nacht verkauft.
Der Name des Jungen fällt nie, und auch die Ermittlungen um den Jungen selbst geraten bald in den Hintergrund. Ein wenig wird noch eingestreut, aber das Hauptthema bleibt schnell die Politik und die Traumata und Hintergrundgeschichten der Protagonisten.
So schnell "Schmetterling im Sturm" mich in seinen Bann gezogen hatte, so schnell hat es mich auch wieder verloren. Ich habe lange gerungen, das Buch wieder aus der Hand zu legen und habe es doch letzlich gelesen. Zum Glück. Zumindest das letzte drittel der Geschichte konnte wieder ein wenig der Anfangsspannung erlangen, so, dass ich es zumindest nicht mit einem ganz schlechten Nachgeschmack beiseite lege.
Einen Polit-Thriller habe ich nicht erwartet, vielleicht habe ich auch was übersehen. Wenn ich es gewusst hätte, hätte ich mich auf den Titel vermutlich nicht eingelassen. Mein Fazit: ich werde die anderen Teile wohl eher nicht mehr lesen. Ich bin zufrieden, aber nicht begeistert von Schmetterling im Sturm. Zum einen habe ich mehr erwartet. Mehr Spannung, mehr von dem Jungen, mehr Ermittlung, ehrlich gesagt auch mehr Grausamkeit, denn es geht um eines der grausamsten Themen überhaupt. Zum anderen wurde die Spannung eher ab- statt aufgebaut im Laufe der Handlung.
November 25, 2016
Eigentlich hat das Buch alles, was man für einen hochkarätigen Politthriller bräuchte: afghanische Jungs, die, als Mädchen verkleidet, sexuelle perverse Leidenschaften befriedigen sollen, die Verwicklung von mächtigen Leuten aus dem internationalen Business und der Politik, engagierte Polizisten und Journalisten, die sich des Falls annehmen.
Und eigentlich ist es auch gut geschrieben. Ein gut aufgebauter Spannungsbogen und interessante Personenprofile lassen Gutes erwarten, und über weite Teile wird dieser Anspruch auch eingehalten.
Allerdings gibt es dann auch manches, das den guten Eindruck stört: die etwas sehr übertriebene Empathie der Journalistin zum Beispiel, und die ebenfalls übertriebene Tatsache, daß so gut wie sämtliche Protagonisten ausländischen Ursprungs sind (die Journalisting stammt aus Afghanistan, die Polizisten aus Italien, Marokko und Indonesien). Dazu kommt ein seltsamer Blutregen an einer Stelle im Buch, der weder plausibel ist nocht irgendwie erklärt wird - und er hat auch keine wirkliche Relevanz für die Geschehnisse. Mir ist völlig schleierhaft, welchen Zweck der verfolgte.
Die Charaktere werden dann auch im Laufe des Buches immer kruser - überzogen halt, wie vieles andere. Das nimmt dem Ganzen eine Menge Glaubwürdigkeit.
Und schließlich das Ende - es ist schlichtweg keins. Hierbei stört nicht mal, daß die bösen Buben großteils straffrei davonkommen - das macht es sogar irgendwo realistisch. Aber manches wird schlichtweg offen gelassen und nicht erklärt, und so etwas mag ich nun überhaupt nicht.
Angeblich ist das Buch der Auftakt zu einer Trilogie, so daß die Sache mit dem Ende vielleicht noch geklärt wird. Aber die anderen Punkte bleiben.
Und die Stimme von Frank Arnold klingt teils auch etwas arg strapaziert.
Und eigentlich ist es auch gut geschrieben. Ein gut aufgebauter Spannungsbogen und interessante Personenprofile lassen Gutes erwarten, und über weite Teile wird dieser Anspruch auch eingehalten.
Allerdings gibt es dann auch manches, das den guten Eindruck stört: die etwas sehr übertriebene Empathie der Journalistin zum Beispiel, und die ebenfalls übertriebene Tatsache, daß so gut wie sämtliche Protagonisten ausländischen Ursprungs sind (die Journalisting stammt aus Afghanistan, die Polizisten aus Italien, Marokko und Indonesien). Dazu kommt ein seltsamer Blutregen an einer Stelle im Buch, der weder plausibel ist nocht irgendwie erklärt wird - und er hat auch keine wirkliche Relevanz für die Geschehnisse. Mir ist völlig schleierhaft, welchen Zweck der verfolgte.
Die Charaktere werden dann auch im Laufe des Buches immer kruser - überzogen halt, wie vieles andere. Das nimmt dem Ganzen eine Menge Glaubwürdigkeit.
Und schließlich das Ende - es ist schlichtweg keins. Hierbei stört nicht mal, daß die bösen Buben großteils straffrei davonkommen - das macht es sogar irgendwo realistisch. Aber manches wird schlichtweg offen gelassen und nicht erklärt, und so etwas mag ich nun überhaupt nicht.
Angeblich ist das Buch der Auftakt zu einer Trilogie, so daß die Sache mit dem Ende vielleicht noch geklärt wird. Aber die anderen Punkte bleiben.
Und die Stimme von Frank Arnold klingt teils auch etwas arg strapaziert.
June 7, 2019
I don't like being negative but there are trigger warnings for paedophilia and related practices discussed in this book-and unfortunately I just couldn't read on.
I received this copy in return for an honest review, sadly I could not connect to the main characters, and found the translation clunky and not the best for an international political thriller.
The jist of the story is that Farah Hafez, a reporter who begins the book in mortal peril, but is rescued by a man who becomes her partner in exposing injustice, investigates a hit and run accident.
The victim is a young boy who is dressed up to look like a girl and as she digs further, she finds it has links to an ancient Taliban practice of using boys in this manner, people smuggling and international crime.
It is probably me not the book but I just couldn't finish it.
I am grateful to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read 'Butterfly On the Storm' but sadly I am not the targeted audience .
I received this copy in return for an honest review, sadly I could not connect to the main characters, and found the translation clunky and not the best for an international political thriller.
The jist of the story is that Farah Hafez, a reporter who begins the book in mortal peril, but is rescued by a man who becomes her partner in exposing injustice, investigates a hit and run accident.
The victim is a young boy who is dressed up to look like a girl and as she digs further, she finds it has links to an ancient Taliban practice of using boys in this manner, people smuggling and international crime.
It is probably me not the book but I just couldn't finish it.
I am grateful to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read 'Butterfly On the Storm' but sadly I am not the targeted audience .
February 4, 2018
I started this book and was very surprised at the poor writing and unbelievable characterisation and actions of the professionals e.g. the CSI people at the crime scene. When I reached the wet t-shirt scene at the ridiculous car crash and nearby fire (was it linked ? LOL) I wondered whether I wanted to continue, so I went and looked at the reviews elsewhere. Finding that many people shared my surprise and learning that the story continued with paedophilia I gave up.
Sorry, not for me.
Sorry, not for me.
September 15, 2013
Een verrassende thriller van Nederlandse bodem. Zeer beeldende schrijfstijl van Walter Lucius. Soms iets te veel toeval, maar wel een intrigerend verhaal. Ik ben benieuwd naar deel 2.
September 29, 2019
Voor Teleac heeft Walter Lucius, een pseudoniem voor Walter Goverde, lang geleden een dramaserie geschreven en geregisseerd over een kleurrijk radiostation. Er werd aan een vervolg gedacht, dat hij vervolgens begon uit te werken. Hierna ontstond een nieuw idee dat uiteindelijk resulteerde in zijn thrillerdebuut De vlinder en de storm dat in 2013 is verschenen. De ideeën waren zelfs zo talrijk dat dit het eerste deel van een trilogie is geworden. Met dit debuut heeft hij in het jaar van uitgifte de Schaduwprijs voor het beste Nederlandse thrillerdebuut gewonnen.
Op een regenachtige avond krijgt de politie een anonieme melding binnen dat er een meisje op de weg ligt. Aangereden en zo goed als dood. Niet veel later blijkt dat het om een jongetje gaat die als danseresje is verkleed. Hoewel hij buiten bewustzijn is, kan hij nog net het woord ‘padar’, dat vader in het Afghaans betekent, zeggen. Journaliste Farah Hafez wil meer over dit jongetje te weten komen en gaat op onderzoek uit. Ze ontdekt dat het jongetje een slachtoffer van misbruik is en dat daar hoge functionarissen bij betrokken zijn.
De vlinder en de storm bestaat uit vijf delen en de hoofdstukken uit ieder deel worden voorafgegaan door een cursieve tekst die vanuit het perspectief van het slachtoffer, het jongetje, wordt verteld. Deze cursiefjes vertellen in feite wat de jongen is overkomen en zorgen er ook voor dat de lezer daar een compleet beeld van krijgt, dus niet alleen vanuit de visie die het onderzoek van de politie en Farah oplevert. De vele hoofdstukken waar het verhaal uit bestaat, zijn kort, worden vanuit verschillende gezichtspunten verteld en zorgen voor een behoorlijk tempo. Aan het eind van enkele delen wordt die snelheid zelfs nog wat opgevoerd en daarmee ook de spanning.
Het verhaal heeft een aantal verhaallijnen die aanvankelijk nogal complex lijken, waar gedurende de plot steeds meer structuur in komt en die uiteindelijk steeds meer samenvloeien tot één geheel. Daardoor is de context van die complexiteit uit het begin van het verhaal ook heel goed te begrijpen en te overzien en kun je niets anders dan concluderen dat het een goed samenspel van verhalen is. De verschillende personages worden gedurende de plot steeds meer uitgewerkt en als gevolg daarvan krijg je een vrij goed beeld van en over hen en beginnen ze voor de lezer ook meer te leven, en daarbij maakt het dan niet uit of ze wel of niet sympathiek zijn.
De schrijfstijl van Lucius is beeldend, dus soms lijkt het alsof je een film leest. Ook hanteert hij regelmatig mooi geformuleerde zinnen en worden de dialogen vrij realistisch weergegeven. Doordat de auteur zowel misdaad, romantiek, vreugde, drama en een vleugje cultuur in het verhaal verwerkt heeft, is het compleet, waardoor het niet alleen maar een rechttoe-rechtaanthriller is. Desondanks zijn er wel een paar momenten die ervoor zorgen dat je je wenkbrauwen fronst, dan grenst het verhaal aan het ongeloofwaardige. Maar de auteur heeft er wel voor gezorgd dat dit gedoseerd is, hij voorkomt daarmee dat het volslagen lachwekkend wordt. En dat is ook een kwaliteit.
Dat De vlinder en de storm een debuutthriller is, is niet te merken. Lucius heeft hiermee een prima en veelbelovende start gemaakt van een drieluik die bekendstaat als de Hartland-trilogie.
Op een regenachtige avond krijgt de politie een anonieme melding binnen dat er een meisje op de weg ligt. Aangereden en zo goed als dood. Niet veel later blijkt dat het om een jongetje gaat die als danseresje is verkleed. Hoewel hij buiten bewustzijn is, kan hij nog net het woord ‘padar’, dat vader in het Afghaans betekent, zeggen. Journaliste Farah Hafez wil meer over dit jongetje te weten komen en gaat op onderzoek uit. Ze ontdekt dat het jongetje een slachtoffer van misbruik is en dat daar hoge functionarissen bij betrokken zijn.
De vlinder en de storm bestaat uit vijf delen en de hoofdstukken uit ieder deel worden voorafgegaan door een cursieve tekst die vanuit het perspectief van het slachtoffer, het jongetje, wordt verteld. Deze cursiefjes vertellen in feite wat de jongen is overkomen en zorgen er ook voor dat de lezer daar een compleet beeld van krijgt, dus niet alleen vanuit de visie die het onderzoek van de politie en Farah oplevert. De vele hoofdstukken waar het verhaal uit bestaat, zijn kort, worden vanuit verschillende gezichtspunten verteld en zorgen voor een behoorlijk tempo. Aan het eind van enkele delen wordt die snelheid zelfs nog wat opgevoerd en daarmee ook de spanning.
Het verhaal heeft een aantal verhaallijnen die aanvankelijk nogal complex lijken, waar gedurende de plot steeds meer structuur in komt en die uiteindelijk steeds meer samenvloeien tot één geheel. Daardoor is de context van die complexiteit uit het begin van het verhaal ook heel goed te begrijpen en te overzien en kun je niets anders dan concluderen dat het een goed samenspel van verhalen is. De verschillende personages worden gedurende de plot steeds meer uitgewerkt en als gevolg daarvan krijg je een vrij goed beeld van en over hen en beginnen ze voor de lezer ook meer te leven, en daarbij maakt het dan niet uit of ze wel of niet sympathiek zijn.
De schrijfstijl van Lucius is beeldend, dus soms lijkt het alsof je een film leest. Ook hanteert hij regelmatig mooi geformuleerde zinnen en worden de dialogen vrij realistisch weergegeven. Doordat de auteur zowel misdaad, romantiek, vreugde, drama en een vleugje cultuur in het verhaal verwerkt heeft, is het compleet, waardoor het niet alleen maar een rechttoe-rechtaanthriller is. Desondanks zijn er wel een paar momenten die ervoor zorgen dat je je wenkbrauwen fronst, dan grenst het verhaal aan het ongeloofwaardige. Maar de auteur heeft er wel voor gezorgd dat dit gedoseerd is, hij voorkomt daarmee dat het volslagen lachwekkend wordt. En dat is ook een kwaliteit.
Dat De vlinder en de storm een debuutthriller is, is niet te merken. Lucius heeft hiermee een prima en veelbelovende start gemaakt van een drieluik die bekendstaat als de Hartland-trilogie.
May 10, 2017
A boy is found dressed as a girl in what appears to be a hit and run car accident on the outskirts of Amsterdam. As he is rushed to hospital Farah, who originates from Afghanistan, overhears him speak one word and asks to act as interpreter for the boy.
Farah, who is a journalist, immediately recognises a story - that an age-old Afghani tradition of sexual abuse of underage boys, has found its way to the Netherlands. Acting on impulse she heads to the woods of the Amsterdamse Bos, the area where the boy was found, where she encounters the emergency services at the scene of a burnt out car with two bodies. Farah and two police detectives, Diba and Calvino, soon realise that this must be connected to the boy's injuries, suspecting a criminal retaliation.
The case develops into a crime on an international level. It is a complex plot with huge themes, such as political corruption, child trafficking, the Russian oligarchy, political asylum and a worldwide crime ring, which are just the tip of the iceberg.
None of the protagonists are particularly likeable, or sympathetic. We are given quite a lot of information about them, but some of their personality traits are contradictory. For example, Farah seems to undergo strange metamorphoses; she is quite an aggressive Kung Fu master, who seriously injures her opponent to the point where it may be touch or go. Farah almost immediately loses interest in her welfare even though she has been hospitalised. Farah has a partner but is promiscuous on a whim, showing no remorse. The story glosses over how she squares her conscience on this. Later in the company of her uncle we are asked to believe that she is like a timid little girl.
Both Farah and Danielle, the medic in charge of the boy, have had undesirable past histories and still have unresolved issues or neuroses that have been triggered by the boy's predicament. Diba has enough emotional baggage to stall a plane; Paul Chapelle, a journalist who emerges halfway through the book, also deals with guilt and intimacy commitments.
There are occasional sex scenes that feel gratuitous and add nothing to the story. There are scenes of brutality, which possibly don't need to be so graphic. The plot has so many characters, threads and themes that it can become quite a wearing experience. Whilst the issues raised are worthy topics for discussion, they add to the complexity of the story without making it compelling or thrilling.
My thanks go to Netgalley, Penguin UK and Walter Lucius for giving me a copy of the ARC in return for an honest review.
Farah, who is a journalist, immediately recognises a story - that an age-old Afghani tradition of sexual abuse of underage boys, has found its way to the Netherlands. Acting on impulse she heads to the woods of the Amsterdamse Bos, the area where the boy was found, where she encounters the emergency services at the scene of a burnt out car with two bodies. Farah and two police detectives, Diba and Calvino, soon realise that this must be connected to the boy's injuries, suspecting a criminal retaliation.
The case develops into a crime on an international level. It is a complex plot with huge themes, such as political corruption, child trafficking, the Russian oligarchy, political asylum and a worldwide crime ring, which are just the tip of the iceberg.
None of the protagonists are particularly likeable, or sympathetic. We are given quite a lot of information about them, but some of their personality traits are contradictory. For example, Farah seems to undergo strange metamorphoses; she is quite an aggressive Kung Fu master, who seriously injures her opponent to the point where it may be touch or go. Farah almost immediately loses interest in her welfare even though she has been hospitalised. Farah has a partner but is promiscuous on a whim, showing no remorse. The story glosses over how she squares her conscience on this. Later in the company of her uncle we are asked to believe that she is like a timid little girl.
Both Farah and Danielle, the medic in charge of the boy, have had undesirable past histories and still have unresolved issues or neuroses that have been triggered by the boy's predicament. Diba has enough emotional baggage to stall a plane; Paul Chapelle, a journalist who emerges halfway through the book, also deals with guilt and intimacy commitments.
There are occasional sex scenes that feel gratuitous and add nothing to the story. There are scenes of brutality, which possibly don't need to be so graphic. The plot has so many characters, threads and themes that it can become quite a wearing experience. Whilst the issues raised are worthy topics for discussion, they add to the complexity of the story without making it compelling or thrilling.
My thanks go to Netgalley, Penguin UK and Walter Lucius for giving me a copy of the ARC in return for an honest review.
June 8, 2017
Disturbing issues raised in this thriller
Sometimes a book opens one’s eyes to issues that are so horrifying that they linger long after the last page is turned. This book is one of these. The ancient practice of Bacha Bazi - translated as playing with boys, is the central theme of the story when a young boy is badly injured in a hit and run. He is dressed as a girl with heavy makeup and jewellery. Investigative journalist Farah Hafez is convinced that the boy is a victim of this vile tradition where boys as young as five years old are sold to Afghan warlords as dancers to entertain but are also intended as bedfellows.
I was horrified to learn that whilst under the Taliban this tradition was outlawed, it has now reared its ugly head again. It is a sign of wealth and power amongst the rich and a status symbol.
The Dutch police begin an investigation that uncovers child abuse at the highest levels and they battle against the powerful men at the very pinnacle of Dutch society as they seek to find the men responsible for the heinous crime. Joining forces with them is Farah Hafez, a refugee from Afghanistan who is determined to uncover the truth about the boy. Her investigation uncovers things about her own past that force her to confront her own secrets.
The book is fast-paced with lots of detail and the characters are very well developed and the writer delves behind each persona to explain their motivations and actions. He portrays a society trying to integrate many different cultures whilst remaining true to maintain Western values. Prejudice and bigotry rear their ugly heads throughout the story.
The story is complex and the writer keeps the reader on his toes. I would have awarded 5 stars but the chapter dealing with the car crash as the central characters attempt to bring the killers to justice does not ring true and there was too much going on - it remained me of a Hollywood blockbuster scene and detracted from the rest of the book.
Although the book deals with a disturbing issue, I am never one to shy away from the reality that the world has many awful truths and I believe that knowledge is power. I researched Bacha Bazi as a result of this book and it opened my eyes.
Gillian
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
Sometimes a book opens one’s eyes to issues that are so horrifying that they linger long after the last page is turned. This book is one of these. The ancient practice of Bacha Bazi - translated as playing with boys, is the central theme of the story when a young boy is badly injured in a hit and run. He is dressed as a girl with heavy makeup and jewellery. Investigative journalist Farah Hafez is convinced that the boy is a victim of this vile tradition where boys as young as five years old are sold to Afghan warlords as dancers to entertain but are also intended as bedfellows.
I was horrified to learn that whilst under the Taliban this tradition was outlawed, it has now reared its ugly head again. It is a sign of wealth and power amongst the rich and a status symbol.
The Dutch police begin an investigation that uncovers child abuse at the highest levels and they battle against the powerful men at the very pinnacle of Dutch society as they seek to find the men responsible for the heinous crime. Joining forces with them is Farah Hafez, a refugee from Afghanistan who is determined to uncover the truth about the boy. Her investigation uncovers things about her own past that force her to confront her own secrets.
The book is fast-paced with lots of detail and the characters are very well developed and the writer delves behind each persona to explain their motivations and actions. He portrays a society trying to integrate many different cultures whilst remaining true to maintain Western values. Prejudice and bigotry rear their ugly heads throughout the story.
The story is complex and the writer keeps the reader on his toes. I would have awarded 5 stars but the chapter dealing with the car crash as the central characters attempt to bring the killers to justice does not ring true and there was too much going on - it remained me of a Hollywood blockbuster scene and detracted from the rest of the book.
Although the book deals with a disturbing issue, I am never one to shy away from the reality that the world has many awful truths and I believe that knowledge is power. I researched Bacha Bazi as a result of this book and it opened my eyes.
Gillian
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
August 1, 2017
This crime thriller is the first of a trilogy billed, as many thrillers are, as the new Millennium Trilogy. ‘Butterfly on the Storm’ by Walter Lucius does feature horrific examples of abuse, it does feature a campaigning journalist, but for me it fell short of Stieg Larsson’s trilogy. Without that expectation, I would probably have enjoyed this thriller while at the same time being irritated that so much was crammed in.
The action starts from page one and doesn’t stop to breathe. A young girl is the subject of a hit-and-run accident in the Amsterdam woods. In hospital, it becomes clear the girl is a young boy, dressed as a girl dancer and sexually abused by Afghan men now living in Holland. I found the portrayal of immigrant life in Holland fascinating and almost wish the author had examined this in more depth but the story spreads out to South Africa and Russia and its tentacles become confusing.
Accompanying the child to hospital is Dr Danielle Bernson who, following medical experience in Africa, is traumatized when she sees the child suffer. At the hospital, they meet journalist Farah Hafez, originally from Afghanistan, Farah’s identity was changed when she arrived as a child in Holland. She too has a lot of emotional baggage. Farah’s boss teams her with a more experienced journalist, Paul Chapelle, who she knew in Afghanistan. On the police side we have the pair of detectives assigned to the hit-and-run case, Joshua Calvino and Marouan Diba, a sort of young/old, idealistic/world-weary, good cop/bad cop pairing. There is a huge list of characters to accommodate the various storylines which include child trafficking, police corruption, political corruption, Russian violence and international terrorism. There is too much going on.
In the Millennium Trilogy, the first book had a clear distinctive story which allowed the reader to get to know the key characters which would move forward to book two. In ‘Butterfly on the Storm’, the first book feels like the episode of a television series where the ending has a hook to make you watch next week. This may work with television, but it left me feeling the novel was incomplete.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
The action starts from page one and doesn’t stop to breathe. A young girl is the subject of a hit-and-run accident in the Amsterdam woods. In hospital, it becomes clear the girl is a young boy, dressed as a girl dancer and sexually abused by Afghan men now living in Holland. I found the portrayal of immigrant life in Holland fascinating and almost wish the author had examined this in more depth but the story spreads out to South Africa and Russia and its tentacles become confusing.
Accompanying the child to hospital is Dr Danielle Bernson who, following medical experience in Africa, is traumatized when she sees the child suffer. At the hospital, they meet journalist Farah Hafez, originally from Afghanistan, Farah’s identity was changed when she arrived as a child in Holland. She too has a lot of emotional baggage. Farah’s boss teams her with a more experienced journalist, Paul Chapelle, who she knew in Afghanistan. On the police side we have the pair of detectives assigned to the hit-and-run case, Joshua Calvino and Marouan Diba, a sort of young/old, idealistic/world-weary, good cop/bad cop pairing. There is a huge list of characters to accommodate the various storylines which include child trafficking, police corruption, political corruption, Russian violence and international terrorism. There is too much going on.
In the Millennium Trilogy, the first book had a clear distinctive story which allowed the reader to get to know the key characters which would move forward to book two. In ‘Butterfly on the Storm’, the first book feels like the episode of a television series where the ending has a hook to make you watch next week. This may work with television, but it left me feeling the novel was incomplete.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
May 12, 2017
Amsterdam. La vita della giornalista Farah Hafez viene sconvolta dalla vista di un bambino afghano, vittima di un pirata della strada, trasportato d’urgenza in sala operatoria.
Porta gioielli e campanellini e indossa un abito tradizionale che subito attira l’attenzione della giornalista. Chi ha profanato il corpo di quel bambino? Perché è stato investito?
Ricercare la verità e individuare il mandante obbligherà Farah a scavare in un passato che credeva sepolto per sempre.
Un romanzo poliziesco di grande effetto, elevata suspense e ritmo serrato.
Il lettore si mette nei panni di Farah fin dalle prime pagine.
La chiave di lettura di questo romanzo è, a mio avviso, l’etichetta. Siamo tutti sempre pronti a etichettare un altro essere umano: uomo, donna, ebreo, islamico, afghano, italiano, giornalista, poliziotto.
Dare un nome, affibbiare un’etichetta, catalogare definisce i ruoli e distanzia i rapporti.
I personaggi che albergano in questo romanzo prendono continuamente delle decisioni, influenzati dal ruolo che la società riconosce loro, dalle origini, dalla religione. Quanto è sottile il confine tra società multi etnica e società razzista?
Fino a che punto le decisioni che prendiamo sono disinteressate? Scegliamo rimanendo fedeli a noi stessi, o pensiamo all’opinione altrui prima di proseguire?
Una ragazza che si è rifugiata nei Paesi Bassi fin da bambina, scappando da una terra che non le permette più di esprimere la sua identità, rimane cittadina afghana per sempre, anche se la cittadinanza sui documenti afferma il contrario?
In che modo nascere in un luogo piuttosto che in un altro ci permette di esercitare la nostra superiorità?
La farfalla nell’uragano cerca di rispondere a tutti questi quesiti, mostrando nel modo più onesto e verosimile possibile le reazioni che si scatenano da ogni più piccolo pregiudizio e stereotipo.
Porta gioielli e campanellini e indossa un abito tradizionale che subito attira l’attenzione della giornalista. Chi ha profanato il corpo di quel bambino? Perché è stato investito?
Ricercare la verità e individuare il mandante obbligherà Farah a scavare in un passato che credeva sepolto per sempre.
Un romanzo poliziesco di grande effetto, elevata suspense e ritmo serrato.
Il lettore si mette nei panni di Farah fin dalle prime pagine.
La chiave di lettura di questo romanzo è, a mio avviso, l’etichetta. Siamo tutti sempre pronti a etichettare un altro essere umano: uomo, donna, ebreo, islamico, afghano, italiano, giornalista, poliziotto.
Dare un nome, affibbiare un’etichetta, catalogare definisce i ruoli e distanzia i rapporti.
I personaggi che albergano in questo romanzo prendono continuamente delle decisioni, influenzati dal ruolo che la società riconosce loro, dalle origini, dalla religione. Quanto è sottile il confine tra società multi etnica e società razzista?
Fino a che punto le decisioni che prendiamo sono disinteressate? Scegliamo rimanendo fedeli a noi stessi, o pensiamo all’opinione altrui prima di proseguire?
Una ragazza che si è rifugiata nei Paesi Bassi fin da bambina, scappando da una terra che non le permette più di esprimere la sua identità, rimane cittadina afghana per sempre, anche se la cittadinanza sui documenti afferma il contrario?
In che modo nascere in un luogo piuttosto che in un altro ci permette di esercitare la nostra superiorità?
La farfalla nell’uragano cerca di rispondere a tutti questi quesiti, mostrando nel modo più onesto e verosimile possibile le reazioni che si scatenano da ogni più piccolo pregiudizio e stereotipo.
September 28, 2017
A densely plotted thriller that spans the globe, this is a book that isn't afraid of challenging the reader and making you work for your ending. A young Afghan boy is found in the road, seemingly a victim of a hit and run but it soon transpires that there's a whole lot more to this case. Investigative journalist Farah Hafez goes from accidental translator to advocate for the boy as she tries to uncover a web of human trafficking and corruption at the highest levels.
The story begins in the Netherlands but also covers Russia, South Africa and Afghanistan. The author is nothing if not ambitious as the book also features an Italian and Moroccan detective partnership. There's plenty of distrust and double crossing going on between the characters as each has their own motives and emotional baggage they carry with them. There's a slew of characters and a couple of them seem to lurch from one disaster to another which makes for an entertaining read at least. Each one of them tries to be a hero in their own way and I couldn't help feeling that some of them stopped thinking about the injured boy and became preoccupied with their own personal crusade above all else.
Inevitably this is part of a series and the ending pretty much guarantees that if you're even slightly emotionally invested you'll be looking out for the next instalment. There's a lot jammed into this book but I'll certainly be intrigued to see how the series carries on.
I received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
The story begins in the Netherlands but also covers Russia, South Africa and Afghanistan. The author is nothing if not ambitious as the book also features an Italian and Moroccan detective partnership. There's plenty of distrust and double crossing going on between the characters as each has their own motives and emotional baggage they carry with them. There's a slew of characters and a couple of them seem to lurch from one disaster to another which makes for an entertaining read at least. Each one of them tries to be a hero in their own way and I couldn't help feeling that some of them stopped thinking about the injured boy and became preoccupied with their own personal crusade above all else.
Inevitably this is part of a series and the ending pretty much guarantees that if you're even slightly emotionally invested you'll be looking out for the next instalment. There's a lot jammed into this book but I'll certainly be intrigued to see how the series carries on.
I received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
March 17, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin UK and Walter Lucius for a copy of this ARC for my honest and unbiased review.
This book has so much going on in it. There are so many stories that gradually come together to make an outstanding read. I loved everything about it. It is fast paced and grippiing from start to finish. It has background stories that link various charcters, as well as an ever evolving plot that leaves you caught up in it. There feels like alot of research has gone into this, or at least a good background knowledge.
Set in the Netherlands, the story begins with a young Afghan boy being involved in a hit and run, as the police and medics deal with that, a car fire close by is thrown into the equation. Danielle a Doctor on the scene forms an attachment to the boy, from the treatment she gives at the scene to the hospital and then beyond she is like a protector. It is at the hospital that Danielle meets Farah Hafez, a journalist and martial arts fighter. Who, after a gala fight, goes to the hospital to visit a competitor. On entry she sees the boy coming in on a stretcher, when he speaks a word in Afghan, she responds. She lived in Afghanistan until she was nine years old before coming to Amsterdam to live. She wants to help the boy and find out his story.
From this point on the reader will journey from Amsterdam, South Africa, Russian to Afghanistan. That journey will deal with corruption, greed, exploitation, bribary, arms trade and torture. The police and journalists have one agenda, to uncover the truth. But it will never be as simple as that, unconnected events have to be linked, people in power will stand in the way. In the turmoil of immigration issues in the Netherlands and the terror campaigns in the other countries, those who have power will not let it be taken from them. They will protect themselves at all costs.
This is the first of a trilogy that i am now hooked on. I will recommend this book and eagerly await the rest.
This book has so much going on in it. There are so many stories that gradually come together to make an outstanding read. I loved everything about it. It is fast paced and grippiing from start to finish. It has background stories that link various charcters, as well as an ever evolving plot that leaves you caught up in it. There feels like alot of research has gone into this, or at least a good background knowledge.
Set in the Netherlands, the story begins with a young Afghan boy being involved in a hit and run, as the police and medics deal with that, a car fire close by is thrown into the equation. Danielle a Doctor on the scene forms an attachment to the boy, from the treatment she gives at the scene to the hospital and then beyond she is like a protector. It is at the hospital that Danielle meets Farah Hafez, a journalist and martial arts fighter. Who, after a gala fight, goes to the hospital to visit a competitor. On entry she sees the boy coming in on a stretcher, when he speaks a word in Afghan, she responds. She lived in Afghanistan until she was nine years old before coming to Amsterdam to live. She wants to help the boy and find out his story.
From this point on the reader will journey from Amsterdam, South Africa, Russian to Afghanistan. That journey will deal with corruption, greed, exploitation, bribary, arms trade and torture. The police and journalists have one agenda, to uncover the truth. But it will never be as simple as that, unconnected events have to be linked, people in power will stand in the way. In the turmoil of immigration issues in the Netherlands and the terror campaigns in the other countries, those who have power will not let it be taken from them. They will protect themselves at all costs.
This is the first of a trilogy that i am now hooked on. I will recommend this book and eagerly await the rest.
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