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October Is the Coldest Month
Vega Gillberg is 16 years old when the police come knocking on the door looking for her older brother, Jakob.
Vega hasn’t heard from him in days, but she has to find him before the police do. Jakob was involved in a terrible crime. What no one knows is that Vega was there, too.
In the rural Swedish community where the Gillbergs live, life is tough, the people are even tougher, and old feuds never die. As Vega sets out to find her brother, she must survive a series of threatening encounters in a deadly landscape. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s dealing with the longing she feels for a boy that she has sworn to forget, and the mixed-up feelings she has for her brother’s best friend.
During a damp, raw week in October, the door to the adult world swings open, and Vega realises that once she has crossed the threshold there is no turning back.
Vega hasn’t heard from him in days, but she has to find him before the police do. Jakob was involved in a terrible crime. What no one knows is that Vega was there, too.
In the rural Swedish community where the Gillbergs live, life is tough, the people are even tougher, and old feuds never die. As Vega sets out to find her brother, she must survive a series of threatening encounters in a deadly landscape. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s dealing with the longing she feels for a boy that she has sworn to forget, and the mixed-up feelings she has for her brother’s best friend.
During a damp, raw week in October, the door to the adult world swings open, and Vega realises that once she has crossed the threshold there is no turning back.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2017
6 people are currently reading
394 people want to read
About the author
Christoffer Carlsson
22 books473 followersI was born, I started writing stories, I haven't died yet
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 23, 2018
One of the sleeper hits of 2017, particularly for those readers who enjoy dark rural settings and tainted yet endearing characters.
October is the Coldest Month has a rural noir feel akin to Daniel Woodrell; it's not quite Winter's Bone or Tomato Red in terms of plotting but it is deep in character and atmosphere.
The focus is on 16 year old Vega, a school kid street smart in a country way who unwillingly becomes an accessory to murder. When the police come knocking on her mother's door in search of Vega's older brother Jakob, she knows her secret is out and it's only a matter of time before her family is torn apart for a second time; the first being the death of her father.
October is the Coldest Month is a quick read that will resonate with the reader long after the last page is turned. Vega is a character I just want to read more of, along with backstory snippets of past conflict over land and the illegal making of moonshine, these's a whole lot more to this book that begs for a second volume.
My rating: 5/5. Loved aspect of the book.
Reviewed first on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...
October is the Coldest Month has a rural noir feel akin to Daniel Woodrell; it's not quite Winter's Bone or Tomato Red in terms of plotting but it is deep in character and atmosphere.
The focus is on 16 year old Vega, a school kid street smart in a country way who unwillingly becomes an accessory to murder. When the police come knocking on her mother's door in search of Vega's older brother Jakob, she knows her secret is out and it's only a matter of time before her family is torn apart for a second time; the first being the death of her father.
October is the Coldest Month is a quick read that will resonate with the reader long after the last page is turned. Vega is a character I just want to read more of, along with backstory snippets of past conflict over land and the illegal making of moonshine, these's a whole lot more to this book that begs for a second volume.
My rating: 5/5. Loved aspect of the book.
Reviewed first on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...
August 25, 2020
A really boring and bad book
June 22, 2017
4 stars
I don't read a lot of thrillers. That's not to say I don't like the feeling that you get from reading thrillers, there's something about that dry-throat, adrenaline-surge as everything begins to tumble apart. Generally, I tend to get my fill of that feeling from horror books, but there was something about the blurb of this particular YA psychological thriller that drew me right in.
From the start there's a very sinister feel to the story, all dark forests, drowning bogs and remote trailer parks. Much of the local economy runs on moonshine and the general atmosphere is one of 'don't ask questions that you don't want the answer to'. Vega's world is a hard and unfamiliar one. I'm sure that most people think of Scandinavia as some kind of utopia, they certainly don't usually stop to consider the stories of those raised in poor rural towns and villages.
The story starts with a visit from the police. You get the feeling that the police don't very often stick their noses into the business of this little forest community, and that their presence is unusual and unwanted. Vega, our protagonist, is asked whether she knows the location of her brother who is wanted for questioning about a crime. Vega must pretend that she knows nothing when, in fact, she knows exactly what they are talking about…she just doesn't entirely know why it happened. We follow Vega as she tries to work out what happened that night and what it has to do with her brother.
It's a short book, only taking me an evening to finish, but I think it's the perfect length for the story that Carlsson wished to tell. I'd argue that it's much more about Vega's growth in an environment hostile to young women, than the mystery of the crime itself. Vega has to stick her nose in places where she is not welcome, learning uncomfortable truths about her brother, money and her uncle's moonshine operation. A portion of the book is also devoted to her complicated feelings for one of the local boys and their awkward and strained relationship following some drunken fumbling. I liked that Vega's interest in sex wasn't shamed at any point during the book. She's a sixteen year old girl, unapologetically finding what she likes in a world that has forced her to grow up too fast.
This book was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I got was a rich little book, evoking all the cold loneliness of rural Sweden. Vega is a wonderful protagonist, who is fighting a battle against her past and the stagnancy of the world around her. Although the ending is left quite open, I found myself hoping that she ended up with a future that she deserved. I'll definitely be picking books up by Carlsson in future.
Many thanks to Scribe UK and Netgalley for a copy in return for an honest review.
Review Originally Posted at Moon Magister Reviews.
I don't read a lot of thrillers. That's not to say I don't like the feeling that you get from reading thrillers, there's something about that dry-throat, adrenaline-surge as everything begins to tumble apart. Generally, I tend to get my fill of that feeling from horror books, but there was something about the blurb of this particular YA psychological thriller that drew me right in.
From the start there's a very sinister feel to the story, all dark forests, drowning bogs and remote trailer parks. Much of the local economy runs on moonshine and the general atmosphere is one of 'don't ask questions that you don't want the answer to'. Vega's world is a hard and unfamiliar one. I'm sure that most people think of Scandinavia as some kind of utopia, they certainly don't usually stop to consider the stories of those raised in poor rural towns and villages.
The story starts with a visit from the police. You get the feeling that the police don't very often stick their noses into the business of this little forest community, and that their presence is unusual and unwanted. Vega, our protagonist, is asked whether she knows the location of her brother who is wanted for questioning about a crime. Vega must pretend that she knows nothing when, in fact, she knows exactly what they are talking about…she just doesn't entirely know why it happened. We follow Vega as she tries to work out what happened that night and what it has to do with her brother.
It's a short book, only taking me an evening to finish, but I think it's the perfect length for the story that Carlsson wished to tell. I'd argue that it's much more about Vega's growth in an environment hostile to young women, than the mystery of the crime itself. Vega has to stick her nose in places where she is not welcome, learning uncomfortable truths about her brother, money and her uncle's moonshine operation. A portion of the book is also devoted to her complicated feelings for one of the local boys and their awkward and strained relationship following some drunken fumbling. I liked that Vega's interest in sex wasn't shamed at any point during the book. She's a sixteen year old girl, unapologetically finding what she likes in a world that has forced her to grow up too fast.
This book was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I got was a rich little book, evoking all the cold loneliness of rural Sweden. Vega is a wonderful protagonist, who is fighting a battle against her past and the stagnancy of the world around her. Although the ending is left quite open, I found myself hoping that she ended up with a future that she deserved. I'll definitely be picking books up by Carlsson in future.
Many thanks to Scribe UK and Netgalley for a copy in return for an honest review.
Review Originally Posted at Moon Magister Reviews.
June 8, 2017
This book was excellent; it propelled me through the story within just a few hours. It is utterly addictive, fast-paced and I was desperate to follow Vega as she tries to protect her brother and herself, in an effort to figure out why someone in her neighbourhood was killed. A murder Vega already knows too much about.
Vega is a fantastic main character, she is a particularly curious and observant narrator which means we don't miss a thing as the reader - equally, her mind works so quickly that you become immediately hooked and reliant upon her to tell you what she sees next. Her little village is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and finding out about each character whilst piecing together the puzzle of a murder was really interesting. The very fact that Vega's brother was instrumental to the murder, but you don't know how instrumental for a little while, made their story really interesting to me and it kept me guessing as to what she might do with the knowledge she gains. I love unpredictable, ballsy characters like Vega!
I absolutely recommend this book. It can be a little disjointed at first as Vega jumps between what she knows and saw, to what she is then later finding out. But is absolutely worth the confusion - fantastic characters, interesting plot twists and a well-developed setting. The perfect little psychological thriller.
ARC provided free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Vega is a fantastic main character, she is a particularly curious and observant narrator which means we don't miss a thing as the reader - equally, her mind works so quickly that you become immediately hooked and reliant upon her to tell you what she sees next. Her little village is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and finding out about each character whilst piecing together the puzzle of a murder was really interesting. The very fact that Vega's brother was instrumental to the murder, but you don't know how instrumental for a little while, made their story really interesting to me and it kept me guessing as to what she might do with the knowledge she gains. I love unpredictable, ballsy characters like Vega!
I absolutely recommend this book. It can be a little disjointed at first as Vega jumps between what she knows and saw, to what she is then later finding out. But is absolutely worth the confusion - fantastic characters, interesting plot twists and a well-developed setting. The perfect little psychological thriller.
ARC provided free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2017
This was supposed to be a thriller? A murder mystery?
Instead I got gray hopelessness of a small town. And even then this book only touched the surfaces of problems there. This book lacked everything.
Instead I got gray hopelessness of a small town. And even then this book only touched the surfaces of problems there. This book lacked everything.
September 4, 2023
6/10
His Leo Junker series is excellent,and Blaze me a Sun outstanding,though.
His Leo Junker series is excellent,and Blaze me a Sun outstanding,though.
December 23, 2017
This story fitted the dark, Scandinavian mystery genre; rural Sweden seems a depressing place to live, the characters were not living happy lives. I didn't love it probably because it wasn't uplifting.
September 26, 2017
Dieses Buch hat auf ungewöhnlichem Weg zu mir gefunden und ich war erst etwas skeptisch: mit ca. 200 Seiten, großer Schrift und kurzen Kapiteln gehört es jetzt nicht zu den Büchern, von denen ich viel erwarte, doch ich wurde überrascht!
Diese Geschichte fällt komplett aus dem Rahmen was ich sonst so kenne, es ist ein Ausschnitt, eine Art Momentaufnahme aus dem Leben von Vega, die es wahrlich nicht leicht hat im Leben - aber sich durchzukämpfen weiß.
"Packend, rau, emotional" steht in der Verlagsbeschreibung und ich finde keine besseren Worte, die es treffender beschreiben. Vega wächst in einer dorfähnlichen Atmosphäre auf, die viel in der Vergangenheit und Traditionen lebt; fest verankerte Vorurteile bestimmen das Bild und die sind teilweise auch berechtigt. Diese Stimmung schleicht sich sehr gut in die Handlung ein.
Vegas Familie und auch deren Bekannten sind nicht gerade das, was man erfolgreich nennen würde, doch die ärmlichen Verhältnisse sind Vega in ihren jungen Jahren nie aufgefallen. Sie kannte es ja nicht anders.
Erst in der Schule hat sie begriffen, dass es auch andere Möglichkeiten gibt; doch sie scheint sich eher davon abzugrenzen und die Chance, aus ihren Gewohnheiten auszubrechen, gar nicht wahrhaben zu wollen. Bzw. nicht daran zu glauben.
Das Leben hat ihr bisher vor allem gezeigt, wie man sich mit eher anrüchtigen und zwilichten Geschäften über Wasser hält, doch als plötzlich die Polizei vor der Tür steht, die ihren Bruder Jakob sucht, stellt sie sich der Wahrheit, die ihr eine Tragödie offenbart.
Der Schreibstil ist aus Vegas Sicht in der Ich-Perspektive gehalten und so klärt sich nur nach und nach, welches Geheimnis sich in den einsamen Herzen der Figuren verbirgt. Wie schon gesagt sind die Kapitel kurz ghalten und der Stil wirkt teilweise etwas abgehackt - schafft aber dadurch eine sehr eindringliche Atmosphäre, der ich mich während dem Lesen kaum entziehen konnte.
Vor allem Vega selbst steht im Mittelpunkt. Ihre Einsamkeit, ihr Versuch, damit klarzukommen und sich selbst zu definieren. Ihre Suche beschränkt sich nicht nur darauf aufzudecken, was in jener schicksalhaften Nacht tatsächlich geschehen ist, sondern auch etwas zu finden, woran sie sich festhalten kann. Etwas, dass ihr das Gefühl von Nähe und dem Gefühl der Zusammengehörigkeit schenkt. Obwohl sie dabei sehr erwachsen wirkt und dem nacheifert, was ihr vorgelebt wird, spürt man deutlich ihre Unsicherheit und ihr Bedürfnis nach Beständigkeit.
Der kurze Einblick in dieses Leben gewährt wirklich nur einen Ausschnitt, der aber umso intensiver ist und zeigt eine sehr triste und berührende Welt, in der jeder der Figuren versucht, irgendwie zu überleben. Es ist mir echt schwer gefallen, hier eine Bewertung in Sternen abzugeben, denn die Geschichte hat mich bewegt und auch erschüttert, und ich hätte mir einfach nur noch etwas mehr gewünscht; aber so richtig definieren kann ich es nicht. Sie wird mir jedenfalls noch längere Zeit nachklingen.
Fazit: 4.5 Sterne
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
Diese Geschichte fällt komplett aus dem Rahmen was ich sonst so kenne, es ist ein Ausschnitt, eine Art Momentaufnahme aus dem Leben von Vega, die es wahrlich nicht leicht hat im Leben - aber sich durchzukämpfen weiß.
"Packend, rau, emotional" steht in der Verlagsbeschreibung und ich finde keine besseren Worte, die es treffender beschreiben. Vega wächst in einer dorfähnlichen Atmosphäre auf, die viel in der Vergangenheit und Traditionen lebt; fest verankerte Vorurteile bestimmen das Bild und die sind teilweise auch berechtigt. Diese Stimmung schleicht sich sehr gut in die Handlung ein.
Vegas Familie und auch deren Bekannten sind nicht gerade das, was man erfolgreich nennen würde, doch die ärmlichen Verhältnisse sind Vega in ihren jungen Jahren nie aufgefallen. Sie kannte es ja nicht anders.
Erst in der Schule hat sie begriffen, dass es auch andere Möglichkeiten gibt; doch sie scheint sich eher davon abzugrenzen und die Chance, aus ihren Gewohnheiten auszubrechen, gar nicht wahrhaben zu wollen. Bzw. nicht daran zu glauben.
Das Leben hat ihr bisher vor allem gezeigt, wie man sich mit eher anrüchtigen und zwilichten Geschäften über Wasser hält, doch als plötzlich die Polizei vor der Tür steht, die ihren Bruder Jakob sucht, stellt sie sich der Wahrheit, die ihr eine Tragödie offenbart.
Der Schreibstil ist aus Vegas Sicht in der Ich-Perspektive gehalten und so klärt sich nur nach und nach, welches Geheimnis sich in den einsamen Herzen der Figuren verbirgt. Wie schon gesagt sind die Kapitel kurz ghalten und der Stil wirkt teilweise etwas abgehackt - schafft aber dadurch eine sehr eindringliche Atmosphäre, der ich mich während dem Lesen kaum entziehen konnte.
Vor allem Vega selbst steht im Mittelpunkt. Ihre Einsamkeit, ihr Versuch, damit klarzukommen und sich selbst zu definieren. Ihre Suche beschränkt sich nicht nur darauf aufzudecken, was in jener schicksalhaften Nacht tatsächlich geschehen ist, sondern auch etwas zu finden, woran sie sich festhalten kann. Etwas, dass ihr das Gefühl von Nähe und dem Gefühl der Zusammengehörigkeit schenkt. Obwohl sie dabei sehr erwachsen wirkt und dem nacheifert, was ihr vorgelebt wird, spürt man deutlich ihre Unsicherheit und ihr Bedürfnis nach Beständigkeit.
Der kurze Einblick in dieses Leben gewährt wirklich nur einen Ausschnitt, der aber umso intensiver ist und zeigt eine sehr triste und berührende Welt, in der jeder der Figuren versucht, irgendwie zu überleben. Es ist mir echt schwer gefallen, hier eine Bewertung in Sternen abzugeben, denn die Geschichte hat mich bewegt und auch erschüttert, und ich hätte mir einfach nur noch etwas mehr gewünscht; aber so richtig definieren kann ich es nicht. Sie wird mir jedenfalls noch längere Zeit nachklingen.
Fazit: 4.5 Sterne
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
December 31, 2018
Since I started my GoodReads account in 2009 I’ve given a total of six one star reviews. I’m generous, usually, because I’ll always appreciate the work that goes into a book, being a writer myself, and usually round up. One thing I can’t stand is men writing questionable portrayals of women, especially teenage girls.
This one, unfortunately, slots right into that category. The setting is the following: Vega, 16, lives in rural Sweden where things are bleak in every way. Police starts searching for her brother, who goes missing after being present at the scene of a crime. What they don’t know is that Vega was present too, and knows what happened. That sounds like a decent story, right? It would’ve been, if it hadn’t been so rife with unnecessary, gross depictions of sex in relation to this girl, who is 16. I’m no prude, and I’m actually a fan of books that talks about sex in frank terms, because people have sex and that’s just the way it is. I’m not in any way saying that YA it has no place in YA. I’m saying that if you, as a male, write teen girls, you really need to be mindful of how you write about sex.
In this book it’s done in a way that makes it feel… everything but that. Under the cut I’m listing all the sexual references in the first 40 pages, which is as far as I read. They’re graphic, as a warning.
On the next page rumours about her being a slut started spreading, and I gave up.
The reviews on this book are generally decent. They speak mostly about the mystery, and very little about the portrayal of Vega, which is what alarmed me the most. One review talks about her sexualisation being uncomfortable, one about her not being shamed for liking sex, and one about how this can’t be YA. The rest seems to focus on the mystery itself, the bleakness of the rural area she lives in, and so on. Which, fair. It’s possible the mystery would’ve caught my attention if I’d kept reading, but at about 30% I decided against it. Life is to short to hate read books.
(Not setting a read date, which was December 30th 2018, because I don't want it to count as read since I didn't finish it.)
This one, unfortunately, slots right into that category. The setting is the following: Vega, 16, lives in rural Sweden where things are bleak in every way. Police starts searching for her brother, who goes missing after being present at the scene of a crime. What they don’t know is that Vega was present too, and knows what happened. That sounds like a decent story, right? It would’ve been, if it hadn’t been so rife with unnecessary, gross depictions of sex in relation to this girl, who is 16. I’m no prude, and I’m actually a fan of books that talks about sex in frank terms, because people have sex and that’s just the way it is. I’m not in any way saying that YA it has no place in YA. I’m saying that if you, as a male, write teen girls, you really need to be mindful of how you write about sex.
In this book it’s done in a way that makes it feel… everything but that. Under the cut I’m listing all the sexual references in the first 40 pages, which is as far as I read. They’re graphic, as a warning.
On the next page rumours about her being a slut started spreading, and I gave up.
The reviews on this book are generally decent. They speak mostly about the mystery, and very little about the portrayal of Vega, which is what alarmed me the most. One review talks about her sexualisation being uncomfortable, one about her not being shamed for liking sex, and one about how this can’t be YA. The rest seems to focus on the mystery itself, the bleakness of the rural area she lives in, and so on. Which, fair. It’s possible the mystery would’ve caught my attention if I’d kept reading, but at about 30% I decided against it. Life is to short to hate read books.
(Not setting a read date, which was December 30th 2018, because I don't want it to count as read since I didn't finish it.)
July 4, 2017
I received a copy of this title from the Scribe for review.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Vega's older brother is missing and when the police come knocking, Vega knows why. Struggling to find answers in an adult world, Vega strolls into the underworld of her remote town.
If you like your YA peppy, romantic and with a good dose of teen angst, you are going to be sorely disappointed (and possibly traumatised) by October is the Coldest Month. Certainly one of the grittiest novels categorised as YA that I've ever read, the book takes the reader into the dark underbelly of a town in remote Sweden. Fittingly, the atmosphere of this book is bleak from the get-go and held me in an icy sense of fatalism throughout.
Vega is a teen in a predicament. Her brother Jakob is missing, she knows why (although the reader isn't privy to this information until partway through the book) and her stark existence seems like it's about to become considerably more wintry should the police find Jakob before she does. The narrative style has a distinct sense of detachment throughout, which is typical of noir I suppose, although I don't read much of it, which actually made it a bit easier for me to keep reading through the bits that made my stomach churn.
The book features sex, violence and general criminal activity, so if any of those things turn you off, I would recommend you place this one back on the shelf and find yourself something more comforting. Although this is a YA book in that the protagonist is a middle teen, the other characters, bar one - Vega's love interest - are adults and careworn, to put it mildly, at that. It very much feels throughout the book that Vega is well and truly out of her depth, trying to protect her brother while the significant adults in her life are involved in everything from black market hustling to murder.
Towards the end, the story feels a bit like a traditional murder mystery in that Vega starts to unravel the truth and various characters admit to playing various parts in the act in which Jakob was caught up. I quite enjoyed this part of the story because things finally started making sense and the action ramped up in tandem with the pace of the story.
Overall, since this was quite a quick read, I found this quite absorbing and easy to fall into. Noir is certainly not a genre I read often, given that I don't necessarily love grittiness for the sake of it, but this was a good example of the genre and not overwhelming, given the shortish length of the story. I would recommend this if you are a YA reader looking for something completely out there, or if you are a fan of edgy crime novels and need a quick fix.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Vega's older brother is missing and when the police come knocking, Vega knows why. Struggling to find answers in an adult world, Vega strolls into the underworld of her remote town.
If you like your YA peppy, romantic and with a good dose of teen angst, you are going to be sorely disappointed (and possibly traumatised) by October is the Coldest Month. Certainly one of the grittiest novels categorised as YA that I've ever read, the book takes the reader into the dark underbelly of a town in remote Sweden. Fittingly, the atmosphere of this book is bleak from the get-go and held me in an icy sense of fatalism throughout.
Vega is a teen in a predicament. Her brother Jakob is missing, she knows why (although the reader isn't privy to this information until partway through the book) and her stark existence seems like it's about to become considerably more wintry should the police find Jakob before she does. The narrative style has a distinct sense of detachment throughout, which is typical of noir I suppose, although I don't read much of it, which actually made it a bit easier for me to keep reading through the bits that made my stomach churn.
The book features sex, violence and general criminal activity, so if any of those things turn you off, I would recommend you place this one back on the shelf and find yourself something more comforting. Although this is a YA book in that the protagonist is a middle teen, the other characters, bar one - Vega's love interest - are adults and careworn, to put it mildly, at that. It very much feels throughout the book that Vega is well and truly out of her depth, trying to protect her brother while the significant adults in her life are involved in everything from black market hustling to murder.
Towards the end, the story feels a bit like a traditional murder mystery in that Vega starts to unravel the truth and various characters admit to playing various parts in the act in which Jakob was caught up. I quite enjoyed this part of the story because things finally started making sense and the action ramped up in tandem with the pace of the story.
Overall, since this was quite a quick read, I found this quite absorbing and easy to fall into. Noir is certainly not a genre I read often, given that I don't necessarily love grittiness for the sake of it, but this was a good example of the genre and not overwhelming, given the shortish length of the story. I would recommend this if you are a YA reader looking for something completely out there, or if you are a fan of edgy crime novels and need a quick fix.
November 13, 2017
Die 16-jährige Vega lebt mit ihrem 19-jährigen Bruder Jakob und der Mutter in einem kleinen Dorf in Schweden. Eines Tages steht die Polizei vor ihrer Tür. Jakob wird dringend gesucht; man bringt ihn in Verbindung mit dem Verschwinden eines Dorfbewohners. Doch Jakob ist untergetaucht. Vega ist überzeugt von seiner Unschuld und macht sich auf die Suche nach ihm.
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das Buch hat nur knappe 200 Seiten und ist daher schnell gelesen, zumal es auch sehr kurze und lesefreundliche Kapitel hat. Ich habe dennoch eine Weile gebraucht, um mich einzulesen und wohlzufühlen in der Geschichte, denn die Atmosphäre ist – gerade für ein Jugendbuch – sehr düster und bedrückend. Auch die Sprache ist zum Teil recht derb. Der Schreibstil passt zwar zur Geschichte, aber ich war hier durchaus froh, dass das Buch so schmal ist.
Dabei ist die Handlung sehr spannend. Langeweile kam bei mir nicht auf; ich war immer neugierig und gespannt auf den Fortgang der Geschichte und die Auflösung. Man kann hier als Leser in eine ganz andere Welt eintauchen, denn diese kleine Dorfgemeinschaft in Schweden scheint – vermutlich wegen ihrer Abgeschiedenheit – einfach anders zu sein. Ich denke, daher rührt auch die düstere und bedrückende Atmosphäre. Die Jugendlichen scheinen nicht wirklich gute Zukunftsperspektiven zu haben.
Ich habe das Buch gerne gelesen. Es hat auch gerade sehr gut in diese auch eher trübe Jahreszeit gepasst, obwohl ich ansonsten eigentlich kein Jahreszeiten-Leser bin (ich kann auch Weihnachtsbücher im Sommer lesen). Wer aber einfach mal ein etwas anderes Jugendbuch lesen möchte mit einer spannenden Story und einer Sprache, die nichts beschönigt, dem kann ich „Weißzeit“ auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das Buch hat nur knappe 200 Seiten und ist daher schnell gelesen, zumal es auch sehr kurze und lesefreundliche Kapitel hat. Ich habe dennoch eine Weile gebraucht, um mich einzulesen und wohlzufühlen in der Geschichte, denn die Atmosphäre ist – gerade für ein Jugendbuch – sehr düster und bedrückend. Auch die Sprache ist zum Teil recht derb. Der Schreibstil passt zwar zur Geschichte, aber ich war hier durchaus froh, dass das Buch so schmal ist.
Dabei ist die Handlung sehr spannend. Langeweile kam bei mir nicht auf; ich war immer neugierig und gespannt auf den Fortgang der Geschichte und die Auflösung. Man kann hier als Leser in eine ganz andere Welt eintauchen, denn diese kleine Dorfgemeinschaft in Schweden scheint – vermutlich wegen ihrer Abgeschiedenheit – einfach anders zu sein. Ich denke, daher rührt auch die düstere und bedrückende Atmosphäre. Die Jugendlichen scheinen nicht wirklich gute Zukunftsperspektiven zu haben.
Ich habe das Buch gerne gelesen. Es hat auch gerade sehr gut in diese auch eher trübe Jahreszeit gepasst, obwohl ich ansonsten eigentlich kein Jahreszeiten-Leser bin (ich kann auch Weihnachtsbücher im Sommer lesen). Wer aber einfach mal ein etwas anderes Jugendbuch lesen möchte mit einer spannenden Story und einer Sprache, die nichts beschönigt, dem kann ich „Weißzeit“ auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
September 7, 2016
Oktober är den kallaste månaden är en bok med en miljö och stämning som kryper under skinnet. Christoffer Carlsson visar återigen hur skicklig han är att förmedla en väldigt speciell stämning och visa en mörk sida av den svenska landsbygden. Jag slås igen av det vackra språket, där han med små medel spelar på stora känslor. Det slår an något speciellt hos mig. Svärtan i skildringen av relationer och miljön berör starkt, det lilla samhällets baksidor är central i berättelsen.
För ovanlighetens skull så tog det lite tid för mig att komma in i berättelsen, förmodligen för att jag inte tog mig tid att pausa. Det var många namn och jag hade svårt att få grepp om berättelsen. Jag hade inte läst på baksidan så noga och det tog mig en stund att förstå att det var en 16-årig tjej som var berättarrösten. Jag trodde det var en manlig berättare, och det intrycket hade jag svårt att skaka av mig. Den 16-åriga Vega är så långt från mitt 16-åriga jag både i beteende och tankar att det skapar en konflikt under läsandet, vilket gör att jag helt har svårt att ta till mig berättelsen fullt ut.
Funderar också mycket under läsandet på kategorisering och genre. Vad gör det här till en bok för 15+? Jag kan inte förflytta mig så långt tillbaka, och sätta mig in vad jag hade tyckt i den åldern. Så för att riktigt göra boken rättvisa skulle jag vilja höra vad ungdomar i målgruppen tycker om den. Kanske de har en helt annan inställning till Vega?
Christoffer Carlsson har en alldeles egen berättarröst som gör att jag ser mycket fram mot att läsa fler böcker av honom.
Fullständig recension:
https://lottensbokblogg.wordpress.com...
För ovanlighetens skull så tog det lite tid för mig att komma in i berättelsen, förmodligen för att jag inte tog mig tid att pausa. Det var många namn och jag hade svårt att få grepp om berättelsen. Jag hade inte läst på baksidan så noga och det tog mig en stund att förstå att det var en 16-årig tjej som var berättarrösten. Jag trodde det var en manlig berättare, och det intrycket hade jag svårt att skaka av mig. Den 16-åriga Vega är så långt från mitt 16-åriga jag både i beteende och tankar att det skapar en konflikt under läsandet, vilket gör att jag helt har svårt att ta till mig berättelsen fullt ut.
Funderar också mycket under läsandet på kategorisering och genre. Vad gör det här till en bok för 15+? Jag kan inte förflytta mig så långt tillbaka, och sätta mig in vad jag hade tyckt i den åldern. Så för att riktigt göra boken rättvisa skulle jag vilja höra vad ungdomar i målgruppen tycker om den. Kanske de har en helt annan inställning till Vega?
Christoffer Carlsson har en alldeles egen berättarröst som gör att jag ser mycket fram mot att läsa fler böcker av honom.
Fullständig recension:
https://lottensbokblogg.wordpress.com...
February 8, 2017
Betyg: 4,5 av 5.
Det här är Christoffer Carlssons sjätte roman. Jag har läst alla hans fem tidigare böcker, och tyckt mycket om dom alla. Här är en länk till min recension av den senaste boken, Mästare, väktare, lögnare, vän, och i det inlägget finns länkar till dom fyra tidigare böckerna.
Boken Oktober är den kallaste månaden är Christoffer Carlsson första bok för unga vuxna, och helt fristående från hans tidigare böcker. Och jag måste ju säga att jag tyckte inte det var någon skillnad på den här boken mot hans tidigare böcker som inte har varit ungdomsböcker.
Jag tyckte precis lika mycket om den här boken, som jag har gjort om hans tidigare böcker. Fina personporträtt, spännande handling, och bra beskrivningar av relationer människor emellan.
Rekommenderas absolut.
Det här är Christoffer Carlssons sjätte roman. Jag har läst alla hans fem tidigare böcker, och tyckt mycket om dom alla. Här är en länk till min recension av den senaste boken, Mästare, väktare, lögnare, vän, och i det inlägget finns länkar till dom fyra tidigare böckerna.
Boken Oktober är den kallaste månaden är Christoffer Carlsson första bok för unga vuxna, och helt fristående från hans tidigare böcker. Och jag måste ju säga att jag tyckte inte det var någon skillnad på den här boken mot hans tidigare böcker som inte har varit ungdomsböcker.
Jag tyckte precis lika mycket om den här boken, som jag har gjort om hans tidigare böcker. Fina personporträtt, spännande handling, och bra beskrivningar av relationer människor emellan.
Rekommenderas absolut.
June 28, 2017
A curious read, perhaps due to it being in translation, but the story gripped me throughout.
Vega is 16 and we open the book with the police looking for her older brother. She guesses it's connected to the night they were together at a neighbour's house, just before he disappeared.
Vega knows more about these events than she lets on, but as she questions those around her and hunts for answers she uncovers a far darker reality than she was expecting.
The events did not quite go as expected, but Vega was an interesting narrator. The setting was suitably dark and ominous, and I imagine this could make an interesting movie.
Thank you to NetGalley for approving me to read this, and getting me to try something a little different.
Vega is 16 and we open the book with the police looking for her older brother. She guesses it's connected to the night they were together at a neighbour's house, just before he disappeared.
Vega knows more about these events than she lets on, but as she questions those around her and hunts for answers she uncovers a far darker reality than she was expecting.
The events did not quite go as expected, but Vega was an interesting narrator. The setting was suitably dark and ominous, and I imagine this could make an interesting movie.
Thank you to NetGalley for approving me to read this, and getting me to try something a little different.
May 14, 2025
I had a hard time reading this book, even though I didn’t even finish it. To me it seems like Christoffer Carlsson has no idea what’s going on in a teenage girls mind. Also the description of Velga and her mother is nothing like an actual mother-daughter relationship. I feel like every man she comes across hits on her. The character are not described very detailed, mostly just by boobs and butts.
I do have to say I haven’t read the whole book so I can’t say anything about the story itself.
I do have to say I haven’t read the whole book so I can’t say anything about the story itself.
October 9, 2017
Oktober Is De Koudste Maand leek een veelbelovende YA-thriller. Toch viel dit boek me erg tegen, o.a. vanwege de oppervlakkige personages.
Recensie: http://mustmag.nl/recensie-oktober-is...
Recensie: http://mustmag.nl/recensie-oktober-is...
November 8, 2017
This is terrific writing. Spare, Hemingway-esque prose that really delivers in this YA Scandinavian Noir. Atmospheric, with plenty of tension, a strong voice and a rich sense of location. I wanted a few more ends tied up at the end but a great read none the less.
May 25, 2024
I don't know what to think of this book. It's short. It's bleak. All of the characters need help. It makes me glad that I don't live in their community.
Read
May 14, 2018I loved this book. Beautifully written, with an atmosphere I could taste, October is the Coldest Month had me questioning the line between rescue and culpability in an unflinching, white-knuckle read.
Dianne Touchell, Author of A Small Madness
Taut, tense, and thick with atmosphere.
Saturday Age
The writing is as lean and edgy as the characters … utterly believable and utterly compelling.
Ellie Marney, Author of The Every Series
A compulsive read … Gripping.
The Big Issue
A gritty, edgy thriller that will get under your skin.
Sunday Independent
Each twist and turn ripples with menace … Gripping.
Anne Cassidy, Author of Moth Girls
Gritty Nordic Noir that grips you from the get go.
Tim Pegler, Author of Five Parts Dead
The desolate landscape is the perfect backdrop for this taut tale of old family feuds and unfurling secrets.
The Irish Times
Vega herself is a desperate, resourceful, unstoppable protagonist … Carlsson has delivered a well plotted mystery … with a couple of gasp-worthy twists.
Robert Goodman, Pile by the Bed
The writing flows and it's hard to put down. It's not only the suspense — something in the way its written makes the story get under your skin … in a good way.
Emma Krypin, blogger
So cool that Christoffer Carlsson is suddenly writing young adult. A thrilling whodunit set in the isolated countryside. Love it! Hope to read more about Vega, the paper-friend I have come to like so much.
Prickiga Paula, blogger
A wonderfully well-written book. Exciting, beautiful, horrible, and creepy.
Stories from the City Blog
October is the Coldest Month by Christoffer Carlsson is a dense, claustrophobic thriller with a few surprising twists and plenty of suspense.
En Bok Vid Havet
...And exciting it is. The seasoned crime writer Christoffer Carlsson always has intrigue under his control, and slowly turns up the mystery and drama.
Andreas Palmaer, Dagens Nyheter
Short and taut — and all the better for it.
Auckland Herald
Dianne Touchell, Author of A Small Madness
Taut, tense, and thick with atmosphere.
Saturday Age
The writing is as lean and edgy as the characters … utterly believable and utterly compelling.
Ellie Marney, Author of The Every Series
A compulsive read … Gripping.
The Big Issue
A gritty, edgy thriller that will get under your skin.
Sunday Independent
Each twist and turn ripples with menace … Gripping.
Anne Cassidy, Author of Moth Girls
Gritty Nordic Noir that grips you from the get go.
Tim Pegler, Author of Five Parts Dead
The desolate landscape is the perfect backdrop for this taut tale of old family feuds and unfurling secrets.
The Irish Times
Vega herself is a desperate, resourceful, unstoppable protagonist … Carlsson has delivered a well plotted mystery … with a couple of gasp-worthy twists.
Robert Goodman, Pile by the Bed
The writing flows and it's hard to put down. It's not only the suspense — something in the way its written makes the story get under your skin … in a good way.
Emma Krypin, blogger
So cool that Christoffer Carlsson is suddenly writing young adult. A thrilling whodunit set in the isolated countryside. Love it! Hope to read more about Vega, the paper-friend I have come to like so much.
Prickiga Paula, blogger
A wonderfully well-written book. Exciting, beautiful, horrible, and creepy.
Stories from the City Blog
October is the Coldest Month by Christoffer Carlsson is a dense, claustrophobic thriller with a few surprising twists and plenty of suspense.
En Bok Vid Havet
...And exciting it is. The seasoned crime writer Christoffer Carlsson always has intrigue under his control, and slowly turns up the mystery and drama.
Andreas Palmaer, Dagens Nyheter
Short and taut — and all the better for it.
Auckland Herald
February 6, 2021
This book was not really my thing. I picked it up on a whim, thinking that the premise was interesting, but in reality it just didn't hold up.
There were a few plot holes, and the writing itself wasn't fantastic (although the latter may have been because it was translated into English, so I'll give it a little benefit of the doubt, but not too much).
I found Vega to be a very two dimensional character, and although she says she's changed in the last chapter, her character didn't develop at all. She was still the exact same, despite having gone through the incidents she had.
The murder mystery itself wasn't too bad, but it frustrates me that a sixteen year old girl with no prior experience with crime is able to figure it out when the actual police haven't (it's so easy for her, and I don't understand it).
I finished this book in one sitting - but if I'd had to put it down and come back I don't think I would have finished it. I enjoyed it while I was reading, but it hasn't gripped me enough for me to return to it.
There were a few plot holes, and the writing itself wasn't fantastic (although the latter may have been because it was translated into English, so I'll give it a little benefit of the doubt, but not too much).
I found Vega to be a very two dimensional character, and although she says she's changed in the last chapter, her character didn't develop at all. She was still the exact same, despite having gone through the incidents she had.
The murder mystery itself wasn't too bad, but it frustrates me that a sixteen year old girl with no prior experience with crime is able to figure it out when the actual police haven't (it's so easy for her, and I don't understand it).
I finished this book in one sitting - but if I'd had to put it down and come back I don't think I would have finished it. I enjoyed it while I was reading, but it hasn't gripped me enough for me to return to it.
August 23, 2017
... I literally have no idea what the actual heck I just read ...
Also, definitely NOT a YA book. NOPE. This should be marketed as NA or Adult because this was just something else.
Also, definitely NOT a YA book. NOPE. This should be marketed as NA or Adult because this was just something else.
June 30, 2017
It's possible I didn't give this book enough of a chance but I just really didn't get into it, nothing special really in my opinion
June 5, 2021
4/5 review te vinden op mijn blog
https://www.ikbenflo.be/oktober-is-de...
https://www.ikbenflo.be/oktober-is-de...
June 12, 2017
Received as an ARC by publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
A snapshot of a moment after a murder and the teenage girl that gets washed up in it. A really quick read. Attempts to deal with serious issues such as sexual assault and trauma, and has varying degrees of success. Sexualisation of the main character - a young teenage girl - is frequent and uncomfortable in places.
Overall, an interesting book that was quick to read and had a decent murder mystery within.
A snapshot of a moment after a murder and the teenage girl that gets washed up in it. A really quick read. Attempts to deal with serious issues such as sexual assault and trauma, and has varying degrees of success. Sexualisation of the main character - a young teenage girl - is frequent and uncomfortable in places.
Overall, an interesting book that was quick to read and had a decent murder mystery within.
August 14, 2017
I didn't totally love this. The writing felt a bit stilted at times (maybe from being translated) and there were some odd, insignificant details that didn't seem either useful or relevant. I thought Vega didn't quite ring true as a 16 year old girl, her 'voice' didn't seem quite right to me somehow. But having said all that, the story was fast paced and there was a very strong sense of place. A decent enough thriller, but better for senior teens due to sex scenes.
June 11, 2017
Enjoyed this tale of a rural community in Sweden seen from the perspective of a sixteen year old female. She is trying to find out the ins and outs of a terrible crime where her brother appears to be the chief suspect. Granted it is aimed at young adults but it could have been fleshed out in my opinion.
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
September 6, 2017
I thought this was a simply written crime novel for older young adults due to the content. The plot wasn't complex enough to really be a good crime novel and the first person narration by Vega was very one dimensional.
November 21, 2017
Anne Cassidy says on the cover "Each twist and turn ripples with menace ... Gripping" - couldn't agree more. Set in Sweden, it conveys the bleakness of place and winter beautifully, and as the mystery unfolds I could not see what the end point would be - great read for fans of Nordic noir.
September 17, 2016
My review in swedish ---> Romeoandjuliet
January 27, 2023
"Well, Sir, I guess there is just a meanness in this world"
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