Vernik

Klara Walldéen #2

by Joakim Zander, Joakim Sander, Nikola Perišić (Translator)

Novi roman u serijalu o Klari Valden.

Izvanredno osmišljen roman iz serijala o Klari Valden, sa složenim zapletom koji najaktuelnije političke teme našeg vremena pretvara u prvoklasnu fikciju.

Jasmina Ajam je u bekstvu od prošlosti provedene u opasnom stokholmskom predgrađu i započinje novi život baveći se otkrivanjem trendova u Njujorku. Jednog dana dobija iznenađujuću poruku: na ulicama Stokholma odigravaju se neredi koji su naizgled u vezi sa nestankom njenog brata Fadija.

Prateći glasine da se Fadi radikalizovao i poginuo boreći se za ISIS u Siriji, Jasmina se vraća u Stokholm da bi otkrila šta se zaista dogodilo sa njenim bratom. Tamo će se naći usred opasne mreže suprotstavljenih interesa i nasilja koje ide mnogo dalje od uličnih bandi iz njenog detinjstva.

Za to vreme, u Londonu, Klara Valden je dobila posao na institutu za istraživanje ljudskih prava i radi na izveštaju koji treba da predvidi posledice privatizacije policije. Kada Klara otputuje u Stokholm da bi svoje nalaze predstavila zvaničnicima Evropske unije, laptop će joj biti ukraden, a jedan njen kolega gurnut na šine metroa. Pošto se Jasmini i njoj putevi ukrste, Klara počinje da uviđa da možda i nesvesno radi u korist mračnih planova moćnika koje ništa neće zaustaviti u postizanju njihovih ciljeva.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Sweden, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

472 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2015

About the author

Born in Stockholm, Joakim Zander has lived in Syria, Israel, and the USA, before settling in Helsinki where he now lives. He studied law at Uppsala and Maastricht Universities, and his award-winning PhD thesis was published by Cambridge University Press. He now works as a lawyer for the European Union.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thrilling and gripping read which highlights pressing issues in the world today. Yasmine is in New York after having left Sweden 5 years ago. Life is not easy for her but she is just about keeping her head above water. She had promised to protect her brother, Fadi, but ended up breaking that promise. She now hears that Fadi has been killed in Syria which shakes her world to the core. Then she receives an email from her mother with a unclear picture of a man that looks to be Fadi. She becomes convinced he is alive and returns to Sweden to find him. Her old neighbourhood is now a different and unsettled place experiencing riots and burning.

Yasmine's actions trigger a set of events that she has no control over and that bring warnings and danger. The narrative switches from Yasmine, Fadi and Klara, who is now based in London working as a researcher. We learn of Fadi, and the conditions that draw young men into a scenario where they end up in ISIS. The poverty, the ostracism from Swedish society, the boredom, playing videogames and encountering the toxic mix of religion with ignorance which inspires Fadi to feel he now has a calling. We hear how he ends up sickeningly disillusioned and seeking vengeance. The storylines build up a picture of what happened and how it led to the present.

The story is both slow and fast paced. The slow pace allows us to get to know the complex characters in some depth. This is a blistering story that fits right in with the global issues facing the world today. We move from New York, Syria, Sweden and London. There is the involvement of the intelligence agencies. We encounter the plight of ostracised refugees. A highly recommended read. Thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5★ (Read and reviewed February 19, 2017)

Trouble in Sweden? Immigrant jihadists? And wait till you learn why. (I'll never tell!)

I was reading this at exactly the same time President Trump was warning the US of the terrible problems Sweden was supposedly having with immigrants, although he didn’t elaborate. (That would have been interesting, especially when . . . but I’m getting ahead of myself and don’t want to spoil the story.)

It’s my fault for not knowing that Klara Waldeen was a character from Zander’s previous book, The Swimmer. When I requested a preview copy, it was presented as a stand-alone, and indeed, it can be, as long as you realise why there is a parallel storyline. I had trouble following it because I found the changing timelines, storylines, and locations confusing and wondered what the heck some of these people had to do with anything. Eventually, the loose ends are tied up – full credit for that.

Fadi tells his chapters in the first person, often addressing “you”, his beloved older sister, Yasmine. They were Syrian children who grew up in Sweden with strict parents (we hear of abuse later).

“Their old-fashioned, black dress pants, shawls, and jewelry. How could that be enough? We’ve known this from the first day. How could it escape them? We’re foreigners here. And we will never be more than the sum of our limitations. For people like us it’s never enough to do our best.”

His parents also make up Arabic homework, saying the Swedish work is too easy. But really, it’s because “they can hear us drifting away from it, drifting away from them, whispering, creeping. . . They can hear us croaking, almost singing. They can see our wings sprouting.”

Fadi and Yasmine have only each other. Then he sneaks into Pirate Tapes (NOT a place you should steal from!), using his sister’s door code, and steals equipment. So of course she’s the one who has to flee to escape reprisals, leaving Fadi alone and exposed to everyone who knows he was the one stupid enough to do it.

Yasmine goes to New York, cutting herself off from Fadi and her past, and we follow her there for a while. Several chapters later, we are introduced to Klara Waldeen, who, as I said was a surprise to me. She’s working for someone with something to do with an upcoming EU conference, and she’s getting suspicious about possible skulduggery.

Then back to Fadi, the poor lost soul who looks to God for companionship, beginning to pray and take on a more Muslim look. He tries to believe, but can’t. Adopted by some other seemingly disaffected Muslim youth, eventually, as his parents feared, he leaves the nest to strike out on his own, angry and bitter.

“Then my black wings unfurl, lifting up through the rain and the light of the streetlamps lifting up over the empty parking lots and satellite dishes, up above all that asphalt and concrete. gone.”

Yasmine is surprised to get an email (!) from her mother with a photograph of someone that looks like Fadi, back in their hometown, but when she returns, she doesn’t know whom to trust, and neither do we! Zander doesn’t make this easy!

Meanwhile, Klara begins investigating strange goings-on in her area of interest and puts herself very much in harm’s way. Plenty of nasty people.

As I say, the stories are eventually brought together, but I admit to getting lost. They are told in back and forth order (they skip around from 2004 to 2000 to 2011 to 2015, etc.), moving between three sets of characters and three main countries.

As it wraps up, I very much enjoyed the irony of the reveal, considering, as I said, that I read this during the week that Trump was making it sound as if Fadi’s story was typical of Swedish problems.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the preview copy from which I've quoted, so some quotes may have changed.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Brother – Stunning Suspense Thriller

Joakim Zander came to prominence with his knock out debut The Swimmer, which I thought was a stunning thriller and would take some beating, he has put that to be bed with ease. The Brother is the follow-up and is one of the best thrillers of the year, it will simply take your breath away and breathless at the end.

Zander has once again come up with a plot that is contemporary, without preaching at the reader, that is absorbing, thrilling and keeps you in suspense throughout. This is not a typical Scandi Noir thriller, this really is an international outlook in this book, that takes you to dark places without being dark.

Yasmine has promised she would always protect her little brother Fadi, but it is five years since she left Bergort, a suburb of Stockholm. Her new life in New York is not everything it seems but she is surviving, just, when she receives new that her brother has been killed out in Syria and she devastated. When she receives a message from her mother with a picture of Fadi, she is convinced he is still alive and she needs to get back to Stockholm and find him.

Accepting help, while supposedly working for a big agency in New York she is able to get back to Stockholm and find Fadi. What she finds is her old suburb suffering nightly riots, and Bergort is literally burning. Not everybody is pleased to see her back, especially as she gets messages to stop the search and go back to America.

What we get is a thriller where the story is narrated by both Yasmine and Fadi, as the picture builds so we can understand how things are and how they had come to pass. At the same time a different thread is built around Klara, a researcher based in London, but from Sweden, and her story intertwines with the books main narrative.

What the reader gets is an explosive story, a story of loss, jihad, Government Spy Agencies, and the people caught in the middle. As the story heads to its conclusion you really are not sure how this will end, for all three main characters, you hope for the best but fear the worst. This is an ambitious thriller that really does deliver on all levels and its breadth is wonderful and entertaining. The characters are believable and well written, and once again the research that has gone in to the writing of this book is really fantastic.

Read The Brother and the suspense will keep you breathless and entertained, a really stunning Swedish thriller.

[Leon Enciso · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5

[Célia | Estante de Livros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Depois da leitura de O Nadador, livro de estreia de Joakim Zander, parti imediatamente para O Crente, publicado no passado mês pela Suma de Letras. Antes de mais, é importante notar que, ainda que este livro seja o segundo volume da série “Klara Walldéen”, não é absolutamente necessária a leitura do primeiro, pois a história é independente e a participação de Klara bem mais secundária. Dito isto, acho que a leitura do primeiro volume ajuda a perceber melhor a personagem e algumas das suas motivações, pelo que se quiserem ler primeiro O Nadador, será um bónus.

Desta vez, voltamos a acompanhar várias personagens em períodos de tempo distintos e temos de novo a personagem a que o título do livro se refere a narrar os seus capítulos na primeira pessoa. O Crente é Fadi, filho de imigrantes muçulmanos na Suécia, que vive num subúrbio de Estocolmo onde existem vários problemas sociais. Desde pequeno, Fadi sempre se socorreu da irmã mais velha, Yasmine, para se manter longe de grandes problemas e sobreviver numa sociedade que o ostraciza, mas quando ela decide ir viver para os Estados Unidos, Fadi sente-se perdido e acaba por juntar-se a um grupo que o recruta como soldado do Estado Islâmico. Quando a história se inicia, Yasmine recebe a notícia que Fadi teria sido morto na Síria, e decide regressar ao seu país de acolhimento original porque suspeita que a história não está bem contada.

O Crente é um livro muito atual, pois explora a marginalização da sociedade por motivos culturais e religiosos. Enquanto estamos no presente e acompanhamos a busca de Yasmine pela verdade do que aconteceu ao seu irmão, voltamos ao passado para entendermos as motivações de Fadi e o que o levou a recorrer à religião e ao extremismo como forma de exteriorizar a alienação que sente numa sociedade em que a compreensão e a integração de quem se sente excluído estão longe de ser uma prioridade.

É um livro com um ritmo algo lento, à semelhança do seu antecessor, o que não é necessariamente mau. A isto não é alheio o facto de só com a história já bem adiantada o leitor perceber qual a relação de Klara com todo o enredo que estamos a acompanhar. Mas assim que ela se revela o livro ganha outro fôlego e torna difícil abandonar o livro. Admito que o enredo de O Nadador tivesse sido pessoalmente mais cativante, mas considero que as questões abordadas em O Crente são talvez mais pertinentes. No final de contas, foram ambos dois bons livros, que me deram a conhecer um autor que vou manter debaixo de olho no futuro.

[Obrir un llibre · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,50
Hace exactamente dos años, en agosto del 2014, leí la primera novela de un escritor novel sueco, Joakim Zander, cuya ópera prima había causado “furor” y despertado “pasiones” en la Feria del libro de Frankfurt del 2013. Esa novela se tituló El nadador y era un thriller político que se movía entre el Parlamento Europeo y los servicios de inteligencia norteamericanos. Quizás a otro lector le habría escamado el márquetin sobre la novela pero a mí, que me gustan especialmente los thrillers políticos e internacionales —las novelas de espías de toda la vida, vamos—, sentí mucha curiosidad. Y por ser una primera novela, no me pareció nada pero nada mal. De hecho me sorprendió por tener un argumento muy visual y por describir y ambientar la trama muy correctamente y con seguridad en diversos escenarios como Siria, Irak, Afganistán, o ciudades de Europa como Bruselas y París. El argumento era bastante potente y complejo a pesar de contener un par de clichés —uno ya al iniciar el libro que hubiera desanimado a cualquiera—, pero me dejó el suficiente buen recuerdo como para leer ahora su segunda novela, El hermano, publicada este verano.

Y El hermano ha resultado ser diferente a El nadador. ... http://www.abrirunlibro.com/2016/09/e...

[Aggeliki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ο Αδερφός δεν είναι μια μελιστάλαχτη ιστορία μεταξύ αδερφιών. Θα το έλεγα νουάρ βιβλίο με πολιτικές, κοινωνικές και ανθρωπιστικές προεκτάσεις. Θίγοντας αρκετά ευαίσθητα θέματα όπως η τζιχάντ, η Συρία, την πόλωση στα εκάστοτε πολιτικά παιχνίδια, την θυματοποίηση των εύκολων στόχων στις σελίδες του ξεδιπλώνεται η δύναμη των ανθρώπινων σχέσεων και δη της (ιδανικής) αδελφικής, ο αλτρουισμός που τείνει να εκλείψει πια, το πώς ο άνθρω��ος γίνεται θηρίο για να αντιμετωπίσει τις δυσκολίες ή τον κίνδυνο που απειλεί τον ίδιο ή τους αγαπημένους του ανθρώπους.
Σε σημεία ίσως να έχεις την αίσθηση ότι πηγαίνει κάπως αργά, αν και τελικά νομίζω ότι αυτό γίνεται ηθελημένα από τον συγγραφέα. Στις σκηνές δράσης ο λόγος του Zander είναι τέτοιος που σου δημιουργεί την εικόνα στο κεφάλι σου, σαν σε κινηματογραφική ταινία. Καλοδουλεμένοι χαρακτήρες, πασιφανώς ανθρώπινοι. Που σημαίνει ότι δεν ξέρω αν είναι ξεκάθαρα τα όρια του ποιος είναι ο καλός ή ο κακός, αλλά σίγουρα φτιαγμένοι με και από τα λάθη τους, τις αδυναμίες, τα απωθημένα, τις ιδεολογίες, τα όνειρα και τα σχέδιά τους για το παρακάτω.
Θα αναζητήσω σίγουρα και τον Κολυμβητή του. Νομίζω θα περάσουμε και πάλι όμορφα παρέα.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Zander's first novel, "The Swimmer." This was a major disappointment for me. Totally different writing style. Will write longer review after I've had a day or two to think on this.

[Vi ~ Inkvotary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was intense. The plot is probably not for everyone, and shows the brutal reality we have in the world right now. But well written and told.

This book will be published in the US January 17, 2017

When I read the first book written by the author, I wasn´t aware, that it was the first of a new series. So when I recently got asked if I wanted to read this new one I wanted to see how things went with the main figure and said yes.

In this second Klara Walldéen book the story is quite different. The main figure is not present from the beginning. It takes a while until she appears and the Klara in this thriller is a different one than in The Swimmer. Still the same person, but she has changed.


Klara lives now in London. After all the bad things in Sweden and the death of the father she barely knew, she goes to the big city to work for a woman she doesn´t know very much either. But she needs the distance, needs to believe that her life can change for the better after all that had happened. And for some months it works. Until she discovers, that even in London not everything is okay. Too much alcohol, too much working hours and a project, that soon turns out to be a very dangerous one. And when she meets Yasmine and has to learn that a man she thought she could trust, is involved in a high pitched game, she turns again to the only person she knows for help.


The story is told from Fadi´s point of view and through the personal perspective by Yasmine and Klara. That changes from chapter to chapter. Joakim Zander sends the reader on a journey that goes from New York to Bergort, Syria, London and Stockholm.

The plot is about Fadi, who becomes a soldier for ISIS, who thinks what he does is right, until he learns the bitter truth and that he is the reason why innocent men, women and children are dead now. And when he sees finally who the real evil is, he turns on a path of revenge and hate; becomes a ghost. And that is where his sister steps into the game. She can´t believe that he is dead, and does everything to proof she´s right. And puts herself not only in life threatening danger, but sets things into motion she shouldn´t have. All of the sudden she is chased by a group of men who stop at nothing to keep her quiet.


The authors writing style is clear, blunt, insistent and dry. Joakim Zander describes the dry and desolate Reality of young refugees, their fight to be accepted and no matter what they do it is never enough. They face every day a ostracism by the native society, boredom is part of their daily life and how their expressions explode in senseless but dangerous riots.


Joakim Zander has a special ability to create characters. Characters who are on one hand very interesting, on the other full of abysses. They are very profound, have their own demons their struggling with and in combination with religion, boredom, not caring parents and a certain cultural background the ground for trouble and dangerous actions are given.

The problems of a modern society, what ignorance can cause and that money and political power rule no matter what the human mind says – yes, the author brings it all into the game.

Klara and Yasmine are two young women who couldn´t be any more different then they are. Klara grew up in a loving and caring environment. Has never faced war or how it feels to be on the run from death and despair.
Yasmine grew up torn between two different cultures and with a religion she doesn´t see as her own. Her job as a Trend Scout shows her new cultures, new people and places she´s never been before or even heard of. But she can´t deny what or who she is. And so one day she has to decide what to do to save not only her brother but also herself.


This is a weird thriller, who really starts to become a good one in the second half of the book. Then The Believer turns into a haunting and diversified reading pleasure. For all those, who read the first book I recommend the second as well. To all others I advise you to start with the first book because in this one are mentioned a lot of things that happened in The Swimmer.



Originally posted on Gone With The Books

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jag minns inte mycket av den första delen, förutom att det var en rejäl plot-twist. Men trots att Klara flera gånger refererar till förra boken, så är det inget man egentligen behöver veta för att förstå handlingen i den här.

Tre perspektiv, Klara och Yasmine i tredje person, Fadi i första person. Ett stilistiskt val som även gjordes i första boken. Då med lite mer chock-faktor än nu.

Mycket förortsslang, som jag inte fattar, förutom andemeningen, men det är rätt intressant att se Yasmine byter språkbruk efter vem hon pratar med.

Lite väl invecklad upplösning, och jag måste väl erkänna att jag inte fattade exakt hur alla bad guys hängde ihop och vad deras motivation var, vilket drar ner betyget lite.

[Viva · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of those novels that I give a deserved 1/5 stars. It has all the distinguishing marks of a 1 star book.

Firstly: non-chronological chapters. Chapter 1 Bergort 2011. Chapter 2 NY 2015. Chapter 3 Bergort 2000, etc. I'm not saying this doesn't work because I've seen it work beautifully but this is an unneeded complication for the reader and if you do this, this better be a very well written book, which this isn't.

Secondly: None of the text is written in context. Chapter 1, I read an event that starts in the middle. I don't know who these people are and it's not clear what the greater context is. Chapter 2, same thing. Who are these people and what are they doing? Chapter 3, same thing, no context. Who is "we"? Where exactly are "we"?

Maybe this is supposed to be some artsy book and I'm supposed to get it at the end or not at all. Maybe this is some edgy writing that I'm just not getting because I'm not smart enough. Either way, this gets a 1 from me. I got this book free as a review copy.

[Anna Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wel een actueel verhaal, maar iets te langzaam verteld. Houd dan ook niet echt de aandacht lang vast. Vond de vorige beter.

[Ivana Hajdinić · Rating 1 out of 5]

jedva, na preskoce....
dosadna knjiga

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just like the first Klara Walldén novel, this second one is a competent spy thriller, even if it's hard to tell for the majority of the time why we're being taken on two separate tales. The terrorism-inspired plot is very far-fetched, but I enjoyed the fact that the author clearly has expertise in the Middle East. I don't care for grand conspiracies, but perhaps that simply means I should look for different books? The resolution was a bit too neat, but it was an entertaining book overall. Just as with the first volume: Good enough, nothing to write home about, not an author to avoid or follow.

[Pete Loveday · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is very slow and laborious. I struggled to make 50%, however I am glad that I did as the pace picked up and I enjoyed the action and excitement.
The author has created an interesting story, but relies too heavily on detail. The characters were complex and I could not empathise with Fahdi at all. The continual cross over of the time factors was disturbing and I found the two voices distracting. Not a recommended read.

[Carla Marques · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aqui está mais uma estreia para mim, peguei no livro e pensei: Isto não é o meu género e não vou gostar mas lá vai ter de ser.
Enganei-me redondamente, achei este livro muito fácil de ler, apesar da história não ter um enredo muito apelativo.
Opinião completa em :http://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.pt/...

[Bren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este autor Sueco, nos presenta su segunda novela, también con la protagonista de su primera novela "El nadador".

Me gusta mucho la forma de narrar de Zander, a pesar de que podría juzgarse como complicadas sus historias, porque en ambas novelas maneja el mismo estilo, es decir, saltos en el tiempo y entrar en la historia sin revelar de que va, poco a poco te va metiendo en la historia en el quid de la misma, lo cual es diferente a lo que estamos acostumbrados.

Eso no significa que sea difícil de leer, al contrario, aun y cuando no sabemos bien hacia donde va la historia al menos la primera parte del libro, definitivamente te mantiene atenta, no puedes dejar de leer.

Toca un tema bastante actual, de los refugiados Sirios, en este caso en Suecia, hombres, mujeres y niños que intentan adaptarse a las costumbres de un país que no es el suyo sin ningún éxito, en el caso de uno de los protagonistas, resulta en problemas de vandalismo y otras cuestiones.

Zander intenta, muy logradamente a mi parecer, hacer un perfil psicológico de aquellos muchachos árabes que por circunstancias de vida, se dejan llevar por los radicales, la forma en que se aprovechan de la soledad, la injusticia que sienten y la encaminan hacia sus propios fines.

Logra a mi parecer establecer hechos de la naturaleza humana, que no son de mi agrado, me dejo un sabor amargo, pero debido a la realidad que muestra la historia

Me gusta como escribe, su estilo y narración, no puedo negar que para ser una historia de ficción resulta demasiado realista y bien manejada, perfilando muy bien a los personajes y llevándonos de la mano en una historia muy bien contada.

La narración aveces se hace en primera persona, en otras en tercera persona, sin embargo y a pesar de esta peculiaridad no se pierde el hilo de la historia.

Asi pues, saltos en la historia, igual que con El Nadador, dos historias de pasado y presente, de personas diferentes, que terminan por encontrarse en algún punto en el presente.

Terrorismo, yihadistas, una forma muy actual de espías, la búsqueda por un hermano muerto, una historia bien contada y que definitivamente no deja indififerente

[Laura Walin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joakim Zanderin ja minun polkuni ovat lyhyesti ristenneet työelämässä, joten ei ihme että nimi kirjan kannessa herätti huomion kirjastossa käydessäni. Tässä jännärissä Zander tutkailee sitä, miten islamilainen radikalismi syntyy Ruotsin lähiöissä, ja miten eri valtiot - pienet tai suur- - hämmentävät omalla tavalla soppaa. Hämmentävää kyllä, kirja olisi mielestäni ollut parempi ilman Zanderin vakiosankaria, Klara Walldénia. Juuri hänen osuutensa tuntui tässä kirjassa ylimääräiseltä ja loppuratkaisu hieman liikaa deux et machina -tyyppiseltä. Zanderin kieli on myös mielestäni kirosanojen viljelystä huolimatta vähän liian yläluokkaista ja lyyristä hänen päähenkilöidensä suuhun. Mutta jos antaa pahimpien uskottavuuskysymysten valua ohi vaikuttamatta, niin Lähiö on ihan kelvollinen viikonlopun rentouttavana lukukokemuksena.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐

The ending made me round it down...

It's great. Zander is one of my favourite writers and here he comes with another gripping, fresh and modern suspense political thriller. Sure, it has its commodities... Actually, the small conveniences that make everything fit into place and the lack of action (as I felt the author shied away from on-the-page conflict and fighting) made me give it 4.5⭐

But the ending... it was too good to be true, too idyllic, too fictional (I know... what a thought!)

THE FRIEND is still the best book in the series, THE BROTHER comes second, then followed by the first installment, THE SWIMMER.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so amazing. It started off slower than I expected, but by the end I was so invested that I finished the last 200 pages in two days. It brings in the characters and content from the first book, The Swimmer, so effortlessly and cleanly. And the new characters added have amazing arch’s. There are so many twists and connections that I hadn’t even realized after reading the first book. I highly recommend reading this.

[Susana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un thriller para pasar el rato, con demasiadas referencias a lo ocurrido en un libro o libros anteriores (cuando lo comencé a leer no sabía que era el segundo en una serie, independiente, pero parte de una serie).

Un crítica a la exclusión de los grupos islámicos en Suecia.

Me dejó esperando un mejor final.

[Rita Costa (Lusitania Geek) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry but the second book of Joakim Zander was a disappointment in comparison with the first book of the serie. It took awhile to get attached to the story or the characters, its a shame really.

2 ⭐️

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have apparently read The Swimmer by Joakim Zander, though I have very little memory of it and didn't even realize it when I picked up The Believer, it's nominal sequel. Unfortunately, I think The Believer is destined to be just as unmemorable.

I was initially very drawn in by the back-and-forth narrative- half a first-person from the perspective of a young Muslim man becoming slowly radicalized, half a third-person focused on his sister, who has been away from home for a very long time. Those early sections were engaging and occasionally beautiful and I really wanted to like the book.

Unfortunately, the narrative starts to drag and the plot doesn't hold up. And then Klara shows up. Klara who...what is she doing in this book? She is honestly the most boring character, I don't quite get how a series is being built around her. She mopes, and drinks wine, and does some amateur surveillance, and drinks some more wine. Her job is...writing portions of academic papers? I was rather unclear. She gets a guy killed by a train. Everything else kind of magically gets worked out for no apparent reason. (the reason is fancy lawyers. Which, if I remember correctly, was the reason the *last* book got solved. But in any case the reason is not, in fact, Klara, who is the nominal hero of this book)

So, the big "conspiracy" of the book is this: Some Russians are paying a purportedly independent academic to write a paper in favor of privatizing police forces, while at the same time bribing youths in a neighborhood of Stockholm to "riot," thus proving to the public the need to have those same privatized police forces. Profit! It was kind of...yeah? This kind of corruption happens every fucking day. It does not make for a very compelling thriller. Oooh, ethics in academia, how edge-of-your-seat. Yeah, no.

So, note to self, no more Joakim Zander, because these books are not my cup of tea.

[Ciska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it starts to feel like a trick the Believer is just as captivating as The Swimmer. Klara is back working a research job in security in the European Union. She is not as much in the middle of the action this time though. This story concentrates around Yasmine and her brother Faadi. Moved to Sweden by there parents at a young age the reader gets introduced how hard it is to fit in. How much trouble it costs to get connected to a country, to people. How adjusting to the habits often is not enough to get accepted. Only for that part of the story everyone should read this book just to create understanding how it feels to being that position. It gave an insight why people make certain decisions. Faadi feels a connection to IS and I could understand his motivation to do this.
The story is raw and full of violence. I sometimes had trouble identifying if the chapter was Yasmine's or Faadi's on the first 15 or so sentences. As they shared a past their voices were close and they shared experiences. There are a lot of things in this book that make you hope it is fiction you are reading but in truth you do know these things happen. Russian involvement in the European politics. Decisions made on high level. IS getting involved in our every day life and searching for people for their war. It have me the chills. On the other hand there are a few things that do not end up. Specially the last part of Faadi's story is unbelievable. The end finally brings some happiness which was much needed.
It is clear the author knows a lot about the way politics and lobbyist work. This does not really help with the trust in the European Parliament and the governments

[Julie Mestdagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joakim Zander's debuutthriller "Simmaren" kwam vorig jaar zonder twijfel in mijn top vijf van alle gelezen boeken terecht. Dat ik op hete kolen zou zitten om de opvolger, "Orten", te lezen, hoeft dus niet te verbazen. En ja hoor, Zander schittert opnieuw.

Net zoals "Simmaren" is "Orten" een spanningsroman zoals die hoort te zijn. Een perfect opgebouwd verhaal met hoofdstukken verteld vanuit verschillende perspectieven, op verschillende momenten in de tijd. Het vraagt enige aandacht van de lezer om de puzzelstukjes bij elkaar te brengen, maar daarin ligt net de kracht van Zander's boeken.

Opnieuw betreft het een bijzonder geniaal en vooral realistisch uitgewerkt plot. Deze keer vrij actueel ook, met o.a. als thema opnieuw omkoping/corruptie in de Europese overheden, maar vooral de IS-strijders die naar Syrië trekken om er te vechten. Dit alles staat garant voor een bloedstollend spannend verhaal tot het bittere eind.

Een bijkomende troef in deze reeks boeken is ook dat één van de hoofdpersonages, Klara Waldéen, in tegenstelling tot zoveel andere Scandinavische reeksen, eens geen gedemotiveerde, oude, aan lager wal geraakte politie-agent is, doch wel een bijzonder talentvolle ambitieuze gemotiveerde juriste met het hart op de juiste plaats. Daarvoor alleen al krijgt Zander een kus van de juffrouw en een bank vooruit.

Ik ben fan!

[Martyn F · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joakim Zander knows how to write. He proved that with part 1. He can create interesting characters. But writing is also about the story. And I must admit I found it lacking in this novel.

The start of the book is very tedious. Especially the narration of Fahdi. It just goes on and on without being really interesting. I liked the middle of the book. Finally some action and excitement. Towards the end Klara Walldeen suddenly plays a larger role but then the story has somehow lost all of its tension. Unfortunately this is one of those books where a writer has to spin out his probably very good short story to a much longer dull novel. A pity.

If you have not read anything of Joakim Zander, read The Swimmer. If you have read the swimmer you might as well skip this one.

[Cathy Beyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a somewhat slow start this turned into a surprisingly good read. I liked the author's insight into how lack of integration can push people into the arms of some people whose intentions they don't really understand. This is what is happening all around western Europe, with some of the young immigrants who find it hard to "belong" to either one of their cultures. It's not always clear why this happens and the book shows that their is no set pattern, just a series of circumstances that play out differently for everyone. The plot itself was believable, though I would hope a little farfetched. I don't want to give anything away. If this is the sort of theme that speaks to you, and you like a good plot, you'll enjoy this.

[Marius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well the first book written by this author was a solid if unspectacular book, I gave book number to a chance on a whim. And I’m so happy that I did. This book is like the movie Crash. Disparate threads combine together for a story where for the last hundred pages I literally could not put the book down. Familiar themes of the global war on terror, the blurring line between the public and private and the exploitation of ordinary citizens come together in our great book. Sure, this kind of story is been done before but perhaps it is an even greater credit to the author that he is able to do what’s been done before well and make me quite eager to read his next book.

[Míša Končelová · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zander je zpět a opět se svou zmatečnou komplikovaností příběhu. Tajná policie, politika a víra v jiného boha....
Silné sourozenecké pouto v pozadí složitého příběhu, který se zdá být nemožně nepochopitelný.
Bratr je čtení pro náročné a fajnšmekry.
Plavcova dcera se opět zamotala do problémů....
http://kniznidenicek.blogspot.cz/2017...

[Jenny (knasentjej) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rörig början. Man förstår inte vad som hör ihop med vad. Men bitarna faller på plats efterhand och det är då det blir riktigt intressant.

Den är lika bra som sin föregångare, "Simmaren". Jag var skeptisk till en början men den var riktigt bra.

Boken rekommenderas varmt.