What do you think?
Rate this book
Сребърният път
Шведската сензация на 2018 г.
Стина Джаксън е сензация на шведската криминална литература. За броени месеци "Сребърният път" продаде над 200 000 копия в Швеция, стана №1 по продажби през най-силния месец - декември, а правата за превод бяха продадени в десетки страни по света.
Книгата спечели и Голямата награда на Шведската академия на криминалните автори. Това е първият дебют в 36-годишната история на наградата, удостоен с тази чест.
...Самата мъка бе пуснала корени в сърцето му.
Преди три години Леле оставя дъщеря си Лина на една спирка на Сребърния път, виещ се сред безкрайни гори и малки изолирани селища в Северна Швеция. Когато автобусът пристига петнайсетина минути по-късно, нея вече я няма. Мащабното издирване не дава резултат. Лина сякаш се изпарява във въздуха. С нея си отива и животът на Леле.
Сега той използва лятната ваканция, за да шофира неуморно по Сребърния път през белите нощи. Влиза във всяка отбивка, проверява всяка изоставена барака, всяко сечище, промъква се тайно в чужди имоти и проверява мазетата им... навсякъде, отново и отново. Няма да се спре, докато не открие своето момиче. Няма да се спре никога. Междувременно седемнайсетгодишната Мея се нанася в близко градче по Сребърния път. Това е поредната спирка на майка ѝ в търсенето на търпелив мъж, който да се грижи за нея и дъщеря ѝ. Тук Мея ще открие дом и обич. А после ще плати жестока цена за това. Пътищата на Леле и Мея ще се пресекат и една мрачна тайна ще бъде разкрита. Но не всичко изгубено може да бъде намерено.
Стина Джаксън е сензация на шведската криминална литература. За броени месеци "Сребърният път" продаде над 200 000 копия в Швеция, стана №1 по продажби през най-силния месец - декември, а правата за превод бяха продадени в десетки страни по света.
Книгата спечели и Голямата награда на Шведската академия на криминалните автори. Това е първият дебют в 36-годишната история на наградата, удостоен с тази чест.
...Самата мъка бе пуснала корени в сърцето му.
Преди три години Леле оставя дъщеря си Лина на една спирка на Сребърния път, виещ се сред безкрайни гори и малки изолирани селища в Северна Швеция. Когато автобусът пристига петнайсетина минути по-късно, нея вече я няма. Мащабното издирване не дава резултат. Лина сякаш се изпарява във въздуха. С нея си отива и животът на Леле.
Сега той използва лятната ваканция, за да шофира неуморно по Сребърния път през белите нощи. Влиза във всяка отбивка, проверява всяка изоставена барака, всяко сечище, промъква се тайно в чужди имоти и проверява мазетата им... навсякъде, отново и отново. Няма да се спре, докато не открие своето момиче. Няма да се спре никога. Междувременно седемнайсетгодишната Мея се нанася в близко градче по Сребърния път. Това е поредната спирка на майка ѝ в търсенето на търпелив мъж, който да се грижи за нея и дъщеря ѝ. Тук Мея ще открие дом и обич. А после ще плати жестока цена за това. Пътищата на Леле и Мея ще се пресекат и една мрачна тайна ще бъде разкрита. Но не всичко изгубено може да бъде намерено.
Paperback
First published May 22, 2018
121 people are currently reading
3350 people want to read
About the author
Stina Jackson
11 books243 followersStina Jackson (b. 1983) hails from the northern town of Skellefteå in Sweden. Just over a decade ago she relocated to Denver, Colorado, where she penned her debut novel, the acclaimed The Silver Road. A runaway bestseller, the novel established Jackson as a rising new star within Nordic suspense.
Awards
The Glass Key (Best Scandinavian Crime Novel) The Nordic Countries – Silvervägen 2019
Book of the Year Award Sweden – Silvervägen 2019
The Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award (Best Swedish Crime Novel) Sweden – Silvervägen 2018
Awards
The Glass Key (Best Scandinavian Crime Novel) The Nordic Countries – Silvervägen 2019
Book of the Year Award Sweden – Silvervägen 2019
The Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award (Best Swedish Crime Novel) Sweden – Silvervägen 2018
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 910 reviews
January 20, 2019
**4.5 stars **
Three years ago, high school teacher Lelle’s 17 year old daughter Lina went missing. Lelle’s wife Annet blamed her husband - he’d dropped his daughter at the bus stop, - why hadn’t he stayed until the bus arrived? Lelle blames himself too, and he uses drink as a crutch, and spends his waking hours searching the ‘silver road ‘ where Lina disappeared. Such is his obsession, he also spends much of the night searching too, not wanting to waste a moment, unable to rest, but it’s playing havoc with both his physical and mental health. Annet meanwhile sleeps her days away with the help of medication. Needless to say it brings their marriage to an end. Neither of them able to come to terms with their despair, and unable or unwilling to communicate their feelings. Annet has moved on now, got herself a new partner, and she thinks it’s time Lelle stopped his searching, time he accepted that Lina won’t be coming home.
In the meantime, 17 year old Meja arrives in the small, isolated Swedish town, and finds herself in Lelle’s class. This is a girl who hasn’t had the best of lives - she doesn’t know her father, and her mother Silje, can best be described as feckless. In Lelle though, Meja finds someone willing to help her, and as autumn turns to winter, their lives become intertwined in a most surprising and frightening way.
The police trail for Lina has gone cold, but now another girl has gone missing and she’s the same age as Lina - she even looks like her. Lelle is convinced that there is a connection and he won’t stop searching until he brings both girls home.
It’s not difficult to understand what Lelle is going through - the torment of not knowing what has happened to his daughter, and the all pervading air of sadness he carries with him, as he searches long abandoned homes deep in the forest, with their smells of decay, rotten wood, and a desolation matched only by the solitude of the remote Swedish landscape. But Lelle’s despair is all consuming and my heart breaks for him - God how it breaks!
This is Scandi noir at its best. Stina Jackson has written a beautifully haunting story of love, loss, and a father’s obsession. The incredible (but moody) landscape, the isolation, the strange characters that a location like this can create - all of these elements come together to create a simply beautiful, heartbreaking but compelling read.
So I’ve finished another book, put it to one side, but I can’t get Lelle out of my head - this imperfect, despairing, yet ultimately caring man will stay with me for some time to come!
* My thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic books for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Three years ago, high school teacher Lelle’s 17 year old daughter Lina went missing. Lelle’s wife Annet blamed her husband - he’d dropped his daughter at the bus stop, - why hadn’t he stayed until the bus arrived? Lelle blames himself too, and he uses drink as a crutch, and spends his waking hours searching the ‘silver road ‘ where Lina disappeared. Such is his obsession, he also spends much of the night searching too, not wanting to waste a moment, unable to rest, but it’s playing havoc with both his physical and mental health. Annet meanwhile sleeps her days away with the help of medication. Needless to say it brings their marriage to an end. Neither of them able to come to terms with their despair, and unable or unwilling to communicate their feelings. Annet has moved on now, got herself a new partner, and she thinks it’s time Lelle stopped his searching, time he accepted that Lina won’t be coming home.
In the meantime, 17 year old Meja arrives in the small, isolated Swedish town, and finds herself in Lelle’s class. This is a girl who hasn’t had the best of lives - she doesn’t know her father, and her mother Silje, can best be described as feckless. In Lelle though, Meja finds someone willing to help her, and as autumn turns to winter, their lives become intertwined in a most surprising and frightening way.
The police trail for Lina has gone cold, but now another girl has gone missing and she’s the same age as Lina - she even looks like her. Lelle is convinced that there is a connection and he won’t stop searching until he brings both girls home.
It’s not difficult to understand what Lelle is going through - the torment of not knowing what has happened to his daughter, and the all pervading air of sadness he carries with him, as he searches long abandoned homes deep in the forest, with their smells of decay, rotten wood, and a desolation matched only by the solitude of the remote Swedish landscape. But Lelle’s despair is all consuming and my heart breaks for him - God how it breaks!
This is Scandi noir at its best. Stina Jackson has written a beautifully haunting story of love, loss, and a father’s obsession. The incredible (but moody) landscape, the isolation, the strange characters that a location like this can create - all of these elements come together to create a simply beautiful, heartbreaking but compelling read.
So I’ve finished another book, put it to one side, but I can’t get Lelle out of my head - this imperfect, despairing, yet ultimately caring man will stay with me for some time to come!
* My thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic books for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
February 11, 2019
Stina Jackson writes a profoundly moving, atmospheric and haunting debut set in the remote and isolated part of Northern Sweden, with its forests, so intensely dark and cold. Lelle is a middle aged teacher, whose 17 year old daughter, Lina disappeared from a bus stop three years ago. His life has disintegrated, his wife blamed him, and their marriage failed to survive the anguish and despair of their loss. For a while, the police had him down as a suspect, along with Mikael, Lina's boyfriend, with Lelle often confronting him. Whilst his wife has finally moved on into another relationship, Lelle just cannot let go, drinking has become a much needed crutch to help him cope.
Lelle obsessively drives along the Silver Road at night in his car, often accompanied by the ghost of his daughter. He feels the police have put insufficient effort into finding Lina as he desperately combs the internet for any crumbs of information, whilst exhorting others to help find her.
Troubled newcomers to the area, 17 year Meja and her alcoholic mother, Silje, a woman with mental health issues have a history of moving around often. Silje has a tendency to zone in on men that she believes will provide financial security and latch onto them but Meja has had enough as she pines for stability and moves in with her boyfriend's survivalist family. She is to find herself in danger. Meja and Lelle's paths are to cross and connect with each other as another girl goes missing and she bears a remarkable resemblance to Lina. Lelle finds himself joining the efforts to find her for obvious reasons and the separate threads in the narrative begin to come together as the truth begins to emerge.
Jackson is a talented writer and a welcome addition to the Scandi-Noir genre with this dark and disturbing novel. The overriding focus is on love, loss, grief and family, and the impact of heartbreak on family dynamics. The sense of location is stunningly conveyed, with its forests and abandoned buildings, and imbued with a odd sense of eeriness and chill. I found this an impressive read where the characterisation is done with skill, making the characters compelling and memorable. A wonderful read that I recommend highly to those who love their Scandinavian crime. Many thanks to Atlantic Books for an ARC.
Lelle obsessively drives along the Silver Road at night in his car, often accompanied by the ghost of his daughter. He feels the police have put insufficient effort into finding Lina as he desperately combs the internet for any crumbs of information, whilst exhorting others to help find her.
Troubled newcomers to the area, 17 year Meja and her alcoholic mother, Silje, a woman with mental health issues have a history of moving around often. Silje has a tendency to zone in on men that she believes will provide financial security and latch onto them but Meja has had enough as she pines for stability and moves in with her boyfriend's survivalist family. She is to find herself in danger. Meja and Lelle's paths are to cross and connect with each other as another girl goes missing and she bears a remarkable resemblance to Lina. Lelle finds himself joining the efforts to find her for obvious reasons and the separate threads in the narrative begin to come together as the truth begins to emerge.
Jackson is a talented writer and a welcome addition to the Scandi-Noir genre with this dark and disturbing novel. The overriding focus is on love, loss, grief and family, and the impact of heartbreak on family dynamics. The sense of location is stunningly conveyed, with its forests and abandoned buildings, and imbued with a odd sense of eeriness and chill. I found this an impressive read where the characterisation is done with skill, making the characters compelling and memorable. A wonderful read that I recommend highly to those who love their Scandinavian crime. Many thanks to Atlantic Books for an ARC.
April 15, 2023
Vakkert skrevet, med levende bilder og imponerende psykologisk innsikt.
January 20, 2020
"We leren de gevoelens van deze twee hoofdpersonages goed kennen en je merkt als lezer wel dat beide verhaallijnen vroeg of laat zullen samenvloeien."
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2020...
March 5, 2019
"The Silver Road" is written by Stina Jackson and has been expertly translated from Swedish by Susan Beard.
Blurb - Three years ago, Lelle's daughter went missing in a remote part of Northern Sweden. Lelle has spent the intervening summers driving the Silver Road under the midnight sun, frantically searching for his lost daughter, for himself and for redemption.
Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Meja arrives in town hoping for a fresh start. She is the same age as Lelle's daughter was - a girl on the brink of adulthood. But for Meja, there are dangers to be found in this isolated place.
There's two constant threads running alternatively through the story, Lelle and his tragically desperate search for his missing daughter and Meja, arriving in town to live with her troubled Mam and her new loner boyfriend "Pornbjorn". With Lelle, his anguish at never knowing what happened to his daughter Lina, is haunting to read and his distress is palpable. Meja's story holds a more of an anticipation element as you sense she's in danger but don't know where or who from. I did find part one of the story a little slow and repetitive but very atmospheric, though perhaps a little too much so at times. The second part did pick up the pace a lot more and the conclusion was dark, haunting and very emotional. The final chapter certainly tugged at my heartstrings and as a parent I felt the emotion the author was trying to convey and felt she had captured the moment perfectly.
If you enjoyed Will Dean's "Dark Pines" series then I'd definitely recommend this book to you or if you're into slower paced Swedish based thrillers that's haunting and filled with dreaded anticipation then you should enjoy this well written novel too.
4 stars
Blurb - Three years ago, Lelle's daughter went missing in a remote part of Northern Sweden. Lelle has spent the intervening summers driving the Silver Road under the midnight sun, frantically searching for his lost daughter, for himself and for redemption.
Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Meja arrives in town hoping for a fresh start. She is the same age as Lelle's daughter was - a girl on the brink of adulthood. But for Meja, there are dangers to be found in this isolated place.
There's two constant threads running alternatively through the story, Lelle and his tragically desperate search for his missing daughter and Meja, arriving in town to live with her troubled Mam and her new loner boyfriend "Pornbjorn". With Lelle, his anguish at never knowing what happened to his daughter Lina, is haunting to read and his distress is palpable. Meja's story holds a more of an anticipation element as you sense she's in danger but don't know where or who from. I did find part one of the story a little slow and repetitive but very atmospheric, though perhaps a little too much so at times. The second part did pick up the pace a lot more and the conclusion was dark, haunting and very emotional. The final chapter certainly tugged at my heartstrings and as a parent I felt the emotion the author was trying to convey and felt she had captured the moment perfectly.
If you enjoyed Will Dean's "Dark Pines" series then I'd definitely recommend this book to you or if you're into slower paced Swedish based thrillers that's haunting and filled with dreaded anticipation then you should enjoy this well written novel too.
4 stars
January 25, 2021
Onde está Lina?
Lina desaparece
O pai desespera
A mãe acusa-o
Meya aparece
E uma jovem algo parecida com Lina desaparece...
São vidas que se entretecem na concepção dum thriller fortemente psicológico, onde a família é retratada como uma identidade com vida própria, que é profundamente abalada sempre que um dos seus membros parte...
Há livros que nos tocam porque neles nos reconhecemos ou identificamos. E há outros, como este, que nos envolvem simplesmente porque somos humanos.
Numa prosa soberba e visual, que nos imerge no lado selvagem da Suécia, A Estrada de Prata é uma leitura envolvente e perturbante!
São 4 estrelas deslumbrantes 💕🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟💕
Lina desaparece
O pai desespera
A mãe acusa-o
Meya aparece
E uma jovem algo parecida com Lina desaparece...
São vidas que se entretecem na concepção dum thriller fortemente psicológico, onde a família é retratada como uma identidade com vida própria, que é profundamente abalada sempre que um dos seus membros parte...
Há livros que nos tocam porque neles nos reconhecemos ou identificamos. E há outros, como este, que nos envolvem simplesmente porque somos humanos.
Numa prosa soberba e visual, que nos imerge no lado selvagem da Suécia, A Estrada de Prata é uma leitura envolvente e perturbante!
São 4 estrelas deslumbrantes 💕🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟💕
May 5, 2018
”Jag kommer ju inte kunna vara negativ, nu när jag fått den här boken för förhandsläsning” oroade jag mig när manuset landade i brevlådan. Min 8-åring såg storögt på mig: ”Men mamma, du måste ju vara ärlig!”
Så, här är de ärliga tankarna:
Precis innan jag började läsa Silvervägen hade jag läst ett blogginlägg av den amerikanska bestsellerförfattarinnan Lisa Jewell, där hon tipsade om thrillers om ”försvunna personer”. Jag blev inte sugen på att läsa en enda, då jag mellan raderna anade tröttsamma Gone Girl-intriger av dåliga skribenter som vill kapitalisera på den rådande trenden. Jackson hade därmed inte någon lätt ”insäljning” när första sidorna berättar om en försvunnen dotter… Fast om jag ska vara helt ärlig (och det säger ju dottern!) så började uppförsbacken redan innan; jag är urbota trött på alla svenska deckardebutanter som sprutar ut sig osammanhängande text om osammanhängande historier. Mysteriegenren har varit min älskling sedan jag Vi fem och Kitty, när jag var yngre än min nämnda sanningssägare, men det innebär också att mina krav ökat för varje år som gått. Jag är rätt bitter vid det här laget. (- om en inte skriver bättre än översatt Carolyn Keene, varför får en ge ut böcker på 2010-talet??). Bitterheten får mig att scanna efter dumma meningar och löjliga ord under Silvervägens första sidor. Jag hittar inga. Och sedan slutar jag – till skillnad frånhuvudpersonen efter sin dotter – att leta. Utöver deckare var min andra barndomsälskling Sandemo-doftande romance-serier, så allt som utspelar sig i Norrland förför mig snabbt - och Jacksons miljöbeskrivningarnar är inget undantag. Jag har aldrig varit norr om Gävle, men ser skogen framför mig, skogen och – vägen.
Karaktärerna målas också upp på ett sätt som blir levande. Jag känner pappa Lelles smärta, hans ageranden känns trovärdiga. Kontrasten mot tonåriga Meja, och hennes – helt skilda, men lika trovärdiga händelsutveckling, är givande. Bifigurerna befinner sig på en skala från trasiga till tråkiga, men nästan alla är sympatiska, vilket gör mig sympatiskt inställd till författaren (trött som jag är på alla ”galnast vinner”-tävlingar i dagens thrillers. Bokens första del är dessutom behagligt långsam, utan att bli seg. Del två ökar takten, och – som väntat – minskar på trovärdigheten. Det spårar dock aldrig ur helt, som de sista kapitlen i deckare brukar. Den finstämda tonen, som faktiskt redan titeln sätter, håller i sig, om än bitvis överröstad av allt det där andra som hör genren till.
Det känns konstigt att gå emot sina fördomar så här, men om jag ska vara ärlig (och det har vi ju kommit överens om att jag ska) är det här en av de bästa vuxenböcker på svenska jag har läst i år. Hoppas många hittar Jacksons debutroman, och att hon själv håller fast vid sin röst i deckarbruset i en uppföljare snart.
Så, här är de ärliga tankarna:
Precis innan jag började läsa Silvervägen hade jag läst ett blogginlägg av den amerikanska bestsellerförfattarinnan Lisa Jewell, där hon tipsade om thrillers om ”försvunna personer”. Jag blev inte sugen på att läsa en enda, då jag mellan raderna anade tröttsamma Gone Girl-intriger av dåliga skribenter som vill kapitalisera på den rådande trenden. Jackson hade därmed inte någon lätt ”insäljning” när första sidorna berättar om en försvunnen dotter… Fast om jag ska vara helt ärlig (och det säger ju dottern!) så började uppförsbacken redan innan; jag är urbota trött på alla svenska deckardebutanter som sprutar ut sig osammanhängande text om osammanhängande historier. Mysteriegenren har varit min älskling sedan jag Vi fem och Kitty, när jag var yngre än min nämnda sanningssägare, men det innebär också att mina krav ökat för varje år som gått. Jag är rätt bitter vid det här laget. (- om en inte skriver bättre än översatt Carolyn Keene, varför får en ge ut böcker på 2010-talet??). Bitterheten får mig att scanna efter dumma meningar och löjliga ord under Silvervägens första sidor. Jag hittar inga. Och sedan slutar jag – till skillnad frånhuvudpersonen efter sin dotter – att leta. Utöver deckare var min andra barndomsälskling Sandemo-doftande romance-serier, så allt som utspelar sig i Norrland förför mig snabbt - och Jacksons miljöbeskrivningarnar är inget undantag. Jag har aldrig varit norr om Gävle, men ser skogen framför mig, skogen och – vägen.
Karaktärerna målas också upp på ett sätt som blir levande. Jag känner pappa Lelles smärta, hans ageranden känns trovärdiga. Kontrasten mot tonåriga Meja, och hennes – helt skilda, men lika trovärdiga händelsutveckling, är givande. Bifigurerna befinner sig på en skala från trasiga till tråkiga, men nästan alla är sympatiska, vilket gör mig sympatiskt inställd till författaren (trött som jag är på alla ”galnast vinner”-tävlingar i dagens thrillers. Bokens första del är dessutom behagligt långsam, utan att bli seg. Del två ökar takten, och – som väntat – minskar på trovärdigheten. Det spårar dock aldrig ur helt, som de sista kapitlen i deckare brukar. Den finstämda tonen, som faktiskt redan titeln sätter, håller i sig, om än bitvis överröstad av allt det där andra som hör genren till.
Det känns konstigt att gå emot sina fördomar så här, men om jag ska vara ärlig (och det har vi ju kommit överens om att jag ska) är det här en av de bästa vuxenböcker på svenska jag har läst i år. Hoppas många hittar Jacksons debutroman, och att hon själv håller fast vid sin röst i deckarbruset i en uppföljare snart.
October 18, 2020
Изобщо не съм очарован от тази книга 😒 За „шведската сензация на 2018 г.“ очаквах нещо далеч по-добро и интригуващо, отколкото в действителност се оказа това.
Оценка: 3 (2 за книгата + 1 за бг корицата)
P.S. Сега възлагам надежди на „Кестеновия човек“, все пак авторът й е и създател на сериала „Убийството“, така че се надявам да не се окаже разочарование като „Сребърният път“.
Оценка: 3 (2 за книгата + 1 за бг корицата)
P.S. Сега възлагам надежди на „Кестеновия човек“, все пак авторът й е и създател на сериала „Убийството“, така че се надявам да не се окаже разочарование като „Сребърният път“.
August 11, 2022
Eine ruhig erzählte Geschichte, die für mich etwas vorhersehbar, aber nicht weniger schockierend war. Es finden regelmäßige Perspektivwechsel statt & auch wenn es keine Kapitel gibt, was zu Beginn für mich etwas ungewohnt war, hatte ich einen guten Lesefluß. Jeder Protagonist kämpft seine eigenen Kämpfe & das war beim lesen absolut spürbar.
January 23, 2021
Lina, Where Are You?
A 17 years old girl disappeared. His father left her at the bus stop. He just dropped her there — he didn’t wait for the bus arrival!
His wife blames him!
He blames himself!
Now, every night, under the midnight sun, he patrols the silver road looking for his beloved daughter...
We feel his pain, his despair, his obsession... and,,, we (have to) empathize with him!
Moral of the story:
Never leave your kid, before the bus arrival! 😉
(Dry) jokes apart, The Silver Road is a character-driven novel we won’t easily forget! I won’t! 👍🌟🌟🌟🌟👍
A 17 years old girl disappeared. His father left her at the bus stop. He just dropped her there — he didn’t wait for the bus arrival!
His wife blames him!
He blames himself!
Now, every night, under the midnight sun, he patrols the silver road looking for his beloved daughter...
We feel his pain, his despair, his obsession... and,,, we (have to) empathize with him!
Moral of the story:
Never leave your kid, before the bus arrival! 😉
(Dry) jokes apart, The Silver Road is a character-driven novel we won’t easily forget! I won’t! 👍🌟🌟🌟🌟👍
August 31, 2019
Diferente, negro y duro. Me ha gustado mucho.
September 20, 2020
Great characters and setting, but slightly predictable mystery.
December 14, 2018
I’m afraid I found The Silver Road formulaic and rather tedious. I tried it hoping that the setting in Northern Sweden would give it some atmosphere and originality, but it didn’t and I had to struggle to the end.
The central idea is oh-so-familiar. Lelle’s daughter has been missing for three years, having disappeared from a bus stop one morning. Lelle’s marriage has broken up as a result, he has developed an alcohol problem and he obsessively searches the remote countryside looking for her. Meanwhile, a dysfunctional mother and her teenage daughter move in with a local, reclusive resident...and that’s pretty well all that happens for at least the first half of the book. It’s all very, very familiar stuff, it moves very slowly and I wasn’t convinced by either the events or the setting, so even when things did begin to happen I wasn’t really involved.
The prose is adequate but tends to be repetitive and over-written in a search for atmosphere, and finding a dreadful cliché in the first couple of pages (“he knew the road like the back of his hand”) didn’t augur well. It’s not terrible by any means, but it wasn’t good enough to engage or grip me.
I’m sorry to be critical but, despite the publishers’ claims, I didn’t find The Silver Road either compelling or haunting. It’s an unoriginal story in a setting which isn’t sufficiently well painted and I can’t recommend it.
(My thanks to Corvus for an ARC via NetGalley.)
The central idea is oh-so-familiar. Lelle’s daughter has been missing for three years, having disappeared from a bus stop one morning. Lelle’s marriage has broken up as a result, he has developed an alcohol problem and he obsessively searches the remote countryside looking for her. Meanwhile, a dysfunctional mother and her teenage daughter move in with a local, reclusive resident...and that’s pretty well all that happens for at least the first half of the book. It’s all very, very familiar stuff, it moves very slowly and I wasn’t convinced by either the events or the setting, so even when things did begin to happen I wasn’t really involved.
The prose is adequate but tends to be repetitive and over-written in a search for atmosphere, and finding a dreadful cliché in the first couple of pages (“he knew the road like the back of his hand”) didn’t augur well. It’s not terrible by any means, but it wasn’t good enough to engage or grip me.
I’m sorry to be critical but, despite the publishers’ claims, I didn’t find The Silver Road either compelling or haunting. It’s an unoriginal story in a setting which isn’t sufficiently well painted and I can’t recommend it.
(My thanks to Corvus for an ARC via NetGalley.)
January 26, 2021
Όταν ο Λελ έχασε την κόρη του Λινα που εξαφανιστηκε από μια στάση λεωφορείου η ζωη του άλλαξε για πάντα. Για τρία ολόκληρα χρόνια την ψάχνει απεγνωσμένα. Όταν όλα δείχνουν πως δεν υπάρχει κανένα ίχνος της και πως οι πιθανότητες να ζει είναι μηδαμινές αυτός δεν ησυχάζει. Παλεύει με κάθε δυνατό τρόπο να βρει ένα σημάδι. Αυτή η αναζήτηση τον εχει κάνει κουρέλι.
Όταν εξαφανίζεται μια ακόμα κοπέλα η Χάνα όλο το χωριό είναι στο ποδι. Ο Λελ ζει μέσα στην απογνωση. Ώσπου εμφανίζεται από το πουθενά η Μεγια. Μια έφηβη στην ηλικία της κόρης του με μια μάνα έρμαιο της εξάρτησης και απελπισμένη. Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της Stina Jackson και ομολογώ πως τα πήγε πολύ καλά. Οι χαρακτήρες είναι αρτιοι, η ιστορία κυλάει πολύ γρήγορα, δεν έχει κενά, αλλά ούτε και φοβερες ανατροπές. Σε αρκετά σημεία η συναισθηματική φόρτιση των ηρωων ειναι μεγάλη. Θες δε θες θα σε αγγίξει. Αυτό πιστεύω πως είναι το ατού του βιβλίου. Καθώς και το τέλος που σου αφήνει μια γλυκιά αίσθηση. Στα συν η εξαιρετική μετάφραση του Βαγγέλη Γιάννιση.
Όταν εξαφανίζεται μια ακόμα κοπέλα η Χάνα όλο το χωριό είναι στο ποδι. Ο Λελ ζει μέσα στην απογνωση. Ώσπου εμφανίζεται από το πουθενά η Μεγια. Μια έφηβη στην ηλικία της κόρης του με μια μάνα έρμαιο της εξάρτησης και απελπισμένη. Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της Stina Jackson και ομολογώ πως τα πήγε πολύ καλά. Οι χαρακτήρες είναι αρτιοι, η ιστορία κυλάει πολύ γρήγορα, δεν έχει κενά, αλλά ούτε και φοβερες ανατροπές. Σε αρκετά σημεία η συναισθηματική φόρτιση των ηρωων ειναι μεγάλη. Θες δε θες θα σε αγγίξει. Αυτό πιστεύω πως είναι το ατού του βιβλίου. Καθώς και το τέλος που σου αφήνει μια γλυκιά αίσθηση. Στα συν η εξαιρετική μετάφραση του Βαγγέλη Γιάννιση.
March 7, 2019
This is an atmospheric novel dealing with profound sorrow and loss. The story is haunting and suspenseful and infused with melancholy. It is elegantly written with rich visual descriptions of the land. Set in the remote far north of Sweden, the descriptions of the forests, the early winter darkness, the frigid winter cold, the summer sun shining at night making sleep difficult, the isolated and abandoned homes, the smells, gives the reader a strong sense of place.
Three years earlier, Lelle drove his seventeen-year-old daughter to the bus stop. She was on her way to a summer job. She never got on the bus and has never been seen again. His wife blamed him for not waiting to see her get on the bus safely. In the summers he spends all his waking hours driving along the Silver Road under the midnight sun, searching for their lost daughter. Lelle’s obsession and all-consuming grief destroyed his marriage. He is drinking heavily, smoking too much, and neglecting personal hygiene and his home. His search is taking a toll on his mental and physical health. His obsession in the dark and gloomy wintertime takes him into some places of great danger.
Now another seventeen girl, very similar to his daughter, has vanished. Lelle feels there may be a connection, and suspects that the police are not doing a sufficient job looking for either girl.
Meja is also a seventeen-year-old girl who has had a horrific upbringing. Her alcoholic mother has moved with her many times, going from man to man, and using sex as a means of finding someone to provide for them. Her latest move is to a man she has found on the internet. This brings Meja to the area in the north where the story is set. This new man is rough, dishevelled, with a messy home and a huge collection of porn. However, he treats Meja kindly. Her problem is with her mother whose dependence and drunken behaviour has worn Meja down and she is fed up by the lifestyle. The first chance she has, she flees with a new boyfriend to his family’s compound where they are self-sufficient, hard-working survivalists. She begins to find the boyfriend too clinging, and feels she needs her own space.
She ends up going to school and being in the class taught by the tormented Lelle. Their stories collide in an unexpected way.
This is a compelling, suspenseful story set in the lonely solitude of the northern forests and a small Swedish town.
*4.5* stars.
Three years earlier, Lelle drove his seventeen-year-old daughter to the bus stop. She was on her way to a summer job. She never got on the bus and has never been seen again. His wife blamed him for not waiting to see her get on the bus safely. In the summers he spends all his waking hours driving along the Silver Road under the midnight sun, searching for their lost daughter. Lelle’s obsession and all-consuming grief destroyed his marriage. He is drinking heavily, smoking too much, and neglecting personal hygiene and his home. His search is taking a toll on his mental and physical health. His obsession in the dark and gloomy wintertime takes him into some places of great danger.
Now another seventeen girl, very similar to his daughter, has vanished. Lelle feels there may be a connection, and suspects that the police are not doing a sufficient job looking for either girl.
Meja is also a seventeen-year-old girl who has had a horrific upbringing. Her alcoholic mother has moved with her many times, going from man to man, and using sex as a means of finding someone to provide for them. Her latest move is to a man she has found on the internet. This brings Meja to the area in the north where the story is set. This new man is rough, dishevelled, with a messy home and a huge collection of porn. However, he treats Meja kindly. Her problem is with her mother whose dependence and drunken behaviour has worn Meja down and she is fed up by the lifestyle. The first chance she has, she flees with a new boyfriend to his family’s compound where they are self-sufficient, hard-working survivalists. She begins to find the boyfriend too clinging, and feels she needs her own space.
She ends up going to school and being in the class taught by the tormented Lelle. Their stories collide in an unexpected way.
This is a compelling, suspenseful story set in the lonely solitude of the northern forests and a small Swedish town.
*4.5* stars.
March 7, 2019
The Silver Road is Stina Jackson's Scandi Noir debut, and it's a promising start to her literary career. Based in the beautiful sparse and isolated Northern Sweden, it's a moving, haunting and wonderfully atmospheric experience. Written in an engaging fashion we follow the story as it meanders and turns chillingly dark. The central aspect of the plot focuses on the love, loss and grief associated with losing a person that is special to you. Having just lost a close family member I can relate to the authenticity of the feelings and thoughts portrayed here.
However, the part of the plot that stands out the most is the gorgeous setting which is in itself a character. The descriptions of the cold, dark forested countryside adds an ominous feeling to the whole story. The characterisation is also beautifully done. Each of them plays their part in the plot in a compelling manner. Recommended to those who enjoy Scandi Noir and atmospheric crime fiction.
Many thanks to Corvus for an ARC.
However, the part of the plot that stands out the most is the gorgeous setting which is in itself a character. The descriptions of the cold, dark forested countryside adds an ominous feeling to the whole story. The characterisation is also beautifully done. Each of them plays their part in the plot in a compelling manner. Recommended to those who enjoy Scandi Noir and atmospheric crime fiction.
Many thanks to Corvus for an ARC.
January 11, 2021
Baš mi je prijao ovaj spori, teskobni roman. Mogli bi biti razočarani oni koji bi u njemu tražili akciju. Ovo je roman atmosfere. Roman o istrošenim, nesrećnim i izgubljenim pojedincima. Nije petica jer je rasplet moglo biti malo duži, ali razumem zašto nije. Tako je i trebalo. Sviđa mi se kako je zaokružena priča i tračak svetlosti koji se nazire kroz pukotine.
Takođe, sviđa mi se i što su ljudi prikazani vrlo realno. Bez Čak Noris momenata koji mogu da naruše sklad.
Preporuka.
Takođe, sviđa mi se i što su ljudi prikazani vrlo realno. Bez Čak Noris momenata koji mogu da naruše sklad.
Preporuka.
May 16, 2022
Osrednje. Šablonski, površno, predvidljivo, već viđeno itd. I sve bi to bilo okej da ovo nije nagrađivana knjiga čak sa nagradom za knjigu godine u Švedskoj 2019? Ako neko ima link prema objašnjenju zašto i kako se to desilo, bila bih zahvalna da ga postavi.
August 2, 2020
Novela negra durísima. Me ha gustado bastante a pesar de que en ocasiones se me ha hecho un poco larga. Está muy bien ambientada y hace que sientas la desesperación de muchos personajes.
October 20, 2018
A story of love, loss and obsession as a Father travels the Silver Road endlessly searching for his missing daughter when everyone else has given up...
This was emotionally stunning and charged with melancholy throughout. The setting within the midnight sun of northern Sweden gives it a palpable, heart breaking feel throughout, a deeply moving story in many ways but with a classically drawn mystery element.
Even the darkest journey must come to an end....
Full review to follow.
This was emotionally stunning and charged with melancholy throughout. The setting within the midnight sun of northern Sweden gives it a palpable, heart breaking feel throughout, a deeply moving story in many ways but with a classically drawn mystery element.
Even the darkest journey must come to an end....
Full review to follow.
December 29, 2018
Oh my goodness this was so so good and so so dark and what a wonderful author Stina Jackson is with this absolutely stunning debut novel and it's a definite must read !!
I am such a big fan of Scandi fiction and this book filled all of the requirements and so much more. Intoxicating, atmospheric and set in a bleak landscape of the midnight sun, filled with the desperation and sadness of a father trying to find if his missing daughter is alive driving the Silver road night after night.
Along side this we also have the story of Meja a 17 year old with a dysfunctional mother struggling to find some happiness when moving to live close to the Silver road. There is a feeling of menace in this book from the start and as it progresses the suspense increases leading to gripping climax. I loved the book it was beautifully written with empathy and wonderful descriptions of the landscapes making it a read I found compelling and difficult to put down making it one of my all time favourite books and highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic books/ Corvus for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am such a big fan of Scandi fiction and this book filled all of the requirements and so much more. Intoxicating, atmospheric and set in a bleak landscape of the midnight sun, filled with the desperation and sadness of a father trying to find if his missing daughter is alive driving the Silver road night after night.
Along side this we also have the story of Meja a 17 year old with a dysfunctional mother struggling to find some happiness when moving to live close to the Silver road. There is a feeling of menace in this book from the start and as it progresses the suspense increases leading to gripping climax. I loved the book it was beautifully written with empathy and wonderful descriptions of the landscapes making it a read I found compelling and difficult to put down making it one of my all time favourite books and highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic books/ Corvus for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 29, 2022
Una auténtica novela negra sueca con todos los elementos característicos del género. La disfrute muchísimo, bastante opresiva y dura.
October 23, 2020
Jahreshighlight.
March 15, 2019
https://beverleyhasread.wordpress.com/
Set in northern Sweden, The Silver Road by Stina Jackson is a haunting and atmospheric novel about loss and endurance. In this part of Sweden the sun doesn’t fully set in the summer months so Lelle, a schoolteacher, spends his nights driving the Silver Road searching for his daughter Lina who went missing three years earlier. He was the last person to see her alive after giving her a lift to the bus stop and he blames himself for her disappearance. His marriage has crumbled, he believes the police haven’t done enough to find Lina and he is smoking and drinking far too much. He comforts himself with memories of Lina and often imagines her speaking to him and sitting in the passenger seat of the car whilst he searches for her.
Meja and her mother Silje move to the area after Silje meets a local man online and for Meja this is yet another move and new start. Silje is a troubled woman who has mental health problems and who has dragged her daughter from place to place to find a man who will look after them. Meja is a sad and lonely young woman who is uncomfortable in her new house in the middle of the forest. When, she meets a boy and falls in love with him and his family she discovers a life she didn’t think she would ever have.
Stina Jackson has written a beautiful and atmospheric book. The midnight sun and its disorientating effect seeps everything in an almost other world quality. It feels like there are two types of people; those who live in the daytime and those for whom the nighttime hours are their haven. The landscape of a dense, dark forest filled with abandoned houses, lakes and secrets encroaches upon everything. It is always there in the corner of your eye, a wall of trees hiding God knows what, just waiting for you to enter. This setting tinges everything with an air of menace and malevolence, especially when another teenage girl who bears more than a passing resemblance to Lina goes missing.
At its heart this is a mystery but it is also an examination of humanity and the dogged determination of a father. It takes a skilled hand to write characters with such nuance and sensitivity. Meja’s sadness is palpable whilst Lelle’s desperation leaps from the page and I took both of these people to my heart.
Brilliant and evocative writing combine to make this a stand out novel in the Scandi-noir genre. This isn’t a book with a grizzled detective investigating brutal and violent deaths, it is a slow character driven novel which gets firmly under your skin. I say slow as a positive, it is a beautiful, literary, weighty and immersive read which gently unspools in front of you, much like the Silver Road which Lelle religiously drives. Translated by Susan Beard this is a standout novel and comes highly recommended.
Set in northern Sweden, The Silver Road by Stina Jackson is a haunting and atmospheric novel about loss and endurance. In this part of Sweden the sun doesn’t fully set in the summer months so Lelle, a schoolteacher, spends his nights driving the Silver Road searching for his daughter Lina who went missing three years earlier. He was the last person to see her alive after giving her a lift to the bus stop and he blames himself for her disappearance. His marriage has crumbled, he believes the police haven’t done enough to find Lina and he is smoking and drinking far too much. He comforts himself with memories of Lina and often imagines her speaking to him and sitting in the passenger seat of the car whilst he searches for her.
Meja and her mother Silje move to the area after Silje meets a local man online and for Meja this is yet another move and new start. Silje is a troubled woman who has mental health problems and who has dragged her daughter from place to place to find a man who will look after them. Meja is a sad and lonely young woman who is uncomfortable in her new house in the middle of the forest. When, she meets a boy and falls in love with him and his family she discovers a life she didn’t think she would ever have.
Stina Jackson has written a beautiful and atmospheric book. The midnight sun and its disorientating effect seeps everything in an almost other world quality. It feels like there are two types of people; those who live in the daytime and those for whom the nighttime hours are their haven. The landscape of a dense, dark forest filled with abandoned houses, lakes and secrets encroaches upon everything. It is always there in the corner of your eye, a wall of trees hiding God knows what, just waiting for you to enter. This setting tinges everything with an air of menace and malevolence, especially when another teenage girl who bears more than a passing resemblance to Lina goes missing.
At its heart this is a mystery but it is also an examination of humanity and the dogged determination of a father. It takes a skilled hand to write characters with such nuance and sensitivity. Meja’s sadness is palpable whilst Lelle’s desperation leaps from the page and I took both of these people to my heart.
Brilliant and evocative writing combine to make this a stand out novel in the Scandi-noir genre. This isn’t a book with a grizzled detective investigating brutal and violent deaths, it is a slow character driven novel which gets firmly under your skin. I say slow as a positive, it is a beautiful, literary, weighty and immersive read which gently unspools in front of you, much like the Silver Road which Lelle religiously drives. Translated by Susan Beard this is a standout novel and comes highly recommended.
October 3, 2024
Silvervägen är en oerhört stark roman. Stina Jackson har ett målande språk som skapar en stark stämning boken igenom. Det är så obehagligt så in i märgen, men samtidigt finns där en gnutta hopp och mänsklighet. Det är både spännande och vemodigt på samma gång. Hela berättelsen berör, på slutet så mycket att jag får tårar i ögonen. Jag förstår, beroende på historien, att det klassas som en kriminalroman, men den skulle också kunna hamna i en annan genre – psykologisk thriller eller helt enkelt drama/skönlitteratur. Möjligen kan de som förväntar sig en traditionell deckare bli besvikna när de läser Silvervägen.
Såväl karaktärsteckningarna som miljöskildringarna är mycket bra. De vävs också samman på ett skickligt sätt. Det ensliga på landsbygden, människor som står utanför samhället, det avvikande men också lockande. Stina Jackson beskriver den norrländska landsbygdens glesbygd, som många flyr, och de som bor kvar med innerlighet och en hel del förståelse. Det är ensligt, deprimerande men också mycket mänskligt. Alla karaktärerna känns levande, och det är lätt att beröras av deras historier. Men kanske det är Lelle som allra mest fastnar hos mig.
Utöver det svenska och norrländska finns det likheter mellan Stina Jacksons beskrivningar av Lelles ständiga resor och beskrivningar av ”road-trips” i USA, och en del av människorna som vi får möta skulle kvala in i det som i USA fördomsfullt brukar benämnas som ”white-trash”.
Silvervägen är en mycket stark debut, och jag hoppas få läsa mer av Stina Jackson.
Omdöme: Stark och berörande kriminalroman om ensamhet och familjeband
Betyg: 5-
https://lottensbokblogg.wordpress.com...
Såväl karaktärsteckningarna som miljöskildringarna är mycket bra. De vävs också samman på ett skickligt sätt. Det ensliga på landsbygden, människor som står utanför samhället, det avvikande men också lockande. Stina Jackson beskriver den norrländska landsbygdens glesbygd, som många flyr, och de som bor kvar med innerlighet och en hel del förståelse. Det är ensligt, deprimerande men också mycket mänskligt. Alla karaktärerna känns levande, och det är lätt att beröras av deras historier. Men kanske det är Lelle som allra mest fastnar hos mig.
Utöver det svenska och norrländska finns det likheter mellan Stina Jacksons beskrivningar av Lelles ständiga resor och beskrivningar av ”road-trips” i USA, och en del av människorna som vi får möta skulle kvala in i det som i USA fördomsfullt brukar benämnas som ”white-trash”.
Silvervägen är en mycket stark debut, och jag hoppas få läsa mer av Stina Jackson.
Omdöme: Stark och berörande kriminalroman om ensamhet och familjeband
Betyg: 5-
https://lottensbokblogg.wordpress.com...
June 24, 2019
This was.. ok. I picked it up hoping for a good mystery but it was really obvious what had happened by a third of the way through the book. I'm pretty slow at picking up clues but this was just so in-your-face that even I got it! I read it in one sitting because I was really curious as to how Jackson was going to pull a switcheroo and have it not be the obvious suspect but.. then it was the obvious subject and I now I'm frustrated about wasting my Sunday.
It also annoys me that the eponymous silver road has nothing to do with the plot or the solution. There's a bit where Torbjörn says that he used to work in the silver mine that the road is named after but that's literally it.
And the book is really slow: Lelle driving around for hours, drinking coffee, screaming. Meja drinking coffee. Her mother being awful. No one really eating anything. Mosquitos everywhere.
I think it's 2x too long for what actually happens in the book. And the ending is not satisfying. So, yeah, 2.5 stars for the decent writing and characterization, rounded down because of the plot.
It also annoys me that the eponymous silver road has nothing to do with the plot or the solution. There's a bit where Torbjörn says that he used to work in the silver mine that the road is named after but that's literally it.
And the book is really slow: Lelle driving around for hours, drinking coffee, screaming. Meja drinking coffee. Her mother being awful. No one really eating anything. Mosquitos everywhere.
I think it's 2x too long for what actually happens in the book. And the ending is not satisfying. So, yeah, 2.5 stars for the decent writing and characterization, rounded down because of the plot.
August 29, 2019
Personaje favorito: Lelle, por su lucha incansable.
La narración de Stina hace que sea un libro muy fácil de leer, combinando los relatos de distintos personajes simultáneamente. Quizás me ha faltado un poco de emoción o que sucedieran más sorpresas durante el relato. Tengo que decir que se hace bastante previsible el final desde el principio del libro, pero aún así, me quedo con la forma de narrar de la autora.
La narración de Stina hace que sea un libro muy fácil de leer, combinando los relatos de distintos personajes simultáneamente. Quizás me ha faltado un poco de emoción o que sucedieran más sorpresas durante el relato. Tengo que decir que se hace bastante previsible el final desde el principio del libro, pero aún así, me quedo con la forma de narrar de la autora.
March 7, 2019
Ever since his 17 year old daughter Lina disappeared, Lelle Gustaffson has spent his summer nights driving. He travels Route 95 in his Volvo car, traversing the isolated landscape until he reaches the Norwegian border. He visits petrol stations, truck stops, empty houses and even searches roadside rubbish bins. Three years ago, Lina went missing while waiting at a bus shelter after Lelle dropped her off. He was the last person to see her and as a result, he feels guilty, while his wife Annette blames him for not waiting with their daughter until the bus arrived. Their marriage suffered and Anette left him for another man. At first, police suspicion fell on Lelle, known to have a fiery temper, but interest moved on to various males in the area, including Lina's boyfriend, Mikael, who Lelle regularly confronts claiming he must know what happened to her.
In contrast to the bright summer nights, Lelle experiences the darkness of the forests which flank the Silver Road. As he ventures into them, he encounters people almost completely isolated from society - those who feel safer in the dark woods than they do in towns and cities. Living off the grid seems to be popular in this part of Sweden. Although he has a friend in one of the local policemen, Hassan, Lelle believes the police have not done enough to find his daughter and scours the Internet's social media sites which provide theories about what happened to Lina, although he is dismissive of an anniversary vigil telling the people involved that, like him, they should be out searching for his missing daughter.
Meja and her mother Silje arrive in the area. The latter is a mentally disturbed woman who clings to men who she thinks can save her from a life of poverty. The latest is Tjorborn, whose main attraction for Silje is that he owns his own house. Meja discovers a stash of porn magazines in his garage, but thankfully, he doesn't seem sexually interested in her as were some of her mother's previous boyfriends. Meja makes friends with a local teenage boy, Carl-Johan, whose home is part Amish settlement/part survivalist camp. Meja is the same age as Lina was at the time of her disappearance. Then another 17-year-old girl, Hanna, goes missing. Her description seems identical to Lina's and, somewhat reluctantly, Lelle joins in the search for her. In doing so, he believes he's discovered a vital clue to his own daughter's fate. Smitten by Carl-Johan, Meja leaves her mother with Tjorborn and is taken in by her boyfriend's parents, Anita and Birger. With school summer holidays over, Lelle returns to his teaching post where he encounters Meja. With the approach of Autumn and long, dark nights Lelle’s and Meja’s stories intersect.
Then, about two thirds of the way through the story, there is a shocking twist. As the dark nights return, the mystery slowly begins to clear and the suspense heightens. The action speeds up, leading to a stunning finale.
Overall, the writing is very beautiful and the characters very well drawn. The book perfectly captures the atmosphere of uninterrupted Nordic daylight and the joys of summer, (In the far north of Sweden the sun does not set at all in June.) offset by haunting descriptions of the darkness of the forest and some people's need for isolation from society. Above all, it perfectly captures the grief of parents such as Lelle whose search tips over into blind obsession and near madness. Stina Jackson’s debut novel - which has already won the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award for Best Swedish Crime Novel of 2018 - combines a heady mix of mystery and suspense as Lelle continues his relentless search for his daughter. Ultimately this is the story of the emotional damage done to families when a loved one disappears and the determination of some people never to give up hope.
In contrast to the bright summer nights, Lelle experiences the darkness of the forests which flank the Silver Road. As he ventures into them, he encounters people almost completely isolated from society - those who feel safer in the dark woods than they do in towns and cities. Living off the grid seems to be popular in this part of Sweden. Although he has a friend in one of the local policemen, Hassan, Lelle believes the police have not done enough to find his daughter and scours the Internet's social media sites which provide theories about what happened to Lina, although he is dismissive of an anniversary vigil telling the people involved that, like him, they should be out searching for his missing daughter.
Meja and her mother Silje arrive in the area. The latter is a mentally disturbed woman who clings to men who she thinks can save her from a life of poverty. The latest is Tjorborn, whose main attraction for Silje is that he owns his own house. Meja discovers a stash of porn magazines in his garage, but thankfully, he doesn't seem sexually interested in her as were some of her mother's previous boyfriends. Meja makes friends with a local teenage boy, Carl-Johan, whose home is part Amish settlement/part survivalist camp. Meja is the same age as Lina was at the time of her disappearance. Then another 17-year-old girl, Hanna, goes missing. Her description seems identical to Lina's and, somewhat reluctantly, Lelle joins in the search for her. In doing so, he believes he's discovered a vital clue to his own daughter's fate. Smitten by Carl-Johan, Meja leaves her mother with Tjorborn and is taken in by her boyfriend's parents, Anita and Birger. With school summer holidays over, Lelle returns to his teaching post where he encounters Meja. With the approach of Autumn and long, dark nights Lelle’s and Meja’s stories intersect.
Then, about two thirds of the way through the story, there is a shocking twist. As the dark nights return, the mystery slowly begins to clear and the suspense heightens. The action speeds up, leading to a stunning finale.
Overall, the writing is very beautiful and the characters very well drawn. The book perfectly captures the atmosphere of uninterrupted Nordic daylight and the joys of summer, (In the far north of Sweden the sun does not set at all in June.) offset by haunting descriptions of the darkness of the forest and some people's need for isolation from society. Above all, it perfectly captures the grief of parents such as Lelle whose search tips over into blind obsession and near madness. Stina Jackson’s debut novel - which has already won the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers’ Award for Best Swedish Crime Novel of 2018 - combines a heady mix of mystery and suspense as Lelle continues his relentless search for his daughter. Ultimately this is the story of the emotional damage done to families when a loved one disappears and the determination of some people never to give up hope.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 910 reviews