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Seitse ust
Pensionieelikust kirjandusprofessori Nina Wisløffi elus on murranguline aeg. Töö ülikoolis huvitab teda üha vähem ja tema ilus kodu läheb lammutamisele. Tema mees on väga hõivatud tervishoiunõunik ja läbisaamine küünilise arstist tütrega ei ole kõige parem.
Ninale ja tema abikaasale kuulub ka osa paarismajast, mida nad välja üürivad. Nende üürnik Mari kaob jäljetult päev pärast seda, kui Nina ja tema tütar tal külas käivad.
Politsei ei leia midagi kahtlast ja juhtumi uurimine lõpetatakse. Aga Nina ei saa rahu. Mis üürnikuga juhtus ja miks ta jättis maha oma poja? Ta asub juhtunut analüüsima nagu kirjandusteost. Niidipuntra lahtiharutamisel on aga tõsised tagajärjed.
„Seitse ust” on norra kirjaniku Agnes Ravatni (snd 1983), „Linnukohtu” autori teine psühholoogiline põnevik, huumoriga vürtsitatud romaan uudishimu ohtlikkusest. „Linnukohus“ ilmus eesti keeles 2018. aastal.
Ninale ja tema abikaasale kuulub ka osa paarismajast, mida nad välja üürivad. Nende üürnik Mari kaob jäljetult päev pärast seda, kui Nina ja tema tütar tal külas käivad.
Politsei ei leia midagi kahtlast ja juhtumi uurimine lõpetatakse. Aga Nina ei saa rahu. Mis üürnikuga juhtus ja miks ta jättis maha oma poja? Ta asub juhtunut analüüsima nagu kirjandusteost. Niidipuntra lahtiharutamisel on aga tõsised tagajärjed.
„Seitse ust” on norra kirjaniku Agnes Ravatni (snd 1983), „Linnukohtu” autori teine psühholoogiline põnevik, huumoriga vürtsitatud romaan uudishimu ohtlikkusest. „Linnukohus“ ilmus eesti keeles 2018. aastal.
252 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2019
83 people are currently reading
1348 people want to read
About the author
Agnes Ravatn
25 books401 followersElev ved Skrivekunstakademiet i årskullet 2004-2005.
Debuterte i 2007 med romanen Veke 53.
Debuterte i 2007 med romanen Veke 53.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
February 7, 2023
4.5 stars
I’m not normally attracted to books with university settings or characters who are professors. In this case the central character is a literature professor with doctors and psychologists in her family and I thought it worked perfectly . Nina specializes in Greek myth and has a psychologist as a sister-in-law who helps her interpret various issues surrounding the mystery in the story. It worked very well for me, partly because Nina, the near-retirement-age professor doesn’t take her status too seriously. One of the book’s best scenes involves her snapping at a professional panel discussing the purpose of literature. After listening to two colleagues’ high and airy explanations suggesting that literature is either life itself or that literature counters totalitarianism, poor Nina can’t stand another minute and to the shock of the all blurts out that literature simply illuminates and that literary scholars should be working in tandem with the police for something practical. Scholars could add empathy lacking in police investigations.
Of course she is embarrassed by the attention this gets afterwards but it is prescient as she soon finds herself absorbed in a mystery very close to home. In the process of unraveling the mystery she learns the significance of the Bluebeard story in folklore, psychology and a particular opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. She opens many doors and is horrified by what she sees.
The Seven Doors is very clever, fast moving and a terrific use of folklore.
I’m not normally attracted to books with university settings or characters who are professors. In this case the central character is a literature professor with doctors and psychologists in her family and I thought it worked perfectly . Nina specializes in Greek myth and has a psychologist as a sister-in-law who helps her interpret various issues surrounding the mystery in the story. It worked very well for me, partly because Nina, the near-retirement-age professor doesn’t take her status too seriously. One of the book’s best scenes involves her snapping at a professional panel discussing the purpose of literature. After listening to two colleagues’ high and airy explanations suggesting that literature is either life itself or that literature counters totalitarianism, poor Nina can’t stand another minute and to the shock of the all blurts out that literature simply illuminates and that literary scholars should be working in tandem with the police for something practical. Scholars could add empathy lacking in police investigations.
Of course she is embarrassed by the attention this gets afterwards but it is prescient as she soon finds herself absorbed in a mystery very close to home. In the process of unraveling the mystery she learns the significance of the Bluebeard story in folklore, psychology and a particular opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. She opens many doors and is horrified by what she sees.
The Seven Doors is very clever, fast moving and a terrific use of folklore.
August 17, 2020
A real life Greek tragedy for a professional Norwegian family with a breathtaking conclusion.
Professor of Literature Nina Wisløff is in the throes of a midlife crisis largely brought on by the compulsory purchase and imminent demolition of her childhood home in Bergen. Her work feels immaterial, her husband, Mads, is a busy doctor and member of the local council and she has a difficult relationship with her abrasive adult daughter, Ingeborg. Mads owns a house nearby that he inherited from his aunt and Ingeborg takes it upon herself to pay a visit to the young single mother tenant, Mari Nilsen, and announce her own plans to move in, much to Nina’s chagrin. The encounter leaves Nina feeling awkward and concerned for the woman that her daughter brushed aside and when Mari goes missing and leaves her son behind just days later she is filled with an nagging sense of guilt about the part they may have inadvertently played in her vanishing.
When the police make little headway with probing Mari’s disappearance Nina feels compelled to start her own investigation but as she delves into Mari’s life in a search for answers she is forced to confront the fact that it may have irrevocable consequences for her respectable family. A seamless translation and short chapters edge the tension ever higher as Nina unravels a web of secrets with a shocking denouement that caught me unawares swiftly followed by a jaw-dropping conclusion.
Atmospheric, psychologically astute and set against the bleak backdrop of a Norwegian winter, this is a sublime piece of crime fiction that expertly teases out the identity of missing Mari.
Professor of Literature Nina Wisløff is in the throes of a midlife crisis largely brought on by the compulsory purchase and imminent demolition of her childhood home in Bergen. Her work feels immaterial, her husband, Mads, is a busy doctor and member of the local council and she has a difficult relationship with her abrasive adult daughter, Ingeborg. Mads owns a house nearby that he inherited from his aunt and Ingeborg takes it upon herself to pay a visit to the young single mother tenant, Mari Nilsen, and announce her own plans to move in, much to Nina’s chagrin. The encounter leaves Nina feeling awkward and concerned for the woman that her daughter brushed aside and when Mari goes missing and leaves her son behind just days later she is filled with an nagging sense of guilt about the part they may have inadvertently played in her vanishing.
When the police make little headway with probing Mari’s disappearance Nina feels compelled to start her own investigation but as she delves into Mari’s life in a search for answers she is forced to confront the fact that it may have irrevocable consequences for her respectable family. A seamless translation and short chapters edge the tension ever higher as Nina unravels a web of secrets with a shocking denouement that caught me unawares swiftly followed by a jaw-dropping conclusion.
Atmospheric, psychologically astute and set against the bleak backdrop of a Norwegian winter, this is a sublime piece of crime fiction that expertly teases out the identity of missing Mari.
November 24, 2021
Στα χνάρια μιας αρχαιοελληνικής τραγωδίας,ένα αναπάντεχα καλό βιβλίο!
"Όλα τα χνάρια οδηγούσαν στη σπηλιά-κανένα δεν επέστρεφε έξω..."
4.5⭐
"Όλα τα χνάρια οδηγούσαν στη σπηλιά-κανένα δεν επέστρεφε έξω..."
4.5⭐
October 19, 2020
THE SEVEN DOORS is a deeply disturbing psychological thriller from one of Norway’s most distinguished author, Agnes Ravatn.
University professor Nina and her husband, Mads, a health-board representative who opted to have his own house, or rather his wife’s childhood home demolished, as a result of a proposed light-rail track. Her work seems increasingly irrelevant, her doctor husband is never home, relations with her difficult daughter are strained, and their beautiful house is about to be demolished. They are trying to secure a respectable settlement. Definitely, a lot on her plate to deal with.
Mads owns a house left to him by his aunt, that is currently being rented by a young woman and her three- year old son.
Then Nina’s daughter, Ingeborg, wife of husband Eirik, and three-year-old daughter, Milja, approaches Nina, and complains about having silverfish in their house…and they need to move. Ingeborg is six weeks pregnant and begs her mum for an advance on their inheritance to get a bigger house with the new baby on the way. Nina tells her about Mad’s aunt house that had been left to him.
That’s all it took for Ingeborg to convince her mum to take her over to the house to check it out. When they arrived at the house the tenant, Mari Nilsen, who had been living in the house alone with her son for three years, was attacked verbally by Ingeborg and confronted in a persistent and aggressive tone. Ingeborg tells Mari she must move out, as her family will be moving in. Mari was terrified by their visit.
But then things take a very dark turn… The day after Nina and her daughter pay her a visit, the young woman living there disappears, leaving her son behind.
With few clues, the police enquiry soon ends, but Nina feels guilty over their visit and begins her own investigation, but as she pulls on the threads of the case, it seems her discoveries may have very grave consequences for her and her family.
What mother would leave her son behind?
This dark and deeply disturbing psychological thriller will draw you in slowly until you can’t put it down. I found myself racing towards the ending. The characters are engaging and dramatic and the ending was unforeseen. The translation from Norwegian to English by Rosie Hedger was excellent. A lot of depth to this novel. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to the author and the Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
University professor Nina and her husband, Mads, a health-board representative who opted to have his own house, or rather his wife’s childhood home demolished, as a result of a proposed light-rail track. Her work seems increasingly irrelevant, her doctor husband is never home, relations with her difficult daughter are strained, and their beautiful house is about to be demolished. They are trying to secure a respectable settlement. Definitely, a lot on her plate to deal with.
Mads owns a house left to him by his aunt, that is currently being rented by a young woman and her three- year old son.
Then Nina’s daughter, Ingeborg, wife of husband Eirik, and three-year-old daughter, Milja, approaches Nina, and complains about having silverfish in their house…and they need to move. Ingeborg is six weeks pregnant and begs her mum for an advance on their inheritance to get a bigger house with the new baby on the way. Nina tells her about Mad’s aunt house that had been left to him.
That’s all it took for Ingeborg to convince her mum to take her over to the house to check it out. When they arrived at the house the tenant, Mari Nilsen, who had been living in the house alone with her son for three years, was attacked verbally by Ingeborg and confronted in a persistent and aggressive tone. Ingeborg tells Mari she must move out, as her family will be moving in. Mari was terrified by their visit.
But then things take a very dark turn… The day after Nina and her daughter pay her a visit, the young woman living there disappears, leaving her son behind.
With few clues, the police enquiry soon ends, but Nina feels guilty over their visit and begins her own investigation, but as she pulls on the threads of the case, it seems her discoveries may have very grave consequences for her and her family.
What mother would leave her son behind?
This dark and deeply disturbing psychological thriller will draw you in slowly until you can’t put it down. I found myself racing towards the ending. The characters are engaging and dramatic and the ending was unforeseen. The translation from Norwegian to English by Rosie Hedger was excellent. A lot of depth to this novel. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to the author and the Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
February 7, 2021
Usually I am all about subtlety in mysteries and thrillers. Usually I am tired of the same old tropes that feel like getting hit in the head with something heavy. Though I realized while reading this book that it is not really a lack of subtlety that I dislike. It is not about how heavy the weapon is that the author has, it is about how skillfully they wield it. And here, well, I was in very good hands.
If you thought this might be a subtle book, it disabuses you of that notion fairly quickly. Nina is a professor of classic literature, and we sit in on one of her introductory lectures to the structure of Greek tragedy. You don't spend this long with this kind of scene unless you really want to hammer the point home, and Ravatn does. By the time the scene is over, you cannot help but read on thinking about fatal flaws, hubris, and that one small error that will open up everything.
There is also a bit early on where Nina, frustrated with her fellow panelists at a literature event, she throws her opinion out like a rock in a pond, that the work they all do is useless and maybe they'd be better off all being police officers. It is a great scene on its own, but it also lets you relish all the scenes that follow where Nina gets overly involved in the disappearance of a woman she is only marginally connected to. Normally that amateur detective who just keeps talking to people and can't let it go thing bugs me, but here it was almost gleeful. But also deliberate, continuing to march forward towards the ultimate truth just like any Greek tragic hero.
At 60% of the way through this book (I was on my Kindle and i noted the moment it happened) I had a thud of certainty about what was going to happen. This wasn't like the usual thing that happens during a mystery when I think, "Oh I bet it was so and so who did it," and then continue on hoping I'm right. This was knowledge. And sometimes it is very bad to know who did what early on. It has ruined books for me before because I was not meant to know. But here, I'm pretty sure Ravatn means you to know. Maybe not at that particular page, but this is not one of those books where the detective reveals at the end of the book some minor detail that revealed the whole crime that you overlooked. No, it is all right there. And it is not ruined in the same way Oedipus Rex isn't ruined if you already know the story ahead of time. (Though one of her students hilariously doesn't.) Because the tragedy isn't just about the circumstances that brought you here, it's the breakdown of it all. It's watching a character continue to thrust themselves forward when you know they are just coming closer to their own destruction.
By the end of this book, I had nearly perished from dread. Because *I* knew but Nina did not yet, I just, well, it just built and built and built. It even built during a long toast Nina gives at around 90% of the way through where she literally explains tragic irony to everyone at the table and I wanted to scream at her, "NINA COME ON!" so she could maybe just maybe catch on to her own tragic irony but, you know, in these stories blindness is always part of it.
I had the absolute best time reading this, got through it in less than a day, and I'm absolutely delighted to have found it.
If you thought this might be a subtle book, it disabuses you of that notion fairly quickly. Nina is a professor of classic literature, and we sit in on one of her introductory lectures to the structure of Greek tragedy. You don't spend this long with this kind of scene unless you really want to hammer the point home, and Ravatn does. By the time the scene is over, you cannot help but read on thinking about fatal flaws, hubris, and that one small error that will open up everything.
There is also a bit early on where Nina, frustrated with her fellow panelists at a literature event, she throws her opinion out like a rock in a pond, that the work they all do is useless and maybe they'd be better off all being police officers. It is a great scene on its own, but it also lets you relish all the scenes that follow where Nina gets overly involved in the disappearance of a woman she is only marginally connected to. Normally that amateur detective who just keeps talking to people and can't let it go thing bugs me, but here it was almost gleeful. But also deliberate, continuing to march forward towards the ultimate truth just like any Greek tragic hero.
At 60% of the way through this book (I was on my Kindle and i noted the moment it happened) I had a thud of certainty about what was going to happen. This wasn't like the usual thing that happens during a mystery when I think, "Oh I bet it was so and so who did it," and then continue on hoping I'm right. This was knowledge. And sometimes it is very bad to know who did what early on. It has ruined books for me before because I was not meant to know. But here, I'm pretty sure Ravatn means you to know. Maybe not at that particular page, but this is not one of those books where the detective reveals at the end of the book some minor detail that revealed the whole crime that you overlooked. No, it is all right there. And it is not ruined in the same way Oedipus Rex isn't ruined if you already know the story ahead of time. (Though one of her students hilariously doesn't.) Because the tragedy isn't just about the circumstances that brought you here, it's the breakdown of it all. It's watching a character continue to thrust themselves forward when you know they are just coming closer to their own destruction.
By the end of this book, I had nearly perished from dread. Because *I* knew but Nina did not yet, I just, well, it just built and built and built. It even built during a long toast Nina gives at around 90% of the way through where she literally explains tragic irony to everyone at the table and I wanted to scream at her, "NINA COME ON!" so she could maybe just maybe catch on to her own tragic irony but, you know, in these stories blindness is always part of it.
I had the absolute best time reading this, got through it in less than a day, and I'm absolutely delighted to have found it.
July 9, 2020
The Seven Doors is probably one of the most atmospheric novels I've read recently...The characters are all finely drawn the sense of place is absorbingly authentic and the story unfolds with an underlying tension that is absolutely riveting.
This is an author to watch. A really really great read.
This is an author to watch. A really really great read.
October 11, 2020
University professor Nina and her physician husband, Mads,own a house left to them by his aunt. It is currently being rented by a young woman with a small child.
Nina's daughter shows up and wails about how she and her family are going to have to move ... one reason is that they are overrun by silverfish, and the other is that she is newly pregnant. Nina takes her daughter to look at their other house, and her daughter confronts the renter like a Gestapo. The young woman appears very fearful and hesitate to even let them into the house.
The day after after, the young woman goes missing, leaving her son behind. The police have no clues and eventually the investigation comes to a halt.
Nina, because of the way her daughter the renter, starts her own investigation. But the deeper she digs, the more questions she has. And what she ultimately discovers is quite unsettling.
With all sorts of people connected to the young woman in one way or another, Nina has her hands full trying to learn who would have motive to make her disappear .. especially as she left her young son behind. Thread by thread, she tries to make sense of all she finds ... but there are grave consequences for her ... and her family.
This is a different style of writing that started out slowly until I could follow the unique cadence. As the story progresses the suspense begins escalating. The characters are many and varied, deftly drawn. The conclusion was both unexpected and devastating.
Kudos to Rosie Hedger, for doing a superb job in translating from Norwegian to English.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Nina's daughter shows up and wails about how she and her family are going to have to move ... one reason is that they are overrun by silverfish, and the other is that she is newly pregnant. Nina takes her daughter to look at their other house, and her daughter confronts the renter like a Gestapo. The young woman appears very fearful and hesitate to even let them into the house.
The day after after, the young woman goes missing, leaving her son behind. The police have no clues and eventually the investigation comes to a halt.
Nina, because of the way her daughter the renter, starts her own investigation. But the deeper she digs, the more questions she has. And what she ultimately discovers is quite unsettling.
With all sorts of people connected to the young woman in one way or another, Nina has her hands full trying to learn who would have motive to make her disappear .. especially as she left her young son behind. Thread by thread, she tries to make sense of all she finds ... but there are grave consequences for her ... and her family.
This is a different style of writing that started out slowly until I could follow the unique cadence. As the story progresses the suspense begins escalating. The characters are many and varied, deftly drawn. The conclusion was both unexpected and devastating.
Kudos to Rosie Hedger, for doing a superb job in translating from Norwegian to English.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 17, 2019
«Dei sju dørene» er ein kriminalroman. Uansett kor høgt forlaget eller forfattaren måtte protestere på det. Heile motoren i forteljinga er den private etterforskinga til hovudpersonen Nina, og jakten hennar på løysinga av kva det var som eigentleg skjedde med den forsvunne leigebuaren Mari Nilsen. Det er eit klassisk mysterium, ei gåte, eit puslespel. Og midt i det heile står privatdetektiven som protagonist, og det er hennar synsvinkel me fylgjer gjennom heile boka.
Agnes Ravatn er ein mester når det kjem til å teikna sylskarpe karakterar med brist og mangler. Og ho gjer det med ein morosam og leiken penn. Me humrar og ler av karakterenes lett gjenkjennelige krumspring i det daglege strevet. Vert glade i dei, alle som ein, og me kjenner oss att i situasjonar me sjølv har opplevd. Slik sett er dette ein strålande roman.
Når det kjem til det reint krimfaglege handverket så er det likevel litt å utsetje. Fine overraskande twistar, vel å merke, men boka manglar eit par klyper av det krydderet ein krimroman skal ha, og det er nerven, uroen og spenninga. Det går litt trått til tider. For mykje utanomsnakk og litt for mange kvardagslege familieintriger. Til tider slit eg litt med å halda tråden i dialogane og.
Men ... Om me vil få opp respekten for krimsjangeren som me er så glade i, så tykkjer eg at me skal prisa oss lukkeleg for at flotte, heilstøypte, kvinnelege samtidsforfattarar som Agnes Ravatn og Ruth Lillegraven no gjer slik Andre Bjerke, Knut Faldbakken og Ingvar Ambjørnsen har gjort før dei ... Skriv krim!
Agnes Ravatn er ein mester når det kjem til å teikna sylskarpe karakterar med brist og mangler. Og ho gjer det med ein morosam og leiken penn. Me humrar og ler av karakterenes lett gjenkjennelige krumspring i det daglege strevet. Vert glade i dei, alle som ein, og me kjenner oss att i situasjonar me sjølv har opplevd. Slik sett er dette ein strålande roman.
Når det kjem til det reint krimfaglege handverket så er det likevel litt å utsetje. Fine overraskande twistar, vel å merke, men boka manglar eit par klyper av det krydderet ein krimroman skal ha, og det er nerven, uroen og spenninga. Det går litt trått til tider. For mykje utanomsnakk og litt for mange kvardagslege familieintriger. Til tider slit eg litt med å halda tråden i dialogane og.
Men ... Om me vil få opp respekten for krimsjangeren som me er så glade i, så tykkjer eg at me skal prisa oss lukkeleg for at flotte, heilstøypte, kvinnelege samtidsforfattarar som Agnes Ravatn og Ruth Lillegraven no gjer slik Andre Bjerke, Knut Faldbakken og Ingvar Ambjørnsen har gjort før dei ... Skriv krim!
January 14, 2020
Krim for de som ikke liker krim, kanskje? Jeg likte den i hvert fall godt. Passe spennende, fint språk, god driv, gøy.
September 29, 2020
What a book! What a book! What a bloody good book!! Supposed to be suspenseful, but it was a freaking kickass thriller where the roads to the truth twisted every few pages, bringing with it exciting revelations with rachetted up the intrigue, and my pulse rate soared with it.
It was amazing how the disappearance of one tenant Mari, caused such a turmoil in Nina, especially when it happened so close to their visit, that she had to investigate and get to the truth. Nina’s daughter had wanted the flat and had given notice to the tenant. Was that the cause? Or was there something else at play that Nina was completely unaware of?
This book was sooo delish. Started slow, but there was a steadiness in the prose where Nina, with her honesty and genuine caring, pulled me further into the story with her. I was led down many blind alleys along with her, and every time I thought the plot was solved, the author threw out a curveball, and I was back on the track with Nina trying to dig out the truth.
The book had so many layers. The characters were loving, heartwarming, or so they appeared. Nina soon pulled down the masks of the people one by one that ultimately, there was only her in a house of mirrors where each image told her a different version. All she had to do was traverse through them or break the glass to find the right path.
I wanted to say – Shatter them all, girl. But she was the careful sorts, being a professor and all, she scrutinized the clues one by one, never giving up. I have to say her mind was like a trap, it never forgot anything.
Nina would put any supercop to shame with the careful way she investigated, especially when midway, Mari’s body was washed ashore. Wanting justice for Mari’s son, who lost his mother so early on, Nina trudged on. Even when the revelations shook the foundation of her family and friends, she never stopped, until the truth stopped her
Oh my niggles! Just the one. The prose had absolutely no quotation marks. I took a long time to distinguish between direct speech and narration. I did the next best thing – I asked Siri to read it out to me. Got to say, she was intelligent enough to pause between the two.
A book that slowly built the thrill in my heart, translated well, the story was different in its treatment, yet familiar in its thrill. My first book by author Agnes Ravatn, and I am a big FAN now!!
It was amazing how the disappearance of one tenant Mari, caused such a turmoil in Nina, especially when it happened so close to their visit, that she had to investigate and get to the truth. Nina’s daughter had wanted the flat and had given notice to the tenant. Was that the cause? Or was there something else at play that Nina was completely unaware of?
This book was sooo delish. Started slow, but there was a steadiness in the prose where Nina, with her honesty and genuine caring, pulled me further into the story with her. I was led down many blind alleys along with her, and every time I thought the plot was solved, the author threw out a curveball, and I was back on the track with Nina trying to dig out the truth.
The book had so many layers. The characters were loving, heartwarming, or so they appeared. Nina soon pulled down the masks of the people one by one that ultimately, there was only her in a house of mirrors where each image told her a different version. All she had to do was traverse through them or break the glass to find the right path.
I wanted to say – Shatter them all, girl. But she was the careful sorts, being a professor and all, she scrutinized the clues one by one, never giving up. I have to say her mind was like a trap, it never forgot anything.
Nina would put any supercop to shame with the careful way she investigated, especially when midway, Mari’s body was washed ashore. Wanting justice for Mari’s son, who lost his mother so early on, Nina trudged on. Even when the revelations shook the foundation of her family and friends, she never stopped, until the truth stopped her
Oh my niggles! Just the one. The prose had absolutely no quotation marks. I took a long time to distinguish between direct speech and narration. I did the next best thing – I asked Siri to read it out to me. Got to say, she was intelligent enough to pause between the two.
A book that slowly built the thrill in my heart, translated well, the story was different in its treatment, yet familiar in its thrill. My first book by author Agnes Ravatn, and I am a big FAN now!!
June 21, 2024
University professor Nina and her physician husband, Mads, own a house that they are renting out. It is currently being rented by a single mother, Mari, and her small child. When Nina's daughter shows up complaining that she and her family have to move, Nina suggests she might be able to move into the house that they are currently renting. They go to look at it and Nina's daughter confronts Mari demanding to be let in to see the house, then telling her that she will have to move out. Mari is terrified and the next day, she has disappeared, leaving her child behind. The police begin an investigation, but they have come to a dead end. Nina feels guilty and begins her own investigation, to find the young mother. The more she finds out, the more it looks like there could be problems and consequences within her family.
The Seven Doors is told strictly from Nina's point of view. The story starts slowly and gradually builds to the conclusion. Nina has her own life issues as well, nearing retirement, her husband not home often and having a strained relationship with her daughter. The chapters are short, adding to the build up of tension and suspense. This is a dark psychological thriller that is a slow burn, but will draw you in. As I got to the end, I was on the edge of my seat to find out what really happened. The ending was unexpected. The setting of a cold, Norwegian winter added to the atmospheric feel of the story. This book was translated from Norwegian and I found the story seamless. This is my first book by Agnes Ravatn and I will definitely watch for more. Charlotte Strevens narrates this audiobook and does a nice job with the story.
The Seven Doors is told strictly from Nina's point of view. The story starts slowly and gradually builds to the conclusion. Nina has her own life issues as well, nearing retirement, her husband not home often and having a strained relationship with her daughter. The chapters are short, adding to the build up of tension and suspense. This is a dark psychological thriller that is a slow burn, but will draw you in. As I got to the end, I was on the edge of my seat to find out what really happened. The ending was unexpected. The setting of a cold, Norwegian winter added to the atmospheric feel of the story. This book was translated from Norwegian and I found the story seamless. This is my first book by Agnes Ravatn and I will definitely watch for more. Charlotte Strevens narrates this audiobook and does a nice job with the story.
August 6, 2024
Većim delom sam imala osećaj kao da čitam nekog drugog autora, ali i pored toga mi je veoma prijalo, naročito što sam dobila misteriju i triler sa primesama crne komedije, u jednom (bar sam tako doživela) cosy i atmosferičnom skandinavskom ambijentu, a kad se na to još doda situacija u kojoj profesorka književnosti počinje da se igra detektiva... Ovo je još jedan roman Agnes Ravatn koji može da bude adaptiran za velike ekrane. Stilski se izdvaja od njenih ostalih dela, ali tu su svi elementi napetosti i dodatno me osvojila kada je kroz sve provukla motiv Plavobradog. Iako sam brzo rešila misteriju, uspela je da dâ upečatljiv kraj koji je za svaku pohvalu.
Nadam se da će sva njena fikcija biti prevedena i da se nikada neće pretvoriti u mass market krimi pisca.
Nadam se da će sva njena fikcija biti prevedena i da se nikada neće pretvoriti u mass market krimi pisca.
September 26, 2020
Psychological thriller set in NORWAY
The Seven Doors is the second and much anticipated Norwegian psychological thriller written by Agnes Ravatn (and translated by Rosie Hedger). We reviewed the first, The Bird Tribunal, back in 2016. In many ways, The Seven Doors follows the same sinister lines – and again it works really well.
Nina and Mads are a professional couple living in Bergen. Their house of many years is due to be demolished to make way for ‘essential’ development. They have a daughter married to an oncologist. The daughter, Ingeborg, and her husband, Eirik, are having to move temporarily out of their home while it is being fumigated against an infestation of silver fish. The family own a cottage not far away – rented out to a young lady, Mari, and her son. Ingeborg is determined to have the cottage for herself, and Nina and she make a visit. Soon after their visit the young lady disappears. Has she wandered off, has she made a calculation to leave, or has something more sinister happened to her? It turns out that she is a famous musician fallen on hard times, and that her ex-husband is a famous conductor. He was seen near the cottage on the day of her disappearance, and suspicion naturally rests on him. Nina finds some old papers in the cottage (which the police had missed) and delivers them to Mari’s parents and brother. They seem decidedly odd.
Nina’s investigation follows some false leads and red herrings, until all becomes plain with frightening clarity as the end of the book approaches. The denouement is unexpected.
Atmosphere and pace builds throughout the book. People are devious and plotting, and behave in strange ways and they are oh so convincing!
A great read for anyone looking for a grim, well written (and well translated) psychological thriller.
The Seven Doors is the second and much anticipated Norwegian psychological thriller written by Agnes Ravatn (and translated by Rosie Hedger). We reviewed the first, The Bird Tribunal, back in 2016. In many ways, The Seven Doors follows the same sinister lines – and again it works really well.
Nina and Mads are a professional couple living in Bergen. Their house of many years is due to be demolished to make way for ‘essential’ development. They have a daughter married to an oncologist. The daughter, Ingeborg, and her husband, Eirik, are having to move temporarily out of their home while it is being fumigated against an infestation of silver fish. The family own a cottage not far away – rented out to a young lady, Mari, and her son. Ingeborg is determined to have the cottage for herself, and Nina and she make a visit. Soon after their visit the young lady disappears. Has she wandered off, has she made a calculation to leave, or has something more sinister happened to her? It turns out that she is a famous musician fallen on hard times, and that her ex-husband is a famous conductor. He was seen near the cottage on the day of her disappearance, and suspicion naturally rests on him. Nina finds some old papers in the cottage (which the police had missed) and delivers them to Mari’s parents and brother. They seem decidedly odd.
Nina’s investigation follows some false leads and red herrings, until all becomes plain with frightening clarity as the end of the book approaches. The denouement is unexpected.
Atmosphere and pace builds throughout the book. People are devious and plotting, and behave in strange ways and they are oh so convincing!
A great read for anyone looking for a grim, well written (and well translated) psychological thriller.
October 14, 2020
After my first experience with the writing of Agnes Ravatn, I expected this novel to be great - and I wasn't a bit disappointed. "The Seven Doors" kept me enthralled for the entire book with scenes and characters that were very easy to visualize.
The novel, a domestic thriller with psychological overtones, was brilliantly plotted. Having Nina as the sole narrator of the story created more of a mysterious atmosphere as you didn't know what anyone else was thinking or feeling. The ending left the reader simultaneously satisfied and quite chilling.
Some of the themes covered were betrayal, trust, coping with change, loyalty, family secrets, and the inequality present in most doctor/patient relationships.
With literary references, musical jargon, strong characterization, and a somewhat complex story, the author has written another compelling thriller, while the translation from the Norwegian was seamless and accomplished.
I can't wait to see what Agnes Ravatn writes next. Highly recommended!
The novel, a domestic thriller with psychological overtones, was brilliantly plotted. Having Nina as the sole narrator of the story created more of a mysterious atmosphere as you didn't know what anyone else was thinking or feeling. The ending left the reader simultaneously satisfied and quite chilling.
Some of the themes covered were betrayal, trust, coping with change, loyalty, family secrets, and the inequality present in most doctor/patient relationships.
With literary references, musical jargon, strong characterization, and a somewhat complex story, the author has written another compelling thriller, while the translation from the Norwegian was seamless and accomplished.
I can't wait to see what Agnes Ravatn writes next. Highly recommended!
September 14, 2020
Finished reading: September 8th 2020
"We often stumble in the dark, unaware of the full scope of our actions."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
November 13, 2020
A very entertaining and compelling psychological thriller!
September 1, 2020
Agnes Ravatn is a young and gifted writer and I consider her novel, The Bird Tribunal, one of the most particular and sublime psychological thrillers originating from the Scandinavian countries during the last decade. In this book, the writing style is more mature and the reader has the opportunity to gain insights in several subjects such as literary theory, psychoanalysis, and the quirky phenomenon of transference love that develops between two individuals that share an imbalanced relationship as far as power dynamics are concerned. Furthermore, the book features many references to works of art, the most prominent example being the one-act expressionist opera, Bluebeard's Castle, by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, which constitutes a main plot point and provides the context for understanding the story. Even the title of the novel is a direct hint to the Bluebeard myth that still today sends shockwaves to the audiences due to its eccentricity and morbidity. In the well-crafted, cover of the Orenda Books edition, we read a quote by Philip Ardagh that draws a parallel between Ravatn and the great Patricia Highsmith. Even though I find this statement to be not entirely accurate, there are some analogies between them. For example, the slow pace, the emphasis on the characters rather than the plot or mystery and the gloomy atmosphere are common characteristics that they both share. Nevertheless, I think it is kind of an exaggeration to compare those two authors as Patricia Highsmith is a living legend in crime fiction and her ingenuity in characterization and atmosphere are hard to reach.
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-se...
To read my full review, visit https://tapthelinemag.com/post/the-se...
July 14, 2022
«Dei sju dørene» er en annerledes krimhistorie. Vi følger ikke en alkoholisert (privat-) etterforsker som ennå ikke har tatt innover seg ideene fra #MeToo-bevegelsen, men ganske enkelt en professor i litteraturvitenskap med litt for mye fritid. Her er det med andre ord definitivt ikke vanlige folks tur.
Plotet er så smart at jeg vil si minst mulig om det. Ravatn kaster leseren inn i en tombola av klassisk gresk litteratur, psykologiske teorier, klassisk musikk, frempek, villspor og plot-twister og kjører den så lenge at du får verdensbildet ditt snudd på hodet et par – tre ganger før hun er ferdig med deg. Her tror jeg kanskje noen vil mene at det er litt for mye konfekt på kaken, men hey – jeg elsker konfekt, så dette går rett i grisen.
Nevnte jeg at handlingen er (delvis) lagt til sjølveste Landås i Bergen? Birkeveien kommer aldri til å bli like vakker som i prosaen til Ravatn (det skal vel strengt tatt ikke så mye til). At også en kontroversiell bybane-utbygging ligger latent i historien, gjør at jeg har «ramme» på Bergen-bingoen før jeg har kommet halvveis ut i romanen.
Det eneste dumme med «Dei sju dørene» er at jeg ikke leste den i påsken. Blant årets beste leseopplevelser til nå.
Plotet er så smart at jeg vil si minst mulig om det. Ravatn kaster leseren inn i en tombola av klassisk gresk litteratur, psykologiske teorier, klassisk musikk, frempek, villspor og plot-twister og kjører den så lenge at du får verdensbildet ditt snudd på hodet et par – tre ganger før hun er ferdig med deg. Her tror jeg kanskje noen vil mene at det er litt for mye konfekt på kaken, men hey – jeg elsker konfekt, så dette går rett i grisen.
Nevnte jeg at handlingen er (delvis) lagt til sjølveste Landås i Bergen? Birkeveien kommer aldri til å bli like vakker som i prosaen til Ravatn (det skal vel strengt tatt ikke så mye til). At også en kontroversiell bybane-utbygging ligger latent i historien, gjør at jeg har «ramme» på Bergen-bingoen før jeg har kommet halvveis ut i romanen.
Det eneste dumme med «Dei sju dørene» er at jeg ikke leste den i påsken. Blant årets beste leseopplevelser til nå.
May 29, 2025
Sykeste boken!!!!!! Herlighet, jeg likte den så godt, det er lenge siden jeg har lest noe så fort uten å være tvunget til det. Agnes Ravatn er så morsom, og historien var så spennende. Elsker at handlingen er i Bergen og mye på høyden, og mange spennende litterære og psykologiske referanser. Anbefales!!!!!
June 13, 2021
3.5 thoughts soon.
March 31, 2020
Jeg leser vanligvis ikke krim, men fikk anbefalt denne som en litt annerledes krimroman, så jeg valgte å gi den en sjanse, og jeg ble ikke skuffet. Boken er kort, lett å lese og veldig spennende. Hovedpersonen appelerte veldig til meg, kanskje litt også fordi hun var litteraturprofessor. Jeg har hørt andre si at de ganske tidlig skjønte hva boken kom til å ende med, men personlig ble jeg veldig overrasket. Kanskje jeg ikke har lest nok krim til å klare å koble sånt sammen. Uansett syntes jeg dette var en veldig god krim som jeg lett slukte. Til slutt får boken et stort pluss for at den er skrevet på nynorsk.
September 25, 2020
Having been completely bowled over by Agnes Ravatn’s previous book The Bird Tribunal I was anticipating another story layered with psychological suspense and dramatic tension. The Seven Doors achieves precisely that and Ravatn does not disappoint.
Although the book involves a seemingly simple premise for a plot, what Ravatn layers into it, makes this a far from linear tale. Just as The Bird Tribunal encapsulated the psychological suspense of Patricia Highsmith and was powered by a literary allusion throughout, so the author draws on a similar idea here. Consequently, aside from her main character Nina finding herself embroiled and unduly fascinated by the disappearance of her and her husband’s tenant Mari, herself a mysterious and mercurial figure, Ravatn threads into this mystery a number of themes and digressions drawing on psychological schools of thought, folklore, literature and music. I do concede that I was much more drawn to this side of the book, as I unfortunately guessed the perpetrator of Mari’s disappearance from quite early on, but was completely fascinated by the the references to the legend of Bluebeard (which spawns the title of the book) of which I knew nothing, and the other facets of the book mentioned previously with a focus on humanities and the psychological. There is nothing better than finishing a book having discovered something new, particularly when it is so skilfully woven into the plot without feeling forced or contrived.
Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was Ravatn’s characterisation, particularly of the women, as the male characters, aside from Mari’s estranged husband seemed a little more functional rather than rounded. Nina is a fascinating character, being older, and perhaps with a more heightened awareness of time passing by, with her home on the point of demolition, and the machinations of moving on, and moving out. It seems that in this period of change and uncertainty, her transformation into an aged Nancy Drew could not have come at a better time for her, and perhaps, on a more human level, proves to her that she still has some worth outside of being a lecturer, a wife and a mother. Speaking of which, I loved Ingeborg her daughter whose lack of tact and diplomacy is an absolute joy to behold. She is resolute, and like a dog with a bone, will pester, cajole and annoy to get what she wants, with little thought for others, leading to some of the lighter moments within the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the linear quality of the main storyline of The Seven Doors, which gave the plot the opportunity to go off on other tangents linked to Nina’s particular field of academic expertise, with music, folklore and literature also being used as tropes within the book. Fluidly translated by Rosie Hedger once again, this is a taut and precise psychological thriller, deceptive in its simplicity but with some interesting diversions, that leads to a satisfying read overall. Recommended.
Although the book involves a seemingly simple premise for a plot, what Ravatn layers into it, makes this a far from linear tale. Just as The Bird Tribunal encapsulated the psychological suspense of Patricia Highsmith and was powered by a literary allusion throughout, so the author draws on a similar idea here. Consequently, aside from her main character Nina finding herself embroiled and unduly fascinated by the disappearance of her and her husband’s tenant Mari, herself a mysterious and mercurial figure, Ravatn threads into this mystery a number of themes and digressions drawing on psychological schools of thought, folklore, literature and music. I do concede that I was much more drawn to this side of the book, as I unfortunately guessed the perpetrator of Mari’s disappearance from quite early on, but was completely fascinated by the the references to the legend of Bluebeard (which spawns the title of the book) of which I knew nothing, and the other facets of the book mentioned previously with a focus on humanities and the psychological. There is nothing better than finishing a book having discovered something new, particularly when it is so skilfully woven into the plot without feeling forced or contrived.
Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was Ravatn’s characterisation, particularly of the women, as the male characters, aside from Mari’s estranged husband seemed a little more functional rather than rounded. Nina is a fascinating character, being older, and perhaps with a more heightened awareness of time passing by, with her home on the point of demolition, and the machinations of moving on, and moving out. It seems that in this period of change and uncertainty, her transformation into an aged Nancy Drew could not have come at a better time for her, and perhaps, on a more human level, proves to her that she still has some worth outside of being a lecturer, a wife and a mother. Speaking of which, I loved Ingeborg her daughter whose lack of tact and diplomacy is an absolute joy to behold. She is resolute, and like a dog with a bone, will pester, cajole and annoy to get what she wants, with little thought for others, leading to some of the lighter moments within the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the linear quality of the main storyline of The Seven Doors, which gave the plot the opportunity to go off on other tangents linked to Nina’s particular field of academic expertise, with music, folklore and literature also being used as tropes within the book. Fluidly translated by Rosie Hedger once again, this is a taut and precise psychological thriller, deceptive in its simplicity but with some interesting diversions, that leads to a satisfying read overall. Recommended.
October 11, 2025
[4.25/5.0]
Lydbok, Operasjon Hjernerystelse.
En glimrende litterær krim, med masse humor, sjarme og fiffige tvister.
Agners Ravatn er først og fremst en ypperlig forfatter. Hun skriver verken komplisert eller high-brow, men fører et usedvanlig godt språk, spesielt for sjangeren. For vi må vel kalle dette en krim, må vi ikke? Alle bøkene hennes som jeg har lest har mange tydelige krimelementer, men denne er vel såpass gjennomsyra av krimsjangeren at det ikke kan være mye tvil om sjangerbetegnelsen. Vi får riktignok ikke noe blod eller action, tempoet er sakte og bedagelig, og romanen har solide doser med troverdig samtids- og familiedrama. Karakterene er svært gode og troverdige, med lette, ledige og humoristiske dialoger. Kanskje i overkant humoristiske, ingen av vennene mine er så morsomme!
Selve krimgåten som skal løses er enkel. Her er det ingen psykotisk massemorder som leker med politiet, bare en forsvunnet kvinne.
Innleseren er Ane Barmen. Hun leser med perfekt tempo og innlevelse, og jeg har ikke noe å klage over når det gjelder diksjonen. Det eneste som kan virke litt rart er at alle bergensere snakker med Sogn og Fjordane-dialekt.
Lydbok, Operasjon Hjernerystelse.
En glimrende litterær krim, med masse humor, sjarme og fiffige tvister.
Agners Ravatn er først og fremst en ypperlig forfatter. Hun skriver verken komplisert eller high-brow, men fører et usedvanlig godt språk, spesielt for sjangeren. For vi må vel kalle dette en krim, må vi ikke? Alle bøkene hennes som jeg har lest har mange tydelige krimelementer, men denne er vel såpass gjennomsyra av krimsjangeren at det ikke kan være mye tvil om sjangerbetegnelsen. Vi får riktignok ikke noe blod eller action, tempoet er sakte og bedagelig, og romanen har solide doser med troverdig samtids- og familiedrama. Karakterene er svært gode og troverdige, med lette, ledige og humoristiske dialoger. Kanskje i overkant humoristiske, ingen av vennene mine er så morsomme!
Selve krimgåten som skal løses er enkel. Her er det ingen psykotisk massemorder som leker med politiet, bare en forsvunnet kvinne.
Innleseren er Ane Barmen. Hun leser med perfekt tempo og innlevelse, og jeg har ikke noe å klage over når det gjelder diksjonen. Det eneste som kan virke litt rart er at alle bergensere snakker med Sogn og Fjordane-dialekt.
February 8, 2021
Nå skjønner jeg hva de mener, de som kaller "Dei sju dørene" av Agnes Ravatn for en godtepose av en roman. For det er den virkelig når forfatteren på så mesterlig vis har klart å kombinere litteratur, kultur, krim, familierelasjoner og drama i én og samme bok. Jeg klarte nesten ikke å legge den fra meg og leste den ut i to jafs. Elsker også når en bok har så mange uventede twister. Anbefales virkelig!! 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 13, 2023
Digga denne! Holdt på spenningen og elsket twistene!
June 15, 2025
Bra skrevet og veldig gøy med Bergensbok fra Høyden osv. Men… kanskje er det mine mange år fra barndommen av som Nancy Drew-bokorm som ødela, jeg skjønte hvert fall tidlig hva som var plottet og klarte ikke slutte å tenke på det underveis. Ødela dessverre litt for min leseopplevelse, hadde vært langt mer gøy om avsløringene kom som et sjokk 😄
July 11, 2021
http://www.hyperebaaktiivne.ee/2021/0...
Vahepeal on põnev lugeda, kuidas müsteeriume täielikud amatöörid lahti harutavad. Just see on põhjus, miks Agnes Ravatn "Seitse ust" minu lugemisnimekirja jõudis.
November-detsember, Bergen & Tornøy saar, Norra. Kirjandusprofessor Nina Wisløff ei armasta avalikke aruteluid, kuid asendab kolleegi ühes väitlusringis. Sõna saades pahvatab naine välja, et kirjandusteadlased võiksid tänu seoste leidmise oskusele olla väga edukad politseiuurijad, ning jõuab sellega meediasse. Peagi saab ta võimaluse oma väidet tõestada, kui haihtub nende üürnik Mari Nilsen. Nina tunneb end vastutavana, kuna käis tal vahetult enne kadumist külas koos oma raseda tütrega, kes oli väga ebaviisakas, avaldades soovi ise majas elada. Samal ajal üritab naine ka endale uut elamispinda leida, kuna maja, kus ta 35 aastat elanud on, jääb ette uuele raudteeliinile.
Viimased krimkad, mis mulle kätte on sattunud, on olnud erakordselt vägivaldsed ning jõhkrad ja "Seitse ust" oli nende kõrval väga värskendav. Kadunud üürnik ei tundunud moonutatud laipade kõrval üldse hirmsana. Nina oli muhe peategelane ning sellest, kuidas pensionile lähenev kirjandusprofessor uurijatööd üritab teha oli päris lõbus lugeda. Arvestades tema sõnavõttu väitlusel ning süütunnet tütre käitumise pärast oli väga usutav, et ta Mari kadumist rahule ei suutnud jätta. Mõne teise amatööruurijaga raamatu puhul hakkab häirima, kuidas too oma nina pidevalt võõrastesse asjadesse topib, siin sobis see kuidagi hästi looga kokku. Kohati oli tunne, et Nina ei jõua kuhugi ning seda kadumist pole võimalik lahendada. Üht-teist ta siiski avastas, aga nagu algajale kohane, eksles ta korduvalt valedel radadel ja eksitas oma tormakate järeldustega ka politseid. Lõpus loksub aga kõik paika. Lahendus lõi mind küll pahviks ning ei olnud sugugi naljakas ega kerge nagu ülejäänud raamat.
"Seitse ust" on romaan kirjandusprofessorist, kes uurib oma üürniku kadumist. Esiti oli see kerge ja muhe lugemine, aga lõpplahendus osutus küllaltki šokeerivaks. Mulle meeldis. Soovitan, kui otsid lahendust vajavat müsteeriumit, aga ka sind on jõhkrad mõrvalood ära tüüdanud!
Vahepeal on põnev lugeda, kuidas müsteeriume täielikud amatöörid lahti harutavad. Just see on põhjus, miks Agnes Ravatn "Seitse ust" minu lugemisnimekirja jõudis.
November-detsember, Bergen & Tornøy saar, Norra. Kirjandusprofessor Nina Wisløff ei armasta avalikke aruteluid, kuid asendab kolleegi ühes väitlusringis. Sõna saades pahvatab naine välja, et kirjandusteadlased võiksid tänu seoste leidmise oskusele olla väga edukad politseiuurijad, ning jõuab sellega meediasse. Peagi saab ta võimaluse oma väidet tõestada, kui haihtub nende üürnik Mari Nilsen. Nina tunneb end vastutavana, kuna käis tal vahetult enne kadumist külas koos oma raseda tütrega, kes oli väga ebaviisakas, avaldades soovi ise majas elada. Samal ajal üritab naine ka endale uut elamispinda leida, kuna maja, kus ta 35 aastat elanud on, jääb ette uuele raudteeliinile.
Viimased krimkad, mis mulle kätte on sattunud, on olnud erakordselt vägivaldsed ning jõhkrad ja "Seitse ust" oli nende kõrval väga värskendav. Kadunud üürnik ei tundunud moonutatud laipade kõrval üldse hirmsana. Nina oli muhe peategelane ning sellest, kuidas pensionile lähenev kirjandusprofessor uurijatööd üritab teha oli päris lõbus lugeda. Arvestades tema sõnavõttu väitlusel ning süütunnet tütre käitumise pärast oli väga usutav, et ta Mari kadumist rahule ei suutnud jätta. Mõne teise amatööruurijaga raamatu puhul hakkab häirima, kuidas too oma nina pidevalt võõrastesse asjadesse topib, siin sobis see kuidagi hästi looga kokku. Kohati oli tunne, et Nina ei jõua kuhugi ning seda kadumist pole võimalik lahendada. Üht-teist ta siiski avastas, aga nagu algajale kohane, eksles ta korduvalt valedel radadel ja eksitas oma tormakate järeldustega ka politseid. Lõpus loksub aga kõik paika. Lahendus lõi mind küll pahviks ning ei olnud sugugi naljakas ega kerge nagu ülejäänud raamat.
"Seitse ust" on romaan kirjandusprofessorist, kes uurib oma üürniku kadumist. Esiti oli see kerge ja muhe lugemine, aga lõpplahendus osutus küllaltki šokeerivaks. Mulle meeldis. Soovitan, kui otsid lahendust vajavat müsteeriumit, aga ka sind on jõhkrad mõrvalood ära tüüdanud!
July 30, 2020
The Seven Doors is translated from the Norwegian by Rosie Hedger.
It's almost four years since I read Agnes Ravatn's The Bird Tribunal. That's a book that has stayed with me over those years, and one that I regularly recommend. It was with much anticipation, and a little trepidation that I began to read The Seven Doors.
Oh my goodness, this is one incredibly talented author. Once more, she delves into the deepest recesses of a modern family, and slowly but surely unpicks the hidden, and tightly woven secrets that are beginning to emerge.
Nina and her husband have been married for many years, they live in Nina's childhood home. They are both professional people; Nina is a Professor of Literature at the University whilst her husband Mads works in medicine, as well as having a place on the local Council. It is this Council that is causing distress for Nina as the story starts. Their home; her childhood home; a place filled with memories of family life is to be destroyed, to make way for a new development. Whilst Nina is very sad, she is resigned to the fact that they must find a new place to live; it feels like a massive task.
Mads inherited a house in Birkeveien from his aunt, and whilst Nina doesn't want to live there, her daughter Ingeborg and her small family really do want the house. Currently rented out to a young single mother, Ingeborg has no hesitation in visiting and informing the tenant that she must leave.
A few days later, the tenant, Mari Nilson, disappears. After Ingeborg's visit, Mari packed her things and returned to her parents, along with her four year old son. Within a couple of days, she was gone.
Ravatn tells her story with care and precision. Not one word is wasted, from her cleverly created characters, to the wild and harsh Norwegian landscape, everything is beautifully presented. Her characters are incredibly flawed, especially daughter Ingeborg, and whilst the reader doesn't actually hear from Mari, she becomes a larger than life character who is expertly and colourfully presented, through her parents memories and through snippets told in newspapers and by people who did know her.
Whilst The Seven Doors is undoubtedly a psychological thriller, with a lingering air of menace and mystery, it is also a tender and quite compulsive study of a family who appear, on the face of it, to be highly respectable, yet have layers of hidden secrets. The effects of those hidden truths are incredibly powerful, turning both the story and the family upside down.
Ravatn increases the tension, chapter by chapter and the backdrop of the bleak, harsh Norway countryside adds so much depth to the story; Nina battles against the weather almost as much as she battles with the truths that she begins to expose. The writing is skilled and the plotting seems effortless, yet is so dramatic, leading the reader to the final, shocking reveal.
Rosie Hedger's translation is expertly done, allowing the author to retain her unique style and voice. This is another first class Nordic Noir story from one of the finest story tellers out there. I only hope that I don't have to wait another four years for the next one.
Highly recommended.
It's almost four years since I read Agnes Ravatn's The Bird Tribunal. That's a book that has stayed with me over those years, and one that I regularly recommend. It was with much anticipation, and a little trepidation that I began to read The Seven Doors.
Oh my goodness, this is one incredibly talented author. Once more, she delves into the deepest recesses of a modern family, and slowly but surely unpicks the hidden, and tightly woven secrets that are beginning to emerge.
Nina and her husband have been married for many years, they live in Nina's childhood home. They are both professional people; Nina is a Professor of Literature at the University whilst her husband Mads works in medicine, as well as having a place on the local Council. It is this Council that is causing distress for Nina as the story starts. Their home; her childhood home; a place filled with memories of family life is to be destroyed, to make way for a new development. Whilst Nina is very sad, she is resigned to the fact that they must find a new place to live; it feels like a massive task.
Mads inherited a house in Birkeveien from his aunt, and whilst Nina doesn't want to live there, her daughter Ingeborg and her small family really do want the house. Currently rented out to a young single mother, Ingeborg has no hesitation in visiting and informing the tenant that she must leave.
A few days later, the tenant, Mari Nilson, disappears. After Ingeborg's visit, Mari packed her things and returned to her parents, along with her four year old son. Within a couple of days, she was gone.
Ravatn tells her story with care and precision. Not one word is wasted, from her cleverly created characters, to the wild and harsh Norwegian landscape, everything is beautifully presented. Her characters are incredibly flawed, especially daughter Ingeborg, and whilst the reader doesn't actually hear from Mari, she becomes a larger than life character who is expertly and colourfully presented, through her parents memories and through snippets told in newspapers and by people who did know her.
Whilst The Seven Doors is undoubtedly a psychological thriller, with a lingering air of menace and mystery, it is also a tender and quite compulsive study of a family who appear, on the face of it, to be highly respectable, yet have layers of hidden secrets. The effects of those hidden truths are incredibly powerful, turning both the story and the family upside down.
Ravatn increases the tension, chapter by chapter and the backdrop of the bleak, harsh Norway countryside adds so much depth to the story; Nina battles against the weather almost as much as she battles with the truths that she begins to expose. The writing is skilled and the plotting seems effortless, yet is so dramatic, leading the reader to the final, shocking reveal.
Rosie Hedger's translation is expertly done, allowing the author to retain her unique style and voice. This is another first class Nordic Noir story from one of the finest story tellers out there. I only hope that I don't have to wait another four years for the next one.
Highly recommended.
July 25, 2022
I’d give it 2*, but part of it is just my fault because I keep falling for thrillers and then get mad about how not thrilling they are without fail afterwards, so 3* it is.
First up, this isn’t a thriller, it’s a murder mystery and not a very mysterious one at that. “Dark and disturbing” it is not. Main character Nina is a professor of literature who at the start of the novel goes on a public rant that literary scholars would make excellent policemen. You won’t guess what happens next - she investigates a crime, even gets asked to do so by a family member of the victim. Wow. Such subtlety. Nina “solves” the case by stumbling upon a random fact and then discussing said fact with the same handful of side characters which never leads to any new insights; next random fact, discuss, repeat. All tell, no show.
I’ve read a few reviews that described Nina as a quiet, sympathetic person. I’ll probably be in the minority here, but I disliked her massively. Maybe it’s the translation, but to me she came across as passive aggressive and somewhat arrogant.
This is the second book in a row I’ve read without speech quotation marks and I’m very much done with this trope. Regardless, I read this straight through in one go even after guessing who the culprit was simply by virtue of reading the blurb and the first chapter, so kudos to the writing in that regard. It’s always the ones you’d most suspect…
First up, this isn’t a thriller, it’s a murder mystery and not a very mysterious one at that. “Dark and disturbing” it is not. Main character Nina is a professor of literature who at the start of the novel goes on a public rant that literary scholars would make excellent policemen. You won’t guess what happens next - she investigates a crime, even gets asked to do so by a family member of the victim. Wow. Such subtlety. Nina “solves” the case by stumbling upon a random fact and then discussing said fact with the same handful of side characters which never leads to any new insights; next random fact, discuss, repeat. All tell, no show.
I’ve read a few reviews that described Nina as a quiet, sympathetic person. I’ll probably be in the minority here, but I disliked her massively. Maybe it’s the translation, but to me she came across as passive aggressive and somewhat arrogant.
This is the second book in a row I’ve read without speech quotation marks and I’m very much done with this trope. Regardless, I read this straight through in one go even after guessing who the culprit was simply by virtue of reading the blurb and the first chapter, so kudos to the writing in that regard. It’s always the ones you’d most suspect…
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