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Outside
They are isolated - but they are not alone ...
When a deadly snowstorm strikes the Icelandic highlands, four friends seek shelter in a tiny, abandoned hunting lodge.
A terrifying discovery ...
Far from offering relief, however, they find something truly shocking. Yet they dare not leave.
A haunting darkness ...
As the night lengthens, their fears intensify. Old secrets and past tragedies spill into the light. And, slowly, these four friends begin to turn on one another.
Outside, a murderous storm rages.
The gripping new stand-alone mystery from 'world-class crime writer' Ragnar Jónasson, soon to be a major motion picture.
When a deadly snowstorm strikes the Icelandic highlands, four friends seek shelter in a tiny, abandoned hunting lodge.
A terrifying discovery ...
Far from offering relief, however, they find something truly shocking. Yet they dare not leave.
A haunting darkness ...
As the night lengthens, their fears intensify. Old secrets and past tragedies spill into the light. And, slowly, these four friends begin to turn on one another.
Outside, a murderous storm rages.
The gripping new stand-alone mystery from 'world-class crime writer' Ragnar Jónasson, soon to be a major motion picture.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2021
690 people are currently reading
8952 people want to read
About the author
Ragnar Jónasson
51 books3,893 followersRagnar Jonasson is author of the award winning and international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia. Snowblind has been a paperback bestseller in France.
Nightblind won the Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Most Captivating Crime in Translation.
Snowblind was called a "classically crafted whodunit" by THE NEW YORK TIMES, and it was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK.
Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Poland, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Croatia, Armenia and Iceland.
Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.
From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.
Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.
He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.
His debut Snowblind, first in the Dark Iceland series, went to number one in the Amazon Kindle charts shortly after publication. The book was also a no. 1 Amazon Kindle bestseller in Australia. Snowblind has been a paperback bestseller in France.
Nightblind won the Dead Good Reader Award 2016 for Most Captivating Crime in Translation.
Snowblind was called a "classically crafted whodunit" by THE NEW YORK TIMES, and it was selected by The Independent as one of the best crime novels of 2015 in the UK.
Rights to the Dark Iceland series have been sold to UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Poland, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Croatia, Armenia and Iceland.
Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he works as a writer and a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
He is also the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir.
From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.
Ragnar has also had short stories published internationally, including in the distinguished Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in the US, the first stories by an Icelandic author in that magazine.
He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik.
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March 3, 2024
Ragnar Jonasson’s Outside is set in Iceland. There are four friends, out for a weekend hunting trip, when they find themselves trapped in a blizzard. Luckily for them, they come upon a hut, but they discover something startling inside. Will they make it out of this weekend alive? What secrets are each of the four friends harboring?
After reading Ragnar Jonasson’s The Girl Who Died, I was super excited to dig into this book. It is relatively fast paced, and it feels more like a novella than a full-length novel. Outside starts off with an extremely engaging introduction and rotates between the four friends’ perspectives.
What I loved about The Girl Who Died, I kept wondering is this going to have a scientific explanation or a supernatural one? However, Outside did not really have that vibe.
Please keep in mind that this is an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) so the final version might be a bit different. However, I think that the writing needs to be cleaned up. What do I mean by that? First, there is a bit too much telling and not enough showing. In one scene, the characters have an argument. There isn’t any further explanation about what the argument was even about. Second, some parts of this book don’t make sense. For example, a character would say how they never wanted to see this other character again and then in the next sentence talk about how he would go to such great lengths for this person that he never wants to see again.
Did these characters watch The English Patient? You never leave an injured person behind!
The ending is extremely abrupt, and I didn’t even understand that the book was over.
Overall, the plot is interesting, and this book is quite the page-turner. However, the reader must be prepared to suspend reality, and the ending should be stronger.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
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After reading Ragnar Jonasson’s The Girl Who Died, I was super excited to dig into this book. It is relatively fast paced, and it feels more like a novella than a full-length novel. Outside starts off with an extremely engaging introduction and rotates between the four friends’ perspectives.
What I loved about The Girl Who Died, I kept wondering is this going to have a scientific explanation or a supernatural one? However, Outside did not really have that vibe.
Please keep in mind that this is an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) so the final version might be a bit different. However, I think that the writing needs to be cleaned up. What do I mean by that? First, there is a bit too much telling and not enough showing. In one scene, the characters have an argument. There isn’t any further explanation about what the argument was even about. Second, some parts of this book don’t make sense. For example, a character would say how they never wanted to see this other character again and then in the next sentence talk about how he would go to such great lengths for this person that he never wants to see again.
Did these characters watch The English Patient? You never leave an injured person behind!
The ending is extremely abrupt, and I didn’t even understand that the book was over.
Overall, the plot is interesting, and this book is quite the page-turner. However, the reader must be prepared to suspend reality, and the ending should be stronger.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
August 19, 2022
Outside by Ragnar Jónasson
Four long time friends are trekking through the Icelandic highlands to bird hunt. It's a strange get together for these friends because it's not as if they are into hunting but Armann suggested the trip and the others went along with it. Armann has made his fortune organizing trips so he knows what he is doing. So how do things go so very wrong?
That atmosphere is charged, the sense of danger and wrong choices made is very real. It's so cold and then a storm hits. Decisions need to be made where no matter what choice is made, it could be the wrong one.
As the story progresses, we go from the viewpoint of each of the four characters, over and over. Being inside their heads allowed me to know I didn't like any of them. The more I knew, the less I liked them. Something is very wrong with this excursion and it's only at the end that we learn motivations and reasons. And then the book ends very abruptly, in an almost not an ending manner. So, I was left feeling frozen in my dislike of the situation and the people.
Publication: June 28, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Four long time friends are trekking through the Icelandic highlands to bird hunt. It's a strange get together for these friends because it's not as if they are into hunting but Armann suggested the trip and the others went along with it. Armann has made his fortune organizing trips so he knows what he is doing. So how do things go so very wrong?
That atmosphere is charged, the sense of danger and wrong choices made is very real. It's so cold and then a storm hits. Decisions need to be made where no matter what choice is made, it could be the wrong one.
As the story progresses, we go from the viewpoint of each of the four characters, over and over. Being inside their heads allowed me to know I didn't like any of them. The more I knew, the less I liked them. Something is very wrong with this excursion and it's only at the end that we learn motivations and reasons. And then the book ends very abruptly, in an almost not an ending manner. So, I was left feeling frozen in my dislike of the situation and the people.
Publication: June 28, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
June 28, 2022
What made the four friends cry out in shock when they entered the isolated hut, seeking shelter from an unexpected snowstorm?
It was supposed to be their annual vacation, a Ptarmigan hunt this year, organized by Armann, who often acts as a guide in the area.
Armann, Helena, Daniel and Gunnlauger will begin the trek through the bone chilling, Icelandic highlands.
One won’t survive the night.
There is no cell phone service where they are going-and no way to call for help-when they discover they are not alone.
As the night darkens, and fears intensify, they should be turning to each other, instead of turning away from each other and playing the blame game, if they hope to survive-but that isn’t what transpires in this suspenseful little tale!
I just wish it hadn’t ended so ABRUPTLY as the ending leaves much to the imagination.
And, it was underwhelming!
Ragnar Jonasson has sold three million copies, Worldwide and he began his career from the age of 17, translating 14. Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic!! Known for writing Nordic Noir, also known as Scandi Noir, which is crime fiction which takes place in Scandinavia or Nordic countries.
Although often written from a Police point of view, this one was written from the point of views from each of the four friends instead. These stories are also known for gloomy, chilling atmosphere, flawed protagonists and dark narratives which this book had in spades!
I recently discovered this sub-genre, when I read the author’s “The Girl Who Died” , when it was translated from Icelandic to English last year. Although I preferred that one to this one, I look forward to reading more from this author as additional titles become available in the US. (This book had sneak peek chapters for two additional books at the end of the story)
The Girl Who Died review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This title is available now.
Thank You to Minotaur Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
It was supposed to be their annual vacation, a Ptarmigan hunt this year, organized by Armann, who often acts as a guide in the area.
Armann, Helena, Daniel and Gunnlauger will begin the trek through the bone chilling, Icelandic highlands.
One won’t survive the night.
There is no cell phone service where they are going-and no way to call for help-when they discover they are not alone.
As the night darkens, and fears intensify, they should be turning to each other, instead of turning away from each other and playing the blame game, if they hope to survive-but that isn’t what transpires in this suspenseful little tale!
I just wish it hadn’t ended so ABRUPTLY as the ending leaves much to the imagination.
And, it was underwhelming!
Ragnar Jonasson has sold three million copies, Worldwide and he began his career from the age of 17, translating 14. Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic!! Known for writing Nordic Noir, also known as Scandi Noir, which is crime fiction which takes place in Scandinavia or Nordic countries.
Although often written from a Police point of view, this one was written from the point of views from each of the four friends instead. These stories are also known for gloomy, chilling atmosphere, flawed protagonists and dark narratives which this book had in spades!
I recently discovered this sub-genre, when I read the author’s “The Girl Who Died” , when it was translated from Icelandic to English last year. Although I preferred that one to this one, I look forward to reading more from this author as additional titles become available in the US. (This book had sneak peek chapters for two additional books at the end of the story)
The Girl Who Died review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This title is available now.
Thank You to Minotaur Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
February 27, 2022
This is a highly unsettling chilling Scandi-Noir mystery, set in Iceland's Eastern Highlands amidst a whiteout, that goes back and forth in time by Ragnar Jonasson with a great sense of location. Four college friends, Armann, Gunnlauger, Daniel and Helena are reuniting, hunting for ptarmigan, when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Caught in a deadly snowblizzard, they are forced to seek shelter in a remote hut in their efforts to survive, only to make a macabre discovery, setting the scene for a long night where they begin to unravel, with secrets emerging as tensions escalate, marked by increasing panic and paranoia. The sense of claustrophobia is palpable, cut off as they are from the rest of the world. Jonasson excels in creating a disturbingly atmospheric novel, the unforgiving landscape, the elements of horror, laying out the intricate dynamics between the friends.
This is a quick read with short chapters which I did enjoy, but there were pacing issues and the characterisations did not feel as satisfying as I had hoped. I think this will appeal to many fans of the author and other readers from the crime and mystery genre. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
This is a quick read with short chapters which I did enjoy, but there were pacing issues and the characterisations did not feel as satisfying as I had hoped. I think this will appeal to many fans of the author and other readers from the crime and mystery genre. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
October 3, 2024
When I initially started listening to Outside I was under the impression it was going to be more about a group of friends braving the harsh elements of the Icelandic highlands and possible confrontations with some insidious beings.
Although the group of four friends ends up stranded in unfathomable freezing conditions in an abandoned hunting lodge, Outside is centered around unforgotten betrayals, old resentments, deceit, selfishness, and payback.
Although short in length, Jónasson has more than provided a powerful storyline which is long in unrelenting twisty turns and chilling suspense.
Narrators Carla Harrison-Hodge, Eleanor Jackson, Gil Sullivan, Jamie Maclachian, and Reice Weathers give a seamlessly synchronized performance and a proved to be a terrific collaborative team. Kudos.
Although the group of four friends ends up stranded in unfathomable freezing conditions in an abandoned hunting lodge, Outside is centered around unforgotten betrayals, old resentments, deceit, selfishness, and payback.
Although short in length, Jónasson has more than provided a powerful storyline which is long in unrelenting twisty turns and chilling suspense.
Narrators Carla Harrison-Hodge, Eleanor Jackson, Gil Sullivan, Jamie Maclachian, and Reice Weathers give a seamlessly synchronized performance and a proved to be a terrific collaborative team. Kudos.
September 1, 2022
3.5 stars.
Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, for this character-driven, chilling atmospheric thriller. Ragnar Jonasson has long been a favourite writer of Nordic Noir, and I have read all his books that have been translated into English.
Four 'friends' from university unite for a bird hunting trip in the frozen eastern part of Iceland. The narrative focuses on short chapters from the characters' perspectives with its crisp prose. It is a quick and intense read. As their stories unfold, we witness the dynamics of the group. There is an undercurrent of secrets, long-held hostilities, resentments, suspicion and jealousies from the past. It is a mystery why these people are even together on this trip. Not all are outdoor enthusiasts or enjoy hunting or hiking.
There is a vivid sense of place. The characters experience a drastic change in the weather and face a deadly blizzard with whiteout conditions and are chilled by the rapid drop in temperature and the howling wind. There is a distinct possibility of dying from hypothermia. As the snow piles up, they struggle through the drifts and are relieved to find a remote hut where they can find shelter.
Once the others enter the cabin, there is an unexpected, frightening shock. Some feel they would be safer outside facing the raging storm. A couple of the group members depart into the wilderness and drifting snow to find a place where they can call for help. Will they survive in this desolate outdoors?
For those spending their first night in the hut, their initial jolt turns to anxiety and panic. Tempers explode, causing past dislikes, suspicions and hate to surface under claustrophobic, disturbing conditions. Their sense of dread, the eerie confined space, and the bone-chilling cold brings out the worst in these flawed characters. Darkness increases as snow piles up against the windows, setting nerves on edge.
There is an uneasy foreboding of devastating consequences. Troubling moral judgements conflict with self-survival. I found the ending inconclusive and lacking in the sense of justice. Ambiguity and hints of repercussions in the future caused me to lower my overall rating. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a tense Icelandic setting with plenty of suspense and an unravelling of personal secrets and motivations. A gripping, evocative, and agonizing story.
Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, for this character-driven, chilling atmospheric thriller. Ragnar Jonasson has long been a favourite writer of Nordic Noir, and I have read all his books that have been translated into English.
Four 'friends' from university unite for a bird hunting trip in the frozen eastern part of Iceland. The narrative focuses on short chapters from the characters' perspectives with its crisp prose. It is a quick and intense read. As their stories unfold, we witness the dynamics of the group. There is an undercurrent of secrets, long-held hostilities, resentments, suspicion and jealousies from the past. It is a mystery why these people are even together on this trip. Not all are outdoor enthusiasts or enjoy hunting or hiking.
There is a vivid sense of place. The characters experience a drastic change in the weather and face a deadly blizzard with whiteout conditions and are chilled by the rapid drop in temperature and the howling wind. There is a distinct possibility of dying from hypothermia. As the snow piles up, they struggle through the drifts and are relieved to find a remote hut where they can find shelter.
Once the others enter the cabin, there is an unexpected, frightening shock. Some feel they would be safer outside facing the raging storm. A couple of the group members depart into the wilderness and drifting snow to find a place where they can call for help. Will they survive in this desolate outdoors?
For those spending their first night in the hut, their initial jolt turns to anxiety and panic. Tempers explode, causing past dislikes, suspicions and hate to surface under claustrophobic, disturbing conditions. Their sense of dread, the eerie confined space, and the bone-chilling cold brings out the worst in these flawed characters. Darkness increases as snow piles up against the windows, setting nerves on edge.
There is an uneasy foreboding of devastating consequences. Troubling moral judgements conflict with self-survival. I found the ending inconclusive and lacking in the sense of justice. Ambiguity and hints of repercussions in the future caused me to lower my overall rating. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a tense Icelandic setting with plenty of suspense and an unravelling of personal secrets and motivations. A gripping, evocative, and agonizing story.
July 19, 2022
Too short to fully build the storyline. With multiple POV's it made it hard to connect with all the characters. It just felt rushed.
July 16, 2022
Cold, so cold, a raging snowstorm, and four friends seek shelter in a old hunters shack. No phone service and a terrorizing incident, encompass these four. There are secrets that each have, secrets that determine their actions. (Aren't there always secrets?)
Has a claustrophobic feel, a sense of unease prevails. While these characters are not particularly likable, they do serve to draw one into the story. The writing is stark and fits and adds to the feel of constant danger. While I didn't like this as much as this authors series novels, it was still an appealing read if one is a fan of Nordic noir.
In the audio each character has his or her own voice and this I enjoyed very much.
Has a claustrophobic feel, a sense of unease prevails. While these characters are not particularly likable, they do serve to draw one into the story. The writing is stark and fits and adds to the feel of constant danger. While I didn't like this as much as this authors series novels, it was still an appealing read if one is a fan of Nordic noir.
In the audio each character has his or her own voice and this I enjoyed very much.
December 12, 2021
3.5 rounded up
Four friends reunite and decide on a ptarmigan hunt in the Eastern Highlands of Iceland which Armann organises and leads Daniel, Gunnlauger and Helena. They are caught in a whiteout and seek shelter, their mood increasingly despondent. They find a hut, break in and get the shock of their lives. The story is told in alternating points of view by the four which works well as you grow in understanding of what precisely is going on.
The standout feature for me is the setting and the atmosphere created in Iceland. You really do feel the desolation and the cold, seem to be shrouded by the dark, the fearful isolation, the growing sense of disquiet and as the snow intensifies like the mood of the foursome it becomes claustrophobic. The characterisation is good and the dynamics grow ever more intriguing as you realise there’s a lot of unresolved issues at the root of it all and several mysteries. Their confidence dips, tempers fray, panic and fear set in and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. The pace does rise and fall a bit but that does seem to suit the unfolding events. I’m not too sure about the ending but I guess it’s realistic.
Overall, although it’s not my favourite book by the author this is still a very enjoyable and multilayered read and it’s worth reading for the atmosphere alone.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review
Four friends reunite and decide on a ptarmigan hunt in the Eastern Highlands of Iceland which Armann organises and leads Daniel, Gunnlauger and Helena. They are caught in a whiteout and seek shelter, their mood increasingly despondent. They find a hut, break in and get the shock of their lives. The story is told in alternating points of view by the four which works well as you grow in understanding of what precisely is going on.
The standout feature for me is the setting and the atmosphere created in Iceland. You really do feel the desolation and the cold, seem to be shrouded by the dark, the fearful isolation, the growing sense of disquiet and as the snow intensifies like the mood of the foursome it becomes claustrophobic. The characterisation is good and the dynamics grow ever more intriguing as you realise there’s a lot of unresolved issues at the root of it all and several mysteries. Their confidence dips, tempers fray, panic and fear set in and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. The pace does rise and fall a bit but that does seem to suit the unfolding events. I’m not too sure about the ending but I guess it’s realistic.
Overall, although it’s not my favourite book by the author this is still a very enjoyable and multilayered read and it’s worth reading for the atmosphere alone.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review
March 29, 2025
3.5🌟
Bundle up! There’s a storm rolling in!🧤❄️
Four friends hiking in Iceland are about to face a deadly storm!
As the group set out for a hike, the weather takes a serious turn for the worse. They need to seek shelter fast if they hope to make it through the night. Their luck changes when they stumble across an abandoned cabin hoping for safe shelter…only to find a sinister figure in the corner holding a gun!
Stay or go? What’s more dangerous? The man with the gun? Or the raging storm outside?
I always enjoy a Nordic thriller, and on the recommendation of my GR friend Victoria I dove right into this one!
I enjoyed the storyline as the four friends faced the dangers and making tough decisions that would ultimately affect their lives forever.
My only drawback was I would have preferred more character development. A deeper dive into each character and their background would have helped me have a better connection.
I listened to the audio and all the narrators did an amazing job!
Bundle up! There’s a storm rolling in!🧤❄️
Four friends hiking in Iceland are about to face a deadly storm!
As the group set out for a hike, the weather takes a serious turn for the worse. They need to seek shelter fast if they hope to make it through the night. Their luck changes when they stumble across an abandoned cabin hoping for safe shelter…only to find a sinister figure in the corner holding a gun!
Stay or go? What’s more dangerous? The man with the gun? Or the raging storm outside?
I always enjoy a Nordic thriller, and on the recommendation of my GR friend Victoria I dove right into this one!
I enjoyed the storyline as the four friends faced the dangers and making tough decisions that would ultimately affect their lives forever.
My only drawback was I would have preferred more character development. A deeper dive into each character and their background would have helped me have a better connection.
I listened to the audio and all the narrators did an amazing job!
June 15, 2022
Nordic noir! I enjoy the tastes I have had of this genre and I looked forward to this book, penned by Ragnar Jónasson, a respected and successful Icelandic author. The story sets up quickly, four friends on a weekend hunting trip who are soon in over their heads due to an unexpected Icelandic blizzard. One of the characters swears he knows of an old hut nearby, so they trudge on in an effort to survive the storm. A creepy and threatening intruder inflames the panic and sparks off insecurities within the group.
Jónasson tells the story in short chapters rotating through each of the characters points of view. This keeps the pace quick and helps us get into the mindset of each person… for better or for worse. The pace was brisk and the suspense only snowballed as the story unfolded…
…and then, like an avalanche, the ending fell off. Some interesting plot moves seemed to drop abruptly. The advance reader copy included snippets from two additional books and I was halfway into reading one when I realized “Outside” had already ended. It felt like an epilogue had been omitted.
I liked what was there. I give it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3– but it really feels like a missed opportunity here. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jónasson tells the story in short chapters rotating through each of the characters points of view. This keeps the pace quick and helps us get into the mindset of each person… for better or for worse. The pace was brisk and the suspense only snowballed as the story unfolded…
…and then, like an avalanche, the ending fell off. Some interesting plot moves seemed to drop abruptly. The advance reader copy included snippets from two additional books and I was halfway into reading one when I realized “Outside” had already ended. It felt like an epilogue had been omitted.
I liked what was there. I give it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3– but it really feels like a missed opportunity here. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2021
Ragnar Jonasson is the master of chilly, atmospheric settings, which is why I will always rush out to get my hands on every one of his books! In OUTSIDE, he has turned this skill to good use again as he describes the stark, lonely cabin in the Highlands of Iceland, where four friends find themselves stranded in a blizzard. Having been to Iceland in winter, I could well imagine the cold, the howling winds, the long dark night and the isolation, and I loved the chills this sent down my spine!
However, I am wondering if something got lost in translation for me, because even though the setting was wonderfully atmospheric, the human part of the story didn’t work so well. As we get the POV of each of the friends, I was hoping for some connection and an insight into their motivations, but this never came. It was difficult to distinguish between the characters’ voices, as they all appeared rather flat and unemotional, making me feel firmly on the outside and puzzled at their intentions. In fact, some parts of the story were just plain strange and made little sense, in particular the involvement of the fifth character, which was too far of a stretch to be credible. I would have loved more dialogue and emotional interaction between the friends to build tension and introduce some rationale for their motivations instead of just having this spelled out in the final chapters without the emotional background to make it more understandable.
Having read many previous novels by the author I have always enjoyed his sparse, to-the-point prose that usually manages to set the scene well and moves the story along at a good pace. Here, however, I needed a bit more background and emotion to bond with the characters. It may have worked better to just give us one or two POVs to be able to bond with those characters, than four perspectives that just skimmed the surface.
Even though I remain a firm fan of Jonasson’s books, I feel that this one fell a bit short for me, which is probably related to my specific reading preferences. I am a reader who very much needs the emotional ties to at least one character to make me feel invested in the story, and I did not get that here. Which is a shame, because the setting delivered exactly the right stage on which these characters could have starred and carried me off into their world.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
However, I am wondering if something got lost in translation for me, because even though the setting was wonderfully atmospheric, the human part of the story didn’t work so well. As we get the POV of each of the friends, I was hoping for some connection and an insight into their motivations, but this never came. It was difficult to distinguish between the characters’ voices, as they all appeared rather flat and unemotional, making me feel firmly on the outside and puzzled at their intentions. In fact, some parts of the story were just plain strange and made little sense, in particular the involvement of the fifth character, which was too far of a stretch to be credible. I would have loved more dialogue and emotional interaction between the friends to build tension and introduce some rationale for their motivations instead of just having this spelled out in the final chapters without the emotional background to make it more understandable.
Having read many previous novels by the author I have always enjoyed his sparse, to-the-point prose that usually manages to set the scene well and moves the story along at a good pace. Here, however, I needed a bit more background and emotion to bond with the characters. It may have worked better to just give us one or two POVs to be able to bond with those characters, than four perspectives that just skimmed the surface.
Even though I remain a firm fan of Jonasson’s books, I feel that this one fell a bit short for me, which is probably related to my specific reading preferences. I am a reader who very much needs the emotional ties to at least one character to make me feel invested in the story, and I did not get that here. Which is a shame, because the setting delivered exactly the right stage on which these characters could have starred and carried me off into their world.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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June 22, 2022
Four Friends, a deadly snowstorm, and an abandoned hunting lodge set the stage in Outside. The four friends hope to have an enjoyable weekend in the Icelandic highlands, what they get is a nightmare!
The snow is falling, it's bitter cold and four friends seek shelter in an abandoned building. They are trapped in a harsh unforgiving environment. They have no way to call for help, they are miles from civilization and once in the lodge, find that they are not alone. Creepy.
They synopsis drew me in. I love books set in extreme cold for some reason. I, myself, hate being cold and perhaps that is why I am drawn to them. Who knows? But this is not a simple book about survival. It is about the ties that bind, about secrets, about conscience, about memories, about the past and about the here and now.
I found this book to have creepy elements, but it was also about dark memories, consequences, and secrets. Readers also get the POV of each of the friends. We learn more about them and their thoughts on the others. This was a nice touch, and I thought the narrators did a great job with their parts.
I had both the kindle and audiobook version. I enjoyed going back and forth between the two but found myself listening to the audiobook more out of convivence more than anything else. I felt that this book moved at a nice pace and the sense of tension flowed throughout the book. As other reviews this book does end abruptly. It was as if the author thought "that's it. I'm done."
Although I enjoyed this book, it was missing that little bit of something that would have garnered a higher rating. None of the characters pulled at my heartstrings. I didn't really feel a connection with them to care for their plight.
#Outside #NetGalley
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
The snow is falling, it's bitter cold and four friends seek shelter in an abandoned building. They are trapped in a harsh unforgiving environment. They have no way to call for help, they are miles from civilization and once in the lodge, find that they are not alone. Creepy.
They synopsis drew me in. I love books set in extreme cold for some reason. I, myself, hate being cold and perhaps that is why I am drawn to them. Who knows? But this is not a simple book about survival. It is about the ties that bind, about secrets, about conscience, about memories, about the past and about the here and now.
I found this book to have creepy elements, but it was also about dark memories, consequences, and secrets. Readers also get the POV of each of the friends. We learn more about them and their thoughts on the others. This was a nice touch, and I thought the narrators did a great job with their parts.
I had both the kindle and audiobook version. I enjoyed going back and forth between the two but found myself listening to the audiobook more out of convivence more than anything else. I felt that this book moved at a nice pace and the sense of tension flowed throughout the book. As other reviews this book does end abruptly. It was as if the author thought "that's it. I'm done."
Although I enjoyed this book, it was missing that little bit of something that would have garnered a higher rating. None of the characters pulled at my heartstrings. I didn't really feel a connection with them to care for their plight.
#Outside #NetGalley
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
November 16, 2022
Real Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded down because I have low ambiguity tolerance in this case
The Publisher Says: Four friends. One night. Not everyone will come out alive . . .
When a deadly snowstorm strikes the Icelandic highlands, four friends seek shelter in a small, abandoned hunting lodge.
It is in the middle of nowhere and there's no way of communicating with the outside world.
They are isolated, but they are not alone . . .
As the night darkens, and fears intensify, an old tragedy gradually surfaces - one that forever changed the course of their friendship.
Those dark memories could hold the key to the mystery the friends now find themselves in.
And whether they will survive until morning . . .
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Short, intense, and darkly atmospheric novella by one of Iceland's most valuable exports.
This honestly feels like a climactic scene from a longer novel that Ragnar didn't think was working, but it was just too darn good to let go to waste. We join the dramatis personae in medias res, we experience the building tension of a climax, and then...that was it...? Abrupt ending that doesn't do a lot of explaining, at least to me. It makes the whole exercise of reading the book just a bit frustrating to invest in the idea of this kind of pressure-cooker plot and then...stop.
I think everyone over 21 knows that we're defined by our worst moments, our biggest lapses of judgment. (If there are kids in your life, you *really* know this!) And we all know there are people in our lives whose place is more theirs by habit than by any desire on your, often nor their, part. People change and when we're young we think that won't matter. It's only as the weight of coping with our own lives becomes more and more demanding that we realize the weight of carrying someone whose place in our life is no longer a good investment of our energy.
The problem for me, in reading this chilling short take, is that these emotions are so common to all adults that to see them turned into a justification for chillingly, cruelly premeditated murder is asking me to go a bit farther than I'm generally prepared to go. The murderer in this piece is so coldly obsessed with a terrible event that no other thing can be allowed to enter their mental sphere.
Sociopaths aren't delightful company, and the ugliness of the murderer's interior is too much the focus of the story for me to get anything I wanted in the way of understanding out of the read. I left as revolted as I entered, and that's not a good result for me.
The Publisher Says: Four friends. One night. Not everyone will come out alive . . .
When a deadly snowstorm strikes the Icelandic highlands, four friends seek shelter in a small, abandoned hunting lodge.
It is in the middle of nowhere and there's no way of communicating with the outside world.
They are isolated, but they are not alone . . .
As the night darkens, and fears intensify, an old tragedy gradually surfaces - one that forever changed the course of their friendship.
Those dark memories could hold the key to the mystery the friends now find themselves in.
And whether they will survive until morning . . .
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Short, intense, and darkly atmospheric novella by one of Iceland's most valuable exports.
This honestly feels like a climactic scene from a longer novel that Ragnar didn't think was working, but it was just too darn good to let go to waste. We join the dramatis personae in medias res, we experience the building tension of a climax, and then...that was it...? Abrupt ending that doesn't do a lot of explaining, at least to me. It makes the whole exercise of reading the book just a bit frustrating to invest in the idea of this kind of pressure-cooker plot and then...stop.
I think everyone over 21 knows that we're defined by our worst moments, our biggest lapses of judgment. (If there are kids in your life, you *really* know this!) And we all know there are people in our lives whose place is more theirs by habit than by any desire on your, often nor their, part. People change and when we're young we think that won't matter. It's only as the weight of coping with our own lives becomes more and more demanding that we realize the weight of carrying someone whose place in our life is no longer a good investment of our energy.
The problem for me, in reading this chilling short take, is that these emotions are so common to all adults that to see them turned into a justification for chillingly, cruelly premeditated murder is asking me to go a bit farther than I'm generally prepared to go. The murderer in this piece is so coldly obsessed with a terrible event that no other thing can be allowed to enter their mental sphere.
Sociopaths aren't delightful company, and the ugliness of the murderer's interior is too much the focus of the story for me to get anything I wanted in the way of understanding out of the read. I left as revolted as I entered, and that's not a good result for me.
April 7, 2023
Kind of dull... :(
June 19, 2022
This one was just ok for me. I listened to the audiobook which was horrendously boring, as well as read the actual book. I did not like the narrators at all. The book took awhile setting the scene and developing the characters a bit. It was atmospheric and creepy at times and gave off vibes of John Carpenter’s The Thing.
Four friends desperately seek shelter in an abandoned lodge during an Icelandic snowstorm. This is bound to end well right? Forced to stay isolated together secrets between the friends become revealed and they all have the feeling they are being watched. They uncover disturbing things about the lodge and realize that their shelter where they felt so safe may have actually put them in danger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Four friends desperately seek shelter in an abandoned lodge during an Icelandic snowstorm. This is bound to end well right? Forced to stay isolated together secrets between the friends become revealed and they all have the feeling they are being watched. They uncover disturbing things about the lodge and realize that their shelter where they felt so safe may have actually put them in danger.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
December 25, 2022
This Icelandic thriller puts friendships to the ultimate test of life and death. A snowstorm mixed with betrayal and revenge, prove to be a dangerously deadly combination. This story is atmospheric, character driven and tests morality and humanity. How long can secrets stay buried? What lengths will one go to in order to keep the past from resurfacing? The harsh surroundings are not the only life threatening elements in this chilling tale. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.
December 3, 2022
After recently reading a book about mountain climbers, I was interested to get into another snowy thriller. Four friends decide to go to the highlands in Iceland for a bit of bird hunting and bonding. Not all of them come out alive, as we know from the synopsis.
The beginning of this was good, as was most of the story. These four people - Daníel, Helena, Ármamn and Gunnlaugur - have a history together, but they all have their own histories as well. Once they set off on the hunting trip, a storm forces them to find shelter in a hut, leading to disastrous consequences for some. Most of the book is set in that hut, where a mystery man enters the picture and adds another layer of creepy to the situation.
This is your typical mystery, in a slightly different location. These four friends all have a past … ranging from criminal records, drugs, death, and money problems. I think the best part of the book, for me, was the thoughts of these people as they wait out the storm and hope to make it out alive. The characters were pretty decent, and the story was quick and neat. I kept wondering why there were so many three-star ratings for this one…
Then we get to the end, the part I had been waiting for to see what the big twist would be. Unfortunately, it all fell flat for me. The reasoning behind everything was a bit far-fetched, and it was so abrupt that I had to double check and make sure I somehow didn’t miss part of the story. That took this from a four-star book to a three-star book for me. I’ll give it a 3.5, but rounded down because the ending was slightly disappointing. This was a good read, but it definitely didn’t blow my mind.
(Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Ragnar Jonasson, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
The beginning of this was good, as was most of the story. These four people - Daníel, Helena, Ármamn and Gunnlaugur - have a history together, but they all have their own histories as well. Once they set off on the hunting trip, a storm forces them to find shelter in a hut, leading to disastrous consequences for some. Most of the book is set in that hut, where a mystery man enters the picture and adds another layer of creepy to the situation.
This is your typical mystery, in a slightly different location. These four friends all have a past … ranging from criminal records, drugs, death, and money problems. I think the best part of the book, for me, was the thoughts of these people as they wait out the storm and hope to make it out alive. The characters were pretty decent, and the story was quick and neat. I kept wondering why there were so many three-star ratings for this one…
Then we get to the end, the part I had been waiting for to see what the big twist would be. Unfortunately, it all fell flat for me. The reasoning behind everything was a bit far-fetched, and it was so abrupt that I had to double check and make sure I somehow didn’t miss part of the story. That took this from a four-star book to a three-star book for me. I’ll give it a 3.5, but rounded down because the ending was slightly disappointing. This was a good read, but it definitely didn’t blow my mind.
(Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Ragnar Jonasson, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
June 4, 2022
3 Icelandic stars
Four friends set out for a hunting trip in Iceland, most of them didn’t really want to go, especially after a night of drinking. As they begin their trek and search for ptarmigan, a storm blows in quickly, forcing them to seek shelter at an emergency hut. They are forced to break in since the door is locked. What they find inside is chilling!
We get the viewpoints from each of the characters as the story goes along but motivations are never explained. The setting is very atmospheric, but I just didn’t connect with the characters in this one.
There are a few surprises in this one, but it wasn’t enough to save the book for me. The ending was quite abrupt, and I thought there would be some resolution. I usually quite enjoy books set in this part of the world, so I will still read future books by this author.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this one. Scheduled to publish 6.28.2022.
Four friends set out for a hunting trip in Iceland, most of them didn’t really want to go, especially after a night of drinking. As they begin their trek and search for ptarmigan, a storm blows in quickly, forcing them to seek shelter at an emergency hut. They are forced to break in since the door is locked. What they find inside is chilling!
We get the viewpoints from each of the characters as the story goes along but motivations are never explained. The setting is very atmospheric, but I just didn’t connect with the characters in this one.
There are a few surprises in this one, but it wasn’t enough to save the book for me. The ending was quite abrupt, and I thought there would be some resolution. I usually quite enjoy books set in this part of the world, so I will still read future books by this author.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this one. Scheduled to publish 6.28.2022.
May 8, 2022
I put this book on my 'Nordic noir' shelf because it is indeed very dark. It's dark outside, on the plains of Iceland, and dark inside the cabin where four 'friends' have to spend some time. What beats me is why in heaven's name these people came together and why we have to read about what happens. I read the whole book waiting for something interesting to happen, for something that would explain the whole existence of the story.
It never came.
I like Jónasson's books, but this was rather disappointing. It was well-written but it lacked characterization and an engaging plot.
I hope the movie will be better.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this review copy.
It never came.
I like Jónasson's books, but this was rather disappointing. It was well-written but it lacked characterization and an engaging plot.
I hope the movie will be better.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this review copy.
June 14, 2022
Outside piqued my interest for its devastating atmosphere. Iceland has always intrigued me, with its brutal and raw landscape and its beautiful but deadly mountainscapes it’s the perfect backdrop for a survival thriller. It’s a place I have longed to visit to photograph the Northern Lights in all their glory, so I enjoy reading about the country and its heart-breaking imagery. Ragnar Jónasson is a new author to me, and I look forward to discovering more of his stories.
Four friends head out to the Icelandic Highlands for a weekend’s hunting trip. It’s a reunion of sorts, with the friends not having been together as a foursome for quite some time. Some shooting, a little alcohol (for some), and good conversation are on the agenda. The hike is gruelling and when they finally reach the lodge there is a problem – it’s locked, and the keys are in a box, and they don’t know the code. The weather is closing in, and they must decide fast – break a window and most definitely spend the night exposed to the harsh conditions or wrestle the key safe open. There’s only one choice considering they have no sleeping bags to keep them warm.
Outside is a quick read and the pace ticks away like a bomb threatening to explode. I was instantly engrossed and found myself getting through the story rather quickly.
Four college friends – Armann, Daniel, Helena, and Gunnlauger now have a deadly snowstorm enclosing them in BUT, there is a far larger threat in the cabin with them. The story is told in multi-POV, and the reader is given insight into how each is feeling about the other. Armann is a highly successful tour operator, taking clients into the Icelandic Highlands and showing them the magnificent sights. He’s brash and arrogant with it, detailing his success with no amount of modesty. He has a chequered past though and no one has forgotten about it.
Daniel now permanently stays in London as a successful struggling actor. He has a girlfriend who he is determined to make a go of things with but if he was to admit the truth to himself, he was hesitant to come on this weekend. Things have moved on and he’d forgotten just how desolate the highlands are.
Helena has had her fair share of loss, her partner died recently, and she has struggled to come to terms with living life without him. Unfortunately, she just wasn’t a character I could relate to, and I found her mannerisms very brash and rude.
Gunnlauger is a practicing lawyer. I’m going, to be honest and describe him as a bit of a wet blanket. He’s also a dark horse that seems to struggle to contain his dark side. Past events are catching up to him…and why does that bottle of alcohol seem to be calling his name?
Outside was a quick and enjoyable read with the atmosphere meeting the tension in a battle to the death.
Four friends head out to the Icelandic Highlands for a weekend’s hunting trip. It’s a reunion of sorts, with the friends not having been together as a foursome for quite some time. Some shooting, a little alcohol (for some), and good conversation are on the agenda. The hike is gruelling and when they finally reach the lodge there is a problem – it’s locked, and the keys are in a box, and they don’t know the code. The weather is closing in, and they must decide fast – break a window and most definitely spend the night exposed to the harsh conditions or wrestle the key safe open. There’s only one choice considering they have no sleeping bags to keep them warm.
Outside is a quick read and the pace ticks away like a bomb threatening to explode. I was instantly engrossed and found myself getting through the story rather quickly.
Four college friends – Armann, Daniel, Helena, and Gunnlauger now have a deadly snowstorm enclosing them in BUT, there is a far larger threat in the cabin with them. The story is told in multi-POV, and the reader is given insight into how each is feeling about the other. Armann is a highly successful tour operator, taking clients into the Icelandic Highlands and showing them the magnificent sights. He’s brash and arrogant with it, detailing his success with no amount of modesty. He has a chequered past though and no one has forgotten about it.
Daniel now permanently stays in London as a successful struggling actor. He has a girlfriend who he is determined to make a go of things with but if he was to admit the truth to himself, he was hesitant to come on this weekend. Things have moved on and he’d forgotten just how desolate the highlands are.
Helena has had her fair share of loss, her partner died recently, and she has struggled to come to terms with living life without him. Unfortunately, she just wasn’t a character I could relate to, and I found her mannerisms very brash and rude.
Gunnlauger is a practicing lawyer. I’m going, to be honest and describe him as a bit of a wet blanket. He’s also a dark horse that seems to struggle to contain his dark side. Past events are catching up to him…and why does that bottle of alcohol seem to be calling his name?
Outside was a quick and enjoyable read with the atmosphere meeting the tension in a battle to the death.
May 4, 2022
A favorite genre plot of mine! Group of people become isolated, usually due to a combo of nefarious intentions and unexpected weather or emergency, and then secrets get exposed, someone or lots of someone's are murdered and the killers identity is revealed when only a few are still alive!
The "Outside" is described as such a plot in the book's summary. It started well, continued on with an adequate ramping of tension for almost three quarters. Then splat!
Unfortunately, the depth of the connection between the characters is never given life. When the circumstances as to why this is happening begin to reveal themselves, I couldn't get into the emotional reasoning. Some back stories were included. However, they were very brief and their inclusion was always at a point that felt inconvenient or too late to be useful.
The last quarter, full honesty, went completely sideways for me. I am still confused about the reasons everything occured. I am utterly still confused about the conclusion. I admit I thought perhaps my DRC was missing the last chapters.
This was a great premise. An intriguing read for over half the book. Then unfortunately, the last part, filled with confusion, lacking intensity as well as, if not missing altogether, a decent conclusion.
This was a difficult review. There was much potential within this book. I would still consider giving the author's next release a try, and hope it all comes together.
**Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, for the advanced digital review copy.
The "Outside" is described as such a plot in the book's summary. It started well, continued on with an adequate ramping of tension for almost three quarters. Then splat!
Unfortunately, the depth of the connection between the characters is never given life. When the circumstances as to why this is happening begin to reveal themselves, I couldn't get into the emotional reasoning. Some back stories were included. However, they were very brief and their inclusion was always at a point that felt inconvenient or too late to be useful.
The last quarter, full honesty, went completely sideways for me. I am still confused about the reasons everything occured. I am utterly still confused about the conclusion. I admit I thought perhaps my DRC was missing the last chapters.
This was a great premise. An intriguing read for over half the book. Then unfortunately, the last part, filled with confusion, lacking intensity as well as, if not missing altogether, a decent conclusion.
This was a difficult review. There was much potential within this book. I would still consider giving the author's next release a try, and hope it all comes together.
**Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, for the advanced digital review copy.
July 7, 2022
My first by the author and certainly won't be my last. That was insane!!
April 23, 2022
Iceland, the name of the place itself makes one feel cold, the kind of cold that seeps under your skin and Ragnar Jonasson’s latest thriller Outside captures the atmosphere so brutally that sitting here and suffering the sweltering heat of Indian Summer, I have no words to describe how easily the author transported me to the setting. The snow-laden highlands, the blizzard that reduces visibility to zero, the whole panorama of whiteness, the four friends struggling to make it to the shelter, being caught unawares amidst their hunting trip, these details are utterly palpable that for a time I was walking in the footsteps of one of the four people. Well, after having read a couple of books by the author, I didn’t expect anything less from Ragnar Jonasson.
Daniel, Helena, Armann, and Gunnalaugur have known each other for a long time, enough to be aware of each other’s weaknesses and flaws but the unexpected weather conditions forcing them inside a refuge hut is kind of the last straw. As the hut reveals its secret, the tensions and disgust amongst them surge forward with a vengeance causing unforeseen repercussions.
Keeping the chapters short and snappy and advancing the plot thru the POVs of all four of them, the author succeeds in delivering an aura of menacing disaster just around the corner for the first part of the story. It is in the second half that the momentum is a trifle lost and the pacing slackens down. All four of them are unlikeable and made it difficult for me to connect to any of them. The ending of the story was not to my liking even though it is a relaistic climax but I am someone who prefers everything tied up with a neat bow.
I will always be happy to read any translated works by Ragnar Jonasson, Outside, though didn’t live up to my sky-high expectations.
3.5 stars for this atmospheric thriller.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
Daniel, Helena, Armann, and Gunnalaugur have known each other for a long time, enough to be aware of each other’s weaknesses and flaws but the unexpected weather conditions forcing them inside a refuge hut is kind of the last straw. As the hut reveals its secret, the tensions and disgust amongst them surge forward with a vengeance causing unforeseen repercussions.
Keeping the chapters short and snappy and advancing the plot thru the POVs of all four of them, the author succeeds in delivering an aura of menacing disaster just around the corner for the first part of the story. It is in the second half that the momentum is a trifle lost and the pacing slackens down. All four of them are unlikeable and made it difficult for me to connect to any of them. The ending of the story was not to my liking even though it is a relaistic climax but I am someone who prefers everything tied up with a neat bow.
I will always be happy to read any translated works by Ragnar Jonasson, Outside, though didn’t live up to my sky-high expectations.
3.5 stars for this atmospheric thriller.
Many thanks to Net Galley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
May 18, 2022
This was an ok story for me, but left a lot of unanswered questions. It centers on 4 friends who get together in a remote area of Iceland to bird hunt and end up getting stuck in a blizzard. They find shelter but there is scariness around it; the stressful situation causes some secrets they have kept hidden to come out.
The characters were not likable but I assume they were not supposed to be. I enjoyed the dynamics between them, though I couldn’t figure out why they still got together when they clearly didn’t like each other. The book could easily be pictured as a play, with the entire thing taking place between these 4 “friends” and mostly in that one location.
I really didn’t like the end- it was abrupt and left me with more questions than answers. Up until that point the story was moderately fast paced and contained a couple good scary parts.
Overall, this was a decent read but I didn’t love it. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The characters were not likable but I assume they were not supposed to be. I enjoyed the dynamics between them, though I couldn’t figure out why they still got together when they clearly didn’t like each other. The book could easily be pictured as a play, with the entire thing taking place between these 4 “friends” and mostly in that one location.
I really didn’t like the end- it was abrupt and left me with more questions than answers. Up until that point the story was moderately fast paced and contained a couple good scary parts.
Overall, this was a decent read but I didn’t love it. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2022
A reunion of four old friends, Daniel, Armann, Helena and Gunnlaugur, brings them to the remote highlands of Iceland to hunt ptarmigan when a brutal and unexpected winter storm hits. 'It is mind-numbing cold,' Daniel thinks, as he plods along the moor in white-out conditions. They are lucky to find shelter in an old hut but somehow, it's even more menacing inside it than at the mercy of Mother Nature.
This is a character-driven novel. The story is told by the four friends in alternating chapters. Through these we learn what secrets each person is trying to keep hidden and what makes them tick. 'All it took was a bit of pressure or a crisis of some sort to bring out the worst in people and expose them for what they were,' Helena thinks. Has someone planned more than just a friendly reunion this weekend?
I could really see this as a screen play--four old friends peeling through the layers of secrecy that have been destroying them. For me, it was a quick read; I really wanted to find out what was going on.
I received an arc of this new Icelander thriller from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. Since it's 90F here today, I didn't mind reading a story set during a blizzard. :-)
This is a character-driven novel. The story is told by the four friends in alternating chapters. Through these we learn what secrets each person is trying to keep hidden and what makes them tick. 'All it took was a bit of pressure or a crisis of some sort to bring out the worst in people and expose them for what they were,' Helena thinks. Has someone planned more than just a friendly reunion this weekend?
I could really see this as a screen play--four old friends peeling through the layers of secrecy that have been destroying them. For me, it was a quick read; I really wanted to find out what was going on.
I received an arc of this new Icelander thriller from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. Since it's 90F here today, I didn't mind reading a story set during a blizzard. :-)
March 11, 2022
I love reading internationally and few locations are as evocative as Iceland, especially for a good scary story or a thriller. The place is so sparsely populated, it provides for haunting isolation and the weather is just an added bonus, because in Iceland it’s safer inside.
When one must go Outside, one must prepare. The weather can change on a dime, turn lethal in a blink of a snowstorm.
And yet, four longtime friends of the no-longer-should-be-friends-but-still-are-out-of-inertia-and-nostalgia variety decide to brave the Icelandic outside anyway for a hunting trip. They set off for a remote location, promptly get snowed-in, and the poop hits the blades. Oh, and there’s an armed man in the cabin, just kind of sitting there. Oh, and each of the characters has a secret.
Well, of course, they do, otherwise what sort of a thriller would it be. But you know, what kind of thriller it ends up being? An underwhelming one. The one with a fairly thin plot bulked up by constant perspective shifts and minutiae-driven in style.
It’s like…you know in cheesy soap-operaesque movies when something dramatic happens and the camera shifts from one face to the next for a reaction. It’s a really cheap sort of storytelling gimmick. Well, that’s exactly the style of this novel. All the author does is just pivot the camera from one character to the next and then gives them a few lines about their past and their motivations.
None of the characters are likeable or especially engaging. None of their secrets are that exciting. The writing is quite flat, more than the usually Scandinavian matter-of-factness. There’s just nothing much here. It’s pretty underwhelming, really.
I’ve heard about the author, but not caring for series as a format, never tried him until now with this standalone and I must say…it’s disappointing. Not a total waste of time, for it is mildly entertaining and an exceptionally quick read for the page count, and it randomly has a short story in the back which I really enjoyed. But not a glowing introduction to the author either. Going by reviews, many other readers share my opinion about the book. The location and the mood were there. The rest left a lot to be desired. Much like in Iceland in the winter...it might be best to avoid the Outside. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
When one must go Outside, one must prepare. The weather can change on a dime, turn lethal in a blink of a snowstorm.
And yet, four longtime friends of the no-longer-should-be-friends-but-still-are-out-of-inertia-and-nostalgia variety decide to brave the Icelandic outside anyway for a hunting trip. They set off for a remote location, promptly get snowed-in, and the poop hits the blades. Oh, and there’s an armed man in the cabin, just kind of sitting there. Oh, and each of the characters has a secret.
Well, of course, they do, otherwise what sort of a thriller would it be. But you know, what kind of thriller it ends up being? An underwhelming one. The one with a fairly thin plot bulked up by constant perspective shifts and minutiae-driven in style.
It’s like…you know in cheesy soap-operaesque movies when something dramatic happens and the camera shifts from one face to the next for a reaction. It’s a really cheap sort of storytelling gimmick. Well, that’s exactly the style of this novel. All the author does is just pivot the camera from one character to the next and then gives them a few lines about their past and their motivations.
None of the characters are likeable or especially engaging. None of their secrets are that exciting. The writing is quite flat, more than the usually Scandinavian matter-of-factness. There’s just nothing much here. It’s pretty underwhelming, really.
I’ve heard about the author, but not caring for series as a format, never tried him until now with this standalone and I must say…it’s disappointing. Not a total waste of time, for it is mildly entertaining and an exceptionally quick read for the page count, and it randomly has a short story in the back which I really enjoyed. But not a glowing introduction to the author either. Going by reviews, many other readers share my opinion about the book. The location and the mood were there. The rest left a lot to be desired. Much like in Iceland in the winter...it might be best to avoid the Outside. Thanks Netgalley.
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June 8, 2022
For his latest novel, Ragnar Jónasson once again uses the claustrophobic settings of isolated wintery Iceland to create his own variation of the classic “locked-room” mystery.
Four friends on a hunting trip in eastern Iceland get caught in a vicious snowstorm , seek refuge in an abandoned hunting lodge and are shocked by what they find there. The story is told in brief chapters, alternating between the viewpoints of the four protagonists, whom, we soon learn, are hardly on the best of terms with each other. It soon becomes evident, one or more could be using the trip as a way to settle old scores. There are also a few surprising twists along the way.
This is a fairly quick read. Perhaps lacking some of the detail and insight of Ragnar’s earlier novels, but still enjoyable enough. His descriptions of the unforgiving winter weather and landscape are as good as always.
Four friends on a hunting trip in eastern Iceland get caught in a vicious snowstorm , seek refuge in an abandoned hunting lodge and are shocked by what they find there. The story is told in brief chapters, alternating between the viewpoints of the four protagonists, whom, we soon learn, are hardly on the best of terms with each other. It soon becomes evident, one or more could be using the trip as a way to settle old scores. There are also a few surprising twists along the way.
This is a fairly quick read. Perhaps lacking some of the detail and insight of Ragnar’s earlier novels, but still enjoyable enough. His descriptions of the unforgiving winter weather and landscape are as good as always.
April 6, 2022
Im a big fan of this author and while I enjoyed this one for what it was, I felt a little underwhelmed overall.
Again this is set in Iceland as 4 old friends arrange to meet up and go hunting in the wilderness. While trekking their way there they are caught up in a severe snow storm and seek shelter at the nearest cabin where they find a mysterious man just sitting there staring ahead and holding his gun.
This set up is a que for all hell to break loose as we find out the secrets of our 4 from the past and their real motives for the trip.
As I said this one was fine if a little underwhelming. Again we have beautiful descriptions of the Icelandic landscape and I think I actually felt cold reading this!
The story itself was a little contrived and it was hard to buy into some aspects of it.
Also despite the book being relatively short, it felt overly long for what it was. It felt more like a short story that had been stretched out into novel format.
My least favourite read for Mr Jonasson so far but I still found myself enjoying it overall.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
Again this is set in Iceland as 4 old friends arrange to meet up and go hunting in the wilderness. While trekking their way there they are caught up in a severe snow storm and seek shelter at the nearest cabin where they find a mysterious man just sitting there staring ahead and holding his gun.
This set up is a que for all hell to break loose as we find out the secrets of our 4 from the past and their real motives for the trip.
As I said this one was fine if a little underwhelming. Again we have beautiful descriptions of the Icelandic landscape and I think I actually felt cold reading this!
The story itself was a little contrived and it was hard to buy into some aspects of it.
Also despite the book being relatively short, it felt overly long for what it was. It felt more like a short story that had been stretched out into novel format.
My least favourite read for Mr Jonasson so far but I still found myself enjoying it overall.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
December 28, 2023
This is a book with a great set-up - four friends on a hunting trip get caught off guard by a storm in the Icelandic wilderness - that devolves into a very silly execution. The chapters are extremely short and switch perspective between the four unlikeable characters. The writing has no depth although it's competent enough, so it makes for a quick read. However, the characters' actions, reactions, and thought processes make very little sense and by the end the mystery reveals itself in one ridiculous development after another. At one point around the 70% mark there's a "twist" that is presented in such a laughable way, like revealing a character's eye color and expecting readers to gasp in shock and that pretty much sums up the whole presentation of the book.
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