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Þóra Guðmundsdóttir #2
My Soul to Take
American readers first met Icelandic lawyer and investigator Thóra Gudmundsdóttir in Last Rituals. In My Soul to Take, internationally acclaimed author Yrsa Sigurdardóttir plunges her intrepid heroine into even graver peril, in a riveting thriller set against the harsh landscape of Smila’s Sense of Snow territory. A darkly witty and continually surprising suspense tale that places Yrsa Sigurdardóttir firmly in the ranks of Sue Grafton, Tess Gerritsen, Faye Kellerman and other top mystery writers, My Soul to Take is ingenious Scandinavian noir on a par with the works of Henning Mankell and Arnaldur Indridason. Stieg Larsson (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) fans should also take note.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
342 people are currently reading
3384 people want to read
About the author
Yrsa Sigurdardottir
46 books2,889 followersAKA: Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic writer, of both crime-novels and children's fiction. She has been writing since 1998.
Her début crime-novel "Last Rituals" published in the US in 2007, and the UK in January 2008 was translated into English by Bernard Scudder, and is book 1 of the Thóra Gudmundsdóttir series.
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir graduated from high-school in 1983, finished a B.Sc. in civil engineering from the University of Iceland in 1988 and M.Sc in the same field from Concordia University in Montreal in 1997.
Yrsa now works as a civil engineer for the company Fjarhitun, as well as being a writer.
In 2000 the Icelandic department of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) awarded Yrsa for her book Við viljum jólin í júlí (We Want Christmas in July).
Yrsa lives in the Reykjavík suburb of Seltjarnarnes. She is married with two children.
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic writer, of both crime-novels and children's fiction. She has been writing since 1998.
Her début crime-novel "Last Rituals" published in the US in 2007, and the UK in January 2008 was translated into English by Bernard Scudder, and is book 1 of the Thóra Gudmundsdóttir series.
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir graduated from high-school in 1983, finished a B.Sc. in civil engineering from the University of Iceland in 1988 and M.Sc in the same field from Concordia University in Montreal in 1997.
Yrsa now works as a civil engineer for the company Fjarhitun, as well as being a writer.
In 2000 the Icelandic department of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) awarded Yrsa for her book Við viljum jólin í júlí (We Want Christmas in July).
Yrsa lives in the Reykjavík suburb of Seltjarnarnes. She is married with two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
January 3, 2021
This was so confusing. I have nothing more to say honestly. The person who could have committed the murder changes like 10 times and the person who did it....I just don't even get it. My brain hurts. This took me about 2 days to finish because it was just a lot of boring dialogue. I don't know if I will try the next book in the series or not. It's a shame too since the prologue was very good and intriguing. You are plopped down into a murder that is about to happen and the victim is a little girl. It takes a while for all of the pieces to come together though and I kept getting some characters confused.
"My Soul to Take" follows Thora after she is asked to come stay at a hotel over the weekend to help her client with filing a possible suit against the owners of the land he bought. The client (Jonas) claims the hotel is haunted and guests can hear a crying child. While Thora is away from her family for a much needed break, a woman is found murdered and raped. When Thora's client starts to be investigated, she and her partner (I guess?) Matthew decide to dig in and see who else could be responsible for the murder.
Thora is kind of aggravating, and I don't like Matthew's character at all. That's all I got.
I wanted to read something taking place in Iceland, but unlike the first book, the setting of this one feels blank to me. I wanted to know more about the area that Thora was at while investigating. Reading what she was digging through and finding was driving me up the wall after a while.
I did think the ending was sad though. I just thought the writing and flow were just not good enough to keep me fully engaged with the book. I was really glad to be done with this one.
"My Soul to Take" follows Thora after she is asked to come stay at a hotel over the weekend to help her client with filing a possible suit against the owners of the land he bought. The client (Jonas) claims the hotel is haunted and guests can hear a crying child. While Thora is away from her family for a much needed break, a woman is found murdered and raped. When Thora's client starts to be investigated, she and her partner (I guess?) Matthew decide to dig in and see who else could be responsible for the murder.
Thora is kind of aggravating, and I don't like Matthew's character at all. That's all I got.
I wanted to read something taking place in Iceland, but unlike the first book, the setting of this one feels blank to me. I wanted to know more about the area that Thora was at while investigating. Reading what she was digging through and finding was driving me up the wall after a while.
I did think the ending was sad though. I just thought the writing and flow were just not good enough to keep me fully engaged with the book. I was really glad to be done with this one.
November 8, 2025
Chiar dacă intriga este interesantă m-am pierdut printre atâtea nume islandeze complicate, dar subiectul și finalul au meritat.
October 28, 2014
Thora Gudmundsdottir has some problems. To wit they include (a) her son got his girlfriend pregnant (b) her two children hate spending time with their father (her e husband) because he plays the Icelandic version of Guitar Hero too much, (c) her secretary (d) her relationship with Matthew and, finally, (e) her client who is charged with a murder and who is considering legal action about a land deal because the place might be haunted.
Iceland is apparently like England in this regard.
The ghost is, of course, connected to the mystery of who killed the architect of Thora’s client’s hotel/spa/New Age Retreat, not to mention the guy who got stomped to death by an Icelandic Horse.
Thora also has a problem with the trailer she brought. She’s a bit rash that way.
And I think that is why this book actually works. Thora is just so weird and normal. She might live in Iceland but any reader will know at least one family like hers. The mystery itself does have to do with families and stories, so it too ties into the normalcy despite the almost craziness of the situation.
August 23, 2010
I chose this book because the writer is Icelandic. I'm on a European author streak. I'm choosing to read a book by an author of each european country and even though I'm not choosing the obvious, I tend to find good reviews and recommendations.
I read a review about "Ashes to dust" which was published in English this August, and the reviewer was very enthusiastic about her.
Unfortunately this book was disappointing. I ploughed through it because the central intrigue was well conceived but nothing else could pull the novel together. The main character, a lawyer who "sticks out her tongue" when her boyfriend teases her, has some detective skills and nothing characterises her as a lawyer except when the author reminds us. The rest of the time she is questioning other characters, and conducting a murder investigation as if she were a real detective. This leaves me puzzled, why didn't the author just make her a detective?
When elements in a novel lack credibility, from characters to timelines, to situations, the case or mistery is not enough to make a good book. Everything seemed forced, when something didn't have a reasonable explanation, the next paragraph magically offered an answer.
When the character was -out of character- there were bits of information sprinkled in a line or two that seemed to pull it back into some coherence.
Sadly I don't think I could endure another Thóra Gudmundsdóttir mystery.
I read a review about "Ashes to dust" which was published in English this August, and the reviewer was very enthusiastic about her.
Unfortunately this book was disappointing. I ploughed through it because the central intrigue was well conceived but nothing else could pull the novel together. The main character, a lawyer who "sticks out her tongue" when her boyfriend teases her, has some detective skills and nothing characterises her as a lawyer except when the author reminds us. The rest of the time she is questioning other characters, and conducting a murder investigation as if she were a real detective. This leaves me puzzled, why didn't the author just make her a detective?
When elements in a novel lack credibility, from characters to timelines, to situations, the case or mistery is not enough to make a good book. Everything seemed forced, when something didn't have a reasonable explanation, the next paragraph magically offered an answer.
When the character was -out of character- there were bits of information sprinkled in a line or two that seemed to pull it back into some coherence.
Sadly I don't think I could endure another Thóra Gudmundsdóttir mystery.
January 12, 2015
I wish I liked this series of books more than I do. But I remembered, as I read this novel, that I felt the same ambivalence about the first one. After thinking it over for a while, I realized that I just don't connect to the main character, Thora. I don't care about her. Its like the author looked at other successful Scandinavian fiction and just created a checklist: Divorced? Check! Problematic ex-spouse? Check! Kids being challenging? Check! Foreign love interest that she's not sure about? Check! But just because Thora fits all those checklist items doesn't automatically mean that I'm going to like her. I find the author does a lot of telling insteading of showing. Don't tell me that she cares about her children--show her doing loving things for them. And the dialogue seems stilted--but I'm not sure if that's the author or the translators? Since I'm never liklely to learn to read Icelandic, I can't answer that question. The plot was good--that's what kept me reading. Can I blame this on the author being an engineer? Probably unfair. But I think I will save my reading time for other Scandinavian authors in the future. Good but not great.
June 21, 2024
There are a lot characters, many of them unpleasant with no apparent reason (the ex-husband, the son, the future daughter in law, the secretary) the story is too long for my taste, and yet it makes you curious.
Not to mention the final, as the criminal is the most unexpected person. And that's good for any thriller...
Not to mention the final, as the criminal is the most unexpected person. And that's good for any thriller...
February 11, 2021
My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, translated from the Icelandic by Bernard Scudder and Anna Yates, is a murder mystery set in Iceland. The novel opens in 1945 with the horrific murder of a little girl. We jump sixty years later to meet Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, a lawyer.
Thóra is invited to her client’s New Age Spa hotel to investigate the presence of ghosts ostensibly haunting the premises. The ghosts appear as little girls shrouded in fog and can be heard as babies crying. Thóra’s client wants to sue the previous owners for not being forthcoming about the ghosts. Although she doesn’t believe in ghosts, Thóra accepts his offer to spend a weekend at his resort mainly because she needs some rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite turn out that way for her. When a mutilated body is discovered on the beach and her client comes under suspicion for the murder, Thóra decides to conduct her own investigation.
Thóra is joined in her exploits by her partner, Matthew. They question the guests and staff at the hotel, each of whom has a connection to the victim and each of whom appears to be hiding something. When a second murder takes place on a nearby property, the investigation acquires greater urgency. One by one, guests and staff come under increasing scrutiny and suspicion. Thóra explores nearby farmhouses, discovers old photographs of Nazi activity and paraphernalia, and gradually unravels long hidden secrets. Eventually, she and Matthew piece together the puzzle, connecting the recent murders to the murder of the little girl in the prologue.
A personal life fraught with challenges constantly intrudes on Thóra’s investigation. Her sixteen-year-old son is expecting his first baby with his fifteen-year-old girlfriend. Her contentious relationship with her ex-husband weighs on her. Her secretary treats her with disdain. And her feelings toward Matthew are somewhat ambivalent. One the one hand, she relies on him and welcomes his contribution; on the other, she expresses relief that his German origin and lack of knowledge of Iceland precludes him from wanting to move in with her permanently.
The constant stream of suspects, the slivers of clues, the unearthing of past secrets, and the intermittent intrusions of Thóra’s personal life contribute to a confusing atmosphere. It is challenging to keep track of the characters and their relationships to each other, especially since the murder investigation has Thóra delving into the past to learn about the two brothers who were previous owners of the farm. Their connection with the present-day murders is the clue that eventually solves the case.
Yrsa Sigurdardóttir is able to sustain reader interested and keep the reader guessing as to the murderer’s identity due to a complex and convoluted plot. But the novel would have benefited from a tighter construction, fewer distractions, fewer suspects, stronger character development, a more natural-sounding dialogue, and a protagonist who is an actual detective and not a want-to-be detective camouflaged as a lawyer. Since Thóra does very little lawyering in the novel, one wonders why Sigurdardóttir chose to make her a lawyer.
Recommended with some reservations.
My book reviews are also available at www.tamaraaghajaffar.com
Thóra is invited to her client’s New Age Spa hotel to investigate the presence of ghosts ostensibly haunting the premises. The ghosts appear as little girls shrouded in fog and can be heard as babies crying. Thóra’s client wants to sue the previous owners for not being forthcoming about the ghosts. Although she doesn’t believe in ghosts, Thóra accepts his offer to spend a weekend at his resort mainly because she needs some rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite turn out that way for her. When a mutilated body is discovered on the beach and her client comes under suspicion for the murder, Thóra decides to conduct her own investigation.
Thóra is joined in her exploits by her partner, Matthew. They question the guests and staff at the hotel, each of whom has a connection to the victim and each of whom appears to be hiding something. When a second murder takes place on a nearby property, the investigation acquires greater urgency. One by one, guests and staff come under increasing scrutiny and suspicion. Thóra explores nearby farmhouses, discovers old photographs of Nazi activity and paraphernalia, and gradually unravels long hidden secrets. Eventually, she and Matthew piece together the puzzle, connecting the recent murders to the murder of the little girl in the prologue.
A personal life fraught with challenges constantly intrudes on Thóra’s investigation. Her sixteen-year-old son is expecting his first baby with his fifteen-year-old girlfriend. Her contentious relationship with her ex-husband weighs on her. Her secretary treats her with disdain. And her feelings toward Matthew are somewhat ambivalent. One the one hand, she relies on him and welcomes his contribution; on the other, she expresses relief that his German origin and lack of knowledge of Iceland precludes him from wanting to move in with her permanently.
The constant stream of suspects, the slivers of clues, the unearthing of past secrets, and the intermittent intrusions of Thóra’s personal life contribute to a confusing atmosphere. It is challenging to keep track of the characters and their relationships to each other, especially since the murder investigation has Thóra delving into the past to learn about the two brothers who were previous owners of the farm. Their connection with the present-day murders is the clue that eventually solves the case.
Yrsa Sigurdardóttir is able to sustain reader interested and keep the reader guessing as to the murderer’s identity due to a complex and convoluted plot. But the novel would have benefited from a tighter construction, fewer distractions, fewer suspects, stronger character development, a more natural-sounding dialogue, and a protagonist who is an actual detective and not a want-to-be detective camouflaged as a lawyer. Since Thóra does very little lawyering in the novel, one wonders why Sigurdardóttir chose to make her a lawyer.
Recommended with some reservations.
My book reviews are also available at www.tamaraaghajaffar.com
January 4, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars -- A chilling and absorbing read -- Nordic noir.
The second book in this series featuring the lawyer Thóra Gudmundsdóttir and her lover, Matthew Reich, is just as absorbing and interesting as the first. The setting is modern day Iceland, almost a character in itself, with its uniqueness and history. In this mystery, Thora is asked to represent the owner of a New Age spa and resort who wants to sue the previous owners who he claims misrepresented the old farmstead and sold him a haunted property. Although Thora doesn't hold with the supernatural, she goes to stay at the health resort in Snaefellsnes and is immediately drawn into an different sort of investigation there when the owner, Jonas, is accused of the murder of the architect who was working for him after her mutilated body is found on the beach nearby. As Thora starts digging into the case, she unearths some photos and information about the brothers, their wives and children who had lived on and owned the farmstead property many years ago. Then a second person is murdered. Thora and Matthew must figure out why these two were killed and who committed the crimes.
With a huge cast of characters and with the Icelandic names, it can be a feat just to keep everyone straight! But alternate point of view narration provides some clues that there is much more going on here than first thought. The mystery is well-plotted and complex with mutiple red herrings and I was glad not to be able to be sure that my guesses were correct until the final few chapters. I like the personality and character of Thóra Gudmundsdóttir -- divorced mother of two, about to be a grandmother. She's snarky and intense, definitely not damaged, and has a good sense of humor. I enjoy all the details about Iceland and its culture and landscape. I like the writing style and the translation flows nicely as well.
This is the third book by this author that I've read (#1, #2 and #5) and I have plans to read #3 and #4 as soon as I can get hold of copies. I really like this series. I guess you could say I'm hooked on crime fiction and the unusual setting.
Please send me any recommendations of other authors/series of this type and unique settings.
The second book in this series featuring the lawyer Thóra Gudmundsdóttir and her lover, Matthew Reich, is just as absorbing and interesting as the first. The setting is modern day Iceland, almost a character in itself, with its uniqueness and history. In this mystery, Thora is asked to represent the owner of a New Age spa and resort who wants to sue the previous owners who he claims misrepresented the old farmstead and sold him a haunted property. Although Thora doesn't hold with the supernatural, she goes to stay at the health resort in Snaefellsnes and is immediately drawn into an different sort of investigation there when the owner, Jonas, is accused of the murder of the architect who was working for him after her mutilated body is found on the beach nearby. As Thora starts digging into the case, she unearths some photos and information about the brothers, their wives and children who had lived on and owned the farmstead property many years ago. Then a second person is murdered. Thora and Matthew must figure out why these two were killed and who committed the crimes.
With a huge cast of characters and with the Icelandic names, it can be a feat just to keep everyone straight! But alternate point of view narration provides some clues that there is much more going on here than first thought. The mystery is well-plotted and complex with mutiple red herrings and I was glad not to be able to be sure that my guesses were correct until the final few chapters. I like the personality and character of Thóra Gudmundsdóttir -- divorced mother of two, about to be a grandmother. She's snarky and intense, definitely not damaged, and has a good sense of humor. I enjoy all the details about Iceland and its culture and landscape. I like the writing style and the translation flows nicely as well.
This is the third book by this author that I've read (#1, #2 and #5) and I have plans to read #3 and #4 as soon as I can get hold of copies. I really like this series. I guess you could say I'm hooked on crime fiction and the unusual setting.
Please send me any recommendations of other authors/series of this type and unique settings.
February 20, 2022
Mir hat es sehr gut gefallen. Der Plot war einfach wunderbar. Endlich mal was anderes als das typische töten eines Serienkillers. Die Geschichte der Vergangenheit und die Frage ob es wirklich dort Spukt oder nicht? Yrsa hat mich von der ersten Seite mitgerissen bei dem Buch.
July 29, 2025
My Soul to Take (Thora Gudmundsdottir, #2) by Yrsa Sigurdottir.
This story was fabulous and a must read for mystery fans who appreciate an involved intelligent original story. This one brings us through generations in long buried secrets and an horrific heartless death of an innocent child. Who did this lonely child belong to and why did someone need to get her pout out of sight? The answers can only come to the surface when the present murders unravel and the murderer(s) come to light.
Thora is answering the call of the owner of a New Age Health Spa who feels he may have been duped into his purchase of this newly renovated farmhouse. It seems there's a ghost about which he hadn't been informed of. Now he feels there should be some retribution coming his way. Although Thora takes this request lightly she soon changes her mind with the discovery of the body of a woman. A woman who worked for Jonas the client she has decided to represent. Ir doesn't take long for Matthew to be at Thora's side and the old saying that two heads work better than one is shortly confirmed.
I found this book far superior to the first in the Thora series. It won't disappoint.
This story was fabulous and a must read for mystery fans who appreciate an involved intelligent original story. This one brings us through generations in long buried secrets and an horrific heartless death of an innocent child. Who did this lonely child belong to and why did someone need to get her pout out of sight? The answers can only come to the surface when the present murders unravel and the murderer(s) come to light.
Thora is answering the call of the owner of a New Age Health Spa who feels he may have been duped into his purchase of this newly renovated farmhouse. It seems there's a ghost about which he hadn't been informed of. Now he feels there should be some retribution coming his way. Although Thora takes this request lightly she soon changes her mind with the discovery of the body of a woman. A woman who worked for Jonas the client she has decided to represent. Ir doesn't take long for Matthew to be at Thora's side and the old saying that two heads work better than one is shortly confirmed.
I found this book far superior to the first in the Thora series. It won't disappoint.
May 5, 2020
΅ΟΙ ΧΑΜΕΝΕΣ ΨΥΧΕΣ΅ ΤΗΣ ΣΙΓΚΟΥΡΔΑΡΝΤΟΤΙΡ ΙΡΣΑ
Μετά το ανατριχιαστικό θρίλερ ¨Εκδίκηση¨ της συγγραφέως διάβασα κι αυτό το βιβλίο της. Είναι καθαρά αστυνομικό-μυστηρίου που η πλοκή του θυμίζει πολύ Αγκάθα Κρίστι. Η συγγραφέας πετυχαίνει με εξαιρετικό τρόπο να υπάρχει σασπένς και συνεχείς ανατροπές στην πλοκή της ιστορίας. Όλοι οι ύποπτοι είναι πιθανοί αίτιοι για τους φόνους και μέχρι το τέλος δεν μπορείς να καταλάβεις ποιός είναι πραγματικά. Υπάρχουν και φαντάσματα τα οποία συνδέονται με μια ιστορία που έγινε 50 χρόνια πριν και που δένουν και με την υπόθεση των φόνων έμμεσα. Η Θόρα η δικηγόρος, που προσπαθεί να βοηθήσει τον εντολέα της που κατηγορείται για τους φόνους, μαζί με τον αναγνώστη σκαλίζει την υπόθεση και ενω στην αρχή δεν πιστεύει στην ύπαρξη φαντασμάτων, αρχίζει να εξετάζει και αυτήν την περίπτωση, μετά την ανακάλυψη οστών ζώων και ενός μικρού κοριτσιού στην υπόγεια αποθήκη του ξενοδοχειακού συγκροτήματος όπου συμβαίνουν όλα. Αν σας αρέσουν αυτού του είδους τα βιβλία σας το προτείνω. Οι λάτρεις της ΅Εκδίκησης΅δεν θα τρομάξουν ούτε θα ανατριχιάσουν, αν αυτό περιμένουν. Το μυστήριο όμως υπάρχει άφθονο και θα το ευχαριστηθείτε.
Μετά το ανατριχιαστικό θρίλερ ¨Εκδίκηση¨ της συγγραφέως διάβασα κι αυτό το βιβλίο της. Είναι καθαρά αστυνομικό-μυστηρίου που η πλοκή του θυμίζει πολύ Αγκάθα Κρίστι. Η συγγραφέας πετυχαίνει με εξαιρετικό τρόπο να υπάρχει σασπένς και συνεχείς ανατροπές στην πλοκή της ιστορίας. Όλοι οι ύποπτοι είναι πιθανοί αίτιοι για τους φόνους και μέχρι το τέλος δεν μπορείς να καταλάβεις ποιός είναι πραγματικά. Υπάρχουν και φαντάσματα τα οποία συνδέονται με μια ιστορία που έγινε 50 χρόνια πριν και που δένουν και με την υπόθεση των φόνων έμμεσα. Η Θόρα η δικηγόρος, που προσπαθεί να βοηθήσει τον εντολέα της που κατηγορείται για τους φόνους, μαζί με τον αναγνώστη σκαλίζει την υπόθεση και ενω στην αρχή δεν πιστεύει στην ύπαρξη φαντασμάτων, αρχίζει να εξετάζει και αυτήν την περίπτωση, μετά την ανακάλυψη οστών ζώων και ενός μικρού κοριτσιού στην υπόγεια αποθήκη του ξενοδοχειακού συγκροτήματος όπου συμβαίνουν όλα. Αν σας αρέσουν αυτού του είδους τα βιβλία σας το προτείνω. Οι λάτρεις της ΅Εκδίκησης΅δεν θα τρομάξουν ούτε θα ανατριχιάσουν, αν αυτό περιμένουν. Το μυστήριο όμως υπάρχει άφθονο και θα το ευχαριστηθείτε.
March 2, 2024
It’s not hard to see why Yrsa Sigurðardóttir has been know as the Queen of Icelandic Noir with her Þóra Guðmundsdóttir series. This is the first series written by Sigurðardóttir and reminds me of a couple of the earlier books I read a few years ago by her. I’ve been disappointed in the last few of the Children’s House series as they have been a bit ordinary and cliche but “My Soul to Take”, book number two of the Guðmundsdóttir series has been an excellent read and an excellent follow up to “Last Rituals” which I read last year.
My Soul to Take is set in Iceland’s Snaefellsnes peninsula, and centres around a New Age health resort set in a renovated farmhouse where elements of the paranormal blend seamlessly with historical occurrences from generations past. Þóra, Reykjavík lawyer, finds herself investigating a double murder, gruesome in it’s presentation in the context of a proposed lawsuit claiming that the previous owners did not disclose that the site was haunted… something that New Age resort employees clearly are very sensitive to.
One thing leads to another and before we know it Þóra is embroiled in a full blown investigation. A great read and definitely 4 solid stars.
My Soul to Take is set in Iceland’s Snaefellsnes peninsula, and centres around a New Age health resort set in a renovated farmhouse where elements of the paranormal blend seamlessly with historical occurrences from generations past. Þóra, Reykjavík lawyer, finds herself investigating a double murder, gruesome in it’s presentation in the context of a proposed lawsuit claiming that the previous owners did not disclose that the site was haunted… something that New Age resort employees clearly are very sensitive to.
One thing leads to another and before we know it Þóra is embroiled in a full blown investigation. A great read and definitely 4 solid stars.
September 7, 2016
Well for me the best part of the book was the iceland descriptions of the landscape. I could really picture the beach and fog with a dead whale carcass smell and a dead body! I didn't really care for the main character, Thora. She is a lawyer but acts like a detective but then she is full of side issues, with her kids, the ex, and Matthew. I guess I wouldve preferred the story centered more on the actual mystery.
January 12, 2020
I like Yras Sigurdardottir's thrillers - they manage to be thrilling enough without taking themselves too seriously. Yes, it's all a bit far fetched and Thora would definitely not be able to get away with what she does, but it all makes for quite an enjoyable read.
February 10, 2017
"Os pecados antigos crescem tal como as velhas dívidas." - Uma citação desprovida de uma significação especifica, de um livro igualmente liberto de reflexões de maior.
"Ladrão de Almas" é o segundo livro da série de Þóra Guðmundsdóttir. Com excepção do prólogo, que remota a acontecimentos passados no ano de 1945, a acção desenrola-se num hotel que privilegia eventos espirituais e se foca em tratamentos de bem-estar. Situado na península de Snaefellsnes, na Islândia, este local vai ser o palco de um assassino que, curiosamente, espeta alfinetes nos pés das vitimas, de forma a impedir que voltem como espíritos.
Thora é advogada do dono das instalações, Jonas Juliusson, e é a pedido deste que se vai instalar lá para investigar os espíritos que o andam a atormentar. Apesar do seu cepticismo em relação ao mundo sobrenatural, Thora sente-se entusiasmada por ver a sua rotina alterada. Durante o desenrolar da história vão-se lhe juntar o namorado alemão Matthew, ambos os filhos e a futura mãe do seu futuro neto.
O livro começa com uma promessa de um enredo misterioso e estimulante. Porém, o ritmo da narrativa torna-se cada vez mais cansativo e previsível.No final, nem o tom de humor cativante de Yrsa Sigurðardóttir consegue salvar o enredo.
Relativamente às personagens, com excepção do casal principal, desde os clientes e funcionários do hotel às pessoas que vivem na vizinham-se, todos parecem estar envolvidos numa aura de indiferença: as suas personalidade são isentas de características interessantes e o seu poder de atracão é mínimo, para não dizer inexistente.
Ao longo da história, no decorrer da investigação e procura pela resposta ao enigma, o leitor depara-se com eventos passados. Thora descobre a história de uma família que está ligada ao acontecimento que nos introduziu a obra. Quero manifestar o meu desagrado em relação à complexidade desnecessária deste fio condutor e a irrelevância de algumas situações descritas. O número excessivo de personagens e as fracas descrições das suas relações apenas contribuem para uma maior alheamento em relação ao livro.
O que mais me agradou, tal como no livro "O Último Ritual" foi a personalidade de Thora, a personagem principal, da sua família invulgar e da forma como todos se relacionam entre si. Os desafios domésticos da advogada e a sua relação amorosa com o bancário alemão - com quem comunica em Inglês - conferem ao romance uma atmosfera divertida. Contudo, mesmo neste detalhe, senti que a autora não desenvolveu o suficiente as personagens e várias ideias parecem ter sido apenas parcialmente postas em prática.
Os diálogos que, inicialmente, começam por ser escritos de uma forma perspicaz e dotados de observações engraçadas, acabam por se tornar maçadores e repetitivos. O mesmo acontece com as descrições.
A temática do nazismo é abordada tão superficialmente que me questiono acerca da sua contribuição para o enredo. O prólogo que prometia uma viagem por um passado obscuro revelou-se uma desilusão.
Apesar dos inúmeros suspeitos com quem Thora se depara ao longo da sua estadia no hotel, o desfecho revela-se muito pouco surpreendente. Os motivos do assassino são tão desinteressantes, que seria melhor que a autora islandesa os mantivesse apenas para si.
O ponto alto do livro "Ladrão de Almas" é o caso que Thora tem em mãos no inicio da narrativa: um casal deixou de receber a sua correspondência devido ao facto de a caixa do correio se encontrar demasiado próxima do chão, o que vai contra um regulamento particular da Islândia. A partir desta premissa poderia ser escrito um mistério bastante mais envolvente do que aquele que se segue e em que nada lhe está relacionado.
Podia vos dizer que estou ansiosa pela leitura do "Cinza e Poeira",que aguarda a sua vez na minha estante, na esperança de me ver envolvida num enredo de qualidade superior, mas estaria a mentir.
"Ladrão de Almas" é o segundo livro da série de Þóra Guðmundsdóttir. Com excepção do prólogo, que remota a acontecimentos passados no ano de 1945, a acção desenrola-se num hotel que privilegia eventos espirituais e se foca em tratamentos de bem-estar. Situado na península de Snaefellsnes, na Islândia, este local vai ser o palco de um assassino que, curiosamente, espeta alfinetes nos pés das vitimas, de forma a impedir que voltem como espíritos.
Thora é advogada do dono das instalações, Jonas Juliusson, e é a pedido deste que se vai instalar lá para investigar os espíritos que o andam a atormentar. Apesar do seu cepticismo em relação ao mundo sobrenatural, Thora sente-se entusiasmada por ver a sua rotina alterada. Durante o desenrolar da história vão-se lhe juntar o namorado alemão Matthew, ambos os filhos e a futura mãe do seu futuro neto.
O livro começa com uma promessa de um enredo misterioso e estimulante. Porém, o ritmo da narrativa torna-se cada vez mais cansativo e previsível.No final, nem o tom de humor cativante de Yrsa Sigurðardóttir consegue salvar o enredo.
Relativamente às personagens, com excepção do casal principal, desde os clientes e funcionários do hotel às pessoas que vivem na vizinham-se, todos parecem estar envolvidos numa aura de indiferença: as suas personalidade são isentas de características interessantes e o seu poder de atracão é mínimo, para não dizer inexistente.
Ao longo da história, no decorrer da investigação e procura pela resposta ao enigma, o leitor depara-se com eventos passados. Thora descobre a história de uma família que está ligada ao acontecimento que nos introduziu a obra. Quero manifestar o meu desagrado em relação à complexidade desnecessária deste fio condutor e a irrelevância de algumas situações descritas. O número excessivo de personagens e as fracas descrições das suas relações apenas contribuem para uma maior alheamento em relação ao livro.
O que mais me agradou, tal como no livro "O Último Ritual" foi a personalidade de Thora, a personagem principal, da sua família invulgar e da forma como todos se relacionam entre si. Os desafios domésticos da advogada e a sua relação amorosa com o bancário alemão - com quem comunica em Inglês - conferem ao romance uma atmosfera divertida. Contudo, mesmo neste detalhe, senti que a autora não desenvolveu o suficiente as personagens e várias ideias parecem ter sido apenas parcialmente postas em prática.
Os diálogos que, inicialmente, começam por ser escritos de uma forma perspicaz e dotados de observações engraçadas, acabam por se tornar maçadores e repetitivos. O mesmo acontece com as descrições.
A temática do nazismo é abordada tão superficialmente que me questiono acerca da sua contribuição para o enredo. O prólogo que prometia uma viagem por um passado obscuro revelou-se uma desilusão.
Apesar dos inúmeros suspeitos com quem Thora se depara ao longo da sua estadia no hotel, o desfecho revela-se muito pouco surpreendente. Os motivos do assassino são tão desinteressantes, que seria melhor que a autora islandesa os mantivesse apenas para si.
O ponto alto do livro "Ladrão de Almas" é o caso que Thora tem em mãos no inicio da narrativa: um casal deixou de receber a sua correspondência devido ao facto de a caixa do correio se encontrar demasiado próxima do chão, o que vai contra um regulamento particular da Islândia. A partir desta premissa poderia ser escrito um mistério bastante mais envolvente do que aquele que se segue e em que nada lhe está relacionado.
Podia vos dizer que estou ansiosa pela leitura do "Cinza e Poeira",que aguarda a sua vez na minha estante, na esperança de me ver envolvida num enredo de qualidade superior, mas estaria a mentir.
September 22, 2024
Asa cum zice și coperta Suflete damnate este un roman polițist bântuit de fantome, antrenant, captivant, al cărui criminal clar nu ai cum sa-l ghicești.
Este prima mea carte de un autor islandez, am savurat-o și o recomand pasionaților genului, dar nu numai, fiind o lectura reconfortanta.
Ce mi-a atras atenția în mod deosebit și voi retine cu siguranță este nota traducătorului care explica modul de formare al numelor de familie islandeze, acestea netransmitandu-se în mod invariabil de la tata la copii sai ca în majoritatea tarilor europene ( cu excepția celor scandinave) ci se formează prin adaugarea la prenumele tatălui a substantivului "dottir" , care înseamnă fiica pt fete și "son" care înseamnă fiu pt băieți.
Astfel, numele autoarei, Sigurdardottir se traduce ca "fiica lui Sigurdar".
Interesant, nu?
Este prima mea carte de un autor islandez, am savurat-o și o recomand pasionaților genului, dar nu numai, fiind o lectura reconfortanta.
Ce mi-a atras atenția în mod deosebit și voi retine cu siguranță este nota traducătorului care explica modul de formare al numelor de familie islandeze, acestea netransmitandu-se în mod invariabil de la tata la copii sai ca în majoritatea tarilor europene ( cu excepția celor scandinave) ci se formează prin adaugarea la prenumele tatălui a substantivului "dottir" , care înseamnă fiica pt fete și "son" care înseamnă fiu pt băieți.
Astfel, numele autoarei, Sigurdardottir se traduce ca "fiica lui Sigurdar".
Interesant, nu?
October 10, 2024
This was waaay worse than book 1 in my opinion.
Þóra to me was a better character in this book than in book 2, and Matthew didn't seem nearly as creepy as he did in the first one.
The plot however was just so boring, and I didn't really care about any of the characters. 😅
Þóra to me was a better character in this book than in book 2, and Matthew didn't seem nearly as creepy as he did in the first one.
The plot however was just so boring, and I didn't really care about any of the characters. 😅
March 29, 2019
Ever since I “discovered” Yrsa Sigurdardottir’s books a year ago when I picked up the Children’s House series, I have been steadily reading my way through all her previous books and absolutely loving each and every one of them. MY SOUL TO TAKE was no exception, and I look forward to reading all the others in the Thora Gudmundsdottir series.
I am happy to say that this books contains all the elements that I love so much in Sigurdardottir’s writing – there is the hallmark remote atmospheric setting, a spooky element, a bunch of well-rounded characters and of course some gruesome murders. You could almost describe MY SOUL TO TAKE as a “closed door mystery”, as it all takes place in a remote hotel in the Snaefellsnes region, where the barren and eerie landscape lends itself perfectly not only to the murders but also to the strange noises in the night of a child crying inconsolably. Since access to the hotel had been cut off during the murder due to roadworks that made the drive impassable, the list of suspects is contained to patrons of the hotel or local residents in the small village nearby. But if you think that will make the task easier, you are wrong – this is one clever killer, and the motive may not be as clear cut as suspected. Lucky for the police, Thora Gudmundsdottir is on the case, since the hotel belongs to one of her clients who has called her to investigate the claims that the hotel grounds are haunted, which has been hurting his business.
I loved the way Sigurdardottir manages to infuse her story with so many elements that made it both entertaining and interesting. Since the present murders seem to be connected to events of the past, we also learn some of Iceland’s history on our journey. Sigurdardottir drew me immediately into the story with a chilling first paragraph and it consumed me until I knew all the answers. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
I am happy to say that this books contains all the elements that I love so much in Sigurdardottir’s writing – there is the hallmark remote atmospheric setting, a spooky element, a bunch of well-rounded characters and of course some gruesome murders. You could almost describe MY SOUL TO TAKE as a “closed door mystery”, as it all takes place in a remote hotel in the Snaefellsnes region, where the barren and eerie landscape lends itself perfectly not only to the murders but also to the strange noises in the night of a child crying inconsolably. Since access to the hotel had been cut off during the murder due to roadworks that made the drive impassable, the list of suspects is contained to patrons of the hotel or local residents in the small village nearby. But if you think that will make the task easier, you are wrong – this is one clever killer, and the motive may not be as clear cut as suspected. Lucky for the police, Thora Gudmundsdottir is on the case, since the hotel belongs to one of her clients who has called her to investigate the claims that the hotel grounds are haunted, which has been hurting his business.
I loved the way Sigurdardottir manages to infuse her story with so many elements that made it both entertaining and interesting. Since the present murders seem to be connected to events of the past, we also learn some of Iceland’s history on our journey. Sigurdardottir drew me immediately into the story with a chilling first paragraph and it consumed me until I knew all the answers. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
November 21, 2014
Prepare to be spooked and chilled in Iceland’s chilly landscape…..
Booktrail with map: Booktrail of My Sould to Take
Place and setting
The Snæfellsnes is also known as Iceland in Miniature, because many national sights of Iceland that are popular and well known are actually located here including the Snæfellsjökull volcano. You can see it quite clearly fro the capital city Reykjavik on a good day and another exciting fact – its the setting of the novel Journey to the Centre of The Earth by Jules Verne!
Well, if you of a nervous disposition you may want to skip certain parts when reading this as, well, the sound of babies crying in the fog for example is not something you forget easily.
The supernatural theme in this book is quite fascinating though so I persevered as there’s something about a building on the old grounds of an area which has a strange and spooky history.
The air of strange and gruesome goings on starts when you realise just how the victim has been found murdered. Even before I got to that point though – the very first chapter seen through the eyes of a small frightened child was perhaps one of the most chilling for what it leads to.
I’m amazed I was able to continue reading - as vivid as my imagination is – but I had to know what happened to her!
The book is interesting on so many levels – the Icelandic setting is only one of them – but the culture and heritage as well as the mythology alluded to is quite interesting and there were many things I felt I discovered from the book. The role of Nazism in Iceland during the war was one.
Bbrrrrr Iceland is very chilly indeed!
Booktrail with map: Booktrail of My Sould to Take
Place and setting
The Snæfellsnes is also known as Iceland in Miniature, because many national sights of Iceland that are popular and well known are actually located here including the Snæfellsjökull volcano. You can see it quite clearly fro the capital city Reykjavik on a good day and another exciting fact – its the setting of the novel Journey to the Centre of The Earth by Jules Verne!
Well, if you of a nervous disposition you may want to skip certain parts when reading this as, well, the sound of babies crying in the fog for example is not something you forget easily.
The supernatural theme in this book is quite fascinating though so I persevered as there’s something about a building on the old grounds of an area which has a strange and spooky history.
The air of strange and gruesome goings on starts when you realise just how the victim has been found murdered. Even before I got to that point though – the very first chapter seen through the eyes of a small frightened child was perhaps one of the most chilling for what it leads to.
I’m amazed I was able to continue reading - as vivid as my imagination is – but I had to know what happened to her!
The book is interesting on so many levels – the Icelandic setting is only one of them – but the culture and heritage as well as the mythology alluded to is quite interesting and there were many things I felt I discovered from the book. The role of Nazism in Iceland during the war was one.
Bbrrrrr Iceland is very chilly indeed!
March 21, 2011
My feeling about this book: What the heck is everyone so excited about? I read several very positive reviews of the book, but I found it extremely hokey and old-fashioned and the writing....well, I can't take Sigurdardottir to task because I have no idea what the original prose is like, so let me just complain about the atrocious translation instead. I recall having the same feelings about this author's earlier novel, Last Rituals. The prose is flat and only rises in interest when the choice of vocabulary is jarring. The "ghost story" would be comfortable in 18th-c fiction. And if Steini was only able to drive in a specially-equipped car, how did he and (name suppressed) exchange cars? And, please, a cat?
January 3, 2022
Honestly one of the most confusing reads? I had no idea what was happening half the time and the main characters lack backstory. Otherwise it’s not too bad overall.
October 25, 2017
Πρόκειται για το 2ο βιβλίο της σειράς της Yrsa με ηρωίδα τη δικηγόρο Θόρα.
Σαφώς καλύτερο από το πρώτο, τον "Κύκλο του κακού". Ίσως και να παίζει ρόλο η εξοικείωση του αναγνώστη με τη Θόρα, η οποία εμφανίζεται πιο συμπαθής και με περισσότερο χιούμορ.
Η ιστορία είναι ενδιαφέρουσα και το περιβάλλον που διαδραματίζεται υποβλητικό. Είναι ένα κυριλάτο ξενοδοχείο και χώρος ανάπαυσης/ανασυγκρότησης στην εξοχή. Παρέχει υπηρεσίες σεξουαλικού συμβούλου, πνευματιστικών αναζητήσεων και ολιστικών προσεγγίσεων. Ο ιδιοκτήτης του βρίσκεται μπλεγμένος και η Θόρα καλείται να βοηθήσει. Σέρνει μαζί και τα προβλήματα της με τον πρώην σύζυγο και σχεδόν σε όλο το βιβλίο βιώνει το άγχος τού πού θα αφήσει και τί θα κάνει τα παιδιά της.
Μέσα σε όλα αυτά έχουμε να κάνουμε με φαντάσματα που υποτίθεται πως υπάρχουν γύρω τριγύρω, πτώματα που αραδιάζονται με ανατριχιαστικές περιγραφές, κλάματα παιδιών στο σκοτάδι, σπίτια με υπόγεια γεμάτα ιστορία ...
Χαριτωμένο στην όλη ιστορία βρήκα τον τρόπο προσέγγισης της εφηβικής εγκυμοσύνης με πατέρα τον 16χρονο γιο της Θόρα. Χωρίς υστερικές κορώνες, η Θόρα ετοιμάζεται να γίνει γιαγιά στα 36 και τα παιδιά παρουσιάζονται όπως ακριβώς είναι : δυο παιδιά που το ένα έχει κοιλίτσα και το άλλο είναι ο πατέρας. Η σκηνή της γέννας είναι πολύ πετυχημένη, προς το τέλος του βιβλίου.
Για όσους έχουν ως όνειρο να μάθουν την ισλανδική γλώσσα αφιερώνω παρακάτω μια μικρή πρόταση :
""Ο Γκούδμουνδουρ πήρε τηλέφωνο τον Γκούδμουντσον για να πάνε να βρουν τον Θόρολφουρ" .... και πάει λέγοντας ...
Σαφώς καλύτερο από το πρώτο, τον "Κύκλο του κακού". Ίσως και να παίζει ρόλο η εξοικείωση του αναγνώστη με τη Θόρα, η οποία εμφανίζεται πιο συμπαθής και με περισσότερο χιούμορ.
Η ιστορία είναι ενδιαφέρουσα και το περιβάλλον που διαδραματίζεται υποβλητικό. Είναι ένα κυριλάτο ξενοδοχείο και χώρος ανάπαυσης/ανασυγκρότησης στην εξοχή. Παρέχει υπηρεσίες σεξουαλικού συμβούλου, πνευματιστικών αναζητήσεων και ολιστικών προσεγγίσεων. Ο ιδιοκτήτης του βρίσκεται μπλεγμένος και η Θόρα καλείται να βοηθήσει. Σέρνει μαζί και τα προβλήματα της με τον πρώην σύζυγο και σχεδόν σε όλο το βιβλίο βιώνει το άγχος τού πού θα αφήσει και τί θα κάνει τα παιδιά της.
Μέσα σε όλα αυτά έχουμε να κάνουμε με φαντάσματα που υποτίθεται πως υπάρχουν γύρω τριγύρω, πτώματα που αραδιάζονται με ανατριχιαστικές περιγραφές, κλάματα παιδιών στο σκοτάδι, σπίτια με υπόγεια γεμάτα ιστορία ...
Χαριτωμένο στην όλη ιστορία βρήκα τον τρόπο προσέγγισης της εφηβικής εγκυμοσύνης με πατέρα τον 16χρονο γιο της Θόρα. Χωρίς υστερικές κορώνες, η Θόρα ετοιμάζεται να γίνει γιαγιά στα 36 και τα παιδιά παρουσιάζονται όπως ακριβώς είναι : δυο παιδιά που το ένα έχει κοιλίτσα και το άλλο είναι ο πατέρας. Η σκηνή της γέννας είναι πολύ πετυχημένη, προς το τέλος του βιβλίου.
Για όσους έχουν ως όνειρο να μάθουν την ισλανδική γλώσσα αφιερώνω παρακάτω μια μικρή πρόταση :
""Ο Γκούδμουνδουρ πήρε τηλέφωνο τον Γκούδμουντσον για να πάνε να βρουν τον Θόρολφουρ" .... και πάει λέγοντας ...
December 3, 2020
Бытовизмов многовато :(
October 8, 2021
послабее первой книги, но в целом - нормальный детектив для чтения на пляже. надеюсь, её еще будут переводить
November 13, 2015
Another chilling mystery by Yrsa Sig. I am so excited for this one.
*Edit*
My predictions were true. Another totally awesome thriller by one of the best mystery crime author Yrsa Sig. This like the before of this series had small time lawyer Thora solving another crime relating to one of her client alongside her on and off lover Mathew. It was not disappointing at all. Awesome book with a good plot base in Iceland. Only problem how she kept ignoring or more like not caring about her children who ran away from home with a heavily pregnant girl. Well other than this was cool ;)
*Edit*
My predictions were true. Another totally awesome thriller by one of the best mystery crime author Yrsa Sig. This like the before of this series had small time lawyer Thora solving another crime relating to one of her client alongside her on and off lover Mathew. It was not disappointing at all. Awesome book with a good plot base in Iceland. Only problem how she kept ignoring or more like not caring about her children who ran away from home with a heavily pregnant girl. Well other than this was cool ;)
July 19, 2015
4,5 Sterne
Spannend mit einer guten Prise Grusel und trockenem Humor. Ich liebe diese Rezeptur! Hoffentlich schreibt Sigurđardóttir noch ganz viele Bücher.
Spannend mit einer guten Prise Grusel und trockenem Humor. Ich liebe diese Rezeptur! Hoffentlich schreibt Sigurđardóttir noch ganz viele Bücher.
March 16, 2021
I’m not a fan of serials, but knew I was going to continue with this one as soon as I finished book one. Yeah, it took some time to warm up to Thora and I’m not even going to try to make Icelandic joke out of it, she’s something of a stick in a mud at times, but she gets in the most darkly fascinating adventures. And the exotic quality of the locale can’t be beat. In fact, it becomes something of a character in and of itself, providing excellent and aptly eerie atmosphere.
This novel doesn’t give Thora a lot of time to rest, taking up some months after the first one ended and just in time, since she already spent all of her money of an SUV and a camping trailer. When an opportunity to visit a client who owns and operates a luxury retreat arises, Thora goes for it, it practically sounds relaxing…organic food, massages, etc. But of course, of course, things get murderously complicated almost immediately and soon her client stands accused of murder while the past all around the seemingly quiet area suddenly decides to unbury itself in a very disturbing ways.
Which is pretty much what you’d expect with a novel whose prologue reads like a scene from a certain Japanese/later American scary franchise.
Stick in a mud or not, you gotta give it to Thora, she is diligent, stubborn, smart, she is exactly the sort of person her client is fortunate to have on his side as she sets off to uncover the long buried local secrets, covered up Nazi connections, murders, etc. With her perennially good natured visiting new boyfriend as a sidekick, Thora makes quite a detective…for a lawyer or otherwise. She’s also about to become a grandma at the freakishly young age of 36 or 37, due to some interesting multigenerational reproductive choices. It’s a lot to juggle and she’s doing a great, circus worthy, job of it.
Much as with the previous novel, the author’s flirtations with the supernatural genres come through, this time in some ghostly child’s cries. That’s always fun. Maybe one day these mysteries will take that even further. For now though, they offer plenty. No matter how the protagonist strikes you, you gotta admire the intricate plotting, the clever twists and turns and the sheer excellence of just how unpredictable and exciting of a narrative the author spins. It’s all the things you’d want in a dark psychological thriller and it’s genuinely thrilling to boot. Very enjoyable, very entertaining, very good. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
This novel doesn’t give Thora a lot of time to rest, taking up some months after the first one ended and just in time, since she already spent all of her money of an SUV and a camping trailer. When an opportunity to visit a client who owns and operates a luxury retreat arises, Thora goes for it, it practically sounds relaxing…organic food, massages, etc. But of course, of course, things get murderously complicated almost immediately and soon her client stands accused of murder while the past all around the seemingly quiet area suddenly decides to unbury itself in a very disturbing ways.
Which is pretty much what you’d expect with a novel whose prologue reads like a scene from a certain Japanese/later American scary franchise.
Stick in a mud or not, you gotta give it to Thora, she is diligent, stubborn, smart, she is exactly the sort of person her client is fortunate to have on his side as she sets off to uncover the long buried local secrets, covered up Nazi connections, murders, etc. With her perennially good natured visiting new boyfriend as a sidekick, Thora makes quite a detective…for a lawyer or otherwise. She’s also about to become a grandma at the freakishly young age of 36 or 37, due to some interesting multigenerational reproductive choices. It’s a lot to juggle and she’s doing a great, circus worthy, job of it.
Much as with the previous novel, the author’s flirtations with the supernatural genres come through, this time in some ghostly child’s cries. That’s always fun. Maybe one day these mysteries will take that even further. For now though, they offer plenty. No matter how the protagonist strikes you, you gotta admire the intricate plotting, the clever twists and turns and the sheer excellence of just how unpredictable and exciting of a narrative the author spins. It’s all the things you’d want in a dark psychological thriller and it’s genuinely thrilling to boot. Very enjoyable, very entertaining, very good. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
October 9, 2018
My Soul To Take
By Yrsa Siguroardottir
Translated by Bernard Scudder & Anna Yates
2009
William Morrow
Set in modern day Iceland, in this absorbing page turner Thora Gudmundsdottir is a lawyer hired to represent the owner of a New Age spa and resort who wants to sue the previous owner because they feel the place is haunted and were not told. Thora immediately leaves for a stay at the spa and is drawn into a murder investigation of the owner, Jonas, accused of the murder of an architect. The mutilated body is found on the beach with no real clues. Then a second body is found.....This is a book that will keep you guessing. The plot is powerful and seductive. Multiple twists and clues dropped, but the truth is not revealed until the last few chapters. Excellent noir mystery, the details of Iceland's culture and landscape added much to this thriller.
Recommended.
By Yrsa Siguroardottir
Translated by Bernard Scudder & Anna Yates
2009
William Morrow
Set in modern day Iceland, in this absorbing page turner Thora Gudmundsdottir is a lawyer hired to represent the owner of a New Age spa and resort who wants to sue the previous owner because they feel the place is haunted and were not told. Thora immediately leaves for a stay at the spa and is drawn into a murder investigation of the owner, Jonas, accused of the murder of an architect. The mutilated body is found on the beach with no real clues. Then a second body is found.....This is a book that will keep you guessing. The plot is powerful and seductive. Multiple twists and clues dropped, but the truth is not revealed until the last few chapters. Excellent noir mystery, the details of Iceland's culture and landscape added much to this thriller.
Recommended.
May 7, 2019
I see the comparisons to Agatha Christie - a whole host of credible suspects. This is a tightly woven plot, but found the writing quite clunky in parts, perhaps the translation. Towards the end, too much exposition in dialogue. But hey, I enjoyed it!
October 6, 2017
Interesante Historia que te lleva a pensar que todos son culpables. Me gustaría Conocer Islandia.
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