Men are disappearing and being killed in strange, brutal ways. Wallander and the team methodically investigate each murder, coming to the horrifying conclusion that they're all the work of a single person. I really enjoyed reading this next installation, although the book sprawled a bit - the writing could have been tighter. But I loved Wallander and the team - their methods, strengths and weaknesses. I loved that they seem real and flawed. There's no perfect Holmes investigators here, just a regular bunch of overworked and exhausted cops who overlook or miss things entirely, just like real people.
I hate to admit this, but a similar book, Woman With Birthmark, was written more skillfully and was the better read, despite my lukewarm feelings for Van Veeteren. Translation or author? Unsure.
This was so unbearably sad I almost choked a couple times, even more than VV's Woman with Birthmark. Both stories are similar both in plot and narrative. Told from both Wallander's and the murderer's points of view, it really does add the criminal character development lacking in his previous book. Branagh's Wallander version is different from the book.
Wallander gets a call to a farmer's field for a suspicious-acting person. After he arrives, observes, then tries to talk to the girl, she sets herself on fire. While he's reeling from the shock and searching for a reason, a particularly violent murder occurs. A prominent former politician gets whacked and scalped. Then another. And another.
The team races to find the connection between all the murders, while Wallander insists on continuing the ID for the girl in the field. The deaths all end up intersecting in a horrific way.
Loved it! I was so frustrated and just knew that this guy was going to get away with it. I kept waiting anxiously as each layer of the onion was slowly peeled back, and it seemed like there'd be no end to it. The ending was somewhat contrived and improbable, but I can live with it.
Wallander's in fine form in this book, and I just love how he thinks. He's so contradictory and human: smart but does idiotic things, capable team leader yet runs off half-cocked by himself often, strong yet weak and doubtful of his personal strength.
There were the usual weaknesses as in previous Wallanders: I wish there had been better character development of the bad guy - I couldn't get a handle on him at all - did he become that cold over time, or was he always like that? I had a hard time believing that a low-ranked guy like Wallander was able to get access to such a prominent person.
After his last case, Wallander's been on leave for over a year, on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Out of the blue, an old lawyer friend desperately seeks him out at the edge of the world he's been hiding out in, and insists that his father's death was not an accident. Soon after, Wallander decides to quit the force, only to find out when he returns home that his friend's also been killed, which propels him back to work after all. His investigation leads to one of the richest, most powerful guys in Sweden whose ruthlessness has no bounds.
I haven't paid for a new hardcover in eons. Literally. Actually I don't even usually get hardcovers. But I love the Wallander character so much I rushed a copy right after it came out, and started reading it immediately when I got it. It was money well spent.
The stories really provide a window into Wallander's past personal life, and brings that extra layer to his character. The writing doesn't seem so great, somewhat lackluster. Hmmm. Translator or writer? Didn't matter too much, though. Still very good reading.
Finished the end of May. I LOVED this 3-parter! Wish there had been more, and apparently Branagh didn't do any last year since he was working on another project. Oh, I hope, I hope, he returns to it, because his portrayal of Wallander was brilliant. The last episode, 'One Step Behind', where he practically has a heart attack while doing a slow jog, his expression was hilarious! "I couldn't, uh, get a glass of water, could I? (Panting heavily)."
As I'm working my way thru the books (just finished White Lioness) it was soooo disappointing to have the spoiler that Svedberg is not only gay (gasp!), but he gets killed?! I was so sad. I was really getting into all the characters, it would have been wonderful to keep Svedberg (in the TV show).
This was a very puzzling Wallander. It's epic in its attempt to track two parallel storylines told in two different countries - Sweden and South Africa. While I applaud Mankell's effort to create an international mystery and to bring awareness of apartheid, I found it a little self-righteous and preachy. Even a little tedious at times.
Overall it was the least favorite of mine so far. It was rambling and too far-ranging to really engage me. I wanted more of Wallander, and felt robbed. I expected him to be the central character as in the other books, but he was more of a bit player here. In the context of this book it's correct, as there's a global struggle and he's just a provincial cop, but as far of the series is concerned, it doesn't fit.
Hmmm. Not sure what I think of this story. The plot seems seriously absurd and contrived, especially the ending. So I just sorta put that aside and went with the flow - not much of an effort, thankfully.
The Wallander character is still excellent. I understood his motivations, so his actions were in keeping with his character, as screwball and unbelievable as they were. This translation was very different from the first one, and although it flowed better, it also lost some of that atmospheric airlessness, stillness and coldness of the place which I believe was intended by the author and comes thru forcefully in 'Faceless Killers'. Even if it was a stilted, awkward translation.
Well worth the read despite the absurdity of the plot.
After writing a couple book reviews on Amazon, figured I should update my own blog! Since finishing the Montalbano series, I've been searching for another character. I think I've found it! Read this in one sitting, and I LOVED this book. Mankell's writing style shines thru despite the blah translation. The Wallander character's so fascinating, and I just love him. Bought the rest in the series, and really looking forward to continuing to see how this guy goes. I won't be disappointed, going by the reviews.
No slam-bam-nonstop-action-spectacular-heroes going on here. Go elsewhere for that. It's a very atmospheric, deliberate portrait of a detective and his city. This guy feels human, feels real - he screws up, he cries, he eats crap, he's got lots of problems. Detective work is stops and starts, catching breaks, promising leads going nowhere, months without any movement at all. Mankell manages to make it all interesting and fascinating. It doesn't feel too dated at all (written in 1991), except for occasional things like taking fingerprints or DNA off apple cores.
Glad I finally read it after a couple *years* of waiting on it! Thinking of it on and off, saw the Swedish series starring Krister Henriksson, liked it, but not enough to dust off the book. Now we've been watching Kenneth Branagh's interpretation of him on Masterpiece Mystery (excellent), and *that* propelled me to read it.
We've seen 'Before the Frost' and 'The Village Idiot' so far, and we're really enjoying this character and series! Had heard of Mankell's books, and meant to try one some time. Will definitely add a couple to my ever-growing pile of books to read on the shelves.
Saw an ad for Branagh's version of this character coming to PBS in English. Very interested to see this! Already aired over there last year, and gotten excellent reviews. Very cool.
