Headhunters by Jo Nesbø

Author: Jo Nesbø
Original title: Hodejegerne
Pages: 224
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: paperback
Genres: crime
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he’s a master of his profession. But one career simply can’t support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife’s fledgling art gallery. At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, who is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that’s been lost since World War II—and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve’s apartment, he finds more than just the painting. And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to Roger Brown.

  My thoughts: 
    I am a Nesbo fan and so this book has to be read.
    It was a good beach or airline read. It pretty much relies on one plot twist; not one character is likeable, and there is no real character development.  It is a short novel and a quick read that is well plotted and has more than a few twists and turns, most of which I did not see coming. Most of which are plausible and worked, some did not and felt forced.
    I liked that Nesbo stepped away from the police procedural detective and choose this unexpected and unlikable character. The main character is a corporate headhunter who also happens to steal fine art in order to fund a lavish lifestyle. He has no proper training or former military background to survive in the mess he was caught up, just a  proud white-collar, used to office banquets and cocktail parties, thus the more enjoyable it was to follow him on this adventure.
     Overall, this is a fast-paced novel, with some truly clever bits of shock and surprise that will keep you entertained.

Rating:  

    3/5 

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Author: Katherine Arden
Original title: The Bear and the Nightingale
Pages: 456
Edition Language: English
Series: Winternight Trilogy #1
Format: paperbook
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.
     As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

My thoughts: 
    My expectations of the book were really high. That, I guess, spoiled the reading. For those who knows nothing of Russia, its history, religion and popular belief this book will open an entire new world with magical creatures and folk stories. I was a bit amused but not overwhelmed by it. For me it was rather slow narration with a lot of side characters, whose sorties were not developed into something interesting.
   We follow the girl who has some magic powers, not like Harry Potter magic, but down to earth magic. She is growing up in a loving family and she is looking for her place in the world, which has no other role for women apart from being a mother and a subordinate of her man. That coming of age aspect I really enjoyed and family dynamics are great.
    What I did not like, I guess, is the whole aspect of the evil and the final battle to which the whole book was leading, it was kind of rushed and too convenient.
    It was not the strongest book, but it was a good beginning of a series, as for most people all that description of land, habits and religious conflicts were needed to be explained, as Arden chose quite specific and not wildly known period of time in Russian history. I can see the references to real historical figures and where this story can go, since this time was rich on heroic and crucial battles and actions.
    Everyone is saying that second book is much better, so I am continuing with the series and hope my guesses will come true, though I am not a big fan of the love interest that might be developed later on in the next books.
    Apart of my "meh" opinion on the book, I highly recommend it. Arden made a great job with research and the descriptions are so accurate and detailed, that I could not stop admiring her work. The book has a glossary at the end, so please, do not miss it; it explains lots of Russian words used in a book and is really great help in navigating in pagan creatures that you might meet on the pages, and it is very accurate! 

 Rating:  

    3/5 

Tales of Belkin by Alexander Pushkin

Author: Alexander Pushkin
Original title: Повести покойного Ивана Петровича Белкина 
Pages: 82
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: paperback
Genres: Classics
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   This collection is a set of stories within a story. The preface by "the editors" incorporates a letter from a friend of the eponymous Belkin, describing the dead writer's character, history and interests. The stories are themselves said to be tales once told to Belkin by various and sundry figures.
  
My thoughts: 

    Pushin is often referred to as the father of modern Russian literature. Though the title implies gravity and humorlessness, Pushkin was a very funny writer. He was light-hearted and good-spirited Thus, his writing, both poetry and prose almost always interwoven with satire, parody and allusions. And this book is a great example in that regard. The five tales of Belkin were brief, to the point, and composed with a lightness that I found delightful. Curiously, the story I liked best was the only sad one The Stationmaster. My childhood favorite was The Mistress Peasant and I was not so enchanted this time.
      I have read many reviews where people find the stories quite funny and witty. True, but I was finding a lot of drama between the lines. Where are scenes in which you can see many social problems, inequality and bulling. At the same time other matters as parental love, sense of duty and pride are discussed in this witty and fun collection of short stories that made me feel genuine delight and enjoyment.

The Shot - a duel is derailed when one participant notices the indifference his opponent has towards his inevitable demise (5 stars)
The Blizzard - an aristocratic young woman falls in love with a young officer, but her parents disapprove of the relationship so they decide to elope, marry quickly, and then beg forgiveness (5 stars)
The Undertaker - an undertaker returns home after a party offended after someone jokingly offers a toast to the health of Prokhorov's customers; he decides to hold his house-warming party with his customers rather than his neighbors (3 stars)
The Postmaster - a returning traveler is surprised to see the station master's change of fortune after this daughter's kidnapping (5 stars)
The Mistress Peasant - in order to meet the handsome new arrival, a young lady pretends to be a peasant girl(4 stars)  

Rating:  

    5/5 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Author: Celeste Ng
Original title: Everything I Never Told You
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary
Format: Audio book
Read by: Cassandra Campbell
Duration: 10h01m
Goodreads

Blurb:
    Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.
    So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.
     A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.

My thoughts:
       I listened to this book on audio and this is my first 5 star book of the year although it was written in 2014. I read Little Fires Everywhere in December 2018 and loved it as well. I was a bit afraid that I might be disappointed, as I loved Little Fires Everywhere, but instead I found a new favorite author.  I will be reading whatever she writes next for sure.
     It is a beautifully written story, and I was again impressed with how Celeste Ng mixes the characters' destinies, lives and brings together into a beautiful piece of writing.
      This is the story of a dysfunctional family dealing with the death of 16-year-old Lydia, the middle “favorite” child. You get to see snapshots of each family member's life, in the past and in the present. The story of Lydia is also interesting. She seems to be in a lot of mental turmoil leading up to her death and we slowly uncover what happened to her. She is constantly under pressure, particularly from her mother, to excel academically and from her father to make friends, try to fit in and be "normal". We learn just how desperate she is to please them and at the same time escape from them. Her only help is her brother Nath, who understand all her troubles without saying. This connection between then is really exceptional and was my favorite part of the book. Different of age and gender they are really close and support each other to overcome their parents’ disappointment and indifference towards Nath and uncontrollable admiration and love towards Lydia. I never thought that love can be so dangerous, even more dangerous than indifference.
      Additionally, I appreciated how Ng tackled issues of race, womanhood, and identity. But first and foremost, I think this story is truly about parents who are trying to live through their child’s life, the things that they themselves wanted and failed to achieve. It made me feel so much sadness for the children, and even for the parents as they seemed to be so sure that they were doing the right thing for their daughter.

Rating: 

         5/5 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Author: Sayaka Murata
Original title: Agnes Grey
Pages: 164
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Format: paperback
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her. However, eighteen years later, at age 36, she is still in the same job, has never had a boyfriend, and has only few friends. She feels comfortable in her life but is aware that she is not living up to society's expectations and causing her family to worry about her.

  My thoughts: 
    It is a very short novel and I have heard so many positive things about it, so I was actually hunting for it in the stores. But in the end, I was left disappointed and confused by the book.
        The novel is about a character who doesn’t change in a society that doesn’t change, and how both have found comfort in conformity. It’s never explicitly stated, but Keiko is obviously autistic. She comes off as robotic and unemotional. She has no interest in sex or relationships in general. She works, thinks and lives mechanically. She even has her sister come up with lines for her to repeat in social situations to seem like a “normal” person. So, since she knows her place in the world and she’s satisfied with it why everyone keeps pushing her to something else? She starts and ends as a convenience store worker. So why everybody is making a problem out of it?
      Additionally, the switches between somehow simplistic and almost philosophical way of thinking left a confused impression. Maybe the message of the novel is more relevant to closed Japanese society, but I was not impressed. 
       Still, it is generally a well-written book that is easy to read. Besides, for a novel mostly set in an ordinary convenience store it was never boring. So Sayaka Murata really managed it well. 

Rating:  

    3/5 

Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbø

Author: Jo Nesbø
Original title: Blod på snø
Pages: 189
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Blood on Snow #1
Format: Paperback
Genres: Crime
Goodreads

Blurb:    
      This is the story of Olav: an extremely talented “fixer” for one of Oslo’s most powerful crime bosses. But Olav is also an unusually complicated fixer. He has a capacity for love that is as far-reaching as is his gift for murder. He is our straightforward, calm-in-the-face-of-crisis narrator with a storyteller’s hypnotic knack for fantasy. He has an “innate talent for subordination” but running through his veins is a “virus” born of the power over life and death. And while his latest job puts him at the pinnacle of his trade, it may be mutating into his greatest mistake.
 
My thoughts:
      I am a huge Nesbø fan and I was disappointed by a book. It is going to be my least favorite Nesbø book. I would never have started following this author if I'd read this one first. The book is only 189 pages long (in my addition at least) and it lacks the element of surprise. There is no mystery, no drama. Short, quick read but lacking in the depth and complexity that I have come to expect from Nesbø.    
    The book is about a fixer/killer who is rather decent at his job but has too much of a good heart. That makes him make a fatal mistake during one of his contacts that changes the game for him. The leading character is a limited one and not really that interesting, the story is mostly about killing and how it is looked upon.
    There are a few bright spots that I definitely appreciated, but, in the end, I thought the whole book was pretty pointless. None of the characters are worth the trouble of caring about or rooting for.  

Rating:  

    2/5