Status
Available
Series
Publication
Atria Books (2019), Edition: 1st Edition, 384 pages
Description
Fictio Literatur Myster Historical Fictio HTML:"The Alienist set in eighteenth-century Stockholm: Brawny, bloody, intricate, enthralling�??and the best historical thriller I've read in twenty years." �??A.J. Finn, #1 bestselling author of The Woman in the Window "Thrilling, unnerving, clever, and beautiful." �??Fredrik Backman, #1 bestselling author of A Man Called Ove "Chilling and thought-provoking. Relentless, well-written, and nearly impossible to put down." �??Kirkus Reviews (starred review) One morning in the autumn of 1793, watchman Mikel Cardell is awakened from his drunken slumber with reports of a body seen floating in the Larder, once a pristine lake on Stockholm's Southern Isle, now a rancid bog. Efforts to identify the bizarrely mutilated corpse are entrusted to incorruptible lawyer Cecil Winge, who enlists Cardell's help to solve the case. But time is short: Winge's health is failing, the monarchy is in shambles, and whispered conspiracies and paranoia abound. Winge and Cardell become immersed in a brutal world of guttersnipes and thieves, mercenaries and madams. From a farmer's son who is lead down a treacherous path when he seeks his fortune in the capital to an orphan girl consigned to the workhouse by a pitiless parish priest, their investigation peels back layer upon layer of the city's labyrinthine society. The rich and the poor, the pious and the fallen, the living and the dead�??all collide and interconnect with the body pulled from the lake. Breathtakingly bold and intricately constructed, The Wolf and the Watchman brings to life the crowded streets, gilded palaces, and dark corners of late-eighteenth-century Stockholm, offering a startling vision of the crimes we commit in the name of justice, and the sacrifices we make in… (more)
Media reviews
Vold, fyll, nød og urenslighet slår mot deg fra første til siste side i denne tidvis groteske krimfortellingen fra et Sverige preget av nedgangstider og maktkamp
Niklas Natt och Dag (han heter faktisk det!) med storartet «Stockholm noir»
ANMELDELSE. En fulltreffer av en historisk roman som avdekker røttene til det moderne og motsetningsfylte Sverige.
User reviews
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
It's 1793, and Stockholm is not a kind place for anyone lacking in money, name or power. When a badly mutilated body is found in a local pond, really an open sewer, it falls to Mikel Cardell, a veteran who lost an arm in battle, to pull it out. Cecil Winge is asked by the soon-to-be-ousted head of
This is such a solidly plotted, researched and written novel. It was a delight to read a book that had everything it needed, from a vivid setting and characters who were fully realized and complex, to the plot, which held together tightly. This is the kind of well-executed historical thriller that is far too rare. I was invested in it from the opening pages to the final paragraph.
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the police to investigate and he quickly enlists Cardell's help. Winge once lived in a fine house with his wife, but since his tuberculosis became a certain death warrant, he lives alone in a single room. The two men are an odd pair but they work well together. Unraveling who the corpse is, who killed him and why poses a difficult challenge to the men.This is such a solidly plotted, researched and written novel. It was a delight to read a book that had everything it needed, from a vivid setting and characters who were fully realized and complex, to the plot, which held together tightly. This is the kind of well-executed historical thriller that is far too rare. I was invested in it from the opening pages to the final paragraph.
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LibraryThing member brenzi
An impressive debut mystery that is so gruesome that I wasn’t sure I could finish it. Listening to the audio version made it somehow seem more real and was very well executed (poor choice of words) by the three actors who played the parts. It took me longer than usual to finish because I was on
In Stockholm in 1793, a mutilated body is discovered by some boys in an open sewer and the watchman, Mikel Cardel, a veteran who lost his arm in the recent war with Russia, is tasked with helping the brilliant prosecutor Cecil Winge (the Wolf), with the investigation. Winge is being consumed by tuberculosis and doesn’t have long to live.
The story is told in four parts and just when you thought you might have an inkling about what happened, the plot shifts, a few more multi-dimensional characters are introduced and your theory goes out the window. An absolutely brilliant book, hard to stop listening to even with the horrifying elements. The author richly describes the horrid conditions in a deplorable workhouse for women, the extreme poverty of the time, the corrupt government in Stockholm and the grubbiness and filth of the city. The worst human behavior you can imagine takes place and left me gasping at times. I would find myself returning from my walk, at first unable to turn off the audio and then finally turning it off and just standing in my kitchen and letting settle what I’d just absorbed.
Some have compared this to The Alienist but for me it was much darker than that novel. And much darker than Dickens’ Victorian London too. I don’t think there’s really a book to compare it to.
The fourth part brings together all of the elements that have not seemed to be connected but of course they are. The twist at the end provides a much needed sense of satisfaction. Highly recommended for those who are not squeamish and want some insight into that particular time and place.
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vacation and had no opportunity to listen for four or five days and feel like I have been reading the book for a very long time.In Stockholm in 1793, a mutilated body is discovered by some boys in an open sewer and the watchman, Mikel Cardel, a veteran who lost his arm in the recent war with Russia, is tasked with helping the brilliant prosecutor Cecil Winge (the Wolf), with the investigation. Winge is being consumed by tuberculosis and doesn’t have long to live.
The story is told in four parts and just when you thought you might have an inkling about what happened, the plot shifts, a few more multi-dimensional characters are introduced and your theory goes out the window. An absolutely brilliant book, hard to stop listening to even with the horrifying elements. The author richly describes the horrid conditions in a deplorable workhouse for women, the extreme poverty of the time, the corrupt government in Stockholm and the grubbiness and filth of the city. The worst human behavior you can imagine takes place and left me gasping at times. I would find myself returning from my walk, at first unable to turn off the audio and then finally turning it off and just standing in my kitchen and letting settle what I’d just absorbed.
Some have compared this to The Alienist but for me it was much darker than that novel. And much darker than Dickens’ Victorian London too. I don’t think there’s really a book to compare it to.
The fourth part brings together all of the elements that have not seemed to be connected but of course they are. The twist at the end provides a much needed sense of satisfaction. Highly recommended for those who are not squeamish and want some insight into that particular time and place.
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LibraryThing member lisapeet
Extremely gruesome but very well crafted thriller. The late 18th-century Stockholm setting was terrific—dirty, drunken, mean, and politically fraught—and that's what hooked me in. The crime it hinges on, and some of the plot details, are pretty horrific—mutilation, torture, and more than your
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garden variety of fecal matter. Almost enough to put me off, and I've got a strong stomach, but in the end it was a twisty, well-written, and dark police procedural (with some medium-necessary flourishes that make me think a few of the characters are going to turn up in a future book), and that kept me reading. This is most definitely not for the faint of heart, though. Show Less
LibraryThing member Darcia
This is a difficult but engrossing and incredibly well written story.
I say it's difficult because the writing plants us firmly in Sweden during the late 1700s, amidst political upheavals in a bleak society. Realism abounds, and it's rarely pleasant. I swear I felt the lice in the bedding crawling
The writing is descriptive and atmospheric. This story is as much about the place and time as it is about the people. Consequently, the pace is slow, but I didn't mind that because I was completely transported into this world. Rarely do I find a book that so completely takes over all my senses. At no time was I sitting on a sofa with a book in my hand; I was walking the streets of Sweden, with all the sensory stimulus and emotions the characters experienced.
The characters are well developed and complex. None of them remain stagnant, either. They transform as circumstances affect them.
The plot is no one thing I can summarize. It's layered and woven together in surprising ways.
This is a dark and bleak story that I lived and breathed and loved.
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
I say it's difficult because the writing plants us firmly in Sweden during the late 1700s, amidst political upheavals in a bleak society. Realism abounds, and it's rarely pleasant. I swear I felt the lice in the bedding crawling
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on my skin. I felt the dirt and grime, the misery, the hunger, and the pain. Sometimes I had to put the book down and find relief in my modern surroundings. The writing is descriptive and atmospheric. This story is as much about the place and time as it is about the people. Consequently, the pace is slow, but I didn't mind that because I was completely transported into this world. Rarely do I find a book that so completely takes over all my senses. At no time was I sitting on a sofa with a book in my hand; I was walking the streets of Sweden, with all the sensory stimulus and emotions the characters experienced.
The characters are well developed and complex. None of them remain stagnant, either. They transform as circumstances affect them.
The plot is no one thing I can summarize. It's layered and woven together in surprising ways.
This is a dark and bleak story that I lived and breathed and loved.
*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
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LibraryThing member c.archer
This was a real dazzler of a read, at least for me. Eighteenth century Sweden is a fascinating place as described by the author. I love reading about this era! The author also uses great skill in creating an amazing cast of characters. Each is interesting and drew me into the book. This being a
This one comes highly recommended for fans of Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It has a spellbinding plot and wonderful prose.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this title.
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mystery, there is also an intriguing and multilayered plot that kept me focused and guessing. Each revealing fact was lain out just so and spectacular in detail and imagination. My only criticism is the vast number of characters that occasionally had me reviewing pages already read to remember them. There are some crude moments, and I would warn the squeamish reader to be prepared. Such was life in the 1700’s! This one comes highly recommended for fans of Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It has a spellbinding plot and wonderful prose.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this title.
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LibraryThing member RowingRabbit
In chaos theory, there is something called the butterfly effect. The idea is that one small action can greatly affect the outcome of a later, seemingly unrelated event. This novel is full of little moments that show how one person’s decision can permanently alter the lives of others.
The year is
Mickel Cardell returned from the war with shattered nerves & one less arm. Now he’s a watchman….when he can be bothered to get up off his barstool. That’s where 2 youngsters find him one night with news of a floater in the lake. But the body Mickel “rescues” is not exactly what he expected. In fact, it’s not even really a body. Just a torso….no arms, no legs.
Cecil Winge is a lawyer who works as a consultant with the Swedish police. He’s an intelligent & private man who has fought for progressive changes to the legal system. He’s also dying from consumption. So it’s no wonder he feels a sense of urgency about his latest case….to give a name to the unidentified torso & find a killer.
Kristofer Blix is a handsome farm boy who heads to Stockholm with dreams of becoming a doctor. He soon realizes how unprepared he is for life in the big city but could never have imagined where it will lead.
Anna-Stina’s young life has been full of poverty & struggle. And it’s about to get worse. If she wants something better she’ll have to be brave, smart & resourceful. Thankfully, she has those things in spades.
There is a large number of supporting characters, all of whom are distinct & well fleshed out. At its heart this is an engrossing murder investigation but as we meet & get to know the 4 MC’s, it becomes so much more. Their personal stories add depth & guarantee you become as invested in them as you are in solving the mystery surrounding the torso. The historical setting, political situation, class system & living conditions are so well rendered that sometimes it feels all too real.
I finished this a while ago & have been struggling to write a review that does it justice. Even the rating was a challenge. If I look at it purely as entertainment, I can’t say I enjoyed every part. There are passages that are difficult, even revolting to read. But here’s the thing. Life for many people at that time WAS difficult & revolting to our modern sensibilities. It was about survival. And the reason you feel these emotions so keenly is all down to the author’s skills as a story teller.
He has an extraordinary ability to write prose that completely envelops you. You feel everything as you follow these characters. Fear, anger, frustration, grief & scattered glimmers of hope. All your senses are engaged. Yes, there are scenes that made me want to look away but I couldn’t. I cared deeply for these people & carried the book with me to read every chance I got.
Soooo…by now you probably figured out this will not be found under “Cozies”. Sometimes when I’m asked about my last couple of reads, I struggle to remember names & plot details. This is a visceral & haunting story that has stayed with me. The ability to transport a reader to another time & place is a gift & I look forward to the author’s next book. But maybe I’ll have a wee beverage before cracking the cover 🍷.
The year is
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1793 & Stockholm is a city on edge. Rebellion by lower classes in countries such as France have made the Swedish elite a tad nervous, especially after the murder of King Gustav III. This is the backdrop for a story of 4 people living separate lives until a single event causes their paths to cross. All it takes is the discovery of a mutilated body.Mickel Cardell returned from the war with shattered nerves & one less arm. Now he’s a watchman….when he can be bothered to get up off his barstool. That’s where 2 youngsters find him one night with news of a floater in the lake. But the body Mickel “rescues” is not exactly what he expected. In fact, it’s not even really a body. Just a torso….no arms, no legs.
Cecil Winge is a lawyer who works as a consultant with the Swedish police. He’s an intelligent & private man who has fought for progressive changes to the legal system. He’s also dying from consumption. So it’s no wonder he feels a sense of urgency about his latest case….to give a name to the unidentified torso & find a killer.
Kristofer Blix is a handsome farm boy who heads to Stockholm with dreams of becoming a doctor. He soon realizes how unprepared he is for life in the big city but could never have imagined where it will lead.
Anna-Stina’s young life has been full of poverty & struggle. And it’s about to get worse. If she wants something better she’ll have to be brave, smart & resourceful. Thankfully, she has those things in spades.
There is a large number of supporting characters, all of whom are distinct & well fleshed out. At its heart this is an engrossing murder investigation but as we meet & get to know the 4 MC’s, it becomes so much more. Their personal stories add depth & guarantee you become as invested in them as you are in solving the mystery surrounding the torso. The historical setting, political situation, class system & living conditions are so well rendered that sometimes it feels all too real.
I finished this a while ago & have been struggling to write a review that does it justice. Even the rating was a challenge. If I look at it purely as entertainment, I can’t say I enjoyed every part. There are passages that are difficult, even revolting to read. But here’s the thing. Life for many people at that time WAS difficult & revolting to our modern sensibilities. It was about survival. And the reason you feel these emotions so keenly is all down to the author’s skills as a story teller.
He has an extraordinary ability to write prose that completely envelops you. You feel everything as you follow these characters. Fear, anger, frustration, grief & scattered glimmers of hope. All your senses are engaged. Yes, there are scenes that made me want to look away but I couldn’t. I cared deeply for these people & carried the book with me to read every chance I got.
Soooo…by now you probably figured out this will not be found under “Cozies”. Sometimes when I’m asked about my last couple of reads, I struggle to remember names & plot details. This is a visceral & haunting story that has stayed with me. The ability to transport a reader to another time & place is a gift & I look forward to the author’s next book. But maybe I’ll have a wee beverage before cracking the cover 🍷.
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LibraryThing member cwhisenant11
I had a very difficult time getting into this book. The writing wasn't especially compelling and the story couldn't keep my attention. After the glowing reviews I read, I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't like it.
LibraryThing member lkernagh
If you like murder mystery/thrillers with historical settings that involve gruesomely heinous crimes and are steeped in Gothic/noir horror atmosphere, then Niklas Natt och Dag’s amazing debut novel, The Wolf and the Watchman is probably the perfect read for you. I found this to be a shocking,
Overall, a chilling, brutal and relentless genre-bending novel that dives into the dark side of the human psyche. An absolutely outstanding novel and I am not surprised that it was named Best Debut of 2017 by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers.
I would like to thank Simon and Shuster Canada and Atria Books for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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highly compelling, page-turning read. I just could not put it down, even when I read parts that really disturbed me. I was that riveted to what was playing out on the pages. The place (Stockholm) and the time period (1793) are captured in amazing detail, vividly portraying a city teeming with disease, wallowing in squalor and oozing with corruption and mercenary opportunism. Yes, if you hadn't guessed already, there is overall dark, sinister aspect to this story that goes way beyond the discovery of the mutilated body, which makes this such an amazing novel. It defies being lumped into a set genre. It's a historical fiction, it's a murder/crime, it's a mystery, it's a thriller, it's a horror... it is all of these genres rolled into one story. Talk about impressive! Told in four parts, the story unveils in stages, revealing surprising connections, shocking depravity and gut-wrenching desperation. Each character is exquisitely drawn, exposing the reader to the dilemmas they face, and the hard choices they must make. The investigative team is a curious match: A wiry, incorruptible lawyer (the wolf) with a sharp intellect and steely determination who happens to be gravely ill with consumption and a physically and emotionally war-damaged ex-soldier (the watchman) whose daily alcoholic intake is to try and quell the nightmares that haunt him. An odd pairing (a thinker and a fighter) but well suited as both men pursue the case, with dogged determination, for their own reasons. This story is not for the faint of heart. There are some really graphic descriptions that may unsettle some readers, so consider yourself forewarned in that respect. Overall, a chilling, brutal and relentless genre-bending novel that dives into the dark side of the human psyche. An absolutely outstanding novel and I am not surprised that it was named Best Debut of 2017 by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers.
I would like to thank Simon and Shuster Canada and Atria Books for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
The Wolf and the Watchman immediately immerses the reader into the world of 18th-century Stockholm-- and be sure to cover your nose. People take a bath once a year, and they're completely unconcerned about the raw sewage that seems to be everywhere. After all, it's so cold for much of the year,
We then learn about a poor farm boy, Kristofer Blix, who comes to Stockholm for a better life and learns just exactly what he will do to survive. In a similar situation is orphan Anna Stina Knapp, who's turned over to the workhouse by a parish priest more concerned with his own comfort than that of the welfare of his congregation.
I loved watching all the various pieces of plot and story come together. Would Winge survive long enough to solve the case? Would Cardell survive his PTSD-induced rages and alcoholic blackouts? I have to admit that the wealth of historical detail went a bit overboard for me. Especially when it comes to lack of personal hygiene and any sort of sewage containment, a little goes a very long way. It even-- no pun intended-- bogged down the pace of the book from time to time.
The true strength of The Wolf and the Watchman was in its characters, and its strongest character, for me, was Anna Stina Knapp. It was not an era for a poor and pretty female, and I loved how she refused to give up. Yes, watching the bits and pieces of the story slot into place like a Rubik's Cube and watching every character fight against the odds made this book a winning read. I will be interested to see what Niklas Natt och Dag writes next.
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it's frozen so it won't smell. Much. While navigating through the filth on Stockholm's streets and listening to the rumors of guillotines in France, the brawn of Mickell Cardell and the brains of Cecil Winge go to work to uncover the identity of the corpse that was dumped into the Larder. Winge has to steer a path through all the corruption, paranoia, and conspiracies in the Chamber of Police while Cardell and his violent temper must work the mean streets of the poorest sections of Stockholm for clues. They are a good pair for both are more than the sum of their parts.We then learn about a poor farm boy, Kristofer Blix, who comes to Stockholm for a better life and learns just exactly what he will do to survive. In a similar situation is orphan Anna Stina Knapp, who's turned over to the workhouse by a parish priest more concerned with his own comfort than that of the welfare of his congregation.
I loved watching all the various pieces of plot and story come together. Would Winge survive long enough to solve the case? Would Cardell survive his PTSD-induced rages and alcoholic blackouts? I have to admit that the wealth of historical detail went a bit overboard for me. Especially when it comes to lack of personal hygiene and any sort of sewage containment, a little goes a very long way. It even-- no pun intended-- bogged down the pace of the book from time to time.
The true strength of The Wolf and the Watchman was in its characters, and its strongest character, for me, was Anna Stina Knapp. It was not an era for a poor and pretty female, and I loved how she refused to give up. Yes, watching the bits and pieces of the story slot into place like a Rubik's Cube and watching every character fight against the odds made this book a winning read. I will be interested to see what Niklas Natt och Dag writes next.
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
Given to me by a librarian from their stash of ARCs. Due out March 2019. I'm not sure it it's the translation, my general tired brain state, or what, but it didn't grab me and I've put it aside for now. Normally I love mysteries set in days of old, with complex characters.
LibraryThing member gpangel
The Wolf and the Watchman is a 2019 Atria Books publication.
Morose and grisly- but morbidly fascinating!
Late 1700s- Stockholm-
A mutilated corpse is found in the lake- and by mutilated, I mean limbs, tongue, and eyes had been methodically removed, one at a time, the work mimicking that of a
Cecil Winge, a lawyer, suffering through the last stages of consumption has been asked to look into the matter, which is the only thing that keeps him on his feet, fighting to stay alive long enough to solve the mystery.
Winge teams up with Mickel Cardell, a disabled former soldier, who discovered, then fished the body out of the water. Together they work to officially identify the body and discover who murdered the man in such a gruesome manner.
This novel has generated a bit of publicity, and as such, has already garnered a bit of a reputation- clueing me in on its violent nature. However, I was still unprepared for the lurid content I encountered in this story!! So, even if one has a high tolerance for graphic violence and gore, this novel will test your limits and boundaries. So- consider yourself warned.
The plot is intricate, and very absorbing, with several interesting character studies rounding things out. The dark and macabre underbelly of Stockholm provides an unsettling and nerve-wracking atmosphere which never allowed one to relax or exhale, even for a moment. There is also an urgency to the solving the crime as Winge’s health progressively worsens, adding an even heavier quality to an already depressingly grim tale.
Although there are very few rays of light in this dreary mystery/thriller, the sun does break through the clouds from time to time, offering some modicum of relief, but not for very long. I needed a respite from this one a time or two, but did find the story very compelling, with moments of real brilliance, although, the grit still overshadowed the finer nuances.
I can see why this book has captured the attention of its publisher, and why they hope a marketing push will steer it into the mainstream. But, despite the impressiveness of it, I’m not sure it’s ready for prime time, which is an audience trained to absorb bland, contained, polished, and watered down content. I'm not convinced this novel is suited for mass consumption.
Perhaps it would work better with a cult following, which is a far more intriguing, enduring, and even flattering thought, appealing to a specific audience capable of giving it the credit it is due…. Without feeling a little blue or green around the gills.
Morose and grisly- but morbidly fascinating!
Late 1700s- Stockholm-
A mutilated corpse is found in the lake- and by mutilated, I mean limbs, tongue, and eyes had been methodically removed, one at a time, the work mimicking that of a
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surgeon. Cecil Winge, a lawyer, suffering through the last stages of consumption has been asked to look into the matter, which is the only thing that keeps him on his feet, fighting to stay alive long enough to solve the mystery.
Winge teams up with Mickel Cardell, a disabled former soldier, who discovered, then fished the body out of the water. Together they work to officially identify the body and discover who murdered the man in such a gruesome manner.
This novel has generated a bit of publicity, and as such, has already garnered a bit of a reputation- clueing me in on its violent nature. However, I was still unprepared for the lurid content I encountered in this story!! So, even if one has a high tolerance for graphic violence and gore, this novel will test your limits and boundaries. So- consider yourself warned.
The plot is intricate, and very absorbing, with several interesting character studies rounding things out. The dark and macabre underbelly of Stockholm provides an unsettling and nerve-wracking atmosphere which never allowed one to relax or exhale, even for a moment. There is also an urgency to the solving the crime as Winge’s health progressively worsens, adding an even heavier quality to an already depressingly grim tale.
Although there are very few rays of light in this dreary mystery/thriller, the sun does break through the clouds from time to time, offering some modicum of relief, but not for very long. I needed a respite from this one a time or two, but did find the story very compelling, with moments of real brilliance, although, the grit still overshadowed the finer nuances.
I can see why this book has captured the attention of its publisher, and why they hope a marketing push will steer it into the mainstream. But, despite the impressiveness of it, I’m not sure it’s ready for prime time, which is an audience trained to absorb bland, contained, polished, and watered down content. I'm not convinced this novel is suited for mass consumption.
Perhaps it would work better with a cult following, which is a far more intriguing, enduring, and even flattering thought, appealing to a specific audience capable of giving it the credit it is due…. Without feeling a little blue or green around the gills.
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LibraryThing member charl08
"She, a schooner, her foremast shorter than her mainmast, is still tied with her starboard side to the quay. There is no activity that he can see. Evening flâneurs are visiting coffee houses and wine cellars, loaders and quay labourers have returned home, the sailors have disappeared up the
A Netgalley book.
A wonderfully dark trawl through Sweden c. 1793 (the original title of the book when published in Swedish). One of the protagonists is in end-stage TB and the other has lost his arm during a hopeless war and is doing his best to drown his PTSD in alcohol. In the last days of an ethical police chief, the dying lawyer Winge, miraculously still walking despite his bloodied hankies, is asked to solve the mystery of a limbless torso that has been found on the shore of Stockholm's slum. For backup, he recruits the watchman of the title.
I've seen complaints on Litsy that the book was too violent, or that the plot was too meandering. For me, the violence reflected the experience of the urban poor in the time. Women are accused of prostitution by the wealthy church for trying to make money when they have not enough to eat, and sent to spin for the state. People fake wealth through gambling and debt in a bid to avoid debtor jail. Medicine is crude but in the process of changing, and political power is buyable and frequently bought. It's a wide-ranging book, from the experience of supposedly 'criminal' women in the poorhouse, to the streets of Paris during the Terror. I thought it thoroughly well done, and it was sufficiently gripping for me to be afraid at some points to carry on for fear of what might happen to the characters next... It reminded me of Andrew Miller's work (perhaps most well-known, Pure).
"Winge steers towards death by the same compass that has shown his way his entire life: reason . He tells himself that all men will die and that all are dying. This helps. But when the night sweats come and his thoughts race wildly, it is rather the particulars of his own demise that haunt him and not the general principle. All the clinical details of phthisis. Will the infection spread to all joints and bone as sometimes happens? Will he pass silently in his sleep or in spasms and paroxysms? What flavour of agony awaits to be his? When nothing else helps, he tells himself that most of him already died the last time he saw his wife. But this is also little comfort, as that part of him that has gone on living seems the one that most clearly perceives the pain."
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Stadsholmen alleys in search of company and entertainment. He walks by the gangway. Only one man can be seen on deck. With a look of concentration, he is lowering a lead weight into an ironclad casket. ‘Joseph Satcher?’"A Netgalley book.
A wonderfully dark trawl through Sweden c. 1793 (the original title of the book when published in Swedish). One of the protagonists is in end-stage TB and the other has lost his arm during a hopeless war and is doing his best to drown his PTSD in alcohol. In the last days of an ethical police chief, the dying lawyer Winge, miraculously still walking despite his bloodied hankies, is asked to solve the mystery of a limbless torso that has been found on the shore of Stockholm's slum. For backup, he recruits the watchman of the title.
I've seen complaints on Litsy that the book was too violent, or that the plot was too meandering. For me, the violence reflected the experience of the urban poor in the time. Women are accused of prostitution by the wealthy church for trying to make money when they have not enough to eat, and sent to spin for the state. People fake wealth through gambling and debt in a bid to avoid debtor jail. Medicine is crude but in the process of changing, and political power is buyable and frequently bought. It's a wide-ranging book, from the experience of supposedly 'criminal' women in the poorhouse, to the streets of Paris during the Terror. I thought it thoroughly well done, and it was sufficiently gripping for me to be afraid at some points to carry on for fear of what might happen to the characters next... It reminded me of Andrew Miller's work (perhaps most well-known, Pure).
"Winge steers towards death by the same compass that has shown his way his entire life: reason . He tells himself that all men will die and that all are dying. This helps. But when the night sweats come and his thoughts race wildly, it is rather the particulars of his own demise that haunt him and not the general principle. All the clinical details of phthisis. Will the infection spread to all joints and bone as sometimes happens? Will he pass silently in his sleep or in spasms and paroxysms? What flavour of agony awaits to be his? When nothing else helps, he tells himself that most of him already died the last time he saw his wife. But this is also little comfort, as that part of him that has gone on living seems the one that most clearly perceives the pain."
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LibraryThing member Nialle
Novels that contain no characters capable of speaking with less than a privileged education are only slightly less awful than novels packed full of cruelties and disgusting behaviors on the part of selfish or solipsistic personalities. That is, if the characters can even be said to have
tl;dr It's a Mary Sue / "I can imagine worse things than George R. R. Martin can" story.
Half a star for some fairly interesting historical detail about parish management, roads, lack of rental policy and veterans' aid, nepotism, homelessness, and the awkward transitions in medicine and political theory affecting Stockholm at the end of the 18th century. Not a full star, however, due to lolloping attitudinal anachronisms, e.g., when the consumptive told the perp that he could have lived happily homosexually ever after. Which would have been: a) [editor was asleep and missed a really big typo]; b) an out of character lie to an out of characterly naive person that, if believed and acted upon at that socioeconomic level under that government, would have gotten the male/male couple killed, probably in some truly awful way; c) the author's weirdly 1957 beliefs about what makes homosexuals gay clashing with the author's confusion over what the consumptive's perfect morals should be; or d) another random bit of exuberantly awful torment committed between people who really had no reason to hate on each other, which, in the end, is what comprises at least 60% of the text of this book.
For Swedish crime novels, you just can beat this book very easily with Sjöwal & Wahlöö, Kerstin Ekman, and Henning Mankell; in general fiction, obvi you should read Selma Lagerlöf and August Strindberg, but also try Moa Martinson (yes, I know Harry is more famous, but "My Mother Gets Married" is absolutely incredible) or P. O. Enquist.
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personalities rather than to be tools of an author begging to be numbered among the shocking. This novel is more of the latter ilk. Characters' motivations follow the untamed lunges of the author's failed rapier genius. The oily frosting on the flat cola stain of a plot is the combination of victim blaming, autism shaming, stereotypically Freudian causal reasoning, 0% wanted pregnancy rates (and only two of those were accidental conceptions of consenting partners), completely unrealistic acceptance of horrible acts committed by men and completely uniform dismissal of female characters except for one who nobly decides to bear a pregnancy that started with rape because a lying surgeon who had just come off amputating the limbs and tongue of a formerly healthy person decided that tricking her into keeping the pregnancy paste a safe termination point would alleviate his guilt about amputating under false pretenses and would further excuse him from any blame upon his suicide, which he enacted immediately after making sure the rape victim would be considered by the church to be his widow, though he never once spoke to her about marriage. She goes on to maim a man for making advances, then hook up with a heavily stereotyped veteran whose PTSD/panic disorder is miraculously understood and accepted in the late eighteenth century, right along with his tendency to piss on anything he can still see while blind drunk in public and never to answer for battery with a deadly weapon or attempted murder despite serving as Watson for the most wonderful consulting detective man ever in the history of the entire universe who was so perfectly lovingly understanding that he set his wife up with a nice military guy so that detective guy could abandon her in good conscience when he realized he had galloping consumption. No, really, how wonderful is he? He tipped heavily when he chastely slept next to a sex worker who resembled his wife, took apart his pocketwatch as a pastime rather than drinking, and solved crimes when he wasn't revolutionizing Swedish law with his compassionate approach to prosecution and insistence on testimony time for accused persons. No, but seriously, let me tell you about his generosity, his astounding and medically/biologically impossible ability to hide his tuberculosis, and his absolutely perfect - no, don't question anything, the third-person omniscient voice already told you that it was totally fine for him to manipulate his wife like that so surely this is ok too - absolutely perfect - no, it's completely virtuous to engage in profoundly antisocial behavior as long as it's this guy's behavior - absolutely perfect - and pristine, look how clean his handkerchiefs are, he washes them all by himself to spare the poor household staff - perfect morals. Which bear no resemblance to the author's, I'm sure.tl;dr It's a Mary Sue / "I can imagine worse things than George R. R. Martin can" story.
Half a star for some fairly interesting historical detail about parish management, roads, lack of rental policy and veterans' aid, nepotism, homelessness, and the awkward transitions in medicine and political theory affecting Stockholm at the end of the 18th century. Not a full star, however, due to lolloping attitudinal anachronisms, e.g., when the consumptive told the perp that he could have lived happily homosexually ever after. Which would have been: a) [editor was asleep and missed a really big typo]; b) an out of character lie to an out of characterly naive person that, if believed and acted upon at that socioeconomic level under that government, would have gotten the male/male couple killed, probably in some truly awful way; c) the author's weirdly 1957 beliefs about what makes homosexuals gay clashing with the author's confusion over what the consumptive's perfect morals should be; or d) another random bit of exuberantly awful torment committed between people who really had no reason to hate on each other, which, in the end, is what comprises at least 60% of the text of this book.
For Swedish crime novels, you just can beat this book very easily with Sjöwal & Wahlöö, Kerstin Ekman, and Henning Mankell; in general fiction, obvi you should read Selma Lagerlöf and August Strindberg, but also try Moa Martinson (yes, I know Harry is more famous, but "My Mother Gets Married" is absolutely incredible) or P. O. Enquist.
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LibraryThing member Twink
The Wolf and the Watchman is Niklas Natt och Dags's debut novel. It was named the Best Debut of 2017 by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers and is being published in thirty countries.
1793 Stockholm. Mikel Cardell is a watchman, though he rarely performs his duties. He's woken from a drunken stupor
I was hooked from the first pages. Cardell is perfectly drawn - a strong personality but flawed, tenacious, intelligent, quick with his fists but kind and more. Winge also sprang to life for me - his measured pace of thinking and acting is the opposite of Cardell. He's clever but lacks the brutality of Cardell. The two make the perfect team.
I went into the book expecting a mystery - but Niklas Natt och Dag takes his story places I hadn't expected. There are four parts to the story. The body is identified, but then the narrative switches to the person responsible and again to another person named Anna-Stina. I couldn't fathom how her narrative would figure into the murder. And finally the pieces are fit together in the end. Niklas Natt och Dag's plotting is brilliantly complex - and such a treat to listen to.
Human nature, relationships and what we'll do to survive is also explored alongside the mystery.
The backdrop of 1793 Stockholm is so richly described - I could picture the filthy streets, the workhouses, the wealthy clubs and mansions, the pubs and more as I listened.
I did choose to listen to The Wolf and the Watchman. There were multiple readers which I really enjoy. Matt Addis, Casper Rundegren and Clara Andersson. The voice for Cardell is wonderful - rich and full with a gravelly tone. It matched the mental image I had created. The voice for Winge matches the character as well, more thoughtful and measured. Both were clear and easy to understand. The voice for the perpetrator was younger sounding. I found the sibilant esses used for the Swedish accent to be a bit annoying after awhile. The voice for Anna-Stina was just right as well - a younger tone that captured her desperate plight, but also her strength. This reader spoke cleanly and was easily understood. I always feel more immersed in a book when I listen to it. And this was most definitely the case with The Wolf and the Watchman.
Those who enjoy Swedish noir steeped in historical fiction will enjoy this book. A caveat for gentle readers - the crime is somewhat gruesome. But the writing is excellent.
1793 Stockholm. Mikel Cardell is a watchman, though he rarely performs his duties. He's woken from a drunken stupor
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one night when two children find a body floating in a local lake. Cardell drags what is left of the body out. The corpse has been brutally and strangely mutilated. The 'incorruptible' lawyer Cecil Winge is tasked with identifying what's left of the body. His health is tenuous and time is of the essence, so he asks Cardell to assist him.I was hooked from the first pages. Cardell is perfectly drawn - a strong personality but flawed, tenacious, intelligent, quick with his fists but kind and more. Winge also sprang to life for me - his measured pace of thinking and acting is the opposite of Cardell. He's clever but lacks the brutality of Cardell. The two make the perfect team.
I went into the book expecting a mystery - but Niklas Natt och Dag takes his story places I hadn't expected. There are four parts to the story. The body is identified, but then the narrative switches to the person responsible and again to another person named Anna-Stina. I couldn't fathom how her narrative would figure into the murder. And finally the pieces are fit together in the end. Niklas Natt och Dag's plotting is brilliantly complex - and such a treat to listen to.
Human nature, relationships and what we'll do to survive is also explored alongside the mystery.
The backdrop of 1793 Stockholm is so richly described - I could picture the filthy streets, the workhouses, the wealthy clubs and mansions, the pubs and more as I listened.
I did choose to listen to The Wolf and the Watchman. There were multiple readers which I really enjoy. Matt Addis, Casper Rundegren and Clara Andersson. The voice for Cardell is wonderful - rich and full with a gravelly tone. It matched the mental image I had created. The voice for Winge matches the character as well, more thoughtful and measured. Both were clear and easy to understand. The voice for the perpetrator was younger sounding. I found the sibilant esses used for the Swedish accent to be a bit annoying after awhile. The voice for Anna-Stina was just right as well - a younger tone that captured her desperate plight, but also her strength. This reader spoke cleanly and was easily understood. I always feel more immersed in a book when I listen to it. And this was most definitely the case with The Wolf and the Watchman.
Those who enjoy Swedish noir steeped in historical fiction will enjoy this book. A caveat for gentle readers - the crime is somewhat gruesome. But the writing is excellent.
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LibraryThing member lauriebrown54
In Sweden in 1793, some children find a body floating in a particularly gross part of the river. They call on Mickel Cardell, a watchman moonlighting (and drinking) as a bouncer, and he fishes the body out. It’s not odd that there is a body in the river, but this one is missing both arms and
Cardell, an alcoholic war vet who lost his friend and his arm but gained PTSD, finds himself drawn back into an investigation into who the body was, and how he came to be so cruelly treated. He is pulled into the case by Cecil Winge, a brilliant investigator who as the reputation of never prosecuting a person without total evidence that he did the crime. He is frail- dying of tuberculosis- but wants to find the truth about this horrible crime. Cardell can go places and ask questions that Winge cannot. He’s also an asset in the worse parts of town, his wooden arm giving him an advantage in a fight. Neither of them can imagine how this crime could be committed.
The strands of the lives of two other people fill out the story. Young Kristofer Blix, a veteran who apprenticed to a military doctor, wishes to become a doctor but must wait for the next classes to start. Teen aged Anna Stina is an orphaned fruit seller who is arrested for prostitution- only because she refused the attentions of a boy. She is sent to a workhouse that is pretty much hell on earth. Her treatment at the hands of her jailor, with starvation and sexual assault, is horrific. She must find a way out before she ends up dead as others have.
The story is relentlessly grim; more Dickensian than Dickens ever wrote. Every detail of the sordid lives is revealed. While all four of the main characters are sympathetic, not much around them is. All four are caught by their horrible circumstances. I really liked the relationship between Cardell and Winge; Winge’s fate in the end saddened me because I had started hoping this would be a series! Don’t read this if you don’t have a strong stomach. It’s horror after horror, but the protagonists are all smart and resilient. Five stars.
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legs, has had his tongue cut out, his eyes removed, and has had hot pokers shoved into his ears. This is grim, even by the standards of the day. Cardell, an alcoholic war vet who lost his friend and his arm but gained PTSD, finds himself drawn back into an investigation into who the body was, and how he came to be so cruelly treated. He is pulled into the case by Cecil Winge, a brilliant investigator who as the reputation of never prosecuting a person without total evidence that he did the crime. He is frail- dying of tuberculosis- but wants to find the truth about this horrible crime. Cardell can go places and ask questions that Winge cannot. He’s also an asset in the worse parts of town, his wooden arm giving him an advantage in a fight. Neither of them can imagine how this crime could be committed.
The strands of the lives of two other people fill out the story. Young Kristofer Blix, a veteran who apprenticed to a military doctor, wishes to become a doctor but must wait for the next classes to start. Teen aged Anna Stina is an orphaned fruit seller who is arrested for prostitution- only because she refused the attentions of a boy. She is sent to a workhouse that is pretty much hell on earth. Her treatment at the hands of her jailor, with starvation and sexual assault, is horrific. She must find a way out before she ends up dead as others have.
The story is relentlessly grim; more Dickensian than Dickens ever wrote. Every detail of the sordid lives is revealed. While all four of the main characters are sympathetic, not much around them is. All four are caught by their horrible circumstances. I really liked the relationship between Cardell and Winge; Winge’s fate in the end saddened me because I had started hoping this would be a series! Don’t read this if you don’t have a strong stomach. It’s horror after horror, but the protagonists are all smart and resilient. Five stars.
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LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher.*
This mystery is one of the most original and atmospheric novels I've ever encountered. Set in 18th-century Stockholm, this novel alternates between multiple perspectives, following the stories of a cast of characters, including a drunken watchman
This mystery is one of the most original and atmospheric novels I've ever encountered. Set in 18th-century Stockholm, this novel alternates between multiple perspectives, following the stories of a cast of characters, including a drunken watchman
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and a dying lawyer as they attempt to uncover a vicious killer. This novel was pretty dark at times (seriously, I hope it doesn't give me nightmares), but it does come to a satisfying and even slightly hopeful end. Show Less
LibraryThing member vuurziel
Spannend en mooi, goed geschreven verhaal over twee mannen die een gruwelijke moord proberen op te lossen. Alles aan verschrikkelijks komt voorbij, 1793 is het jaar waarin dit alles zich afspeelt. Een lijk zonder ledematen, ogen en tong wordt gevonden en Mickel en Cecil gaan op zoek naar de
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moordenaar. Uiteindelijk vinden ze hem ook, ook een getormenteerde, als kind mishandelde man. Onderweg is er het verhaal over Anna Stina, een meisje zonder toekomst en haar leven in een spinhuis met mannen als bewakers..... uiteindelijk vond ik het een beetje teveel van alles, maar ik denk wel dat de waarheid voor arme mensen in die tijd niet echt vervweg was. Wat het moeilijk lezen maakt is het zeer veelvuldig gebruik van beschrijvingen waar iedereen zich bevindt of heengaat in Stockholm met voor “ons” moeilijk te lezen straatnamen. Show Less
LibraryThing member Baochuan
This book used Stockholm in 1793 as backdrop with very good and detail description of the life style at that time. You faced the brutal reality at that time with gruesome description of the crime.
LibraryThing member richardderus
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY.
Don't so much as twitch toward this book if you're not able to breeze through Henning Mankell's more violent books about Wallander. In every line and on every page you're going to be challenged, and hard; rape, torture, murder, and a twisted vision
Don't so much as twitch toward this book if you're not able to breeze through Henning Mankell's more violent books about Wallander. In every line and on every page you're going to be challenged, and hard; rape, torture, murder, and a twisted vision
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of the upper-class privilege corrupting Sweden in its early Enlightenment days. As brutal as any Scandinoir, as evocatively written as Mantel's Sir Thomas More novels, and worth every flinch, gasp, and slamming shut in horror. Show Less
LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
The crime that gets Cecil Winge off his deathbed is about a ghastly as any you are likely to find in fiction: A body pulled out of a small body of water in Stockholm in 1793 hasn't much left to it. Each of the man's limbs have been cut off, one by one over a period of time. His ears have been cut
Winge is dying of tuberculosis, given perhaps just weeks to live, yet the severity of this crime compels him to yield to a request by the temporary chief of police to try to find the killer. He asks Cardell to assist him, and the two of them make a terrific crime-solving duo in the international bestseller “The Wolf and the Watchman” by Niklas Natt Och Dag (a name that translates as Night and Day).
The novel becomes a series of stories about key characters, their stories eventually melding into one. Nat Och Dag keeps the tension high and the shocks and surprises coming right up until the end. If anything disappoints about this novel it is that given Cecil Winge's frail body it can never turn into a series.
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off, his tongue cut out and his eyes dug out. The watchman who pulls out the body is Mikel Cardell, who himself lost an arm in a sea battle and now helps keep peace in taverns by using his wooden arm as a club.Winge is dying of tuberculosis, given perhaps just weeks to live, yet the severity of this crime compels him to yield to a request by the temporary chief of police to try to find the killer. He asks Cardell to assist him, and the two of them make a terrific crime-solving duo in the international bestseller “The Wolf and the Watchman” by Niklas Natt Och Dag (a name that translates as Night and Day).
The novel becomes a series of stories about key characters, their stories eventually melding into one. Nat Och Dag keeps the tension high and the shocks and surprises coming right up until the end. If anything disappoints about this novel it is that given Cecil Winge's frail body it can never turn into a series.
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LibraryThing member Vesper1931
1793 Stockholm, and Watchman Mickel Cardell is summoned to Larder Lake where children believe there is a body. The discover of the mutilated body compels Cecil Winge, a consulting detective to discover his history and thereby his name. Elsewhere various characters become involved in this search.
A
A NetGalley Book
A
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dark story trawling through Stockholms' underclass resulting in an interesting mystery with engaging characters. A NetGalley Book
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LibraryThing member judithrs
The Wolf and the Watchman. Niklas Natt Och Dag. 2017. This murder mystery is set in 18th century Sweden. Mikel Cardell, a watchman pulls a mutilated body from a fetid bog south of Stockholm. He works with Cecil Wing, an investigator to discover who committed this heinous crime. What a strange and
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fascinating novel! The vivid, detailed description of the underbelly of Stockholm is not easy to read, however it is fascinating. Not for those with a weak stomach. Show Less
LibraryThing member JReynolds1959
Mickel Cardell is awakened to pull a floating body out of the Larder. The body has no arms, legs, eyes, tongue. In order to find out how this happened, he is put in contact with Cecil Winge. Cecil Winge is a lawyer and it will be up to the two of them to find out about this horrible death.
Kristofer
Anna Stina Knapp is motherless and works for her father at his bar.
These characters all intermesh in this novel. It is well-rounded and quite a nice mesh.
The story is a little gruesome, but well worth the read.
Kristofer
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Blix is a young man trying to make his way in the world. What becomes of that is outrageous!Anna Stina Knapp is motherless and works for her father at his bar.
These characters all intermesh in this novel. It is well-rounded and quite a nice mesh.
The story is a little gruesome, but well worth the read.
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LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
The Wolf and the Watchman took place in Stockholm in 1793. This was the time of the French Revolution, and governments across Europe feared further uprisings.
The book consists of three seemingly separate stories that merge together at the end. It's grim, a period of extreme poverty and excesses by
Next, we get the story of Kristopher Blix, a young man on the town trying to live better than his means. And finally, the story of Anna Stina, who is sent to the workhouse on a false charge of whoring. All these disparate people combine to a most satisfactory, if dark, ending.
This is a book that is often not easy to read. It is very gruesome in parts, and horribly sad, with themes of poverty, crime, and revolution running throughout the stories. Yet it is an excellent read, wholly engrossing and beautifully written.
The book consists of three seemingly separate stories that merge together at the end. It's grim, a period of extreme poverty and excesses by
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the nobility. Stockholm is full of maimed soldiers, remnants of war with Russia. Mickel Cordell is an ex-sailor who lost his left arm and was given the watchman position as a sort of pension. A watchman seems to be a type of police force. He finds a torso floating in a lake, also missing his tongue and eyes. The body seems to have been carefully mutilated over time, a limb taken, and the wound healed before progressing further. An ex-lawyer, Cecil Winge, investigates the murder with Cordell's help. He's dying of consumption and wants to find a name for the victim and bring the murderer to justice before he dies.Next, we get the story of Kristopher Blix, a young man on the town trying to live better than his means. And finally, the story of Anna Stina, who is sent to the workhouse on a false charge of whoring. All these disparate people combine to a most satisfactory, if dark, ending.
This is a book that is often not easy to read. It is very gruesome in parts, and horribly sad, with themes of poverty, crime, and revolution running throughout the stories. Yet it is an excellent read, wholly engrossing and beautifully written.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Wolf and the Watchman, Niklas Natt och Dag, author; Caspar Rundegren, Clara Andersson, narrators
I understand, after completing this book, why it won awards and acclaim. It was well researched and the use of the English language was exceptional. However, the extensive descriptions of excessive
The author describes situations that exist beyond the edges of most imaginations. The book is not for the faint of heart. I truly found it hard to understand how someone, from a noble heritage, who used the language so beautifully, could write something so grotesque about the past. The sadism was beyond the beyond and yet, if it is based on history it makes the subject matter even more difficult to absorb or comprehend. Throughout the book, there are many characters introduced with seeming little importance to the novel, but, by the end, they are all tied in so well, that there are no questions left unanswered and the reader is fully satisfied.
When a body is discovered that has been viciously mutilated, the wolf, a dying Inspector, Carl Winge, and the watchman, Mickel Cardell, an injured former soldier, team up to solve the murder. Both men have secret reasons for wanting to solve this crime. Both men need to do it to obtain their own closure because of the private ghosts they carry within their thoughts and dreams.
The book is truly gruesome because the torture described is excessively violent and must be the result of what has to be an incredibly depraved mind. The narrative reveals the decadence and corruption of the times, (the time is 1793), as well as the extent of the poverty and the bizarre and cruel punishments of the times. The people seemed to be filled with a blood lust and the inequality of the class divide was a catalyst for revolution and death. During this time, Marie Antoinette was beheaded.
The extensive misery suffered by the citizenry seems to have reached a boiling point and the capacity for compassion was often lost while the capacity for barbaric behavior increased. The anti-Semitism of the day was introduced with characters that portray the stereotype of the cold-hearted, moneylending Jew. If you were not part of the royal scene, you lived from hand to mouth and often were practically forced to behave unethically and amorally. Human life was devalued. Women, especially, were powerless and often subjected to unfair punishments for behavior forced upon them. Desperation grew and with it, the atmosphere in society grew darker and more dangerous.
The double entendre in the meaning of the words watchman and wolf is subtly introduced throughout the pages and the impact of the varied definitions effects the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the book, even with its painfully, monstrous descriptions of the times and the people. What is a wolf? What is a watchman? What purpose do they serve? As the characters lives are developed slowly, and yet, in great detail, the reader is tantalized with questions of who they are and what purpose they serve in the novel. In the end, it is all revealed.
So even though it was a difficult read, the value of the book for me, was in its creativity, its structure and its language. There really was not even one wasted word or phrase, so I am glad I stuck with the novel. It sure held my interest once I was able to tolerate the brutality.
The audio book was read exceptionally well by the narrators as they did not get in the way of the book, but rather read it with appropriate tone and emphasis, presenting each character appropriately.
So, in conclusion, it took me a long time to finally finish this book. I found it to be a powerful novel, which was difficult to read because of the violence and excessive brutality described in such graphic detail. I wondered what kind of a person could imagine such sadistic behavior. Yet, it was one of the most creatively crafted books I have read in ages, and it didn't seem to be designed to brainwash the reader as so many books are designed to do today, in the current political climate. The author used words so effectively, that I was placed in the setting, experiencing the moment with the characters, and that perhaps is why it was so difficult to read. Still, it captured my complete attention and encouraged me to do some research on the times to see if the history was true to form, and that, to me, is a great and important reason for reading a book.
If it encourages learning, it is more meaningful to me.
I understand, after completing this book, why it won awards and acclaim. It was well researched and the use of the English language was exceptional. However, the extensive descriptions of excessive
Show More
brutality made it really hard to keep reading, at times. Actually, at the half way point, I almost gave up. The gruesome depictions of torture and vicious human behavior, when pushed to the edge of sanity, were becoming too graphic; they made my stomach turn. However, I made a decision to stick with it and just after that point, the illustrations of violence actually did diminish for awhile, and that made it easier to continue. I generally enjoy the writings of Scandinavian authors, and this book was so widely praised, I wanted to find out why. The author describes situations that exist beyond the edges of most imaginations. The book is not for the faint of heart. I truly found it hard to understand how someone, from a noble heritage, who used the language so beautifully, could write something so grotesque about the past. The sadism was beyond the beyond and yet, if it is based on history it makes the subject matter even more difficult to absorb or comprehend. Throughout the book, there are many characters introduced with seeming little importance to the novel, but, by the end, they are all tied in so well, that there are no questions left unanswered and the reader is fully satisfied.
When a body is discovered that has been viciously mutilated, the wolf, a dying Inspector, Carl Winge, and the watchman, Mickel Cardell, an injured former soldier, team up to solve the murder. Both men have secret reasons for wanting to solve this crime. Both men need to do it to obtain their own closure because of the private ghosts they carry within their thoughts and dreams.
The book is truly gruesome because the torture described is excessively violent and must be the result of what has to be an incredibly depraved mind. The narrative reveals the decadence and corruption of the times, (the time is 1793), as well as the extent of the poverty and the bizarre and cruel punishments of the times. The people seemed to be filled with a blood lust and the inequality of the class divide was a catalyst for revolution and death. During this time, Marie Antoinette was beheaded.
The extensive misery suffered by the citizenry seems to have reached a boiling point and the capacity for compassion was often lost while the capacity for barbaric behavior increased. The anti-Semitism of the day was introduced with characters that portray the stereotype of the cold-hearted, moneylending Jew. If you were not part of the royal scene, you lived from hand to mouth and often were practically forced to behave unethically and amorally. Human life was devalued. Women, especially, were powerless and often subjected to unfair punishments for behavior forced upon them. Desperation grew and with it, the atmosphere in society grew darker and more dangerous.
The double entendre in the meaning of the words watchman and wolf is subtly introduced throughout the pages and the impact of the varied definitions effects the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the book, even with its painfully, monstrous descriptions of the times and the people. What is a wolf? What is a watchman? What purpose do they serve? As the characters lives are developed slowly, and yet, in great detail, the reader is tantalized with questions of who they are and what purpose they serve in the novel. In the end, it is all revealed.
So even though it was a difficult read, the value of the book for me, was in its creativity, its structure and its language. There really was not even one wasted word or phrase, so I am glad I stuck with the novel. It sure held my interest once I was able to tolerate the brutality.
The audio book was read exceptionally well by the narrators as they did not get in the way of the book, but rather read it with appropriate tone and emphasis, presenting each character appropriately.
So, in conclusion, it took me a long time to finally finish this book. I found it to be a powerful novel, which was difficult to read because of the violence and excessive brutality described in such graphic detail. I wondered what kind of a person could imagine such sadistic behavior. Yet, it was one of the most creatively crafted books I have read in ages, and it didn't seem to be designed to brainwash the reader as so many books are designed to do today, in the current political climate. The author used words so effectively, that I was placed in the setting, experiencing the moment with the characters, and that perhaps is why it was so difficult to read. Still, it captured my complete attention and encouraged me to do some research on the times to see if the history was true to form, and that, to me, is a great and important reason for reading a book.
If it encourages learning, it is more meaningful to me.
Show Less
Awards
Language
Original language
English