Once again I’m linking up again with Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea who hosts a post every Tuesday for people to share the first chapter / paragraph of the book they are reading, or thinking of reading soon. In really enjoy these tasters when I read them on other blogs so wanted to join in.
This week, I’m reading the oldest book on my Kindle (part of a personal challenge I wrote about here). I’m a little way in and not sure how I feel. I normally love Nordic Noir, which this is, but it’s also very long and very wordy…we’ll see I guess. Here’s what it’s about…
How could one man inspire such hatred?
Professor Lars Helland is found at his desk with his tongue lying in his lap. A violent fit has caused him to bite through it in his death throes. A sad but simple end. Until the autopsy results come through.
The true cause of his death – the slow, systematic and terrible destruction of a man – leaves the police at a loss. And when a second member of Helland’s department disappears, their attention turns to a postgraduate student named Anna. She’s a single mother, angry with the world, desperate to finish her degree. Would she really jeopardise everything by killing her supervisor?
As the police investigate the most brutal and calculated case they’ve ever known, Anna must fight her own demons, prove her innocence and avoid becoming the killer’s next victim.
And here’s how it starts…
Solnhofen, Southern Germany, 5 April 1877
Anna Bella Nor was dreaming she had unearthed Archaeopteryx, the earliest and most primitive bird known. The excavation was in its sixth week, a fine layer of soil had long since embedded itself into everyone’s faces and the mood had hit rock bottom. Friedemann von Molsen, the leader of the excavation, was the only one still in high spirits. Every morning when Anna staggered out of her tent, sleepy and shivering in the cold, von Molsen would be sitting by the fire, drinking coffee; the congealed porridge in the pot proving he had cooked and eaten his breakfast long ago. Anna was fed up with porridge, fed up with dirt, fed up with kneeling on the ground that only revealed bones that were, of course, interesting in their own right, but were too young to be the reason she studied biology, and most definitely not the reason she was spending six weeks of her precious summer holiday living in such miserable conditions. The year was 1877 and, at this point in her dream, Anna got the distinct feeling that something didn’t add up. She was wearing her quilted army jacket and thick furry boots with rubber soles, but Friedemann von Molsen didn’t seem the least surprised, even though he was wearing a three-piece corduroy suit with a pocket watch, a woolly cap, which rested on his ears, and had a pipe in his mouth.
What do you think? Would you keep reading?
Emma
One Readers Thoughts 
I’m not sure about the book, but definitely need that personal challenge!!
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No I’m at odds with myself. But I really want to finish it so I’m cracking on!
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Not too sure about this one, Emma – but I hope you thoroughly enjoy it.
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Me neither!
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I suspect that this one is not for me, but I am definitely curious, too. Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
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No, I’m not sure it’s for me either as I slowly make my way through but I’m determined to read it,
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Oh gosh, wordy is right. I too should take this personal challenge.
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And over 500 pages…I feel it might be a battle!
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It sounds interesting so I hope it gets better for you. 🙂
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Me too!
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Not sure I’d read more but, I do hope that you like it.
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No I’m not convinced myself yet either 😜
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It’s a definite yes from me and well done for tackling those old purchases Emma – I’m slowly (very slowly) reading some of my older reads too.
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The guilt was too much 😀 I blame Amazon completely.
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I’m curious about this one. I like the sound of the blurb but it’s definitely on the wordy side. I’ll wait for your review of it and see what you think before making my decision!
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It really is wordy…I am waiting for something to click.
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Hope it clicks for you. I am afraid to see how long I’ve had a book on my Kindle.
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Slowly but surely it is. I love my kindle but not for the amount of books it has me buy…I don’t think I will ever read them all *sigh*
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I’m with the minority here – I rather like the sound of this one. I definitely want to keep reading, at least a couple of chapters to start. Good luck with your challenge, Emma.
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I think the blurb sounds good but the language is wordy. It is growing on me but it’s a slow start!
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[…] Tuesday I introduced my latest read, The Dinosaur Feather by Sissel-Jo Gazan, which has sat on my kindle longer than any other book I own (for more on that see here). […]
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If I had just read the blurb, then a resounding YES! But… after reading the first paragraph, I think I’ll have to reconsider. How are you finding it? Do you think it is just a case of having the translation not coming off smoothly?
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I know what you mean – it’s why I bought it and why I put it down first time. I found it loooong and still haven’t found the energy to write the review.
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