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Feb 17, 2015booksphinx rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian author and musician. I'd never heard of him before I picked up this book - but boy, does this guy know how to write a compelling narrative. From the moment I opened this book, I struggled to put it down. I read it in the kitchen, I read it in the bathroom, I took it in my bag with me when I went shopping... I took it everywhere, just in case I had the time to read more of it. Sonny Lofthus is a heroin addict and professional fall-man for those who have the money to pay (and crimes to hide). As flawed as this protagonist is, he has something about him - an innocence, a gentleness that makes him seem almost holy compared to others around him. When he learns the secret of his past, Sonny escapes jail and plans to avenge those who wronged his family in the past. Sonny seems to have an affect on everyone he touches - for good or ill. Ultimately, he is a character I quickly warmed to and got emotionally invested in. The other characters in the story are well written. The world Nesbø describes teems with life and grit. A great underdog story, where a one-man David takes on the Goliath of the organized crime world, a fearsome and psychopathic villain called 'The Twin' who has teams of brutal men at his whim and disposal. I don't read a lot of adult fiction and I generally avoid the mystery/crime genre, but this was an incredible read. Definitely up for reading more of Nesbø's work in future.