A little dark and macabre but otherwise a light optimistic mystery with a superb heroine

books:


	• Last Rituals: An Icelandic Novel of Secret Symbols, Medieval Witchcraft, and Modern Murder Yrsa Sigurdardottir William Morrow, 2007 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 15 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great First Novel

I think this is a exceptional first novel. I particularly liked the witchcraft elements in it. There are a few sections that could use a little smoothing out, but I like this as much as anything I've read in the genre in the last year. I have high hopes for this novelist, though I worry that with multiple authors (Many very good) working the same territory (Iceland) that over time, the homogeneous nature of Icelandic society may lead to a number of overly similar novels. But that's a worry for the future. Right now, this is a great way to spend a night (I stayed up to finish it)or two.

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A little dark and macabre but otherwise a light optimistic mystery with a superb heroine

A book that starts with a mutilated corpse whose eyes have been cut off might be expected to be dark, twisted, and macabre. But in this case, while intriguingly dark, Yrsa Sigurdardottir's book is actually an entertaining lighter type of mystery with a heroine who is just as refreshing as say Elizabeth Peters' Vicky Bliss or PD James' Cordelia Gray. Thora Gudmundsdôttir is a lawyer and single mother who agrees to look into the recent death of a young history student who is heir to a German banking fortune. His mutilated corpse and the research he was working on point to his involvement in cult-like activities dealing with sorcery and black magic. While the premise is not entirely original, the deft way in which Sigurdardottir handles the dark subject matter seen through the pragmatic and honest eyes of Thora is the best part about this novel. An enjoyable and entertaining read for a relaxing weekend.

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Last Rituals is Iceland at its best -

I enjoyed this book greatly. I have been to Iceland, and this was like a revisit...the long worded language and the naming of people after their parents first name! The book was very well done, with just enough weird witchcraft and puzzlements to keep you turning the pages. Kept me interested right to the end, which was satisfying.

More Educational Than Action Packed

Icelandic lawyer, Thóra Gudmundsdottir is puzzled when German resident, Amelia Guntlieb, wants to hire her to find out who really murdered her son, Harald. The Guntlieb family believes the police arrested the wrong man, and because Harald was studying at a university in Reykjavík, where Thóra lives, they ask her to look into the matter. Thóra doubts she find evidence to change events, but since she needs the Guntlieb's generous fee, she agrees to investigate. Sent to assist her, is the family's representative Matthew, a stoic, condescending man. But as Thóra delves into Harald's somewhat disturbing life, she comes to appreciate Matthew's presence.

The development of this relationship is one of the book's positive aspects, but I had problems with Yrsa Sigurdardóttir's debut mystery, LAST RITUALS. First, there's little emotion throughout most of the book. Other than doing a good job, nothing's at stake for Thóra. No threats, no violence, and little action. Interviews, some leg work, and document reading makes the novel's pacing painfully slow in places. For instance, sixteen pages show Thóra reading a report about Harald's life. Granted, Harald's life was odd and he was working on a comparison of witch hunts in Iceland and Germany (plenty of historical detail is provided), but the novel was easy to put down in a number of places.

Another problem is that Thóra's voice is so intellectual and formal much of time that it was tough to warm up to the character. The long, carefully articulated inner monologue didn't sound natural, even for a smart lawyer. This book was translated so who knows if this was the author's style or a translation issue? The same applies to the use of clichés like "barrel of laughs" or "for all the tea in China".

On the upside, we see more emotion from Thóra with her children in a tense subplot. Also, the main plot is intriguing and the identity of the killer surprised me, but then I rarely guess the killer's identity. There weren't many descriptions of Iceland, but the few I read were great, and I'd love to read more stories set in this country.

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More like 4 1/2 stars....

Harald Guntlieb has been brutally murdered and a friend of his is accused of the crime. The family isn't satisifed with the investigation, however, and requests the services of Thora Gudmundsdottir, a local attorney. Matthew Reich is already working on the investigation but needs help navigating through the country as Iceland is completely foreign to him. Their investigation is going to take them along a bizarre and twisted path, a path into the history of Iceland's involvement in witchcraft, sorcery, and even torture.

The depth of history on Iceland and its association with witchcraft is simply fascinating. I'm unfamiliar with any of the history but the author presents it in an interesting manner. The details are often gory and the murder, along with the physical appearance of Harald prior to his death, is rather gruesome. Please be forewarned that this is an intense, even bizarre story at times. That is not to say that it isn't good, as it definitely is!

Thora is an intriguing character. The story focuses primarily on the investigation, but the glimpses into her personal life offer a portrait of a loving and caring mother. The contrast between the two mothers, Thora and Amelia Guntlieb, is startling. Thora's interactions with her son provide a much needed positive note to counterbalance the darkness that is portrayed in LAST RITUALS. I loved the way Yrsa Sigurdardottir made some very subtle but important statements about family, particularly in the midst of dysfunction.

LAST RITUALS is clearly not a tale that will appeal to all. The grisly details alone will discourage some readers. The style is very unique as this book has more the feel of literature than your typical thriller. LAST RITUALS is an intense read, but one easily worth reading.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

The spellbinding debut and international sensation being published in thirty countries featuring Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, a smart, sexy lawyer and investigator whose hunt for a modern murderer points to a very odd?and evil?chapter in Iceland's past

After the body of a young German student?with his eyes cut out and strange symbols carved into his chest?is discovered at a university in Reykjavík, the police waste no time in making an arrest. The victim's family isn't convinced they have the right man, however, so they ask Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, attorney and single mother of two, to investigate. The fee is considerable?more than enough to make things a bit easier for the struggling lawyer and her children.

It's not long before Thóra and Matthew Reich, her new associate, discover something unusual about the deceased student: He had been obsessed with the country's grisly history of torture, execution, and witch hunts?a topic made all the more peculiar by the fact that unlike witch hunts in other countries, those in Iceland had targeted men . . . not women.

As Thóra and Matthew dig deeper, they make the connection between long-bygone customs and the student's murder. But the shadow of dark traditions conceals secrets in both the past and the present, and the investigators soon realize that nothing is as it seems . . . and that no one can be trusted.

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