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Sep 19, 2015TRNaus rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Jo Nesbø spins a tale that is more (and less) than it appears. It is a much shorter story than I expected -- think novella rather than novel. Olav is a "fixer" for the Oslo underworld, but his most recent contract proves to be his most dangerous. The anti-hero is a surprisingly complicated and relate-able character. He portrays himself simple-minded with little formal education, yet I found myself laughing at how much he knows through his eclectic reading (and how often he downplays it). His philosophical musings are a product of his troubled upbringing, brutal occupation and shaky confidence with interpersonal relationships. The real beauty of the book, however, is the methodical building of a multi-layered story around how Olav sees the world and how he wishes to see the world. It becomes a struggle to distinguish between reality and fantasy in his carefully crafted world of deception, violence and love.