Reading Log: August

There's definitely a theme to my reading this month - whereas I often have a book or two on Swedish, this time it's more than half the list! This is what happens when I get excited for my holiday, and feel that I need to justify the large number of books I will inevitably want to buy while I'm there.

I Haven't Been Entirely Honest with You by Miranda Hart

Lots to think about, having read this. It's not the autobiography I was expecting, but is rather pop-psychology-meets-self-help-book. Don't let that put you off - it's well worth a read if you're struggling with chronic illness, fatigue or other such condition. Miranda shares her own experience of living with this, and the things that have helped her find a way through it, offering them to the reader (My Dear Reader Chum, as she addresses them throughout) for their own use as appropriate.

Saker min son behöver veta om världen by Fredrick Backman

I reread this before giving the English copy (Things my Son Needs to Know About the World) to a friend who's recently had a son. It's a light-hearted and humourous look at parenthood, in Backman's self-deprecating style.

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

I'm not entirely sure what I make of this one - an original idea, nicely worked out, but somehow the writing style didn't quite grab me. It's a good story, is well told, and kept me guessing right up to the reveal, so I think it's just a 'me' issue. I'm undecided as to whether I'll get the next one...

Mord under solen: ett fall på Capri by Anders & Annette de la Motte

I think this is one my dad picked up for me in Sweden - it looked very much like My Sort Of Thing - and I was absolutely right! I've read a couple of whodunits by Anders de la Motte, but this is the first I've read that he's co-authored with his wife. A group of Scandinavian tourists are on holiday in Capri when a body is discovered with a brochure from their tour company. When the tour guide and one of the guests decide to investigate they discover that everyone has their own secrets...

This was intended as my bedtime reading, but I've enjoyed it so much I've actually read over 75% of it in the past two days! Nothing shockingly new, but nicely written and well crafted. I'll definitely pick up the next one when I'm in Sweden in the not-too-distant future.

Straff by Ann-Helén Laestadius

You know that feeling when you finish a book which makes a big impression on you, and you need to just stop and breathe for a bit before you pick up the next thing you want to read? That's where I am right now. This is the second in the Sami trilogy, after Stöld [Stolen], and tells the stories of five Sami children who are forced to attend the 'nomad' school, for children of reindeer herders. Sami language and culture are forbidden, and the children are forced to learn and speak only Swedish. Their experiences at school have life-long effects, and also have an impact on both previous and following generations. The book moves between the 1950s and the 1980s, highlighting the damage done to family and cultural relationships, as well as the bonds which can be forged in such situations.

Incredibly moving - difficult to read at times because of the cruelty of the treatment of the children, but beautifully written. 10/10 recommend.

The Frozen River by James Crowden

James Crowden spent the winter of 1976-77 with the Zangskari people in the Himalayas, learning about their way of life and the way silence and solitude are deeply ingrained in their life and religion. Part of his time was spent on the journey down the frozen Zanghskar river, with the butter traders - a journey fraught with danger from avalanches or melting ice. Here, he reflects on this winter experience, the hospitality of those who he lived alongside, and the challenges of such a life.

Den frusna polisen by Christina Olséni & Micke Hansen

This is the first in a new series of whodunnits by this pair, set in Ystad in southern Sweden. By a strange set of circumstance, Frank Moberg finds the body of his dead colleague stored in a freezer out in the countryside. The surprising thing isn't that the colleague is dead, but rather that he isn't buried in his grave in Ystad. When it becomes apparent that he was murdered, and the investigation into his 'suicide' was somewhat lacking, Frank isn't sure who he can trust to help him find the truth. Especially as someone out there seems to be willing to go to any lengths to keep it hidden.

I enjoy the characters which these writers develop, as much as the stories themselves. there are always some I like, and some who infuriate me utterly - and it's that variety which keeps it all interesting. There's a lovely lightness in their writing, too, with gentle humour and kindness running through the books.

A good start to a new series - book 2 is definitely on my list.

Silvervägen by Stina Jackson

The description of this as a psychological thriller concerned me slightly, as I usually keep to the cosy side of crime writing, but I wanted to read this as it's set in a part of Sweden that I know and love.

Lelle has been searching for his teenage daughter ever since she disappeared without trace one morning three years ago. When another girl disappears, the similarities between the cases drive him to even more efforts. Meja has had to move up to Norrland with her mum, Silje, but struggles to find her place. Will she manage to settle and discover where she fits in, or will she always be on the outside?

Well crafted; I found it compelling and didn't want to stop reading it. I would definitely look for other books by this author, following this debut.

Editing to add my purchased book this month - I can only remember the one, so might have managed to be that restrained…

Alla variationer av rätt by Camilla Olsson