Book Review of "The Snowman"

When a book's title advertises that the author is "the next Stieg Larsson" you don't really bother to read the back flap to see what the book is about.. you just pick it up and move along. Given that I'd already heard about the book from a friend of mine who loves to read (and write.. I've posted about her own blog here) and highly recommended the book, it made my decision only that much easier. I got through James Patterson's "10th Anniversary" in around 2 days (which I haven't reviewed yet) and started on Jo Nesbo's book and couldn't wait for another fast paced thriller to have me completely absorbed.

So let me tell you a little bit of of the story- A little boy wakes up to find his mother missing with no clues relating to her disappearance expect for a snowman in the garden with his Mother's scarf wrapped around it's neck. Spooky stuff eh? And the rest of the book does not disappoint! The story revolves around detective Harry Hole who puts pieces of the puzzle together to figure out what on earth is going on. To figure that out for yourself, you're going to have to read the book. Get ready for unexpected plot twists and a whole lot of turn arounds in the story line. The book in fact is the 7th to be published in the Harry Hole series and only the 5th by the Norwegian authour to be translated into English.

So yes, the book is intriguing and interesting and absorbing, and yes you'll have enough to keep you on your toes. But to compare this book with any  of the Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, etc) is quite premature and inaccurate. Larsson is a brilliant storyteller whose story lines are backed up with incredibly real characters and an astounding level of research that shows through every page in his books. The Snowman is a great read, but be sure to manage your expectations while going in, or you MIGHT just be disappointed by comparing the two authors. Dive in without any expectations (or better yet, not knowing who Stieg Larsson is) and you might have found yourself the perfect summer read you were looking for.. albeit one that might end too soon 'coz you couldn't put it down. Consider this- the book has sold around 2 Million copies in Norway, which to put into perspective, has a population of 5 Million. Surely the fans are raving about something?
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