27. The Quarry by Johan Theorin translated by Marlaine Delargy

Category: 50 Books

I was so excited to get this book because Johan Theorin is one of my favorite authors. This is the third book in the Öland quartet. In this one springtime has arrived on the small island and with it new people in the village. As with his previous books there are lots of characters, each with a story and somehow the author manages to twist them all together to create a surprising and satisfying ending.

The A story dealt with the Mörner family. Per Mörner moves to the small village in the spring in hopes it will do his children good, one of whom is very sick. Eventually Per’s father moves in with him because someone tried to kill him and he’s had a stroke and can’t talk very much and this is the action story.

The B story is about Vendela, a nervous lady married to Max,  a douche bag, basically. On the one hand you don’t like Vendela because she’s kind of crazy and pathetic, but on the other hand you kind of feel for her because she’s very unhappy and her husband is a douche.

The C story is that Gerlof has left the assisted living place and has come back to the island to live out the last of his days at his old home. I love Gerlof.

D story? Trolls and elves.

“What?” you ask.
“Go with it,” I say.

As in the other books in this series, Theorin uses the landscape to create a moody story of loneliness, desolation, and ultimately hope. Usually springtime seems fresh and full of hope, but this spring seems to be heavy with secrets, and the island is a great isolated place for those secrets to bloom into really compelling mysteries, pushing all of the characters to breaking points.

It’s so well written. He takes your from story to story to flashback back to story occasionally adding in some supernatural questions and superstitions. The mixing in of the folklore of the elves and trolls really added an uncanny feeling to the whole book. SO GOOD.

 

 
Five Roxy heads means you should put this book in your face!

 

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