Perhaps it's an age thing, but I'm increasingly nostalgic about detectives of the past who... who didn't have a personal life.) Think of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Nero Wolfe, Father Brown, to name a few. They were vivid personalities, memorable, unrepeatable, and yet we didn't have to painfully follow the twists and turns of their private lives.
Jo Nesbø is a bestselling Norwegian author and musician. He was born in Oslo and grew up in Molde. Nesbø graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics with a degree in economics. Nesbø is primarily famous for his crime novels about Detective Harry Hole, but he is also the main vocals and songwriter for the Norwegian rock band Di Derre. In 2007 Nesbø also released his first children's book, Doktor Proktors Prompepulver.
Of course, I am well aware that in reality investigators and detectives, whether police officers, private citizens, or civilians in the middle of a criminal event, are human beings with many problems of their own. They may have toothaches (and many other things), they may have cheating husbands/wives, they may have money problems. Difficulties with bosses, conflicts with colleagues, divorce, sick relatives... And problems with children are an inexhaustible source. And they, after all, can be alcoholics or drug addicts! Well, why not... They're not living people, are they?
Probably, the author reasoned about this, and made the main character in a series of detective novels unsinkable and shrewd alcoholic Harry Hole. He is either "in the wings" or... - the other way around. But, of course, be sure to get to the bottom of the truth and bring to the truth of a homicidal maniac. Detective junkie, by the way, also available here. Probably, so as not to offend anyone.
No, I understand that anything can happen in life. And I have no doubt that the investigators are drug addicts or alcoholics in reality. Unfortunately. But their professional success raises some doubts. However, as far as I understand, from the author's point of view - alcoholism is not a hindrance. Maybe the author is right about something. It is not so rare that talented and intelligent people who are able to think outside the box suffer from this kind of addiction.
In any case, I personally wasn't too pleased to follow such a main character. While he was "in a bind" - yes, it was respectable, but it didn't last long for Harry Hole.
On the other hand, everything else in the novel was enjoyable. The plot is interesting, the location (Australia) is also interesting and colorful, and the myths of the Australian aborigines we were introduced to along the way personally pleased me. Although this is a matter of taste. Some people, on the contrary, like the main character and the myths are boring.
The denouement is unexpected, the murderer turned out to be someone I would never have suspected, so it's flawless from that angle. But I couldn't continue reading the series, and that's a pity. Tried to start the second novel, became convinced that Harry Hole's problems were still not the least of the narrative, and gave up. But I don't exclude that I'll try the famous "Snowman" from the same series someday.
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