“Comparisons with Stieg Larsson have been made, but Nesbo’s plots move quickly, carry more punch, and really do keep you guessing to the final page.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
When you read too many thrillers, it takes something extraordinary to rate it a perfect 5/5. Well, I can say safely that most of Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole thrillers will make that cut and ‘The Leopard’ is the best that I’ve come across(yet to read quite a few others).
The book cover is terrific (yes! It certainly matters) – the Black, white and Green color combination along with a snow covered, secluded cabin is just brilliantly apt. The ‘Norwegian to English’ translation by Don Bartlett is just seamless and ensures that nothing is lost in translation. The story telling is top notch and there’s never a dull moment throughout the 700+ pages(which may seem too long for a crime thriller at first glance). The characters are all well constructed, vividly described with proper background stories. But there is never a deviation from the central theme of the story for too long.
And ofcourse, he serves generous helpings of two of his ‘Jo Nesbo specialities’ – Anti Climaxes and I don’t know what’s the word for it – When he intentionally deceives the reader about the character he’s describing/conversing/doing things and then shows you light at the end of the tunnel(chapter).
I tried very hard to think of something that I didn’t like about this novel but there was nothing !
“DARK, FAST, INTENSE, PSYCHOLOGICAL – CRIME- THRILLER”
Now who doesn’t like that!
Reviewed by:
Aditya Singh
Added 10th April 2018
