Phantom by Jo Nesbø
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the last book in my project to read all the translated Harry Hole mysteries, and the author did not disappoint me. I read slowly at first to savor the craftsmanship of this novel and ended up with a 4 A.M. reading session because I urgently had to know if the author was taking this book to where I suspected he was going.
One savory part of the author’s craft I enjoy is the social commentary he includes, even in the thoughts of supporting characters. Here are two examples that I think extend beyond Norwegian culture to American culture.

What a country of lazy shits, with fucking hypocritical politicians claiming that people actually wanted to work if they could. Norwegians voted for the Socialist Party because it made it a human right to shirk their jobs, and who the hell wouldn't vote for a party that gave you three days off without a doctor's note, gave you carte blanche to sit at home and jerk off or go skiing or recover from a hangover? The Socialist Party knew, of course, what a perk this was, but still tried to appear responsible, preened themselves with their "trust in most people" and declared the right to malinger as some kind of social reform. The Progress Party was even more fucking infuriating, buying itself votes with tax cuts and hardly bothering to conceal the fact.

Everyone knew that fat had become the new cancer, yet they bellyached about the dieting hysteria and applauded the "real" women's body. As though doing no exercise and being overfed was some kind of sensible mold.

I recommend new readers start with The Redbreast and read the entire series.


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