The Last Snow by Stina Jackson #bookreview #blogtour @RandomTTours @CorvusBooks

On my blog today I’m taking part in the blog tour for The Last Snow by Stina Jackson. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

BLURB

What secrets are hidden within the walls of a desolate farmhouse in a forgotten corner of Lapland?

Early spring has its icy grip on Ödesmark, a small village in northernmost Sweden, abandoned by many of its inhabitants. But Liv Björnlund never left. She lives in a derelict house together with her teenage son, Simon, and her ageing father, Vidar. They make for a peculiar family, and Liv knows that they are cause for gossip among their few remaining neighbours.

Just why has Liv stayed by her domineering father’s side all these years? And is it true that Vidar is sitting on a small fortune? His questionable business decisions have made him many enemies over the years, and in Ödesmark everyone knows everyone, and no one ever forgets.

Now someone wants back what is rightfully theirs. And they will stop at nothing to get it, no matter who stands in their way…

MY THOUGHTS

The Last Snow by Stina Jackson is a haunting, and a very written crime novel. It is about family, and what we are prepared to do to protect those who we love. It is also set in a very remote part of the world, a desolate, forgotten corner of Lapland, which provides a stunning landscape. The setting also makes this a very atmospheric read.

I would describe this book as more of a slow-burner, although the writing is very immersive. The characters kept me engaged as the book progressed, and they have a lot of depth. I found the flashback scenes, which go back to 1998 and the early 200s very chilling. I wanted to know what connection they had to the main events which were taking place in the present.

Two brothers, Liam and Gabriel, are asked to break into a house and rob another character called Vidar. Vidar and his family have been the subject of a lot of gossip among the locals. This has been going on for years. There’s talk about how rich Vidar is, and how he is extremely tight. There is one person who is keen to get his hands on something Vidar owes him. I wanted to know why this person wanted to target Vidar. Why couldn’t they go and speak to him themselves? Why did they have to employ two young men, to do their dirty work?

The characters on the page come to life, especially Liv and the two brothers Liam and Gabriel. Their ambitions and their hopes for the future come through very well in the writing. The character who I really cared about was Liv. You get the feeling that she is trapped in the house where she lives with her father. She wants to escape and make a better life for herself elsewhere, but something is holding her back. I wanted to know what possible reason she could have for wanting to stay with her father when he makes her feel miserable.

The story did take me some time to get into it, but I found the writing utterly addictive once I did. I would say that The Last Snow is definitely a character driven novel. Stina Jackson delves into their thoughts and feelings, making them feel very real.

This is the first novel I have read by Stina Jackson, and I am keen to read more of her work. If you’re a fan of the Nordic Noir genre, you definitely should check this book out.

Publisher: Corvus

Publication date: 4th February 2021

Print length: 384 pages

The Last Snow is available to buy:

Amazon UK Waterstones

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