A bit conveluted in the middle but cute although predictable ending. ( )

Actual rating: 2.5/5

I love Jonas Jonasson's books, and [b:The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared|36578942|The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (The Hundred-Year-Old Man, #1)|Jonas Jonasson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1510447566l/36578942._SY75_.jpg|10365993] remains one of my all-time favourite books. When I heard we were getting a new Jonasson book, I was beyond excited and more than ready for another wild ride filled with his trademark witty humour, sharp social commentary and surreal situations. Unfortunately, Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd didn't quite deliver for me.

For starters, I had major issues with the pacing. The entire first half of the book moved way too slowly as we got a detailed backstory for every character. I would have appreciated this if it served to deliver fuller, more well-rounded characters (even if they were still Jonasson's usual eccentric brand), but sadly most of them remained quite flat throughout. Victor, the villain, his ex-wife Jenny and his son Kevin were prime examples of this: despite very detailed backstories, I still felt like there wasn't much to these characters. This was particularly disappointing in Victor's case, who had huge potential for further exploration and the sharp satire that Jonasson usually handles so well.

The book picked up considerably in the second half, and especially when Ole Mbatian, a Massai medicine man who has never left his small village whose chief still refuses to use electricity, travels to Stockholm to find his adopted son Kevin. Ole stole all the scenes he was in and his exchanges with the police inspector were hilarious - pretty much what I expected from the whole novel. I also enjoyed learning something about Irma Stern, an artist I knew nothing about but whose work I'll definitely be checking out more after reading this book.

Overall, this was an entertaining read despite its issues, and my disappointment in it might have stemmed more from my high expectations than anything else. A comedy of errors that missed the mark for me, but still good enough to pass a few hours.

For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

Eigentlich geht es erst einmal gar nicht um einen Massai, sondern in zweiter Linie um einen rechtsnationalen, rassistischen und zugleich moralabstinenten schwedischen Kunsthändler (wider willen), für den Kunst vor allem Mittel zum Zweck ist, reich zu werden. Eine Prostituierte bringt eines Tages ihren und seinen Sohn Kevin zu ihm, den er nach dessen 18. Geburtstag nach Kenia bringt, um ihn dort auszusetzen und von wilden Tieren umbringen zu lassen.

Der Geschichte Aufhänger liegt darin, dass dieser Mord nicht gelingt. Kevin wird gerettet und Ziehsohn eines Massai-Medizinmannes. Und kommt irgendwann nach Schweden zurück, mit zwei Gemälden im Gepäck, die solchen von Irma Stern spektakulär ähneln. In erster, vorrangiger Linie möchte Jonas Jonasson an diese südafrikanische und jüdische Künstlerin erinnern, die in der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts gelebt hat.

Zeitweilig habe ich gelacht. Manchmal war mir der Humor zu bemüht. Vor allem aber finde ich, dass Jonasson das ironische Spiel mit den Stereotypen nicht überzeugend gelingt. Zwar finde ich nicht, dass ihm die Gestalt des Massai-Medizinmannes Ole Mbatian zur Witzfigur geraten wäre, wie es ihm die harschesten Rezensionen vorwerfen; dazu scheint er mir insgesamt zu weltgewandt, offen und klug. Trotzdem zeichnet Jonasson eine problematische Karikatur der Massai-Kultur, die auf mich eher dümmlich-affirmativ wirkt und nicht geeignet, zum Nachdenken über Alltagsstereotype anzuregen. ( )

Simpatico, divertente ma, più di tutto, sorprendente, un libro del tutto inaspettato che mi ha stupito e divertito molto.
Una trama ricca di vicende e avvenimenti con costanti ribaltamenti di situazioni, tanti personaggi e tutti con una loro storia personale che, via via, diventa corale, tutti ben delineati e caratterizzati tanto da creare un gruppo eterogeneo ma, al tempo stesso, affine e del tutto complementare.
La scrittura è fluida e coinvolgente, la storia arguta, ironica e con quel plus di paradossale che la rende estremamente godibile e piacevole.
Insomma, un libro di puro e piacevolissimo relax che mi ha tanto divertito e mi è molto piaciuto e che mi invoglia a leggere anche gli altri di questo autore. ( )

Another unusual story set across two continents and two countries. If you like Jonas Jonasson's other novels you will like this one too. He skillfully brings together a few divergent story lines into a funny and entertaining novel. ( )