Stephanie Jane reviewed Girl Without Skin by Charlotte Barslund
Dark nordic noir
4 stars
I was excited to read a second novel set in Greenland, the previous one being Crimson by Niviaq Korneliussen, because I know very little about this isolated country. Nordbo brings its troubled communities vividly to life and manages to naturally include issues such as attitudes to Danish colonialism and the problems the Inuit people faced as a result of abrupt changes to their traditional lifestyles. At one point characters discuss people leaving apartment windows open regardless of the weather outside because they are used to plenty of fresh airflow. Modern-styled apartment blocks are designed to exclude draughts but the future inhabitants' preferences weren't taken into account when the housing was built for them so now derelict buildings seem to be an all too common feature of town landscapes. Throughout reading The Girl Without Skin I was reminded of Native American peoples forced onto reservations and there seem to me to …
I was excited to read a second novel set in Greenland, the previous one being Crimson by Niviaq Korneliussen, because I know very little about this isolated country. Nordbo brings its troubled communities vividly to life and manages to naturally include issues such as attitudes to Danish colonialism and the problems the Inuit people faced as a result of abrupt changes to their traditional lifestyles. At one point characters discuss people leaving apartment windows open regardless of the weather outside because they are used to plenty of fresh airflow. Modern-styled apartment blocks are designed to exclude draughts but the future inhabitants' preferences weren't taken into account when the housing was built for them so now derelict buildings seem to be an all too common feature of town landscapes. Throughout reading The Girl Without Skin I was reminded of Native American peoples forced onto reservations and there seem to me to be remarkable similarities between their original free nomadic lifestyles and the problems of alcoholism, depression and abuse experienced as a result of that freedom being harshly curtailed.
At its heart however The Girl Without Skin is an exciting crime thriller. Its blend of detection and social commentary reminded me of the classic Sjowall and Wahloo novels, but this one is far more grisly in its crimes and owes more than a nod to the Stieg Larsson trilogy! I enjoyed following the dual timeline mystery especially when Nordbo uses aspects such as the foul ever-changing weather to create a tense and foreboding atmosphere. Not mentioned in the synopsis is a potential trigger warning for child abuse. I thought this part of the storyline was handled quite sensitively although I was a little irritated that, despite the title and the frequent protestations about improving the lot of Greenlandic women and girls, this novel felt to be all about the men. Women are portrayed mostly as victims or their roles are overshadowed by men's actions. Aside from this, I appreciated the intricacies of Nordbo's plot and the resolution is satisfying. If you're a fan of Nordic Noir, The Girl Without Skin is a must-read!