The Blue Place: A Novel (Aud Torvingen)

Griffith's usual excellent prose is harnessed to a story that's not really a traditional mystery, but is definitely a page-turner. Lots of physical action and emotional action, nicely blended. Griffith's always exploring some edge of whatever genre she writes--don't know why anyone would expect her to stay in sci-fi or to write a 'traditional' thriller or mystery. This book is completely different from Slow River, but every bit as evocative and haunting. Characters and environment, relationships and the effects of the choices we make--those are Griffith's strengths and they are certainly demonstrated once again in The Blue Place. If you want a cozy mystery, stick with Miss Marple. If you want a noir-character study in the general neighborhood of Vachss' Burke or Jane Whitefield (when she's having a really bad day) then this is a new alley for you to explore.

To say well written does not do Blue place justice. Nicola Griffith has given us a landmark book of prose. Her descriptions paint pictures, her characters live. Normally I skim books. I savoured this one. I am buying the hard cover so that Blue Place can be in my permanent library, a reference to how to write. I reccommend all of her books to everyone, but I save my unlimited praise for Blue Place. Enjoy it!

Nicola Griffith's novels are focusing more and more astutely on the struggle to separate from family, the transition described as eloquently by Gail Sheehy as by the new-age spokesentity Michael. Slow River deals immediately and instantaneously with these themes, presenting its POV character with a crisis that forces her to do this work years before she might normally be inclined to. The Blue Place shows us a more likely (if no more realistic) example of the transition. Aud Torvingen had a horribly alienated childhood, and has evolved into a grownup devoid of emotional awareness, revolving around her parents by means of a thorough-going denial of her vulernability. This material could be taken over the top, but Griffith handles it like the master she is. The book can be read simultaneously as high post-camp and a movingly realistic portrayal of the coping mechanisms of avoidance and obsession taken to extremes.Once the series plays itself out, I think we're going to look back on this book as a remarkably introduction to a character who is going to go down into her own private Hades, and then emerge smaller and wiser. I look forward to the insights that Griffith will offer. In the meantime, the book is enjoyable as character study, as travelogue, and as thriller. I highly recommend it.

Destined to become a classic of the genre. This is a rip-roaring, unputdownable, cracking page turner. A stunningly well paced narrative, building from a slow burn start to an ending that delivers a devastating blow.Aud Torvingen - 6ft Norwegian Uberbabe. Ex-cop, and now bodyguard, self-defence expert, freefall skydiver, master carpenter, glacier climber and top horticulturist to boot(!!). A lethal killer. Super-cool, confident and in control. But becomes fallible as soon as she falls in love with Julia Lyons-Bennet, the woman whom Aud has been hired by, to protect.This is a bitter-sweet love story, with a strong central character that you care deeply about. In Aud Torvingen, Nicola Griffith has created the quintessential Lesbian Icon. Intriguing, complex and believable.By the very nature of the genre you know a tragedy is just waiting to happen. And the bad guy is screamingly obvious. But this doesn't matter. It is the journey that counts.The narrative takes you to places you don't usually come across in this genre, and has a beautiful sence of time and place. Very evocative of the Norwegian landscape, mixing as it does myth and fable, the fjells, local cuisine, character and temperament.The novel itself is reminiscent of David Lindsey's 'Requiem for a Glass Heart' in it's central Lesbian relationship, breakneck narrative thrust and killer ending.Like all great novels 'The Blue Place' leaves you desperate for more. But how can any future installments ever hope to compare with such an astonishing and accomplished work - and one that is so obviously a one off.A pleasure to read this outstanding novel. Extremely Highly Recommended.