Hans M Hirschi did it again. This is a wonderful story!
In an isolated mountain town in Norway, Haakon dreams of traveling the world, pursuing adventure, seeing great places, finding love.
"The Fallen Angels of Karnataka" is about Haakon who grew up in an isolated mountain town in Norway and I realised what this young boy's life was about.It was simple and free from traumas. He was loved, went to school and dreamt of travelling the world. He first travels to London with friends from university and that's when Haakon's life changes at a level he never envisaged. His next place of travel is France to be with his lover and the story evolves into something that touches a lot of social issues from the 1980s era. Many people who were adults in that time will remember the media frenzy and people's prejudice as well as compassion.
As a reader I felt like I was travelling with Haakon. The places he saw were so vivid in my head to the point I could almost smell the spices and feel the sun on my skin. Haakon even went to my country and I got to experience the wonders in my country through his eyes this time.
But Haakon's journey around the world is not only about the wonders of the world. It is about loss, love, despair, horror, grief and joy. Everything I read in this book felt real so I found myself in tears at times and another time sobbing my eyes out.
What fascinate me the most is how Hans Hirschi portrayed the characters in his story. They all look like an average person but each character has a unique side ranging from victim to a truly manipulative one with evil deeds and Haakon gets to meet them all and learns what life is about for some individuals. Haakon's innocence is almost endearing yet broke my heart just like it broke his heart too. I experienced his suspicions and horror at his discovery of what a human is capable of doing when it comes to evil deeds. I also come to experience his awe and determination to right the wrong.
This story is not about explicit sex or sizzling moments. It is not about fluffy romance. It is about joy, loss, horror, hurt, love and finally love and redemption.
The end of this story soothed the ache and the hurt in my heart over what happened to innocent children, and those who struggle in life.
This book requires concentration so that one does not miss the hints that the writer makes in the story throughout. There is a very subtle suspense which will be revealed to you later in the story. Do not miss this moment because it will rock you and shock you to your core. This story touches a lot of current issues so do not expect fluffy dialogue and ending. What I found at the end of this story is some happiness, resolution, justice, whilst knowing there are some awful things like this still happening in our lifetime. Haakon in this book showed me that despite loss, trauma and harsh realities of life, one can still move forward in life.
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2014
- Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2014
- Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2015
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- RalphReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2019
This is a book you should read
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