The Kingdom is a standalone novel, following two brothers from a small town. One leaves town, and returns with great plans in mind for how to revitalize it, while the other has spent his whole life there. With the return of the one brother and his plans for the town, old history is brought up, including unexplained deaths.

Normally, I love Nesbo. I’ve not found one that’s been less than five stars before this, which was disappointing. While The Kingdom wasn’t a bad book, it didn’t feel up to Nesbo's usual standards.
I found The Kingdom to be fairly predictable. Small town brothers, unexplained deaths, attractive new wife. All of these things have been done before, and there wasn’t anything new or surprising to be found in this one. While there were some twists and turns, they still felt like things we’ve all seen before if we’re read a similar book. This didn’t make it bad, it just didn’t make it excellent like I was hoping.

My other issue with The Kingdom was the length. For there to be nothing overly surprising in what happens, it felt like this book dragged on much too long for what it was. It started to feel repetitive just when we should have been getting excited about the different reveals. But as each new reveal became apparent, I found myself checking how many pages were left, thinking that it had to be almost done.

I think other readers would still get a lot of enjoyment out of this book, especially if it’s not a trope they’ve read a lot of before - but if you’ve read a book about small towns, brothers with problems, and unexplained deaths, I think you might find you’ve seen a lot of this before and to not set your expectations too high.

This is the first Jo Nesbo book that I have read. I had previously looked at his Harry Hole series but it didn’t seem like it was for me, however I was intrigued when I read about The Kingdom. It is a long book that delves deep into the character development of Roy and Carl who are brothers that have secrets. Roy, the eldest brother, had always tried to look after Carl during their turbulent teenage years. Once Carl became an adult, he headed off to the United States and ultimately ended up in Canada where he apparently was very successful, therefore, Roy is extremely surprised when Carl comes home for good and brings his new architect wife with him. Of course, where Carl goes, trouble follows.

I went into the book not knowing a lot about the story and I’m glad that I did. Jo Nesbo did a wonderful job with the development of these characters and while at times the book did seem to move slowly, the author was continually providing us information about the characters that we needed to know in order to be able to understand what made these people tick.

I loved this book and have thought about it often since I finished it a week ago. 5 stars/5

This example of Nordic Noir is written by the creator of the Harry Hole series, but this book is very different. It is a crime novel but it is also very much a family drama focusing on the bond between brothers.

When he is 15 years old, Roy Opgard is told by his father that he must always look after his younger brother Carl: “’You and me, we’re alike, Roy. We’re tougher than people like Mum and Carl. So we have to look after them. Always. . . . We’re family. We’ve got each other and nobody else. Friends, sweethearts, neighbours, the locals, the state. All that’s an illusion, it’s not worth a candle the day something really matters. Then it’s us against them, Roy. Us against absolutely everybody else.’” Roy takes seriously the responsibility to protect his brother, especially after they are orphaned. Carl gets into trouble and Roy rushes in to help and clean up the mess. Once Carl leaves for North America, Roy focuses on managing a gas station in the small village of Os and living a quiet life on the mountain farm his father called The Kingdom. Then, 15 years later, Carl returns with Shannon, his architect wife. The two have big plans to build a mountain resort, though the sketchy financing plan necessitates the involvement of virtually every villager. It quickly becomes clear that Roy will have to revert to his role as protector: “I suspected the reason for this sudden and unannounced homecoming was . . . [that] he needed his big brother’s help.” More than once, Roy is faced with having to decide how much he is willing to do to help Carl.

Almost from the beginning it is obvious that both boys suffered trauma in their childhoods, trauma which has had a lasting emotional impact. Of course, this trauma has been kept a secret from everyone, though it seems some people in the village have suspicions. Even the reader is initially kept in the dark as to exactly what happened. However, when that first secret is revealed, it emerges that there are other secrets - in fact, layers of secrets and lies. At times, the number of secrets becomes almost overwhelming.

The two brothers are foil characters. Roy, the narrator, is an introvert and loner; his ambition is to own his own service station. He has a strong sense of duty, and his love for and loyalty to his brother are obvious; he feels he has incurred a debt to his brother which “I was going to have to go on paying until I died.” Carl is the extrovert, a social charmer. He dreams on a large scale, though his impulsive nature often gets him into trouble. The two work together when necessary, but Roy begins to mistrust his brother when he learns that Carl is not always completely truthful and forthcoming. There is also underlying jealousy; Roy admits, “’I’ve been jealous [of Carl] since I was five years old.’” The complexity of the relationship between the two creates suspense. We know Roy doesn’t fully trust Carl, but does Carl completely trust his brother?

This is a lengthy novel and it starts slowly. Then the pace picks up and the reader will be breathing quickly because of the many twists and turns: “Almost nothing is impossible. It’s just a question of time, and then everything happens.” Unfortunately, I did find myself shaking my head in disbelief after a while because there’s “a pile of wrecked cars and corpses that just grew and grew.”

The book does urge readers to consider what they would do to protect family. Roy and Carl’s father says, “’It is the ability not to take the path of least resistance but the path of highest morality that separates humans from animals’” but suggests that they may have to be collateral damage, “unintentional fatalities, but necessary” in a war endangering family. Shannon points out, “’morality as a motivating force is overrated in us humans. . . . We shape morality so that it suits our purposes when we feel our group is under threat. Family vendettas and genocides throughout history are not the work of monsters but of human beings like us who believed they were acting in a way that was morally correct.’” She admits, “’I love the ones I love and do what I have to in order to protect them. Even if that means doing bad things.’” Would you?

This dark and atmospheric novel has interesting characters with both internal and external conflicts. Once tension begins, there’s little lessening. It engages the reader in questions of morality and responsibility for and loyalty to family. The amount of betrayal, obsession and violence stretches credibility but would work well in an action-packed film adaptation.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

'o Nesbo is a best-selling Norwegian mystery author known for his 'Detective Harry Hole' series and many stand alone novels. This new release is a stand alone and although it is classified as a mystery, it is not a 'who done it' in the traditional sense. Instead we are introduced to two brothers from a dysfunctional family. Roy has always lived in the small mountain town and has grown up to be a mechanic and manages a petrol station. His younger brother Carl left to study in the USA and then work in Canada. He has now returned home with a wife and a business scheme to build a mountain spa resort and have the whole town invest in it. Roy has always protected his brother and just how far he is willing to go to do so is gradually revealed, but his growing attraction to his brother's wife is proving a challenge in his feelings for his brother. This book has violence and examines the bonds between brothers. In addition to fans of the author it is a good recommendation for readers who want a little more 'meaty' story and are okay with dark themes. It reminded me of works by Dennis Lehane.

Nordic noir is a distinct sub-genre to the thriller trope and is my ultimate favourite reading genre!

The Kingdom is one of my most anticipated fiction reads this fall from Knopf and Penguin Random House. I am incredibly thankful to have recently received Nesbø’s newest via digital ARC and have immediately shifted my TBR’s accordingly so I could dive right in!

For those new to Nesbø, he is a multi-award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author many times over. Nesbø is a master of mystery, suspense, and police procedural thrillers that are dark, gritty and steeped in Nordic culture, thus being dubbed Nordic noir. The Kingdom is a standalone novel about brothers Roy and Carl whose life was spent running from the horror of their childhoods only to be drawn back in requiring them to face their demons.

There were pieces that fell a touch flat for me such as the repetitive use of demise for peoples undoing. And the narrative could have been tightened without risk to losing anything from the plot or character development. I was very impressed by the depth of the character development, there were so many unlikable and unreliable characters that all came together to form a town full of seedy people and a community rooted in secrets. The dark and gritty feel of the story was paired with complex and intricate plot themes. Readers should be prepared for such. triggers like gender-based violence, sexual abuse and trauma.

Thank you to Knopf, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Kingdom follows two brothers, Carl and Roy Opgard, as they attempt to bring prosperity to their sleepy Norwegian town.  But at what cost?  Carl and his new wife Shannon, have a great idea – construct a picturesque hotel on the beautiful mountainside overlooking the village – but their financing plan and the two brothers' troubled past may prevent future success.  Can Carl and Roy keep their history buried or will the ghosts of their bygone times return to haunt them?

I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Jo Nesbo is an author I have little experience with when you consider the breadth of his work.  I’ve read a few of his stand-alone novels as well as the first two books in his acclaimed Harry Hole series and while I wasn’t particularly blown away, his new novel THE KINGDOM, is far and away the best of his work I’ve yet to read.

This book gripped me from start to finish.  Roy, the narrator and main protagonist, was a truly compelling character.  It’s going to sound strange when you consider how both the character and the story eventually unfolds, but I saw a lot of myself in Roy.  The way in which Nesbo wrote him as being socially awkward as well as deeply introverted allowed me to relate to Roy’s story on a whole other level.

Nesbo structures the book in such a way that reminded me of Gillian Flynn’s GONE GIRL.  There isn’t a massive twist on the level of Flynn’s critically acclaimed novel, but in the sense that there’s a heavily guarded secret at bay.  Nesbo kept me guessing on which way an integral part of the brothers’ past would unfold.  At times, this had me racing to get to where he would finally shine a light on the guilty party.  That is to say, this is a hell of a page-turner.

There’s just no setting quite like the cold, unforgiving winters of Scandinavia, is there?  The rough environment and punishing weather helped to shape the townsfolk with tough exteriors and cynical attitudes.  Many of the novel’s more brutal moments are juxtaposed against freezing temperatures and unyielding darkness.  The violence burrowed under my skin looking for somewhere warm to hide out and stick with me between sittings.

Jo Nesbo’s The Kingdom is a book worthy of your attention as we all settle in and hunker down for a long winter ahead.  This is the kind of story just begging for a film adaptation and with the right cast and director, this could be a big one not unlike David Fincher’s crack at The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Maybe I’ll start digging into Nesbo’s extensive catalog.

FYI - I’m not one to usually offer up content warnings within my reviews, but this story does deal heavily with childhood sexual abuse and if you’re not one who can stomach that, it might be best to give this one a pass.

Jo Nesbo's The Kingdom is on sale November 10th, 2020

This latest meaty and twisty standalone bring us to a remote Norwegian village where our attention will be centered on the complex relationship between two brothers, Roy and Carl Opgard. It opens when 15 year old Carl mortally wounds the family dog and his brother puts the animal out of its misery and cleans up the mess.

Then

Very slowly Mr. Nesbo methodically peels away the secrets surrounding the brothers’ backstory and gradually frog leaps into Carl and Roy’s relations with their neighbours. The simmering and complex story gives us unexpected violent twists when slippery Carl plans to reinvigorate the town...and inevitably gruesome secrets emerge and the ever growing body count mounts.

Although this story is more concerned with sibling rivalry, family secrets, young love and the winter blues...we still find a lot of conniving going on... so, why am I left hot and cold about “The Kingdom”. It simple: too slow moving, too convoluted, too many clichés and quite boring for too long. This story could have been said within 400 pages. It was a challenge to stay on top of this story but ¾ into it when things took an about turn more intensity and intrigue injected into the story I stayed glued and could not put the last pages down wanting so much to see how this saga would end....Oh boy what an open ending...One a final note this story provides us with amazing characterization and a superb narration but having said this I was left slightly disappointed with this one.