REPTILE MEMOIRS by Silje Ulstein. I was intrigued by the premise of this book thinking it was going to be another wonderful conversation on motherhood and animal instincts. This was not that. Not only was it unnecessarily confusing it had nothing remarkable to say once I figured out wtf was going on. A poorly written, meandering, procedural that they shouldn’t have compared to Gillian Flynn or Tana French. No way! Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for this advanced copy! DNF at 30%

Can you ever really shed your skin? Mariam is about to find out. In this book, she loses her daughter and becomes a main suspect. But she's not the only one with a motive. The policeman, snake or brother could be responsible.
Told by several narrators in alternating timelines, this story is confusing in places. As the book's back cover states, there is much more to this case and these characters than their outer appearances would suggest. I wasn't always sure of the timeline or location. But the plot twists and red herrings made it fun to read.
Reptile Memoirs is also a story about love, friendship and loyalty along with trauma, secrets and rebirth.

I'm fascinated by all aspects of this book: the connection the characters have with the snake they own, the author's writing, etc. I also thought that each of the characters had compelling backstories and struggles. Split POV is difficult, and I think Ulstein pulled it off well.

When it comes to snakes, I’m like Indiana Jones. Outside of an interest in archeology, it is the only way in which I’m like Indiana Jones. But snakes…there’s a purely atavistic fear there. And so, I can’t possibly understand what sort of a person would want to have one for a pet, and this book certainly makes a strong argument against it. But other than having one’s confirmation bias confirmed, this book didn’t offer much. In fact, it was a mess.
I really did try liking it. Normally, I really like Scandinavian fiction, crime or otherwise. This stood out (or slithered by) as an exception.
It doesn’t even give you the courtesy of brevity, oh no, this is 400 pages of exhaustively and exhaustingly shifting perspectives all done in first person just to muddle things further. Not only are there enough characters to warrant a personae dramatis, but there are some duplicates i.e. same person different name. Plus, the perspectives don’t just shift from person to person, they also go from past to present and back.
Presumably, the idea here was to make the plot less predictable and more exciting, but instead it just comes across convoluted, not sinister-coiled like a pet python, but contrivedly-twisted like some wire in an abstract art installation.
Combined that with unlikable and not especially interesting characters and strange if not exactly slow pacing, and the result is confusing jumble of some horrific graphically depicted crimes, and terrible aftermaths. But then again, what’d you expect from people who thought snakes make good pets. Funnily enough, the snake is the only consistent and decent narrator in this entire mess of a story. Because you know, these are reptile memoirs, after all.
And so, while it’s all done in a thematically appropriate serpentine fashion, this book didn’t really work. Or didn’t really work for me, since it seems to have its fans. It had some interesting and even potentially clever twists, but the execution of them left a lot to be desired. User mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.

Um what did I just read? I think this is one you just have to read for yourself. Unfortunately it was just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

3.5 stars

Most of the story skips back and forth between two times - 2005 and 2017; and two places - Ålesund, Norway and Kristiansund, Norway.

In 2005, nursing student Liv is a damaged young woman, having grown up with a neglectful mother and an abusive brother. Liv refers to the woman who gave birth to her as 'the woman who calls herself my mother' and gets nauseous if she happens to glimpse her brother Patrick in the street. Thus Liv shuns her family and shares a basement apartment in Ålesund with two young men, Egil and Ingvar, who like bands, beer and parties.

One evening when Liv, Egil, and Ingvar are tipsy they decide to adopt a snake, and get a baby tiger python named Nero. Liv keeps Nero in her room and becomes obsessed with the snake. She allows Nero to sleep in her bed and hears him speak to her in his hissing language. Lest you think Liv is delusional, Nero narrates his own chapters, and says he hissed the words 'hunt' and 'food' to 'the warm woman' when he tired of eating carcasses. Liv proceeds to use sneaky means to obtain live food for Nero, such as 'adopting' a kitten for 'her grandmother.'

Egil and Ingvar's parties attract all sorts, and Liv meets a drug dealer named David - who wants to get it on with Liv; and an artist named Anita - who wants to paint Liv.

We see the outcome of all these relationships as the story unfolds.

*****

In 2017, Kristiansund resident Mariam Lind - who owns the healthcare company OptiHealth - takes her 11-year-old daughter Iben to the Storkaia shopping center mall to buy clothes for school. When Mariam refuses to purchase a zombie comic book for Iben, the girl runs out in a snit, and Mariam - assuming Iben ran home - goes for a long drive to calm her nerves. When Mariam finally gets home, her husband - politician Tor Lind - says Iben hasn't returned, and the police are called.

A politician's missing daughter is big news, splashed across television and the internet, and the case is assigned to Detective Roe Olsvik - who's especially sensitive because he lost his own daughter Kiddo. Roe, a recent transfer to the Kristiansund Police Department, is a reclusive man. He shuns company and is suffering through a surprise 60th birthday party thrown by his colleagues when he gets word of Iben's abduction.

Roe is immediately suspicious of Iben's parents, and - despite the misgivings of other detectives - seems reluctant to look elsewhere. Roe gets even more doubtful when Mariam takes off to do her own investigation, certain she knows who kidnapped her daughter.

Many secrets are revealed as the story unfolds, and I enjoyed the book, though it lost credibility (for me) toward the end. On the upside, this is an intriguing tale with a good cast of characters, and I especially like the Kristiansund detectives Ronja, Birte, and August, who help solve the case.

I'd recommend the book to thriller fans looking for something a bit different.

Thanks to Netgalley, Silje O. Ulstein, and Grove Atlantic Press for a copy of the book.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Reptile Memoirs by Silje Ulstein is a Norwegian police thriller that will appeal to fans of Stieg Larsson and Gillian Flynn. The story is told from multiple perspectives: including Liv, who has adopted a pet snake, Mariam, whose daughter has disappeared, and Roe, a police detective investigating the case. Interspersed between these chapters from human characters are "Reptile Memoirs," short chapters from the perspective of Liv's snake. It's creepy and also an interesting stylistic choice to have a non-human narrator.

Here is a chilling excerpt from the opening chapter, which is from Liv's perspective:

"He lay in my arms, barely a metre long and still just a little baby. He lifted his head, supporting himself against my arm and turning his shining eyes in my direction. Perhaps he was trying to understand what I was. Whether I was prey or a potential enemy. His split tongue vibrated lightly in the air, and he moved slowly up along my chest, towards my throat. Once there, he stopped, half of him suspended in the air, his stony dead eyes on mine. I looked straight into his narrow pupils, into a gaze that was completely steady, free of any impulse to blink. He seemed to be seeking some kind of connection, despite the impossibility of communication between us."

Overall, Reptile Memoirs is an interesting Norwegian thriller and police procedural. One highlight of this book are the chapters from Liv's snake's perspective. I thought this was a really unique addition to the typical plot of a police procedural. I did take off 1 star though, because I thought there was a lot of filler during the first half of the book. It did build the atmosphere, but I was hoping for more action. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!

Rounded up from 3.5 stars.

The slow beginning almost had me quitting "Reptile Memoirs," but I'm glad I didn't; once I became accustomed to the pacing and switching of narrators/time frames, this kept me intrigued, and there were several twists I didn't expect. Then again, the unexpected nature is in part because a few of the contrivances beggar belief. The book also falls prey to one of my pet peeves: Multiple narrators who all sound the same. Nonetheless, the story, the characters, and several of the set pieces stuck with me long after I'd completed reading, and I'm interested to read what Silje O. Ulstein comes up with next.

Thank you, NetGalley and Grove Atlantic, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A strange and twisty novel in translation. A mystery at its core, this novel hosts several characters and points of view (including that of a pet Python, which is referenced in the title). A bit convoluted in parts, but, overall, entertaining.

I found the narrative a little hard to follow but I didn't enjoy this book. It was clever and very visceral. Persevering definitely paid off.

Book Review of Reptile Memoirs by Silje O. Ulstein

One night while having a party in her basement Liv sees a nature show about pythons. From that night on she becomes obsessed with having one as a pet. When Liv and her roommates buy a snake and bring Nero home, Liv develops an extremely close bond with Nero.

Liv has a lot of secrets.

Thirteen years later Liv is in the grocery store arguing with her daughter about a magazine. Frustrated and mad she leaves her daughter in the store and goes home leaving Iben to walk the few blocks home. But Iben never comes home. Is she trying to teach her mother a lesson or did something bad happen to her?

This is definitely a unique read. It's told from 5 different POVs and the timeline moves around! In the beginning it was a little hard to keep track of all of the characters and I had to go back and reread a few chapters but after that it went pretty good! This is going to be one of those books that some people just aren't going to like and the others are going to love. It was a little disturbing at parts and having some of the story told from the point of view of the snake was a little weird! But overall I enjoyed the story! It stands out more because it is unique and well written! The character development also stands out for me, it's one of those books that focuses heavily on the character's actions and motives so you really get the chance to get to know them!

‘A biting and constantly shifting tale of family secrets, rebirth, and the legacy of trauma, Reptile Memoirs is a brilliant exploration of the cold-bloodedness of humanity, and the struggle to mend broken lives and families.”

I couldn't say it any better! Happy reading everyone!

Reptile Memoirs is a very unique book. This is a complex story of multiple timelines and viewpoints.
Initially the story takes place in Alesund, Norway in 2003. when roommates Liv, Egil and Ingvar get a python named Nero. In a separate timeline, in 2017 in Kristiansund, Norway, Mariam Lind argues with her daughter Iben over a magazine. Iben disappears following the fight and Mariam reacts by leaving the shopping center and going home. Also introduced also is close to retirement Chief Inspector Olsvik who heads the search for Iben.

I enjoyed it very much but would classify more mystery than thriller and it can be difficult to keep the storylines and characters straight. It isn't part of the Scandinavian Noir genre, in my opinion.

The complex characters really pay off in the end and best yet, Nero the snake has a POV included in the novel. If you like a slow burn mystery and enjoy multiple time lines and POV's this is a book for you! Thanks #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Silje Ulstein is a new author to me.
The embossed ‘blurb’ description could not be more accurate:
“A bestselling Norwegian debut …(already sold in thirteen territories), ‘Reptile Memoirs’ is a brilliantly twisty and unusual literary crime-thriller for fans of Gillian Flynn, Jo Nesbo, Kate Atkinson, and Tana French. asking the question:
….. can you ever really shed your skin?”

Silje Ulstein gives readers a sharply written - entertaining - clever - psychologically astute….literary-mystery-thriller that I had to read slowly in parts (re-reading the beginning chapters a couple of times), ……The storytelling is almost comical in parts - yet it’s quite dark in themes —(loneliness, shame, tabu longings, and frivolous behaviors) —
This entire novel is slithering endearing—as well as crime-curiosity-engrossing on the surface ….
But….
below the surface…..
it’s heavy content, caginess, and foresight — is more poignant than simply dry scaly skin.

With a literary ‘snake subplot’ …Ulstein dances between plausible and the absurd.
With tons of heart and spirit — [requires careful attention to dates, setting, time periods, cast of characters, and two storylines on the readers part], “Reptile Memoirs”, is a wild ride you don’t want to miss….
It offers a heartfelt and sincere investigation into the paradoxical nature of love, familial as well as romantic, crime, radiant quirky eccentrics, obsessions, interesting characters, loss, abuse, grief, and a mystery thriller intrigue - winningly surreal - and deeply perceptive.

Meet Nero…..snake-of-the-hour….[baby Burmese python]
…..and Liv (who loves Nero)
Liv says:
“I had never thought any living creature would be able to make me happy. Had believed that I would carry loneliness with me wherever I went. But last night, when I lay under the bed with Nero after he had whispered his first words to me, I felt a happiness spread through my veins, out into each finger and down through my feet, back to my heart and out again, as if I had found the way into my own body”.

Nero was no longer satisfied with a live mouse or a rat every now and then. He took them and swallowed them, but they didn’t satiate him.
He kept Liv awake at night… Drilling into her ears with his ancient voice. (Hunt)…
Nero was letting Liv know that he was furious - at HER - for not being fed enough.
WARNING….[letting the cat and puppy out of the bag here/spoiler]….
NERO WAS HUNGRY. Liv went looking for kittens and puppies to fed Nero.
So….’without’ graphic bloody details …. be warned….we learn that NERO will eat these bigger animals. —
Readers - who are very sensitive to the ‘thought’ of ‘snake-eat-kitten-and-dog …..can move on. (It’s one sentence in the ‘entire’ story).
There is no lingering embellishment. It’s over fast.

Generally speaking - we follow two time-lines - 14 years apart from each other….
with two completely different storylines- (tension will build toward a coming-together resolution and understanding conclusion)….but not before taking a dramatic bumpy whirl down the sleuth path and getting to know the unsavory characters.

For example:
…..In 2003…(in the town Alesund)….three main characters are flatmates.
Liv, Ingvar, and Egil. (Nero, our scaling snake is the 4th flatmate)….
We’ve a lot to learn about these characters and how they relate and intermingle with each other.

…..In 2017 ….(in the town of Kristiansund), Miriam Steinersen Lind (considered the trophy wife) and Tor Lind (considered polished politician), are married.
Tor is twenty years older than Miriam. Their teen daughter, Iben, is missing. (lots of mystery to unravel).
We’ve also a lot to learn about these characters, (this small family), and how ‘they’ — also relate and intermingle.

Roe Olsvik is the chief inspector (60 years old), assigned to the missing girl - Iben’s case. A painful tragedy from his past shadows him everywhere. But he’s an interesting guy in charge of this case.
The investigation, interviews, interrogations, clues,….keep us on our toes - ( the supporting investigation team are rocking powerhouses in their own right, too)
….Ronja Solskinn, and Shadid, are part of the investigation team. I liked them both.

….There are other characters ….David, Birte..etc..
….There is drinking, drug dealing, socializing, partying, infatuations, sexual attractions, an interesting murder weapon, investigation-dedication, lots of backstories, secrets, lies, betrayal, traumatized lives, protectiveness, forbidden love…..
All…..
making for….
a….
daunting and intoxicating novel

Kudos to the translator- Alison McCullough!!

Thank you Grove Atlantic, Netgalley, and Silje Ulstein

Reptile Memoirs by S. Ulstein, published by Grove Press NY,/ grove Atlantic.
RM is a twisty thriller, told in a multiple pov and to be honest it took me a minute to get into the story. Set in Norge tells it Liv's story, a storyline that spans many years.
A suspenseful debut full of twists and unexpected turns, a good read, 4 stars.

An ARC provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley

I'll admit I initially had a hard time getting into this book. The premise, a missing child, a cop with a murdered child, a women violated all seemed to lead to a page turner. And, indeed, it did turn out to be one once I was fully immersed in the story.

The three main characters (including the reptile) are represented in the book through dual timelines and multiple points of view. This was an ARC and also translated from the original language. I'm sure those factors contributed to my lack of connection in the first half. I do feel the translator did an excellent job.

I did really enjoy this book and it's many twists and turns. 4 Stars for Reptile Memoirs

Be careful who you allow to whisper in your ear............................

I'm not a great fan of the multiple timeline but I have to bow my head for this worked. Clapping for Ulstein here, for making this work because she made me forget my grumbling and initial confusion and just dive into the story where the changing timeline became natural and expected and just added another piece to the puzzle.

Also a clap to Ulstein for her choice of murder weapon, my first I think and that is an achievement let me tell you because I've read a bit of crime, now and then.

An ARC gently provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley

Special thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my own opinion.

Several times, I wanted to put this book down, or cheat and read the ending and get down to the mystery evolving. We are reading several POVs, like 4 and then the snake (reptile) in the story,, who had his own memoir to add. Two timelines as well. It was a bit confusing, but I eventually figured it out, it wasn't that hard to.

Lin, who purchases the snake as a baby feels a sexual attraction to it, specifically The muscles in the snake and how its is able to stand on end With it's own Body.. As the snake grows, It is no longer happy eating dead frozen mice And cooked chicken, so she has to find new and interesting ways of feeding it. So I wasn't too happy about the kittens and puppies she was purchasing, or adopting for a snake who's hissed and snapped at her and seemed to hate her, especially as it grew and when she put it up her dress at night and had sexual feelings toward it. She lived with two men who were constantly partying and wanted to bring her growing snake out for party tricks, but because of her sexual attraction to the snake, whom she never names, she wants to keep it unhappy alone in her room.

Fast forward 13 years later and there's Miriam and her daughter, Iben, who seem to be a whole different story within the book. Miriam doesn't feel real affection or love toward her daughter and leaves her at 11 yrs old in a shopping center because, even though she's a CEO, she will not buy her daughter a comic book because the women on the front are thin, busty zombies. They get into a fight and her mom leaves her there, assuming she got mad and left already. Mad at the world, mom goes on a 10 HR ride, thinking she wants to get away from her life, but when she returns home, she finds her daughter never made it there. Instantly, as her husband goes on a mission to find Iben, Miriam takes off, thinking she knows who has her.

This is where the two timelines and stories start to connect. It was a mystery, a little predictable and I don't think it was for me. 3 stars. Just because I stuck with it and some parts were definitely interesting.**********

I was lucky enough to win an advance reading copy of REPTILE MEMOIRS by Silje Ulstein from a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe and happy weekend!

400 pages

4 stars

This is a different book, I’ll give it that! It is about the search for self identity, obsession, pain, betrayal and simple survival. The two primary characters are Chief Inspector Roe Olsvik and a woman named Miriam.

Chief Inspector Roe Olsvik has just celebrated his sixtieth birthday. Roe has led a difficult life, to put it mildly. His daughter and granddaughter were murdered and the case was never solved. This led Roe to an obsession with the case and it has affected all areas of his life, including his job as a police inspector.

Roe has now landed the case of a missing child. Mariam and Tor are the missing eleven-year old Iben’s parents.

The reader is filled in on backstory through flashbacks.

Liv is a young woman who is living a hidden life with her two male roommates. Liv is also very obsessed with her pet snake, a Burmese python named Nero. This obsession manifests itself in very odd ways.

As the search goes forward, some strange facts come to light. I found myself saying, “Oh my!” several times. When it all came to light in the end, a feeling of completion came over me.

A tip of the hat to the translator of this book, Alison McCullough. A job well done.

I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for forwarding to me a copy of this interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.