I liked that each chapter was an alternate POV which really helped us learn who each character was and their thought process. As each chapter went on, I started to dislike each character more and more. I just overall didn’t really love this book, the story was eerie which I liked, but the characters were hard to connect with. I also felt like the ending ending way too fast, it felt so abrupt and I personally had to double check that I finished it.

I have a friend that obsesses over Ragnar Jonasson, so you know, my fear of missing out kicked in and I just had to see what this author was all about....

WHOA...

WHOA.....

Do I need to say it again?

WHOA!!!!!

I can not believe I had not come across a Ragnar Jonasson book before reading Outside but goodness gracious am I excited I did now!

This book is out of this world. I am completely at a loss for words and I am going to try my best to get my thoughts down on paper but all I know is my jaw is on the ground and it will remain there for quite some time.

Talk about a psychological thriller! Outside is jam packed with twists that will have you gasping ! This book just felt so real! I think that was what really had me going. I completely lost touch with reality and the fear that consumed me took over. I was lost within the pages and I did not want to be found.

With the very few words that I have, I will use them to just let you know this is a book you will regret missing out on if you do not take my advice and RUN to purchase this book.

Big thank you to Netgalley, Ragnar Jonasson and Minotaur Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this insane book! Now, I must be on my way to read Jonasson's entire previously published collection.

I loved Jonasson's "The Girl Who Died," but this book was not my cup of tea. I found the pacing too slow. The tension was not palpable, but kind of random. And, we didn't know enough about the characters' back stories until the very end, so the reader couldn't actively engage in the "mystery" part of the book. Finally, the ending was confusing and abrupt. I will read Jonasson again, but

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I’ve been seeing so many negative reviews on this book, but I honestly didn’t think it was that terrible. I had a fun time reading it and it had a very spooky atmosphere. The “thrill” isn’t that well present, however, I still had a great time reading it.

I love a good story set in Iceland, the premise of this one had me intrigued right away. It’s strange because you can feel the coldness with the writing. I enjoyed having four perspectives and trying to piece everything together. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, but I also didn’t dislike it. Overall, this was a very eerie story, I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to.

Let me first say that I have read and loved three novels by this author, the Hulda trilogy, which was brilliant. I was therefore quite excited to receive an early ARC copy of Outside to review. Unfortunately this fell somewhat flat for me.
The premise is that 4 friends go out into the Icelandic wild to do some outdoors activities, with the plan to stay in one of the little cabins (think rustic, no heat/electricity). They all have an agenda or secrets and have not been together for years following the tragic death of one of the friends boyfriend. He was found dead after being out in the cold and suffering hypothermia. His girlfriend cannot move on but this trip seems to be a new start. Clearly, things do not go according to plan and we aren’t sure who will survive.
I adore Jonasson’s development of the intense atmosphere depicting the cold, icy, snowy, and brutally unforgiving nature of Iceland in the winter. He is able to create a scene that feels realistic. He also uses a story from a past timeline that alternates with the current timeline. In this case allowing the back story as to how their friend died (commemorating the date of his death during this trip) and the present day events. He used a similar approach in the trilogy that I have already completed. I enjoyed the claustrophobic feeling of this story as well. I imagine a small and rustic cabin that is really tight for a group of friends who have been somewhat distant with each other.
So, my critiques. I didn’t like any of the characters. I may have approached this with a high expectation due to my love for his trilogy and the protagonist, Hulda. I felt like there were 4 friends who were all flawed and unlikeable, leaving me no one to root for. I can enjoy books that have this trope, but then the plot needs to carry the story. This plot was not as strong as I would have liked. I also felt like there was a lot of repetition in the description of the wilds of Iceland, literally scenes that could have been taken right out of his other books (if my memory is correct). If the story is going to recreate scenes and atmosphere exactly like a previous story, then the characters placed there need to have some redeeming qualities.
I thought that this was a standalone story but felt as though it could be taken further in future books. I would likely read anything following up this story but I would want a different approach.
If you want a nice cold story, then this one may be perfect for you. And if you like unlikeable characters, then this one is for you.

#Outside #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #Minotaur

Excellent atmosphere but short on connectivity.
Four friends agree to go on a reunion bird hunting trip in the Icelandic highland's only to be caught in a whiteout blizzard. When they finally reach a shelter there's an ominous surprise awaiting them. From here past secrets and accusations come to light that left me wondering why these four would ever go somewhere together.
The story is told from the pov's of the four characters and that gives insight into each of their thoughts and motivations but I felt there was something missing as did the way it ended. I guess I just couldn't connect with any of the characters and questioned their reasons for being there. The book is worth reading though for the atmosphere the author creates with his writing. You feel the bitter cold, isolation and claustrophobic setting. The tension is palpable. But all in all this one didn't meet the expectations I had for this author.

A happy reunion of old friends hiking in the highlands of Iceland in the winter….or NOT. They started out for a leisurely day of bird hunting, but ended up in a horrifying situation. What they discovered in that isolated cabin where they became stranded was shocking and terrifying. Not everyone would return, and those who did were never the same.
Don’t start this book if you only have a short time. I read it all in one sitting, on the edge of my chair. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a fast and gripping read with an astonishing ending.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it !
The setting of book made it extra interesting and the story pulled me in quickly .
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

I loved the writing. The characters were described extremely well and the relationships made sense. Unfortunately the ending was underwhelming and left too much to the imagination. I would read another work by this author, but I wish this one had some more closure

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Outside by Ragnar Jonasson from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

…the author takes you on a clever psychological journey.…

A reunion of four old friends turns deadly in this entry from one of Nordic Noir’s most popular authors Ragnar Jónasson.

While on a ptarmigan hunting trip in Iceland’s Eastern Highlands organized by former bad boy turned successful wilderness guide Armann. When Armann, his friends Daniel, Gunnlauger and Helena are caught in a brutal whiteout their lives turn upside down. In order to survive they break into a shelter to ride out the storm but are met with a menacing surprise. Told from four points of view it becomes apparent that there is more to this trip than meets the eye, murder, mayhem, and betrayal keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The cold desolate setting also adds an interesting twist to the emotional state of the characters. The characters are dynamic, well-written and realistic, however in my opinion not really likeable. Although the author takes you on a clever psychological journey my major disappointment is the build to a very flat, unfinished, unsatisfying ending.

Although I enjoyed the book for the most part but felt dissatisfied, I probably will read more from Ragnar Jonasson.

Hi, I would like to start this review off by saying; I absolutely love Ragnar and his writing. Let me repeat that, I LOVE Ragnar... Ok, soooo how did I feel about the Outside? Well, not great.. I don't know what it was about this one but I just really couldn't get into the story at all. I think if anyone but Ragnar wrote this, I probably would have DNF'd it.

It was a slow burn, but perhaps this time just alittle too slow? I hated every single character and I just didn't care for the plot.. I know Ragnar isn't about the big twists and turns and usually his are more subtle but I really just didn't feel anything. So for me, this was a ★★.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of Outside by Ragnar Jonasson. Thrillers are my favorite genre and I have found a new author to keep up with. I read this in an afternoon because I couldn't stop. So much going on and so much anticipation from the start that you just have to know what happens next. I like that it wasn't predictable what was going to happen. I kept being surprised throughout with the events and especially how they panned out. This is a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is full of lies, unresolved hardships from the past, unspoken feelings, and vengeful plotting!

I’m so sorry. I just can’t finish this book. I chose it because I recently finished an excellent thriller set in Iceland. But I’m afraid this author has just not made me care about his characters. In fact, I’ve been finding them rather boorish, and wonder what keeps them together as friends. One character speaks about admiring his friend, and in the next sentence hopes his friend’s business goes belly up. Several keep saying they think it was a mistake to come on the trip this novel centers around. Why did they come?
Generally, I only pick books I think I have a reasonable chance of liking or at least finishing. I do hope this author finds his audience. Perhaps it will appeal to an Icelandic audience who understand more clearly the situation and the motivations of the characters. I remain grateful to the author for giving me a chance, and apologize that I cannot follow through.

I didn’t care for the story, but I did like how the author spooled out the plot, revealing details a little at a time.

DNF @ 48%

I love a good cold weather thriller so I really thought this would be right up my alley. Perhaps some things got lost in translation, but the characters fell flat for me. There was not a single one I cared about. Also the pacing was too slow for my taste.

Thank you for the eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Outside by Ragnar Jónasson

What better way to celebrate #thrillerthursday than a Nordic noir review?! Note—Outside published this week!

Outside follows four friends as they hike in the Icelandic wilderness. When a sudden blizzard occurs, they take refuge in a cabin shelter. And then all hell breaks loose 😅

I really liked the constant switching of points of view. Each chapter was told from the perspective of one of the four friends. And the chapters were short. I FLEW through this book.

And I’m always a sucker for a good Icelandic setting. Who isn’t?!

However, I wasn’t really engaged with this one. I was expecting to be more “thrilled” than I was. It was slow paced for the most part.

Overall, it’s a good twist on a locked room tale, but felt a bit “meh” for me.

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the #gifted copy!

A fast paced read with unlikeable characters. Loved how it was an degree of your seat need to know what happens next type read. The ending was rather confusing.

From my blog: Always With a Book

I am a huge fan of Ragnar Jonasson’s books, having loved both his Dark Iceland and Hidden Iceland series. This is his second stand-alone book and let me just say, I love his writing…it is always so atmospheric and dark and this latest one is no exception.

Once again, we have a slow-burn of a read that is set in an isolated area that completely drips with tension and suspense – a trip involving a group of friends going off on an adventure that goes terribly wrong. This is one that is absolutely character-driven and if you aren’t a fan of that, you might not love this, but for me, it had hallmarks of my favorite kind of nordic noir – broody characters, lots of secrets, bad weather, and an isolated setting. The way the story is told, alternating from each of the characters’ points of view really helps to keep you on edge as we see that not all is as it seems. We know not everyone makes it back alive…the question is who survives and why?

I love that each character reveals only part of themselves, but as the story moves back and forth among the different characters, we start to see the bigger picture. This is a book that, while not very long, takes paying attention to put the clues together.

This book is cleverly structured, partly I think to grab you from the get-go and partly to add suspense and tension and keep you on edge. We know right from the start that something ominous has happened and then we backtrack a bit to lead up to that event. It really had me anxious trying to work out what was going on as the pieces started falling into place and when you add in the chilling atmosphere, which Jonasson just excels at in his writing, it just makes for such a tense, suspenseful read.

This might be my new favorite from this author and I cannot wait to see what comes next from him.

3.5
A snowy thriller to beat the midsummer heat! This was a quick read with short chapters and a cast of unlikeable characters. Unlike previous books I've read by Jonasson, this one moves at a fast clip and I found myself speed-reading to discover what was really going on.

Read this if you like:
-snowed-in thrillers
-old friends bound by secrets
-translated fiction
-books set in Iceland

Four old friends from college decide to go on a hunting trip together in remote eastern Iceland in November. One of the friends, Armann, has a successful tour company and knows the area well. He assures the others that the trip will be fun and he can navigate the area. But a sudden blizzard descends, leaving the foursome to scramble for shelter, and things quickly go offscript.

It was a little odd that everyone would agree to go on the trip, since these friends don't seem to like each other all that much. Armann, Helena, and Daniel all get on well enough, though they haven't seen Daniel in several years since he moved to London. But they are all united in their uneasiness with Gunnlauger, the hanger-on to their friend group who gives of strong creep vibes from the jump. Having a common enemy in the group explained some of the dynamic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Ragnar Jonasson is a new to me author. His latest release is Outside. What's it about? The tag lines on the cover say it all..."Four Friends. One Night. Not Everyone Will Survive."

Jonasson opens the book up with a prologue that will capture and hold the reader's attention. A storm, an isolated rescue hut - and something that shocks the four. He then takes us back to the day before and the who and why of the trip is detailed. The who is the important bit, as there are some dark undercurrents running through these friendships. Each of the four is given a voice and the reader becomes privy to their inner thoughts in the present as well as their past interactions. There are incidences from the past that are alluded to and the details are slowly doled out. And the masks of friendship starts to slip. Jonasson changes narrators at crucial moments, ensuring I stayed up reading 'just one more chapter."

If you like Scandi noir, you'll enjoy Outside. I liked the short span of time that the book is set in. In not even two short days, lives will be inexorably changed. Bad decisions are acted upon and the fallout increases with every choice made. The characters themselves are unlikable, each and every one. The cold of an Icelandic storm gave me goosebumps. I did find the ending abrupt, but on a second read of it, decided that it indeed fit.