The Bat by Jo Nesbø | Review

OFFICIAL SUMMARY | GOODREADS

HARRY IS OUT OF HIS DEPTH.

Detective Harry Hole is meant to keep out of trouble. A young Norwegian girl taking a gap year in Sydney has been murdered, and Harry has been sent to Australia to assist in any way he can.

HE’S NOT SUPPOSED TO GET TOO INVOLVED.

When the team unearths a string of unsolved murders and disappearances, nothing will stop Harry from finding out the truth. The hunt for a serial killer is on, but the murderer will talk only to Harry.

HE MIGHT JUST BE THE NEXT VICTIM.

“I have an idea for Harry’s life, for what is going to happen to him. Harry’s near future looks bleak. After that it’s getting even worse. And after that everything is going to hell”
From Jo Nesbø interview, January 2010

This is the major reason I’m rating the first book with 3.5 stars. The second reason, equally important, is the connection that I had with the main character from the very first page. Harry Hole, pronounced as Hoo-leh, is a young innocent guy, with good intentions, even if sometimes he behaves in irrational patterns. In other words, when he faces impediments which he cannot control he falls under the influence of alcohol. This decision automatically activates a domino effect and things coming to fall apart.

“The human soul was a deep, dark forest and all decisions are made alone”
–The Bat

He is determined that he can do nothing to transfigure the unfortunate events that keep haunting him and therefore he resort to beverage not to comfort himself as he might believe but mostly to punish himself for the past he cannot change, for the lies he had to tell, for the love he had lost.

The first installment in the Harry Hole series, “The Bat”, provides the readers with background information of Harry’s life. It gives some very significant insights into the emotions, the inner world and a past that made him a person he is now. It was a little bit slow with many information about the Aboriginals in Australia, but it didn’t destroyed the main purpose of the author, to introduce us this young, impulsive cop who came to investigate the murder of his compatriot. Moreover, the fact that he gets involved with a potential witness proves again his young age and inexperience, a detail that pictures him as an innocent guy with a sombre past and a darkness that everyone hides inside.

Moving on, I appreciate the author’s boldness and the moments where he isn’t intimidated to cauterize his main character.

“A sudden, uncontrollable fury rose in him, and he cast around for something to smash. He snatched the whiskey bottle from the table and was about to launch it at the wall, but changed his mind at the last moment. Lifelong training in self-control, he thought, opening the bottle and putting it to his mouth.”
– The Bat

In addition, I have to acknowledge the aboriginal myths which Nesbø has incorporated into this novel. It was very enlightening and frustrating at the same time since everyone had to tell his myth to Harry to give him a clue about who the murderer might be.

In the first chapters Hole states that: “You’re a tiny bit damaged every time you unravel another murder case”, something that works as a prophecy to the development of his personality in the next stories, and connects with the statement of Jo Nesbø himself, who prepares a hell ride for his hero. Forthwith, the first case of Harry Hole, functions as a very good baseline for the next stories and I’m eager to dive into them in order to travel with him through his intimidating life’s path.

I can’t wait for it!

What do you want people?

I have this dark side inside me, I never denied it.

Jeffrey Keeten

Noeleen

Jon Kurtz

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