'I Remember You' by Yrsa Sigur ardottir is a chilling and atmospheric ghost story set in an isolated village in the Icelandic Wesfjords. The book follows two parallel plotlines involving troubled characters grappling with guilt and sadness, as they are haunted by supernatural occurrences. The narrative builds tension and suspense gradually, culminating in a bone-chilling conclusion that merges the two storylines seamlessly. The author's writing style is described as dark, foreboding, and threatening, with a focus on creating genuinely terrifying scenes reminiscent of Steven King's work.

Characters:

The characters exhibit realistic flaws, evoking mixed feelings among readers. They are complex and troubled, contributing to the story's emotional depth.

Writing/Prose:

The author's prose is accessible yet dense, using polished writing to enhance the story's atmosphere and suspense through cliffhanger chapter endings.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative intertwines two plots: a haunting experienced by a group of friends renovating a house and a psychiatrist's search for his missing son, leading to eerie revelations.

Setting:

The setting is a crucial aspect of the story, depicting a remote Icelandic village that amplifies the haunting atmosphere and themes of isolation.

Pacing:

While the pacing can be perceived as slow, particularly in the buildup, it ultimately leads to a gripping and engaging climax.

“I don’t know who could have done this, but I doubt it was kids or teenagers. Although it’s certainly possible.” Freyr stuck his hands in his pockets and stared at the destruction in front of him once...

Notes:

The book is set in a remote village in the Icelandic Westfjords.

It follows a group of friends renovating a house while experiencing supernatural events.

There are two intertwining narratives in the story.

A psychiatrist, Freyr, is investigating a disturbing case connected to his missing son.

The story builds suspense with cliffhangers at the end of chapters.

Characters often make illogical decisions typical of horror genre tropes.

The atmosphere is described as chilling, with a heavy sense of isolation and foreboding.

The writing is described as polished and readable, despite more exposition than dialogue.

Many readers found it effective as a ghost story and recommended it for late-night reading.

The supernatural elements are not fully explained, enhancing the eerie experience.

Several reviewers noted a need for tighter editing to address pacing issues.

The ending leaves some loose queries, suggesting a potential for sequels or further investigation.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The content warnings for the book include themes of grief, suicide, mental illness, and supernatural horror, which may be distressing for some readers.

From The Publisher:

International superstar Yrsa Sigurdardottir has captivated the attention of readers around the world with her mystery series featuring attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir. Now, with I Remember You, Yrsa will stun readers once again with this out-of-this-world ghost story that will leave you shivering.

In an isolated village in the Icelandic Westfjords, three friends set to work renovating a rundown house. But soon, they realize they are not as alone as they thought. Something wants them to leave, and it's making its presence felt. Meanwhile, in a town across the fjord, a young doctor investigating the suicide of an elderly woman discovers that she was obsessed with his vanished son. When the two stories collide, the terrifying truth is uncovered.

In the vein of Stephen King and John Ajvide Lindqvist, this horrifying thriller, partly based on a true story, is the scariest novel yet from Yrsa Sigurdardottir, who has taken the international crime fiction world by storm.

I Remember You won the Icelandic Crime Fiction Award and also was nominated for The Glass Key Award.

Ratings (6)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (4)
Liked It (1)

Reader Stats (17):

Read It (6)
Want To Read (9)
Did Not Finish (2)

2 comment(s)

greane726

Loved It

3 months

Equal parts Stephen King, Susan Hill's "The Woman in Black", and Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw." Fast and enjoyable read and definitely itely kept me thinking about it long after I was finished (mainly late at night just as I was trying to fall asleep) but not a lot of new material here. The story is choppily paced (suuuuuuuuper slow and then FASTFASTFAST) and the constant cliff-hanger chapter endings got a little melodramatic (I kept waiting for the "dun-dun-duuuuunnnnn!") but overall I enjoyed it enough to recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good spine next tingling novel and/or mystery.

df7sum404

Loved It

5 months

Unnerving ghost story in creepy Iceland setting.

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About the Author:

YRSA SIGURDARDÓTTIR (pronounced UR-suh SIG-ur-dar-daughter) lives with her family in Reykjavík; she is also a director of one of Iceland's largest engineering firms. Her work is found on bestseller lists all over the world, and films are currently in production for several of her books. Her titles include, The Day is Dark and Ashes to Dust.

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I Remember You

Yrsa Sigurðardóttir