Review: Cockroaches

Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cockroaches is the second of Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole series. I wasn’t crazy about the first book, but I heard many good things about the series and decided to continue. In fact, I have often heard the first two books are the least popular, and I’m determined to work through them both so that I can get to what is considered the good stuff before I make my decision about the series. If, however, the improvement between book one and book two is an indication of how things will continue to improve, then I’m sure I will come to really enjoy this series.

You see, I enjoyed Cockroaches a lot more than I enjoyed The Bat. It may not be the strongest four-star rating I have ever given, but it was certainly a much more enjoyable read than the prior book.

In the prior book I was disappointed by how many of the characters felt like crime novel clichés – the main characters and the side characters both. Although I felt like some of the side characters were a bit cliched, I enjoyed the main character a lot more in this one. Harry Hole still felt a little bit like a textbook cop, but there was more to him in this one than in the prior book. Basically, I enjoyed Harry Hole’s character a lot more in this book.

What I enjoyed more than the character growth, however, was the storyline. The storyline in the first book interested me, but I felt as though it didn’t move at a rate which I enjoyed. Cockroaches had an even more interesting storyline, and it kept me turning pages. I was intrigued by what would come next, I was curious as to how everything would come together, and I had a lot of fun with all the elements that were added.

In other words, Cockroaches is worth the read. If you’re a fan of the Harry Hole series and have yet to dive into the early books, then certainly do. If you were left a little bit unsure by the first book, then this second book will leave you a lot more willing to give the Harry Hole series a read.

Overall, I’m a lot more interested in continuing the series now I have read and enjoyed this second book.

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