3.5 stars

This book is such a difficult one to rate or even explain, I couldn’t really tell you what it was about in a way that would sell it to you but I was absolutely captured by it. I found most of the characters very unlikable but was also completely gripped by this Nordic noir thriller. The setting of The Hurting is absolutely gorgeous and it definitely made me want to visit Scandinavia. The unease inside me just build and built until the feeling of dread was completely crashing over me. There is something subtly horrifying about this book and Lukas terrifies me.