Den mørke gade (The Dark Street) by Kristen Ahlburg
WARNING: This review contains spoilers.
One night, after walking home from a discotheque Lars gets jumped by three drunk hooligans (one has short hair and a leather jacket, one is tall with a nose ring and one has a ponytail and an earring), who not only punch and kick him, but also stab him! In the neck!
Clinging to his life, Lars lies in the hospital enjoying socialized healthcare, not for a moment considering how much his treatment might cost. He has two loving parents, a best bud named Jacob and a girl, Mette, he’s crushing on.
Although Mette is his love interest, she looks so forgettable he’s constantly meeting her and wondering where he might know her from. Luckily she forgives him every time he asks her “where do I know you from?” After all, she changed her clothes, so that’s understandable… (NOT)
I have to admit, I wasn’t really into this book. There was no drama. We knew who attacked Lars, and I never really worried about him dying. There was a mention of another guy being attacked and two other hooligans being apprehended. Which had me worried about the deteriorating fabric of Danish society. But at least none of them had guns and no one died.
The criminals did get rather lenient sentences (the guy with the ponytail got 30 days probation, the one with the short hair got three months and only the tall guy who did the stabbing got one year in prison). Both Lars and his parents commented on how the system had failed them.
Lars may never feel safe to walk alone on a dark street ever again.
- Number of words I had to look up: 105
- Would I recommend this book to a friend?: Nah
Post-Amerikan 