The Bleeding set in Paris and Quebec – Johana Gustawsson
The Bleeding – Paris and Quebec
It’s always a treat to get a new book from Johana but this one…..OMG. Get this on your TBR pile now as it’s explosive, deliciously dark and gripping on every level.
I travelled from Belle Epoque Paris to Quebec with this one. Across the oceans and across the years. But it’s the three women in these pages, not just the locations, that really made the book memorable….
BookTrail the locations in The Bleeding
Boarding Pass Information : The Bleeding
Destination : Paris and Quebec
Author guide: Johana Gustawsson
Genre: Noir and macabre
Food and drink to accompany: Nothing – you might feel a bit sick
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BookTrail the locations in The Bleeding
A novel to transport you to Paris and Quebec
This is a novel about darkness and its multiple layers. We meet three very different women, separated by decades and oceans who share this darkness. They live under it, sleep in it, eat it and absorb in their daily lives. Three stories unfold and draw the reader into a gripping plot from the start. As soon as you start reading this, you’ll see it as something special.
I didn’t see how the stories were to going to link together at first. How were these women going to share the space on the page? Oh, but they do, Each woman is an ingredient and Johan Gustawsson is stirring up something good in a that huge black cauldron of hers…
So, what ingredients are in this dark concoction? Lashings of darkness and deceit. A supernatural twist and gothic overtones. Three stories and three women I didn’t see any link between at first. That’s the beauty of Johana’s writing. She manages to twist the best and worst from her characters in ways you will never guess. Johana digs deep and this time gives us some sharp shocks and some gripping plot diversions. I was enveloped in this reading cloak of darkness throughout – I could see nothing else but this book – and it was a gloriously immersive experience.
Murder, family, secret societies…….
BookTrail the locations in The Bleeding
There’s a murder and the investigating officer realises she has links to the suspect…..Macabre discoveries are made…..A woman loses both her daughters….The third, is bullied until she can stand it no more.
Now, what other author do you know who could take these three and carve a story from them. A story so strong and gripping that I was captivated from the start and the pace never let up. There were real moments where I felt chilled, where the story delved into the realm of the occult and more. I realised then how the author was showing us how women were judged by history and how they still are. All of the women in this story are driven by something strong yet they are judged and treated harshly.
Kudos to Johana for bringing a wonderfully complex tale and several historical periods to life. Congrats to the translator David Warriner for a chillingly good translation ( I have read the French and the nuances and shadows have been captured perfectly. The only thing I prefered about the French was the title. The English one is just a bit too gory and just reminds me of dripping blood and hospitals. That’s just me being squeamish perhaps. Forget the title, just head inside the covers….
What is to come next? I can’t wait.
BookTrail the locations in The Bleeding
Postcard details: Access The BookTrail’s Map of Locations and travel guide here
More books set in Paris
More Books set in Quebec
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Bleeding
Twitter: @JoGustawsson Web: www.johanagustawsson.com
