Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Goodreads Summary: 
There could be two sides to Maja Norberg that shift silently like quicksand: the question is, which one do you believe?

Is Maja a normal 18-year-old, the poster girl next door, popular and excelling at her schoolwork, caught in the middle of a terrible tragedy? Or, is she the most reviled teenager in the country?

Either way, everyone knows her name. She has spent nine excruciating months in jail, awaiting trial for a mass murder that killed her boyfriend and her best friend, and now the time has come for her to enter the courtroom. What did she do? Or is it what she didn’t do that brought her here?

Is Maja a cold-blooded murderer or is she just a girl who has lost her way and, as a consequence, now lost the ones she loved?
Rating: 4 Stars
Review: 
How far would you go to save someone? Eighteen year old Maja Norberg's life was falling apart when it happened. Her life couldn't get any worse, but it did. Now she sits in a jail cell, awaiting a high profile trial. But is she really guilty of everything State Prosecutor Call-Me-Lena says she is?

I stumbled upon Quicksand by chance, but I'm glad I did, for this book needs to be read. Quicksand gives you deep insight into the Swedish criminal justice system. It also highlights how horrible people can be when they don't know the full story. The whole book screams about injustice, and I love that something which isn't mentioned nearly enough has a main feature in this book, but I hate that Maja's story could easily be real.

The characters are brutally honest representations of modern teenagers, and I enjoyed reading of their unique flaws. Maja is the main focus of the novel, her voice coming in the form of present day recounts and flashbacks. Other than her, Samir is my favourite character. I can't decide whether I hate him or love him, for he is perfect, except for his crucial flaw. Regardless, he adds so much to the story. Sebastian too is an intriguing character, though deeply tormented.

As you can probably tell, I like a lot about Quicksand, so this negative section will be short and sharp. The only thing I consistently disliked about the book were the long sections of important information. I couldn't deny that they were valuable to the story so I read them even though my speed reader self screamed at me to skip it. Perhaps if it was written in a more interesting way I would've enjoyed it more.

Quicksand is a critical perspective on crime which will be enjoyed by all fans of thrillers. It tells us of rich Swedes, injustices toward immigrants, and how the Swedish court is run. The teenagers are realistic and well developed, creating a sad, beautiful tale about what neglect can lead to. This is no ordinary Scandinavian crime novel, but something quite different.
Purchase Location: Borrowed From Library
Edition:
 Hardcover/Paperback
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Recommended for: Fans of Scandinavian thrillers.