Jussi is a runaway Sami boy, escaping the abusive treatment of his alcoholic parents. He is found destitute by Laestadius who takes him home, cares for him, educates and encourages him to develop an interest in botany, and later, forensics. After several violent attacks on young women in their village, Laestadius is unhappy with the conclusions of the local police and attempts to solve the crime himself by collecting evidence with Jussi. It becomes more complex as things begin to unravel. The description is fantastic and really evocative. This is a fabulous, fictional murder investigation involving a real historical figure, the Swedish revivalist preacher, Lars Levi Laestadius. It prompted me to find out more about this pastor and botanist who I had not heard of before. A thoroughly intriguing story that kept me gripped. Thank you to Mikael Niemi, Net Galley and MacLehose Press, Quercus Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book and for the most part, it didn't disappoint. I absolutely adored the way that the reader is drawn in to the world that the characters inhabit. We can sense those midges swarming and biting and feel the wooden bowl that Jussi eats his porridge from. The way that the Pastor and Jussi explore what it means to communicate is an interesting reflection of how we view and value people according to both their and our positions in society.
I did find some of the narrative to be a bit muddled. I wasn't always sure who was speaking, that may have been intentional, but for me was a bit frustrating. I also felt that the unraveling of the mystery was unnecessarily convoluted whilst the actual ending was short and abrupt.

In his psychological crime mystery, told from a child’s view point, Niemi has created a convincing world of 19th century Sweden. He puts the lens on the community of Kengis village with the revivalist temperance preacher Lars Levi Laestadius and Jussi, the young abused and starved runaway Sami boy he saves and takes in. The preacher teaches Jussi botany and how to read and write. When a murder happens they try to solve it but get drawn into darkness and evil.

This is a highly original crime story that entertains but at the same time is dark and atmospheric. A unique story that will appeal to hard-core Scandi Noir readers.

My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐
Reviewed 13/10/2020, eARC courtesy of NetGalley

I really struggled to get into this book. I’ve seen a lot of other reviews that are really favourable, but I just couldn’t connect with it. The writing is atmospheric and thoughtful.

I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Set in Sweden it tells the story of a series of appalling crimes and their investigation by a priest and a Sami boy adopted and cared for by the priest. The police are involved but appear to apply only cursory methods of investigation. In comparison the priest is an early advocate of almost "forensic" science to try and solve the crimes. Along the way I noted some references to the "beauty" of books and of reading that are interesting but have nothing to do with the unfolding of the storyline.

The setting is unusual and the author sets the scene well both in its remoteness and its belief systems. The unfolding of the crimes is well done and the priests reasoning is clearly told. I don't think the chief suspects for the actual crimes are well hidden and the solution is easily identified by the reader. However the trial and eventual justice is I feel badly done - the ending truly awful. For me this is a book of two halves only one of them that really captured me reading mind.

I feel a 2 star rating is a little harsh and yet 3 somewhat generous - eventually i err on the side of generosity

An atmospheric, mystery tale set in the Northern Swedish forests of the 1850s

Jussi is a runaway Sami boy who was taken in as a child by the revivalist Preacher, Laestadius. Acting as Jussi’s mentor and father figure, the Preacher teaches him about the ways of the world, including spirituality, writing and his great passion, botany. When a young woman in their village goes missing, most of the villagers suspect a man-eating bear is on the loose, and the arrogant local constable offers a substantial reward for capturing it. However, the Preacher uses his cutting-edge forensic science skills to spot other subtle evidence that the maid’s killer may, in fact, be a man, and he and Jussi endeavour to track the murderer down using the clues. When another young girl is attacked, Jussi and the Preacher again suspect the same killer. As they race to discover who the attacker is before he strikes again, they may fail to notice the danger closing in on them, stoked by the enemies that the Preacher has made through his passionate and inciteful sermons, which among other things condemn the consumption of alcohol.

This was an unusual and fascinating story about a time and part of the world that I have never encountered before in a novel and, before reading this book, knew very little about. It is written mostly from the perspective of Jussi, a socially awkward loner who is isolated from his peers due to his poor social skills (born partly from an abusive childhood and life of poverty) and their deeply held suspicions about his ethnic background. The author creates an atmosphere incredibly well, and it was easy to imagine the cold, frost-covered forests of Sweden from his beautifully penned descriptions, as well as feel the hostility and fear of the villagers directed towards that which they don’t understand. The characters also felt incredibly vibrant and real, such that I both empathised with their suffering and felt sympathy and understanding of their complex flaws. The dark tone and tension is apparent throughout the novel and stayed with me long after I put the book down.

Whilst the main plot is a murder mystery slightly reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, the story is much more than that. It is also a coming-of-age tale, a philosophical musing on the meanings of good and evil, a twist-packed thriller of sorts and even a semi-factual historical account. I was surprised to discover the preacher Laestadius was, in fact, a real historical figure, which makes the book even more interesting. If that wasn’t enough, the story also touches on themes of racism, bigotry, women’s rights and the ongoing issues around science vs religion, making it a wide-reaching story that stays in your head long after finishing it.

There were a few things about this book that I disliked. I found the romantic subplot a bit creepy– whilst things were certainly different in 1852, in the 21st century a boy lusting after a woman he has never spoken to and referring to her as his ‘beloved’ is decidedly unacceptable. Although the author explains enough of Jussi’s awkward and isolated character for us to understand why he feels the way he does, it still made me slightly uncomfortable. However, it did play an important part in the story. Additionally, there are some quite violent sections which some readers may find unpleasant, and I found the ending very dark and depressing and wished things could have turned out differently for some of the characters.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely read more by this author. I would also definitely be interested in learning more about this period of Swedish history,

Daenerys

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

This is quite a unique book! At its core, this is a “whodunnit”, following a pastor and his young devotee as they search for the perpetrator of several murders in their village. But, it is also completely different to so many other crime dramas out there. The story takes place in the far north of Sweden in the 1850s and is made more intriguing by the fact that some of the characters are real historical figures. The scenes are incredibly descriptive, and the author gives a real sense of the time and place in which the novel is set. It touches on topics that I hadn’t expected to find, such as the beginnings of forensic science; the prejudice against the Sami people in rural Sweden at the time; and the religious revivalism that swept through such communities in this period. It was truly fascinating to learn more while being gripped by the story of a killer trying to pass off his crimes as bear attacks!

However, it was also incredibly grim and very graphic. Not just the scenes involving the murders, where a reader may expect some gore, but throughout. I found the constant brutality really rather hard to read at times, although understand its place in a story that seeks to explore the forces of evil vs. goodness. While the scenes allowed for some philosophical reflection, and gave more depth and backstories to certain characters in some instances, it was actually quite distressing to read at times.

The story was beautifully written (and translated), and the relationships between the characters were depicted with real skill. However, I did find that the plot meandered at times, and occasionally went off into segues that didn’t really add much to the overall story. But, overall, I enjoyed this one, and would read more by this author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

I was sent a copy of To Cook a Bear by Mikael Niemi to read and review by NetGalley.
I found this to be a quite different but very engrossing novel. The setting and the era are another world to me and the psychological side to the story was quite compelling. This was all made even more extraordinary when I discovered in the epilogue and afterword at the end of the book that the main protagonists are actually based on the accounts of real people. A real gem of a book!

My thanks to Quercus Books MacLehose Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘To Cook A Bear’ by Mikael Niemi in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing title! As a long time fan of Scandinavian fiction I was very excited to read this novel. This is an historic Nordic Noir, set in the mid-nineteenth century. It was originally published in 2017 in Sweden and translated from the Swedish by Deborah Bragan-Turner. Central to the novel is charismatic preacher and Revivalist Lars Levi Læstadius, an important historical religious figure in Sweden who was also a keen botanist. He was committed to liberating his Sámi parishioners from the alcoholism plaguing their community.

However, the message of temperance is not going down well with local leaders, who feel it threatens their profits. He has a faithful disciple in Jussi, a young Sámi boy that Læstadius had rescued from destitution and abuse. He teaches Jussi to read and write, and to revere and love God.

When a milkmaid goes missing deep in the forest, the locals suspect a predatory bear is at large. When her mutilated body is discovered the local sheriff is quick to offer a reward for the bear's capture.

Yet Læstidius is not convinced that her wounds were caused by a bear. He and Jussi utilise early forensics to find clues that point to a far worse killer on the loose. As further deaths occur it seems that the local authorities are unwilling to accept that there is an evil closing in around their community.

This was a fascinating novel. I found it a bit slow to start and as a result I started and set it aside a couple of times; though on the third attempt became completely caught up in the narrative. It interweaves elements of religion, mysticism, and philosophy into an intriguing murder mystery. The descriptions of the bleak landscapes were also very evocative.

It wasn’t all gloom and noir, as the Pastor had a lively wit. There was also a scene where the Pastor and his wife discovered the delights of boiled potato, mashed with butter. Yum, I could appreciate the wonder of that first taste.

Both Jussi and Læstadius serve as the novel’s narrators. There were some heartbreaking scenes that I won’t detail as it’s spoiler territory; but I certainly felt very caught up in the story.

I was not familiar with Lars Levi Læstadius and appreciated Mikael Niemi’s Afterword that provided some details of the life and legacy of this pious pastor.

Overall, an intelligent and beautifully written (and translated) novel.

I requested this book on an impulse because it looked quite different. I wasn't disappointed. It is a very well written, complex story set in Sweden in 1852. Although fiction, the pastor at the centre of the book is based on the real life Lars Levi Laestadius, who not only was a passionate revivalist preacher but also a botanist and detective. The murders at the centre of the plot are also used as a mechanism for portraying the racist ideologies of the time.
It is a fascinating book and my only small issue is that the ending is not more conclusive. I would enjoy a sequel to follow the characters lives further.
My thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author.

A very good read even if it was a little on the religious side for my liking. When you have a Pastor as a protagonist it's hard to avoid i suppose though. Well thought out murder mystery set in the time of the Revival. Lots of twists to keep readers turning the pages and an incredibly atmospheric setting that sends the reader back in time. I can see this becoming a mystery best seller and very likely optioned for tv or film.

An enthralling and highly entertaining story that kept me hooked till the last page.
The style of writing is fascinating as much as the storytelling and the character development.
The setting is vivid and I learned a lot about the northern Europe culture and way of living.
The mystery is solid, well developed, and kept me guessing.
It was a fascinating read, it's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What a different book this was - based on real characters from the 1850s in Sweden. I did find the book difficult to get into at first - the translation, the setting and the content. We seemed to move from a Sherlock Holmes character, to investigation of flora and fauna, to religion and division between the different nations. I am so glad I persevered. As I got into the writing and the tale to be told I became invested in the characters and the story unfolding. A very different book well worth reading.
Three and a half stars rounded up to 4 stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Mikael Niemi/Quercus Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I got some strong The Name of the Rose vibes from this book. It similarly blends a detection narrative with an extended discussion on philosophy and theology. Based on the real-life figure of a 19th-century pastor, the story focuses on his efforts to end alcoholism among the indigenous Sami people. He was a noted botanist so Niemi constantly highlights his attuned affinity with nature. He is reminiscent of the great British detectives in his attention to the easily missed minor detail. The story unfolds through the eyes of a young Sami boy who is very attached to the pastor and basically acts as his assistant. The novel breaks the mould of the genre by adding historical flavour, mixing fact with fiction. It is a deep meditation on community and more than just a standard whodunnit. The translation from Swedish by Deborah Bragen-Turner flows quite well. I would recommend it.

1852 in the wilds of Northern Sweden and the Revivalist preacher Lars Levi Laestadius finds a murderer on his doorstep. A young woman has been killed and the local Sheriff believes that a bear was responsible, Laestadius knows better, it is a 'bear in human form'. When another woman is attacked suspicion falls upon an itinerant artist but then he is killed and Laestadius' servant, an orphan Sami boy called Jussi is beaten badly. Will justice prevail?
This is a haunting book, the imagination of the lives of the should clinging to survival in the far north are beautifully imagined. The fears of the society and closeness of pagan beliefs are intense. Built into this is a crime novel but one in which justice doesn't appear to exist. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and actually only found out that Laestadius was a real historical character in the endnotes which made it even more satisfying.

I’ve heard good things about this book and really wanted to read it. The title intrigued me. I didn’t realise until I’d almost finished the book that it features an actual historical figure, Lars Levi Laestadius, someone I know nothing about so I have no idea how close the book is to facts. I found this a fascinating, well researched and completely absorbing book. The characters are very well written. The book is set in a rural community full of the expected divisions, paranoia and suspicions. This works really well for the events that take place in the book. There is so much injustice in the book, for example a bear family are hunted, killed, cooked and eaten by frenzied locals because they believe it killed a woman, Hilda. It didn’t and quite how the state of her body let to the belief it was a bear attack is beyond me. This is a powerful, gripping read.

"A man of violence walks free. A killer bear in human form."

This English translation of a Swedish mystery is like no other mystery I've read before. Set in Sweden in 1852, it follows Jussi, a runaway Sami boy who has been taken in by the revivalist preacher, Laestadius, and his family.

When a young woman goes missing and is later found dead, it appears that a killer bear is at large and a reward is offered for its capture. But Laestadius sees clues that point to a much more sinister suspect. So, with Jussi assisting him, he begins his own investigation.

But when another young woman is taken and it seems they have identified their killer, the pair find themselves in danger. For this is a killer who will do whatever it takes to remain hidden.

"People are greatly in fear of the devil. Especially when he comes in the guise of a wolf or a snake. But he is far more dangerous in human form. And most dangerous of all in the form of an angel. For when Satan himself transforms into an angel of light, it is hard to escape him."

A sweeping Swedish historical fiction, based in fact, with elements of mystery and Scandi-noir, this is a beautifully written novel. It is a little strange at times, and took me a little while to get into, but I loved the richly drawn world the author brings to life, transporting you back to 1850s Sweden. It is a time I knew nothing about and I enjoyed learning more about that era. And just because it's beautifully written, don't think that means it doesn't touch on more brutal aspects. It is a historical murder mystery after all. There were some gruesome scenes, including one involving the bear mentioned in the title that I'll not soon forget. I also enjoyed historical elements such as the beginnings of forensics that Laestadius uses in his investigations. But, for me, it was the characters that I found most fascinating and compelling.

"By itself, each letter was frail. But when the pastor taught the young Sami boy to place them next to one another, something happened. It was like lighting a fire ; one single piece of wood was of little use, but if you added another, it instantly grew hotter. The letters derived life from each other ; in the company of others they began to speak."

Our narrator, Jussi, is a Sami boy who was found by the preacher after fleeing his abusive home. And it was his journey I was drawn to most of all. Shy, unsure and longing for acceptance, Jussi pulled on my heartstrings. I loved his journey of self-discovery and learning. His descriptions of learning to read and exploring books brought to life the wonder, joy and transformative power of words; how they open up the world to you and change your perception of life. It was a magical thing to witness him as he discovered these things. What was harder to bear were the injustices he suffered at the hands of locals, who judge him as the weird Sami boy. There was one particular point where I shed a tear for how savagely treated and despaired at the cruelty with which some treat their fellow man.

Laestadius is a diversive figure, loved and loathed in his community depending on their views on the Lutheran revival that he is spearheading. I was ambivalent towards him myself, but liked that he saw details others didn't and persued his quest for the truth even in the face of great opposition.

To Cook A Bear is a captivating and touching story that is unlike anything you will have read before. It kept me guessing from start to finish and the with characters are ones that will stay with me.

To Cook A Bear by Mikael Niemi is a unique mix of fact and fiction, a historical crime novel set in the remote North of Sweden in 1852. The Revivalist pastor and botanist, Lars Levi Laestadius has brought Jussi, a Sami boy, into his home and teaches him to read and write while exploring the local flora and fauna. When a milkmaid goes missing, the locals suspect it was a bear, but when a second girl is also attacked, Laestadius and Jussi begin to suspect that a killer is at large.

Lars Levi Laestadius was internationally recognised for his scientific work in botany. He would take study trips to make drawings of new plants and a number of species were named after him. This, together with his interest in new developments in science and the arts, made him an interesting choice for a character in a crime fiction novel. However, I picked up early on that the way Laestadius and Jussi observed the different plant species could be easily transferred to the way you would investigate a crime scene which is a fantastic way to blend the two parts of the story.

To Cook A Bear is a really unusual book, I haven’t read anything like it before. The writing and descriptions of the landscape are poetic and beautiful creating a dreamlike atmosphere. But don’t let this fool you - the murders and attacks detailed in the story are brutal and detailed, and one scene in particular I found hard to read.

A sweeping Swedish historical fiction with flashes of the more modern Scandi-Noir genre, as well as covering a whole range of topics including religion and injustice, which I will not forget in a hurry!

Using the real life figure, the Revivalist preacher, Lars Levi Læstadius as the central character, adds an authenticity and deeper level of interest to the book, and being unfamiliar with this highly intelligent, progressive and insightful man, there is a real frisson of Niemi linking the past with the present here. To try and encapsulate in a review the many themes of the philosophical, spiritual and metaphysical, and the razor sharp historical detail that Niemi so confidently and brilliantly entwines in this book won’t be easy, as this is a novel quite unlike any other that I have encountered of late.

On a very basic level, this book is a murder mystery with a small community filled with fear and suspicion as a murderer walks amongst them, preying on defenceless young women in a series of attacks driven by violent rage. As such, even with such a seemingly simple premise, Niemi constructs a chilling and compelling mystery, as the suspicion amongst the local people is attributed by turn to a possible bear attack, to a wandering miscreant, and then far more dangerously into the perpetrator being from the community itself. Reading this from a contemporary viewpoint, I was struck by how little the human race has moved on in terms of accepting peoples’ differences, as the community quickly turns on Jussi, the young Sami boy that Læstadius has taken into his tutelage. This fear of the unknown and the different runs like a vein throughout the book, as even Læstadius himself, with his Revivalist preaching and fervent followers puts him at odds with the men of influence in the town, who value wealth and gaiety over religion and abstinence. Consequently, there are many trials and pitfalls for Læstadius and Jussi, who intent on identifying the perpetrator find themselves in an increasingly perilous position.

What I was increasingly struck by was the progressiveness and intuitive thinking of Læstadius, harnessing clues and applying practical chains of thought to the residual evidence of each crime. Obviously, forensic science was very much in its infancy in this period, but Læstadius neatly assesses and applies increasingly modern methods to his dissemination of the physical evidence he uncovers, based on common sense and lateral thinking. Hence, we see the rudimentary application of the crime scene analysis, we as modern readers are familiar with in its purest form, as Læstadius inches forward with his knowledge and supposition on how to gather clues, analyse them, and catch a killer. From fingerprints to daguerreotypes, from simple pencil shavings to indentations in the landscape, Læstadius draws on his knowledge of psychology, botany, literature and branches of science and pseudo science to close in on the perpetrator.

I think it serves as a testament to the quality of Niemi’s writing and his erudite turn of phrase, and by turn the sublime translation by Deborah Bragan-Turner, that I revisited several passages throughout my reading of the book. His rendering of this harsh, but beautiful landscape, the sheer drudgery and hardship of these people’s lives, the physicality of his characters, and the more metaphysical musings of Læstadius himself on art, literature and education, held me in their thrall. On the subject of the community he is a part of, I was struck by their deep connection to the land and the way that their lives have this naturalistic interconnectedness, perhaps stronger than faith and education itself. “ You might easily form the impression that the farm-maid or the reindeer herder lacked the disposition for academic study. But even though they didn’t read books, they knew the changes in the movement of the animals at every moment in the year. They knew hundreds of reindeer marks by heart, and manged to find old pasture grounds, berry patches and fishing lakes from the high mountains to the coastline…In many matters, local people had a deeper understanding than all of Uppsala’s professors.” As much as Læstadius recognises that these people and particularly their children have the potential for a profession, education and improvement, he never loses sight of this more basic characteristic of his flock that connects them to the soil. Likewise, with his apprentice Jussi, he recognises and respects Jussi’s physical need to wander and be amongst nature, but aims to educate him as fully as possible, and their relationship seems to transcend a simple one of teacher and pupil or even adoptive father and son.

To Cook A Bear proved to be an incredibly enjoyable reading experience for me, and as someone who has an innate curiosity of the world and our place within it, I found it tremendously satisfying. Not only did it read as a compelling tale of jealousy and murder, with its nods to early forensic techniques, but it expanded out to envelop a host of larger themes based on religion, morality, art and at its heart an enduring interconnectedness with the landscape and the changing of the seasons. Mikael Niemi has produced a completely fascinating, intelligent, and beautifully written book. Highly recommended.

I was so excited to read To Cook a Bear so my expectations were high! Happily I can say it managed to actually surpass those expectations. It is a phenomenally good book. The story follows the real life preacher Lars Levi Læstadius as he uses early forensic investigative techniques to try to uncover who is attacking young women in the region. A ferocious bear is suspected, however Læstadius and his apprentice of sorts, a young Sami boy named Jussi rescued from abject poverty and abuse, believe there is something more sinister going on.

I cannot praise this book highly enough. It is gorgeously written with a lyrical feel to it which completely draws the reader in. It is both complex and deeply thought provoking whilst at the same time being intensely readable. I flew through the chapters entirely caught up in the evocative setting and fascinating characters. The story is fictional but Læstadius himself is real and the author has brought this intelligent and sometimes contradictory man to life in a spectacularly authentic feeling fashion. We experience the events of To Cook a Bear through the eyes of Jussi, a young Sami boy Læstadius rescued from the side of the road. Jussi suffered through traumatic abuse in his early childhood but has found a sort of family with Læstadius. Unfortunately there is more pain to come in his young life and my heart just broke for him throughout the book.

I have to be honest and say there are some moments of shocking brutality in To Cook a Bear which is hard to read at times but there is also so much beauty and a real sense of tranquility to be found. The prose is so stunning and the rendering of 19th century Sweden is endlessly fascinating, especially the folklore from Sami culture. It’s not an area I am overly familiar with and I was so intrigued by the way these characters experience life in the extreme climate they have to deal with. To Cook a Bear is a truly wonderful book about faith, prejudice, poverty and morality. It is masterfully written and translated beautifully. This gripping and intelligent book is definitely going to be one of my favourites of the year. I cannot recommend it highly enough.