Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
22 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Lang
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Lang (Paperback)

by Kjell Westo (Author), Ebba Segerberg (Translator)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
RRP: £10.99
Price: £9.89 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £1.10 (10%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 14? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
10 new from £0.01 12 used from £0.01
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback 16 used & new from £0.76

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Frozen Land (Paha Maa) [2007] [DVD]

Frozen Land (Paha Maa) [2007] [DVD]

DVD ~ Aku Louhimies
4.4 out of 5 stars (8)  £6.98
The Quiet Girl

The Quiet Girl

by Peter Hoeg
3.7 out of 5 stars (7)  £5.99
When I Forgot

When I Forgot

by Elina Hirvonen
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  £5.99
Sun and Shadow

Sun and Shadow

by Ake Edwardson
2.8 out of 5 stars (5)  £5.99
The Devil's Star

The Devil's Star

by Jo Nesbo
5.0 out of 5 stars (10)  £4.15
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: The Harvill Press (19 May 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1843431483
  • ISBN-13: 978-1843431480
  • Product Dimensions: 21.2 x 13.4 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 415,277 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Product Description
'I asked you to write a story about love, not a story about crime!' he yelled, and I answered, 'I'm sorry, but in my mind they've become inseparable.'In the middle of the night, a man makes a phone call to his best friend. He needs help, he says - and the loan of a heavy-duty shovel. The story of Christian Lang is one of obsession both physical and emotional. A famous novelist and television chat-show host, Lang wants to keep his affair with the enchanting Sarita a secret, but she has her own reasons for keeping it quiet too. Lang finds himself caught up in a sinister love triangle with Sarita and her violent ex-husband. He knows that his life is in danger but so great is Lang's passion for his lover that he is unable to stay away. As Lang is drawn further into a spiral of lust, lies and violence his judgement becomes increasingly irrational. This is a compelling story about love, hatred and obsession and of how these can override the emotion of intense fear. West- has produced a superbly crafted tale of the terrifying lengths to which a man will go to fuel his addiction to a woman.

About the Author
Kjell Westo was born in 1961 in Finland. Since his literary debut in 1986 he has published three collections of poetry, two books of short stories and three novels. He is one of the leading Swedish-language authors in Finland today.

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Nordic thriller without too many thrills, 13 Jul 2005
By Colin C "Colin C" (Glasgow) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
'Lang' is more of a melodrama than a murder mystery, a thriller or a crime novel. It's centred around a fading television talk show host and is told in flashback by a friend who is writing the story of his fall from grace. There are some moments of tension, but for me, characterisation was just a little too sketched, and the main positives in this short novel were the Finnish locations.

This is mildly recommended for those of us interested in all things nordic, but is not an earth shattering read.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars memorable characters that haunt you even when you are not sure if you enjoyed or loved the story, 21 Mar 2008
Lang by Kjell Westö was published in 2005 for English readers and his is first crime/suspend novel. Kjell is a Swedish speaking Finlander author of several novels and books of poetry since 1986. Lang is psychological mystery with its polar opposite being Roseanna which is a Police Procedural story by the husband-and-wife writers Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö. In Lang a crime is committed but the focus is on the why and its consequences rather then on its detection. The story is driven by the question what redemption is possible if your life is driven by fame and success rather then by love.

Lang is the host of Finland's premier chat show-think Michael Parkinson crossed with Jeremy Paxman and started his rise to the top of the cultural heights by being a successful highbrow novelist. But his second marriage has just failed, and his son from his first is on drugs. He hasn't written in over ten years and his TV ratings are slipping as viewers switch to new Friday night formats such as Big Brother and How to be a Millionaire. Worse still, he is in is 40's going grey and fading physically.

A chance encounter with Sarita in a bar starts an obsessive lust affair complicated further which it becomes clear that she is equally locked in an unhealthy relationship with the violent father of her son. Yet it's like a drug that initially gives the high of a revitalised career but then destroys it as the addicts needs to have more of what he craves leads to murder...but also redemption.

The story is not told by Lang but his best friend who is contacted in the opening scene for a spade to burry the body. Lang browbeats him to get the spade but when arrested keeps his friends involvement secret. The story then unfolds with the friend trying to discuss and write up Lang's version which we gradually see is more his then Lang's. We lean more about their friendship and Lang's abuse of it and how he neglects his mentally ill sister. It also becomes clear that whilst Lang is clearly a charming but nasty piece of work, his friend and Sarita are not merely victims as they are playing their own games. Even Saritia's violent drug-seller ex husband has more redeeming qualities then first appearances would suggest.

So does it work? Well don't expect a nice simple bad-guy versus good-guy as nothing is easy or simply resolved and you are left with perhaps more questions then answers. It rings psychologically true and the writing and structure works well with memorable characters that haunt you even when you are not sure if you enjoyed or loved the story. Strongly recommended.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars bleak, 20 Dec 2007
By Dr. F. M. A. Jones "fjones" (liverpool, merseyside United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Lang allows himself to get stuck in a situation and the results are horrible. His sort of friend tells the story from what Lang has said and written to him in letters. We may wonder how differently Lang would have told it himself, and in particular we may wonder about the degree of complicity of the woman he loves. Tense, gripping, and leaving an appropriate degree of mystery over human motivation and the ability of others to understand what is going on. This book is a real gem.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

More From Ebba Segerberg

Before the Frost

Before the Frost by Henning Mankell

No longer is Henning Mankell a name known to just a privileged few. Read more
£6.99 £5.49

 

Up to 50% off Dental Care

Braun Oral-B Professional Care 6000 Rechargeable Toothbrush - Pack of 2
Put a sparkle in your smile with up to 50% off selected Oral-B and Philips rechargeable toothbrushes.

›Up to 50% off power toothbrushes

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (74)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (462)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (165)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (80)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates