Salla Simukka

When seventeen-year-old loner Lumikki finds a stash of blood-soaked money in her school's dark room, she is swept into a whirlpool of events involving dirty cops and a notorious drug kingpin known for brutality.

As Red as Blood

Seventeen-year-old Lumikki Andersson is hardly your average teenager. She lives by herself in the city of Tampere, Finland, and has a firm rule to mind nobody's business but her own. But that rule is put to the test when she happens upon 500 washed euro notes hanging up to dry in her school's darkroom, and it is shattered once Lumikki realises who owns them. Caught in an increasingly tangled web of deception, corruption and danger, Lumikki finds herself navigating Tampere's dark underbelly in her quest to expose its shocking connection to the international drugs trade. Lumikki is smart, but is she smarter than a master criminal?

Janna Niemi

This book was totally amazing and it really lived up to its reputation. The fact that it is set to happen in the city that I was born in and have lived most of my life, is just a huge plus. It enabled me to live within the book even more deeply than I normally do, I totally saw Lumikki walking in the streets with mind's eyes and it was something truly special I have to say.
Other than that, the plot was absolutely brilliant and it hooked me to it until the very end even if it was a bit unlikely to happen in the little Finland... although somehow it seems that nowadays everything is possible anywhere in the world.
I loved Lumikki as a character, she was different when compared to the usual kind of heroine and I truly found her very intriguing. 
All in all, I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets Six of Crows—this international bestseller is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that chills to the bone, and not just because of the icy winter setting. Lumikki Andersson has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. She knows all too well that trouble comes to those who stick their nose where it doesn’t belong. But Lumikki’s rule is put to the test when she uncovers thousands of washed Euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom and three of her classmates with blood on their hands. Literally. A web of lies and deception now has Lumikki on the run from those determined to get the money back—no matter the cost. At the center of the chaos: Polar Bear, the mythical drug lord who has managed to remain anonymous despite his lavish parties and notorious reputation. If Lumikki hopes to make it out alive, she’ll have to uncover the entire operation. Even the cold Finnish winter can’t hide a culprit determined to stain the streets red. “Fans of Nesbø and Larsson won’t be disappointed.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred “This cold, delicate snowflake of a tale sparkles with icy magic.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred

the younger sister of Lisbeth Salander :-) a bit too YA for my taste but nice crime novel

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I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am big on fairy tale retellings and elements in YA and urban fantasy literature. But, as it turns out, this is not what “As Red As Blood” is about. This is not a supernatural story, yet it is still the story of a young girl named Snow White who gets involved in some very unusual events.


The Plot

While I found the plot exciting and engaging, I also thought it was fairly implausible. I am not going to comment on a seventeen-year-old girl living on her own, far away from her parents because I am used to seeing teenagers moving away for school and yes, some parents can afford to get their children studio apartments, even though not many seem to allow them as much freedom as Lumikki’s family does.

But this is not my main problem with it. Lumikki doesn’t talk to anyone at school but when the popular kids get in trouble and find out she also knows about the money, one of them calls her to go and keep her company and Lumikki just… agrees? And she keeps on helping them until they get to the bottom of the story and even puts her life in danger? Oh, and how comfortable that she has the exact set of physical and mental skills that they need to carry out their plan successfully .

I have to admit, all of this was very entertaining to read and I will always be a big supporter of the notion that girls need examples in literature and other media of female characters who are unapologetically strong and skillful, who are stoic and aloof and who have been scared by their dark pasts. But I also support the idea that girls deserve well developed characters and plausibly structured plots and story arcs.


The Setting

I feel like a certain quality of Simukka’s writing style must have been lost in translation as the sentences often lacked elegance and fell flat. However, I still found the Lumikki’s Tampere very atmospheric - I could feel the cold surrounding the city, I could imagine the snow enveloping the characters. 


The Characters

As I previously said, I love the idea of unapologetically strong female characters and in that aspect, I like Lumikki. She maybe spends a bit too much of her inner monologue judging other people but she still remains very likable.

Unfortunately, none of the other characters receive much depth - safe for Elisa, that is, and even she tends to feel one-dimensional and undeveloped. The friendship between Elisa and Lumikki, however, is a pleasant surprise and I wish it had deepened within the book. I think the two of them have a lot to learn from each other - a companionship which would make for very interesting story arcs.


The Verdict

“As Red As Blood” is not exactly a brilliant novel, however it is intriguing and engaging enough to keep you reading for a few days. Most definitely aimed for younger audiences who would be charmed by the novel and Lumikki herself.

The first story in the thrilling Nordic crime series The Snow White Trilogy, an international success published in 52 territories worldwide and soon to be a Hollywood film. 'Fans of Nesbø and Larsson won't be disappointed' Publishers Weekly The streets of Finland are frozen and white with snow. And nothing is as red against snow as blood . . . Seventeen-year-old Lumikki Andersson is hardly your average teenager. She lives by herself in the city of Tampere, Finland, and has a firm rule to mind nobody's business but her own. But that rule is put to the test when she happens upon five hundred washed euro notes hanging up to dry in her school's darkroom, and it is shattered once Lumikki realises who owns them. Caught in an increasingly tangled web of deception, corruption and danger, Lumikki finds herself navigating Tampere's dark underbelly in her quest to expose its shocking connection to the international drugs trade. Lumikki is smart, but is she smarter than a master criminal? Can she bring down the infamous 'Polar Bear' - or will she become another one of his victims?

As Red As Blood

Eve Saukkoriipi

Katie Holem

Christina Baltimore 

I received As Red as Blood (The Snow White Trilogy) as part of the Kindle First program. 

As Red as Blood is the 1st book in the trilogy in the young adult crime genre. The writing style or translator's translation, I'm not sure which, leaves a bit to be desired. It seemed a bit repetitive at times. However, the descriptions are very thorough and captivating. It seems like a lot of authors are retelling classic fairy tales a attempting to make the stories their own. This is a very good retelling of the Snow White fairy tale.

The main character, Lumikki Andersson, gets entangled in a very dangerous criminal world. The plot is a puzzle throughout and it keeps you reading. There is the ever present sense of danger throughout the whole book. Slowly things begin to become more clear while still leaving a lot of questions of the second book in the trilogy. 

There were no problems with the book that kept me from enjoying the underlying story. I intend to continue with the other books in this series and I would read other books by this author.

Jessica Nottingham

So let's call Lumikki Andersson what she rightfully is, shall we? She's a bad-ass. Seriously. When I read the synopsis for this book I was definitely hoping for an action packed story. For something raw and intriguing. While I didn't exactly get everything that I was waiting for, I did fall unexpectedly in love with Lumikki's character. This isn't a girl who lets others take advantage of her. Oh, no. She's quick-thinking, cunning and all around interesting. If there's one thing I can take away from this book, it's that I'd follow Lumikki into danger any day.

Her fellow characters, on the other hand, I think I could have done without. I actually did a dual-read of this book. Half the time I was listening to it on audio, and the other half of the time I was reading the ebook. Sometimes an audio is a saving grace for me when I'm not exactly in love with a story. The narrator has the opportunity to make or break things for me. In this case, both felt about the same. Lumikki's so called "friends" were exactly what you'd expected the rich to be. Bratty, self-involved, and really tough to like. I never felt a true connection between them and Lumikki, and so I couldn't really invest myself in her willingness to put everything on the line for them.

Which brings me to the story itself. As Red As Blood fell in middle ground territory for me. While there were definitely parts I enjoyed, it never took me over the top. When things were moving quickly, I'd find myself start to ease into the story. The entire time that Lumikki was in the heart of the action, I was absolutely ready for more. Then things would pan to the other characters, or a flash back would sneak its way in, and I was once again just waiting for more action. The fast paced portions felt the most vivid, the most well fleshed out, and I craved more.

It's a definite possibility that the next book in this series will have more of the forward movement I wanted. Truth be told, I liked Lumikki enough that I'd be willing to give the sequel a chance. Although this wasn't my favorite read of the year, there's quite a bit in As Red As Blood that holds promise. I'd say giving it a shot if it's on your TBR.