The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3

[Ellen]

The retirement home in which Allan Karlsson lives is to be the venue for Allan's 100th birthday celebration. Everyone is excitedly anticipating the event. Everyone but Allan who climbs out his window the day before the party and begins a new adventure in what has already been an unusually adventure-filled life. Allan comes into possession of a money-filled suitcase belonging to a murderous gang, and joins forces with a petty thief, an overly-educated hot dog vendor, a woman, her dog and her elephant. The motley group is variously pursued by gang members and police but always manages to stay one step ahead, although several of the gang members meet death under shady circumstances.

Allan's life began in Sweden in 1905 and as a self-taught demolitions expert his methods made him popular with governments and presidents all over the world. He spent time in numerous countries and worked with Truman, Mao, Stalin, Churchill and many others, although Allan was not in the least political. All he wanted out of life was comfort and a good bottle of vodka.

I have trouble with my rating of this book. It was well plotted and quite humorous but I was very bored throughout most of it. Although Allan was not political, there sure are a lot of politics discussed in the novel. Allan and his group of friends are fun and the situations they find themselves in are quite entertaining, but I can't really say I enjoyed the book.

[Karin]

This is one of those books where not everyone is going to love it. While I normally eschew politics in books, I didn't find that part boring here. To bad you didn't like it very much!!! C'est la vie. It was 4 stars for me--I didn't love it, but liked it better than you did. I don't recall what pulled it down for me, but I wasn't bored--it was other things.

[Susie]

I didn't love this either and abandoned it part way through. Too many books to read!

[LibraryCin]

I think I gave it a 3 star rating, "ok".

[Jgrace]

I loved this one. I listened to it and Steven Crossley did a great job of delivering the humor.

[Karin]

Jgrace wrote: "I loved this one. I listened to it and Steven Crossley did a great job of delivering the humor."

Yes, I can see that that might be a good thing. I wonder if because I'm half Icelandic I am more used to Scandinavian humour, even though this is Swedish, I think. I don't think it would have moved it up to 5 stars for me, though, as I enjoyed the humour and what brought it down to four would have stayed the same.

[JoLene]

Jgrace wrote: "I loved this one. I listened to it and Steven Crossley did a great job of delivering the humor."

I also listened to the narration and thought he did a good job. I did find parts funny, but it was just too long without any growth of the main character.

[Karin]

JoLene wrote: "Jgrace wrote: "I loved this one. I listened to it and Steven Crossley did a great job of delivering the humor."

I also listened to the narration and thought he did a good job. I did find parts fun..."

The lack of growth was part of the humour for me (odd, I know, since usually I like character growth). He was a stubborn old coot.