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Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden
Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson
Now in paperback, a wildly picaresque novel from Jonas Jonasson, author of the internationally bestselling The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and DisappearedIn a tiny shack in the largest township in South Africa, Nombeko Mayeki is born. Put to work at five years old and orphaned at ten, she quickly learns that the world expects nothing more from her than to die young. But Nombeko has grander plans. She learns to read and write, and at just fifteen, using her cunning and fearlessness, she makes it out of Soweto with millions of smuggled diamonds in her possession. Then things take a turn for the worse....Nombeko's life ends up hopelessly intertwined with the lives of Swedish twins intent on bringing down the Swedish monarchy. In this wild romp, Jonasson tackles issues ranging from the pervasiveness of racism to the dangers of absolute power. In the satirical voice that has earned him legions of fans the world over, he gives us another rollicking tale of how even the smallest of decisions can have global consequences.
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Lunakay
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Pickpick

That was a fun ride through South Africa, Sweden and some places in between😂 I think the king might have been my favourite character.
Lots of laugh-out-loud moments and wise comments on life, culture and international cooperation.
And with this, 12/12 I proudly finished the #foodandlit challenge for 2023 with Sweden 🇸🇪 🥳
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Texreader Fantastic!!! Way to go!! 10mo
Catsandbooks Hooray! Great job! 🙌🏼 🎉🇸🇪 10mo
20 likes2 comments
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JanuarieTimewalker13
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Pickpick

5⭐️ My favorite book of the year, thus far, and dare I say a favorite of all time? The complexity of this caper and the brilliance of this author is stunning. It‘s laugh out loud funny with a good dose of recent world history mixed in. Thoroughly enjoyable. A must read, in my humble opinion. #Sweden

JanuarieTimewalker13 Book 15 2023 (edited) 1y
thegreensofa And apparently an excellent pillow! 😻❤️ 1y
JanuarieTimewalker13 @thegreensofa haha! Yes!! He‘s a literary cat and a writer. Loves pens!!! 1y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Buddy read with Madame M 1y
49 likes1 stack add4 comments
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kikesak
Pickpick

Vtipná a velice čtivá kniha.Vypráví příběh černošské dívky Nombeko Mayeki, která se v roce 1961 narodila v Sowetu, chudinském předměstí Johannesburgu. Přestože neumí číst, velmi dobře rozumí matematice. Postupně se dopracuje na pozici, ve které navrhuje jaderné hlavice, a odstěhuje se do Švédska.

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Well-ReadNeck
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Pickpick

Such a fun comfort read. Had a very similar feel to The 100-year-old man ..,

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tsundoker
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Pickpick

I liked this one better than Hundred Year Old Man. The book is full of eccentric characters. And I'm a fan of Nombeko now. It is full of absurd adventures. Really interesting book.

Jari-chan This was my second book by Jonasson after the Hundered Year Old and I was sceptical at first but just like you I ended up liking it better than his first :) 5y
tsundoker @Jari-chan yeah. I was also sceptical about this one. Turned out to be a good book. :) 5y
8 likes2 comments
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tsundoker
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Andrew65
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Another light and very amusing story from the pen of Jonas Jonasson. Very quirky. I do enjoy his books.
#Saved #SpringIntoReading

xxjenadanxx I loved this one! 6y
JazzFeathers I noticed it in the bookshop a few years ago and forgotten about it. I thought the blurb was so amazing. Thanks for reminding me. 6y
Andrew65 @xxjenadanxx Me too, and the Hundred Year Old Man. 6y
See All 6 Comments
JazzFeathers @Andrew65 No, but that sure is an swesome title! 6y
Andrew65 @JazzFeathers I really enjoyed that one too, and know a sequel for that one is now out that I need to read. 6y
89 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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Rambo_Reads
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Pickpick

Have you got a favourite Jonas Jonasson book? Mine is The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden 🙂

10 likes1 stack add
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Emilymdxn
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Pickpick

This was just the book I needed right now. I‘m soooo nervous about my new job tomorrow, even though I‘m excited I‘ve just spent today going through the employee handbook and imagining all the ways I could mess it up 😫

This book was lighthearted and escapist but still something I could get my teeth into, the plot was so warm and surprising. Jonas Jonasson is like my fave to read when I‘m anxious, AND it‘s prep for my Swedish adventure!

TrishB Good luck 💕 the anticipation is usually worse!! 6y
kgriffith You‘re gonna be great! 6y
BarbaraBB Good luck tomorrow, you‘ll be fine, I‘m sure 💕 6y
See All 6 Comments
youneverarrived Good luck for tomorrow 😘 6y
Oryx Good luck! You'll be great 😁 6y
rwmg Good luck 🤞🏻 6y
35 likes6 comments
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Emilymdxn
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Only Swedish book I had hanging around so I bumped this one up the tbr to help me get hyped for my weekend there next month!

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yvo_about_books
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Some evening reading in the company of Delilah Bard. 😻

#amreading #currentlyreading #catsoftwitter

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yvo_about_books
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Apparently Spring is arriving early this year... 🌷😍 #anemoneblanda #springiscoming #flowers #cantwait

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LittleMummyMe
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stvinentgal
Pickpick

Quirky,reminds me of Two caravans style of writing

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Buchholikerin
Pickpick

Jonas Jonasson hat das Talent absurde Figuren zu erschaffen, diese in eine humorvolle Story zu verpacken und mich damit zum Schmunzeln zu bringen.

Ich liebe seine kuriosen Figuren, die er bis ins letzte Durchdenkt. Das Buch ist witzig, super absurd und absolut liebevoll geschrieben. Jedoch hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass er in der 2.Hälfte das Tempo ein wenig anziehen würde.

forestofwords Ging mir genauso! 6y
2 likes1 comment
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AngieAvers
Pickpick

The novel opens on a young girl in South Africa, named Nombeko. Her life is full of challenges. She is an optimist, and a survivor. We follow her from South Africa to Sweden. She meets three Chinese girls who do not speak her language, the president of the People's Republic of China, twin brothers named Holler I&II, a farming countess, an angry woman, the king of Sweden, and the prime minister of Sweden. The book is a comedy of circumstances.

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WanderingBookaneer
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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tpixie Congrats! Happy Day! 🎉🎉🎉Merry Christmas 🎄 📘🎁🎄 (edited) 7y
104 likes1 stack add1 comment
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KnjiskiZmaj
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Pickpick

Just finished this amazing journey. Entertaining till the last page. I found it even better than the Hundred year-old man, because you can see the authors growth between these two books. Definitely a pick for me
3.7/5⭐

26 likes1 stack add
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KnjiskiZmaj
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Have to show my new reading tool, my new 🤓. My diopter grew a bit unfortunately, but it gave me a chance to buy new glasses 😍

Kaye Very nice looking. I like glasses on a man. Makes them look more intelligent and scholarly. 👓 7y
KnjiskiZmaj @Kaye thank you!! 😍😍 I always console myself that I look smarter 😂😂😂 7y
36 likes2 comments
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KnjiskiZmaj
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After Disgrace, I really needed something easy to cheer me up. I think this will do just fine. What do you think?🤓

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DrexEdit
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Pickpick

Just finished this quirky book. My first #listypartyofone read today! It's light and charming although a bit long in places. Still it's easy enough to stick with it until the end. Not great literature but it has some good things to say in an entertaining way. So it's a pick for me. 😊

24 likes1 stack add
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Andrew65
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Mehso-so

This was a patchy book, there were parts where it was very enjoyable and other parts where it dragged. Certainly the weakest of the three I have read by this author but overall not sorry I read it. It still had the quirkiness of the other two books, and like with the Hundred Year Old Man it portrayed world events well against the backdrop of the story. I will continue to read books by this author.

32 likes1 stack add
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Andrew65
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'Nothing is permanent in this wicked world – not even our troubles.' Some interesting quotes in this book.

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Andrew65
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Not saying this is the best ever opening sentence but it certainly is different and sparks your interest and makes you ask the question 'where is this going ?' #firstsentence

BarbaraBB It sure does. I now like to know in what way they are lucky...! 7y
33 likes1 comment
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Andrew65
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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A thought provoking quote.

minkyb Yes it is! 7y
35 likes1 comment
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Andrew65
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'The more I see of men, the more I like my dog.'

  Madame de Staël

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Andrew65
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President Carter was directly responsible for 32,000 nuclear missiles that pointed in a number of directions. Brezhnev in Moscow was in a similar situation. The world did not need another six weapons of the same magnitude. Someone was going to get a talking-to!

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Andrew65
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This is the #stack that I am likely to read during the readathon, already started all of them and wanting to progress all of these 4 books and hope to finish at least one of them during the readathon. Two of these are Group Reads or buddy reads, one an audiobook and the fourth I am reading for a challenge to visit African countries. @DeweysReadathon @jpmcwisemorgan @Sarah83 @Bluebird
#30DaysOfReadathon

jpmcwisemorgan Your tagged book is one I‘m interested in so I await your review. I should note that I‘m interested in the book itself, not the trivia version of the book. (edited) 7y
Andrew65 @jpmcwisemorgan I've read the other two he's written, but my favourite by far was (edited) 7y
Bluebird Love the Hundred Year Old Man! Hope to read the tagged book soon too! Well also be reading. 7y
35 likes3 comments
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Andrew65
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Started another Jonas Jonasson book, the first book is still my favourite one : The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared. Was surprised given the title of this one to find it starting out in South Africa.

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Andrew65
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits

Yeah_I_Read 🙌🙌 7y
37 likes1 comment
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MrsMarks88
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Pickpick

A good book with a really interesting and different plot and really diverse characters! Set across South Africa and Sweden, the story gradually builds up to unveiling how it links to its title. I found the storyline predictable in places and the action seemed to stagnate in places - although this could've been to match the character's feelings. However, this is a book you feel committed to finishing!

2 likes2 stack adds
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Aims42
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I'm sure my hardworking German and Swedish ancestors are rolling in their graves knowing that I took a 'mental health' day from work today. But boy, I needed today to recharge.

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Aims42
This post contains spoilers
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"Christ on a bike" was a favorite and often used expression at my previous job, never thought I'd see the day someone outside of my old dept saying it ?

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Aims42
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The newest addition to my bookshelf, can't wait to dive in!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty pic!!! 7y
Aims42 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks aww thanks!! ☺️ 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Aims42 you're welcome 💕 7y
Aims42 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks it's great when the weeds blend in with the actual stuff we planted 😂 7y
25 likes4 comments
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Suet624
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Mehso-so

It's hard to write a review on this one. It was especially funny at the beginning. Then it became so fantastical that I started to grit my teeth. Then I started reading another book that I enjoyed more. I finished this one, but ....

TrishB I think I gave up at 75% with this one! 7y
56 likes1 comment
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Suet624
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Took my book, drove an hour to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and sat for hours at the edge of Lake Willoughby. It's a glacial lake and I always feel like I've transported myself to Norway. The mountains are tall and the water is very deep and cold. Just me, my book, and a guy fishing.

LauraBrook Heavenly! 7y
Mccall0113 Wonderful! 7y
LeahBergen Beautiful. 7y
See All 11 Comments
Books88 Lovely! 7y
saresmoore I don't even have words. 7y
minkyb ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 7y
TrishB Gorgeous 💗💟 7y
Sydsavvy So wonderful! 7y
kspenmoll Perfect! 7y
slategreyskies Wow, I wish I could've been there! It sounds like a slice of heaven. I'll have to put it on my list of places to go. :) 7y
Suet624 @slategreyskies They're not kidding when they call it The Kingdom. It's beautiful country. 7y
80 likes11 comments
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Suet624
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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Good Lord, this is an unexpected delight. Yesterday while waiting for Baby Driver to begin, I found myself beaming and chuckling as I read the few 30 pages. (Yes, I got there super early.) And beaming and chuckling, by the way, is not my natural state.

saresmoore Hahahahahahaha! I love this post and am checking my library right now for this book! 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk Baby Driver rocked my face off of my face. 7y
Suet624 @TobeyTheScavengerMonk oh my gosh. I could gush endlessly about that movie. The music and choreography were the lead character for me. The actors were fantastic. Of course I got in my car and had to slow myself down. That's not usually my kind of movie but I love the director and I love music so I had to go. I'm going to go again soon. 😁 7y
LeahBergen "Not my natural state" ?? 7y
60 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Grammatickles
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles
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So this is my first official post on Litsy! Looking forward to using this app 😄

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Stshsbookcorner
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Took me whole morning to decide what to read next, and finally chose The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson.

I read Hitman Andes and the Meaning of It All and watched the movie based on the book The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (I just love crazy long titles of his books) and I liked both, so I'm sure I am going to like this one as well. 😊

Did you guys read some of Jonasson's books?

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BookishMe
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My Monday morning errand started my week on a high note with this #bookhaul in exchange for One book (book bartering at BEST, mesays!! ;)) check out the Barteli app and if it works for your city, you're in for a bookish treat!

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ein.fach.leben
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Pickpick

Bislang sehr witzig☺ Gewohnt humorig.

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sofiaga
Pickpick

This book is light and funny. The characters are delightfully ridiculous and the bits of history in the plot are always interesting. A great book to clear your mind and your mood.

Joanne1 Have you read his other book? It's incredibly similar. I read hundred year old man first and was really disappointed with the girl who saved the king of season because it was almost a carbon copy. 8y
sofiaga @Joanne1 I did over a year ago. Yeah it is very similar, but I guess I see it a little bit like reading Agatha Christie, you know Poirot is gonna solve the mystery and everything will tie up, it just change a little the details. 8y
Joanne1 @sofiaga I think the trick is not to read them too close together as I did. 8y
sofiaga @Joanne1 I agree. One after the other can get tiresome. 8y
7 likes4 comments
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sofiaga
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Lovely view from my reading spot on the terrace.

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sofiaga
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Boyfriend and I's first books of 2017. Happy New Year.

RealLifeReading ❤️Banana Yoshimoto! 8y
sofiaga @RealLifeReading yes. She's on my tbr list of this year. 8y
10 likes2 comments
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Tipperin

„In Südafrika trug es sich zu, dass ein Mann, der einst als Terrorist verurteilt worden war, nach siebenundzwanzig Jahren freikam, den Friedensnobelpreis erhielt und zum Präsidenten des Landes gewählt wurde. Auf Sjölida geschah zu ungefähr derselben Zeit umso weniger“ (S.309)