This book follows the protagonist Hans Olofson, a Swedish young man born and grown up in the freezing Norrland, abandoned by a mother he never knew and living with his alcoholic father. Through The Eye of the Leopard, I have fallen deeper in love with his brilliant story-telling, the beauty of his words, the haunting images he created, and the mystery and tension he conveyed through the pages. I have read almost all of his non-Wallander books, except his children’s books, and without exception, I enjoyed them all.

In the span of a decade, I have hungrily devoured many of this modern literary master’s works, often ordering his new books before they came out. I was hooked by his unique story-telling style instantly and permanently. I have been a fan of his ever since I stumbled upon The Return of the Dancing Master about ten years ago. This was not the first book I have read by this first rate author, best known for his Inspector Kurt Wallander crime fiction series. The Eye of the Leopard, Mankell’s book set in his native Sweden and his beloved Africa, where he apparently spent part of his life. He showed me the landscape of Africa, more specifically that of Zambia, her people, her culture and customs, corruption and war, problems that were scorching her soul and tearing her apart. Swedish Writer, Henning Mankell took me on a journey to discover that amazing continent, like no other. Yet somehow I feel like as if I have been.

The eye of the leopard henning mankell