The Believer, Joakim Zander - Ciska's Book Chest

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher *

Author: Joakim Zander
Publisher: Harper
Pages: 400
Format: DRC
ISBN-10: 0062337254
ISBN-13: 9780062337252
Original title: Orten
Series: Klara Walldéen #2
Publisher: eBook | Hardcover | Audiobook

Yasmine Ajam has fled her past in the rough Stockholm borough Bergort, reinventing herself as a trend spotter in New York City. One day she receives a startling message: there are riots stirring on the streets of Stockholm and they appear to be connected with the disappearance of her brother, Faadi.
Following rumours that Faadi was radicalised and died fighting for ISIS in Syria, Yasmine returns to Stockholm to discover what really happened to her brother. There she becomes entangled in a dangerous web of allegiances and violence that stretches far beyond the gangs on her childhood streets.
Meanwhile, in London, Klara Walldéen has landed a job at a human rights research institute working on a report to predict the effects of privatization of police forces. When Klara travels to Stockholm to present her findings to European Union policy makers, her laptop is stolen and one of her colleagues is pushed in front of a subway train. As her path collides with Yasmine’s, Klara begins to realize that she may unwittingly be contributing to the sinister agendas of powerful interests, who will stop at nothing to attain their goals.

Though it starts to feel like a trick the Believer is just as captivating as The Swimmer. Klara is back working a research job in security in the European Union. She is not as much in the middle of the action this time though. This story concentrates around Yasmine and her brother Faadi. Moved to Sweden by there parents at a young age the reader gets introduced how hard it is to fit in. How much trouble it costs to get connected to a country, to people. How adjusting to the habits often is not enough to get accepted. Only for that part of the story everyone should read this book just to create understanding how it feels to being that position. It gave an insight why people make certain decisions. Faadi feels a connection to IS and I could understand his motivation to do this.
The story is raw and full of violence. I sometimes had trouble identifying if the chapter was Yasmine's or Faadi's on the first 15 or so sentences. As they shared a past their voices were close and they shared experiences. There are a lot of things in this book that make you hope it is fiction you are reading but in truth you do know these things happen. Russian involvement in the European politics. Decisions made on high level. IS getting involved in our every day life and searching for people for their war. It have me the chills. On the other hand there are a few things that do not end up. Specially the last part of Faadi's story is unbelievable. The end finally brings some happiness which was much needed.
It is clear the author knows a lot about the way politics and lobbyist work. This does not really help with the trust in the European Parliament and the governments.