Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd By Jonas Jonasson. The Book Review.

Jonas Jonasson is one of my favourite authors.

I only just learnt about him a year ago and Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd is the third book from him I have read in the space of 12 months. I find him funny and his sense of humour offers me some nostalgia because it reminds me of watching the British sitcom "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" as a child with the rest of my family.

His main characters and protagonists seem to have an endearing but hilarious Frank Spencer or Forrest Gump quality to them; the kind of people who seem to attract crazy incidents.

As much as I love this author's books, there are only so many funny calamities a person wants to read about at a time, so I tend to space out reading his books a few months apart.

I had read The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared and The Girl Who Saved The King Of Sweden before reading Sweet Sweet Revenge and none of these books disappointed me. They were all worth the read and I highly recommend them. But I digress, this review is about Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd.

Jonas Jonasson’s Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd is a delightfully eccentric tale about justice, greed, and the odd ways life finds balance. The story introduces Victor Alderheim, a heartless art dealer who not only abandons his teenage son, Kevin, in the middle of the Kenyan savanna but also tricks his young wife, Jenny, out of her inheritance. Years later, fate conspires to bring Kevin, now adopted by Ole Mbatian, a Maasai warrior—back into the picture. When he crosses paths with Jenny, the two unite and team up with Johan, the owner of Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd, a Stockholm-based agency that specialises in delivering justice with a cheeky, creative flair.

This novel is classic Jonasson: a madcap adventure filled with absurd yet plausible scenarios. The cast of characters, including a wily goat named Molly and a surprising appearance by the Pope, takes readers on a chaotic journey across continents. Despite its outrageous premise, the story remains grounded in its satirical exploration of human folly, capitalism, and art-world pretension.

In one of the reviews I read before buying it, someone else described it as a “comedy of errors meets a revenge fantasy.” That description was spot-on. The narrative brims with mishaps and harebrained schemes, each more outlandish than the last. What makes it work, though, is Jonasson’s knack for turning chaos into comedy without losing the thread of the story.

The characters shine brightest. Kevin, raised with the simplicity of Maasai life, is sweet and earnest, his naivety balanced by his fierce determination to right past wrongs. Ole Mbatian brings his no-nonsense wisdom to a world far removed from the savanna, often to hilarious effect, especially during his bewildering encounters with Stockholm’s police. Johan, the mastermind of revenge, is sharp and methodical, embodying the book’s philosophy: “Revenge, when done right, is less about anger and more about exquisite planning.” That line stuck with me as it encapsulates the mischievous heart of the story.

Some readers and reviewers have felt that the pacing is where the book stumbles slightly. The first half is heavy on backstory, which may test the patience of readers eager for the hijinks to begin. However, I felt it added depth to the characters and made the ensuing madness all the more satisfying. By the second half, the story finds its stride, delivering the kind of laugh-out-loud moments I hoped for.

One of my favourite scenes involved Ole trying to navigate city life, his attempts to make sense of Stockholm’s modernity leading to misunderstandings that had me laughing for a good minute and a half. It’s these little moments that remind us, as Jonasson so aptly puts it: “Life is never as serious as people make it out to be, and that’s where the fun begins.”

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It’s perfect for when you want something light-hearted, witty, and packed with lovable oddballs. This isn’t a story about tidy resolutions or profound moral lessons. It’s about enjoying the absurdities of life and cheering on a band of underdogs as they outwit a truly despicable villain.

You can buy this book as a physical copy here; as an ebook here or as an audiobook here.

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