Girl who saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson

"Girl who saved the King of Sweden" by Jonas Jonasson. This book is published by Ecco in Apr 2014 and has 400 pages. This book is translation of his Swedish book 'Analfabeten som kunde räkna'

Nombeko is a 14 year old black orphan, who lives in Soweto near Johannesburg and works as manager of latrine emptying. She is illiterate but has a way with numbers. She learns to read from a poor man who had a stash of diamonds. When this man is killed, she leaves Soweto to Johannesburg and  is run down on a pavement by a drunk Engineer's car. South African court declares black Nombeko guilty and sentences her to work as servant of the Engineer for 7 years. This Engineer happens to be an idiot and also head of South Africa's nuclear program. Nombeko learns and aquires knowledge equivalent to nuclear scientist in her stay with Engineer which happens to be more than 7 years.

Ingmar is a bumbling and stupid cleark at Sweden's post office. His life's goal is to shake hands with the King of Sweden. Eventually when he does meet the king, he had a change of heart. Now the objective of his life is to abolish monarchy. His wife gives birth to twin boys. Both are named Holger. Holger1, like his father, wants to abolish monarchy without a clue, brains and ability to do anything. Holger2 is cleaver and sane. He understands the folly in his father's goal.

Nombeko manages to escape South Africa with a three megaton atomic bomb by duping Mossad agents and lands in Sweden. Here she meets Holger2. Then starts the action of first concealing and then disposing the atom bomb and later rescuing it.

Nobody knows what to do with the a atomic bomb. Will the atom bomb fall in wrong hands? How long can Nombeko hide it?  How will it impact international politics? How can it be disposed off? Who threatens King of Sweden? Which girl saves him? Can she find love?

Jonas has a unique writing style. He creates humor without appearing to do so. I like his writing style. The book is full of witty commentary and black humor (No pun intended). Author also has a habit of slipping in political commentary and making fun of various politicians or political situations in a humorously sarcastic manner without sounding offensive. The real King and Prime Minister of Sweden and President of China are also characters in the story.

There is a collection of rag tag characters and then there is an atomic bomb. There are intelligence agencies, police and there is chase. The characters, situations and incidents range from improbable to impossible and thus help in creating hilarious situations. Jonas has a way with witty and hilarious writing.

The book covers a long time span of more than 46 years. I would have preferred it to be shorter.

Although you like the book, you don't love it. Especially those who have read his first book 'The 100 year old...' would be disappointed because this book does not  live up to the heightened expectations.

A decent book. If you are reading Jonas Jonasson for the first time, you will like it.