The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy)
by Stieg Larsson
List Price:
Our Price: $6.10
You Save: $9.85 (62%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Stieg LarssonTranslator: Reg Keeland
Edition: Perfect Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published); Swedish (Translation)
Format: Print
Published: 2009-06-23
ISBN: 0307454541
Number of pages: 600
Publisher: Vintage Crime / Black Lizard
Product features:
- the girl who played with fire mystery books thriller
Book Reviews of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy)
Book Review: The first third is slow, but the last half is fantastic and definitely worth the read. Salander stays in my mind.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm discussing the trilogy first, and then I review this specific book (#1) at the end below. Most of my reviews are romance novels, but this series is not. I only mention it so that other romance lovers might consider it.
THE TRILOGY:
STORY BRIEF:
The three books must be read in order. This is a hugely popular best-selling mystery suspense thriller about a few members of the Swedish national police organization forming a "special section" doing illegal things. To shut up a 12-year-old witness, they have her placed in a mental institution. Her name is Lisbeth Salander. Mikhail Blomkvist is an investigative journalist. In book 1, Salander who is now 24 helps Blomkvist solve a mystery about a woman who disappeared. In books 2 and 3, Salander has a variety of problems resulting from "special section" activities. A number of interesting characters are involved. Some are helpful and others try to hurt Salander.
ABOUT THE TITLES:
The primary theme for the books is "Men Who Hate Women," which is the Swedish title for the first book. I much prefer the Swedish title over the English-language title. The tattoo title feels superficial and meaningless when compared to the Swedish title. The titles in order are:
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Swedish Title: Men Who Hate Women)
The Girl Who Played With Fire (Swedish Title: same)
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (Swedish Title: The Air Castle Blows Up) The Air Castle in Swedish means a complex structure based on nothing.
REVIEWER'S OPINION OF ALL THREE BOOKS:
I want happy endings when I read books, and I was definitely satisfied and happy at the ends of books 1 and 3. I know I will continue to think about Salander and this story well into the future. Book 1 can be read as a stand-alone, but I wanted more Salander so I bought book 2. Book 2 stops in the middle of the story which is ok as long as you get book 3 to keep reading right away. I loved the three books. This is not a predictable, run-of-the-mill mystery thriller. There are a wide range of characters and plot intricacies that are wonderfully well done. I was so taken with these books that I bought the audio versions AND the paper versions for books 2 and 3. I've never done that before. That way I could continue with the story when I was driving and doing kitchen work. I would switch to the hard copy when sitting.
In the first book, Salander felt like a modern day replacement for Sherlock Holmes, but very different. They both are brilliant in their special skills, and draw my admiration. However, Salander is gritty, edgy, and anti-authority. She despises the police and refuses to allow them to have information about anything. There was a lot of action with Salander in the last half of the first book. I loved reading about her. I was hoping to see a lot of action with Salander in books 2 and 3 - seeing her solve other mysteries and doing damage to bad guys. But that didn't happen. Books 2 and 3 are more about other characters doing things - murders, cover-ups, and investigating - but it was all surrounding and relating to Salander. She had less action than I wanted in the last two books. But still, I fully enjoyed books 2 and 3.
The English-language film of the first book will be in theaters in 2011. Daniel Craig will play journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Unfortunately, as with most movies, there's no way it will be as rich as the books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steig Larsson wrote these three books, submitted them to a publisher, and then died before they were published. He had written half of a fourth book which I believe his girlfriend may be finishing. He had an outline and planned to write several more in the series. I am sad for the loss of the author and for the loss of his further writing.
REVIEW OF BOOK 1: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.
REVIEWER'S OPINION:
I listened to the audiobook version and sometimes found it difficult to keep the names straight. The narrator is good, but there are so many Swedish names (people and towns) that are hard to follow if you're not used to it. I recommend reading the book (not the audiobook) and taking a few notes with names. I can't remember if it was the first third or more, but it was slow. It was also setting things up. There is a lot of "telling" about things happening in the past. The second half is more action and "showing." If you look "Inside the Book" on Amazon, there is a Vanger Family Tree which is helpful. The last half was fantastic and definitely worth the read. I was surprised, amazed, and couldn't put it down. It's creative and excellent. Caution for sensitive readers: there is unsettling rear-door rape and torture.
THE MAIN CHARACTER:
Salander is haunting, intriguing, and powerful in unexpected ways. She has a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness. She is 24, 4 feet 11, weighs 90 pounds, has tattoos, and looks like a punk teenager. Some of her personality traits appear similar to Asperger's syndrome, but she is sociable if she wants to be. She is one of the best computer hackers in the country. Her mother's in an institution. Salander is a ward of the State with a guardian controlling her finances. The State believes she is mentally incompetent. She doesn't care what they think as long as she can get her money when needed, and they "leave her alone." She becomes the top investigator for a private investigating firm.
STORY BRIEF:
Book 1 includes three stories. (1) Salander has problems with guardians and being a ward of the State. (2) Blomkvist is a journalist who printed an article about Wennerstrom, is sued for libel, and will be going to jail for three months. (3) Blomkvist is hired to investigate the disappearance of Harriet Vanger, which happened 37 years ago. Blomkvist learns about Salander and hires her to help investigate Harriet's disappearance which has something to do with a serial killer.
DATA:
Audiobook length: 16 hours. Swearing language: moderate to strong. Sexual content: a few scenes, some rape, language mild. Setting: 2003 mostly Sweden. Original Swedish copyright: 2005. Genre: mystery suspense thriller.
Summary of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy)
An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.
Amazon Best of the Month, September 2008: Once you start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, there's no turning back. This debut thriller--the first in a trilogy from the late Stieg Larsson--is a serious page-turner rivaling the best of Charlie Huston and Michael Connelly. Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo. --Dave Callanan
Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Literature & Fiction Books
Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott
Scribner; Published: 1986-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
The Killing Groundby JACK HIGGINS
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD; Published: 2007; Hardcover; Book
Saving Fish from Drowningby Amy Tan
4th Estate; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Life Expectancyby Dean Koontz
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Constant Princessby Philippa Gregory
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005; Hardcover; Book
Wolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1)by Conn Iggulden
Harper; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Saharaby Clive Cussler
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2005-03-21; Paperback; Book
Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy)by C. S. Lewis
Voyager; Published: 2005-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.70
Price in other shops:
The Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towersby J. R. R. Tolkien
Harper Collins Publishers; Published: 2001; Paperback; Book
Red Marsby Kim Stanley Robinson
Trafalgar Square; Published: 2001-06; Paperback; Book
Similar Books and other products
The Helpby Kathryn Stockett
Berkley Trade; Published: 2011-04-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.37
Price in other shops:
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Vintage Crime/ Black Lizard)by Stieg Larsson
Vintage; Published: 2010-06-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $45.42
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press; Published: 2010-08-24; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.25
Price in other shops:
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nestby Stieg Larsson
Random House; Published: 2010-05-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.28
Price in other shops:
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium Trilogy)by Stieg Larsson
Knopf; Published: 2010-05-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.74
Price in other shops:
The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium Trilogy)by Stieg Larsson
Vintage; Published: 2010-03-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.29
Price in other shops:
Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)by Suzanne Collins
Books; Scholastic Press; Published: 2009-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.98
Price in other shops:
The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage Crime/ Black Lizard)by Stieg Larsson
Vintage; Published: 2011-11-22; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.78
Price in other shops:
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Vintage)by Stieg Larsson
Vintage; Published: 2012-02-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.57
Price in other shops:
The Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins
Scholastic; Scholastic Press; Published: 2010-07-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.30
Price in other shops: