The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
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Book Reviews of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Book Review: "Now I know what my price is."
Summary: 5 Stars
When Mikael Blomqvist arrives on remote Hedeby Island to do research for the biography of Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger and his large family, he is looking for a place where he can avoid attention. Blomqvist, a financial journalist for Millenium magazine, is due to serve a three-month prison sentence soon for libeling a man he accused of criminal activity. For his own reasons, he did not challenge the charge and offered no defense, preferring to get the sentence over with in the face of enormous publicity. The temporary job he accepts on this remote island involves the search for Harriet Vanger, Henrik's niece who disappeared from the island when she was sixteen--thirty-seven years ago.
Sometimes helping Blomqvist in his research is Lisbeth Salander, a young woman thought to have Asperger's syndrome, who is under the guardianship of the state. Salander has suffered enormous sexual and emotional abuse and has withdrawn to the point that she trusts no one. Marking events in her life through tattoos and body piercings, she lives as solitary a life as possible, connecting primarily through the internet where she has "met" several fellow computer hackers. Gradually, Salander begins to respond to Blomqvist's honesty and respect for her talents as she discovers important new information about the Vanger family.
Though the novel starts rather slowly as the characters are introduced and the genealogy of the Vanger family is explored, author Stieg Larsson succeeds in creating a sense of Sweden's social culture and atmosphere as he sets up this "closed room" mystery and creates vibrant characters to carry the action. The reader cares about Blomqvist and Salander from the beginning, as both are vulnerable and have suffered unjustly, and as the novel develops, the author also creates sympathy for the elderly Henrik Vanger. Larsson was the editor of an anti-racist magazine, and his unforgettable depiction of some of the other Vanger relatives, who were ardent adherents of fascist and Nazi movements, carries the ring of authenticity.
As the novel develops, the skeletons in the Vanger family closet emerge, and a host of repulsive crimes, including murder, rape, torture, and the wanton abuse of women over many years are laid bare. The novel becomes an utterly compelling can't-put-it-downer, as the reader "travels" with Blomqvist and Salander, sharing their frustrations and their physical danger as they investigate this decades-old disappearance. Developed in minute detail, this rich novel is especially satisfying because it leaves no loose threads, connecting every detail to produce a blockbuster conclusion which satisfies in every way. The first novel of a trilogy which Larsson completed just before his premature death in 2004, at age fifty, this thrilling novel will leave its fans panting for the next installment. n Mary Whipple
The Girl Who Played with Fire, the second novel in this trilogy, due in January
The third novel, tentatively titled The Air Castle That Blew Up, has no US publication date yet.
Book Review: Holy Cats! What a Read.
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"
by Steig Larsson
Book Review by Jay Gilbertson
When strolling through the stacks at our wonderful library in Menomonie, marveling at all those new arrivals, I go a little nuts. Shelf after shelf of possibilities then--the one--picks me and I'm done for. That's what happened when author Stieg's novel grabbed my attention. Grabbed--good grief--I was totally and completely obsessed with the darn thing and I don't normally go for anything remotely connected to the all-to-predictable thriller genre. But this baby had something so off the charts different it stunned me. The characters in his web-like story were utterly compelling.
The tale opens with one of my favorite author-ly tricks; a prologue. Exhibit A: a mysterious pressed flower arrives--again. Exhibit B: enter mystery-solver and Sweden's renowned magazine editor/owner the dashing Mikael Blomkvist. Lastly, (but not really seeing as this is the first in a trilogy) exhibit C: one cannot properly solve any kind of mystery now days without a quirky, self-loathing, possible Asperger Syndrome sufferer, pierced and tattooed like nobody's business--computer hacking genius (with really great legs) Lisbeth Salander.
The cast of characters is vast and the pace is pitch-perfect as long as you keep in mind that the story is written in a very journalistic tone. By this I mean, often times Stieg will list off what a character is wearing or eating or surrounded by as if simply reporting the news, and that was a tad off-putting. The thrill-part is how Blomkvist and Salander uncover just who the dickens murdered dear Harriet Vanger forty years past and, by-the-way, where did her body go? That's assuming she was indeed murdered... What they do uncover is far more ghastly and far-reaching and just plain disgusting than I bet even Stephen King could have come up with!
Toss in a filthy rich old man on his deathbed, an enormously complicated family tree full of nasty and terribly incestuous (as well as totally dysfunctional) relations each out to get the other, and you have just the tip of the iceberg that is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I might add, seeing as I am a rather private fellow, there were several scenes that not only shocked the heck out of me, but also made me blush. Very R-rated, if you get my drift. Oh, and I should mention, the author `mysteriously' died after penning the final draft of the third novel in this series.
This is a roller-coaster ride of a novel and I honestly don't recall the last time I was so consumed with not only an insanely complex story-line(s) but the sheer brutality of some of Stieg's characters was at times both shocking and (I hate to admit this) just so satisfying. Don't just sit there wondering, buzz over to the library and get on the waiting list.
As you dive into TGWTDT, keep this in mind: A picture is worth a thousand words--now go!
For more information about the author:
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Book Review: Love the Goth girl!
Summary: 5 Stars
Somewhere out there there are dozens of Goth girls with a new hero, and it's not Marilyn Manson. Her name is Lisbeth Salander, and she's tough, smart, and hard to get to know. She has a photographic memory and fantastic computer skills, and you don't want to get on her bad side.
Lisbeth works for main character, Mikael Blomkvist, an investigative journalist who's been found guilty of libeling billionaire financial wizard Hans-Erik Wennerstrom. Blomkvist wrote an article accusing Wennerstrom of embezzling 65 million dollars from the Swedish government but was unable to substantiate part of the story. Blomkvist must serve a prison sentence but before he can clear himself, he is hired by another billionaire industrialist, Henrik Vanger, to find out what happened to his brother's daughter who disappeared almost forty years ago. Lisbeth was hired to do a background check on Mikael Blomkvist, and Henrik's lawyer recommends that Mikael hire her as a research assistant.
The Vanger family is bad news. One of Henrik's brothers was pro-Nazi during WWII. Harriet's father was a drunkard before he drowned during one of his binges. Harriet's mother is a witch. None of the Vangers get along, which makes it hard for the company to agree on a direction. Blomkvist thinks the search for Harriet is a hopeless case, but Henrik has been obsessed with her since she disappeared and he has boxes full of evidence. He wants Blomkvist to look at them one more time. Stieg Larsson runs the reader through a maze of possible clues, most of which don't go anywhere, at least not right away, but finally Blomkvist finds a photograph that cracks the case wide open.
Lisbeth is instrumental in both climactic scenes. She's such a multi-dimensional character. She's been declared mentally unstable; so although she's twenty-four, she must report to a guardian when she needs money. When her previous guardian dies, she's confronted with an abusive replacement whom she deals with in typical Lisbeth ingenuity. Despite her obvious talent, she has a terrible inferiority complex. She just can't believe Mikael Blomkvist could possibly see anything in her when he could have beautiful Erika Berger, Mikael`s friend and publisher.
Author Stieg Larsson is almost as interesting as Lizbeth. He was managing editor of a magazine opposing right-wing extremism. Before he died he submitted three complete novels. He especially hated financial speculators. There's a telling quote near the end of the book: "...it's the financial gnomes that some tough reporter should identify and expose as traitors. They're the ones who are systematically and perhaps deliberately damaging the Swedish economy in order to satisfy the profit interests of their clients." Pretty appropriate, considering what's been happening on Wall Street.
I sure hope the next two novels are sequels and that we'll hear from Mikael and Lisbeth again. I also hope they make a movie out of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. I'm already casting the various parts. Are you still alive Winona Ryder?
Book Review: An Idealistic Hero, an Unlikely Heroine, a Swedish Setting, Dangerous Secrets, and a Dandy Mystery Make for Great Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
To me, this book is the most unexpected page-turning thriller I've read in some time. I couldn't wait for the next surprise.
I was reminded of first reading the early Ian Fleming books about James Bond, feeling like I'd entered a fascinating new world that I never had never dreamed of. But Stieg Larsson's writing is much better than Fleming's and these characters are more nuanced in their unusual characteristics.
The book defies normal novel categories. There are such a major story lines about both the hero and heroine that the novel would be more than adequate just developing those ideas. The mystery of a young woman's disappearance is more than adequate to sustain the interest of anyone who likes books about amateur detectives. In the background, there are dark secrets about a not-so-desirable family that would intrigue anyone who likes to read family sagas. What's remarkable is that these threads are very neatly combined so that you get a lot of story for your time, money, and reading pleasure.
Investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist has a problem: He's written something that he can't prove and has been sued for criminal libel. His blunder costs him his savings, his reputation, and his freedom while threatening the survival of his publication. How will he and the magazine recover?
Lisbeth Salander wants her freedom and finds it hard to win. Although she's tremendously talented, her past holds secrets that pin her down much as Gulliver was by the tiny ropes of the Lilliputians.
Henrik Vanger wants to find out what happened to his grand niece, Harriet Vanger, who disappeared while an accident was being handled near her home. Can he persuade Blomkvist to help him?
There has been a search going on for Harriet Vanger for over forty years. What have they been overlooking?
What skeletons are hiding in the pro-Nazi closets of the older generation of the Vanger family? How do these skeletons affect the present?
You'll probably never meet a more unlikely detection team than Blomkvist and Salander. The unusual chemistry and motivation behind their joint efforts directs the story into many unexpected and interesting directions.
Stieg Larsson gives as much attention to his characters and their development as most mystery novelists do to their plots. As a result, you can relate to these characters quite well . . . as though you had already read ten books in which they interacted. He also takes the time to make these characters as unique as real people are, making them more vivid and rewarding to contemplate than the two-dimensional cutouts that serve as "characters" in most mystery novels.
His plot is also very fine: He usually doesn't telegraph what's coming next. People act as unpredictably as they do in real life . . . making the plot messy . . . as real life is messy.
I was delighted to learn that although Mr. Larsson has died that there are two more books coming. I can hardly wait!
Book Review: I got my reading mojo back with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Summary: 5 Stars
I read many, many nonfiction books as part of my own work, so it often doesn't feel very relaxing to pick up a novel in my free time. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo broke through my burnout and really helped reconnect with my love of fiction. It is the first book in a long time that completely pulled me in with its characters, setting and mystery.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is highly intelligent, and earns its volatile climax. The novel progressed to a level of violence that surprised me, but again, it made sense within the context of the story, which is as much social critique as it is Agatha-Christie-like murder mystery--as updated for the era of The Silence of the Lambs. For me it brings to mind Kate Atkinson's Case Histories: A Novel, amped up a notch. (I enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo even more.)
Disgraced journalist turned reluctant detective Mikael Blomkvist and brilliant, damaged researcher Lisbeth Salander are worthy characters whom I'll definitely follow through two sequels. Larsson hints at his characters' depths (of their life stories and pain) and their shallowness (in some quarters, when it comes to human relationships). For instance, when you find out why Lisbeth gets a tattoo, it will make you re-evaluate all that you know, or don't know, about her life history. In fact, after reading this book and finding out what goes on behind closed doors, and beneath respectable facades, you may wonder how well you really know anyone.
The cold-case mystery of the missing girl from the Vanger family completely engrossed me. My one criticism of the book is that the subplot about "The Wennerstrom Affair," which indirectly sets the main story in motion, and comes back at the end of the book, didn't really work for me. It seemed like it would ultimately have much more of a connection to the Vanger story. Was Wennerstrom just a distraction, or an element of social satire that didn't translate well, or is there more there than meets the eye on first read? The actual "payoff" of the Wennerstrom subplot was the one aspect of the story I found unsatisfying. I wonder if those events and characters will come back in Larsson's subsequent books to finally create a logical, full-circle moment.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo takes a while to get going. It took an effort to get to know the main characters and sort out the plot, and I wasn't fully invested until page 83, after the Vanger mystery was laid out. But once Mikael and Lisbeth really got going on the case, it became one of those books that kept me up until one in the morning on a roller coaster ride, trying futilely to find a place to pull over, because I knew I still had 100 pages to go and I didn't want to pull a true all-nighter.
Highly recommended for those hungry for a smart, complex and grown-up thriller.