The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
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Book Reviews of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Book Review: Spellbinding!
Summary: 5 Stars
I used to read more mysteries than I do now and I am so glad that I picked up a copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This is a hard review to write as I don't want to give too much away as to spoil the story for those who haven't read the book yet. This book has a slow start, a few friends warned me that the first 150 pages would be slow and it was. It was filled with lots of information but I still found it interesting and wasn't tempted to put it down. So, if you're reading it and find the beginning slow...don't give up, it gets SO much better!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was truly spellbinding to me...it pulled me in and I couldn't put the book down near the end. This book covers it all including murder mystery, family sagas, family secrets, love story and financial intrigue and mystery. There are several story lines within the book that I didn't have a problem balancing as I read. There is the storyline of Mikael a political and financial journalist who is charged with Libel. He runs and co-owns a magazine called Millenium, thus the series is referred to as the Millenium series. Mickael is hired to investigate a missing person case and the woman has been missing for over 40 years.
My favorite storyline and character is Lisbeth a twenty-something pierced and tattooed young woman with a horrible past full of secrets. She is intriguing and mysterious and her mind works at a genius level including her computer hacking abilities. Her social skills are limited and this causes her a lot of problems. Her past gets intertwined into the story as she teams up with Mikael to help him solve the missing person case.
There are definitely disturbing parts to this book that are graphic in nature so be forewarned if this is something that bothers you. I usually don't tolerate graphic abuse very well and there are definitely squeamish and violent scenes in this book but the storyline was so amazing and intelligent that these dark aspects didn't destroy my opinion of the book . There was a lot of violence towards women in this book and it seemed excessive. The ugly side of human nature shines through loudly. I can understand why the title was originally called "Men who hate women" when it was first published in Sweden.
Book Review: Compelling and well Written
Summary: 5 Stars
Instead of retelling the story, I'll make a few of my general observations about what made the book so surprisingly readable:
1. How many books have you read written by a Swedish author from a Swedish perspective? I found it fascinating to compare what must be the norm regarding Swedish businessmen, a somewhat more liberal feeling about sexual relationships, friendship, normal food, living quarters, all things Swedish.
2. The author was a trained journalist, knows the rules and law of journalism and accurately portrays the writing and publishing world which can sometimes be brutal and highly competitive.
3. How many of the royal business families in the United States are made up of dozens and dozens of heirs who are made up partially of spoiled and troubled people with sometimes creepy lives? The story here is very believable, goes back a couple of generations where the main character journalist is able to uncover some family Nazi roots and bad behavior which have permeated down to the current generation.
4. One of the most compelling and excellent things about the book is the creation of a waifish, backward, tattooed and pierced girl who seems like a total outcast and belongs in an institution. But as her personality and skills start to unfold and mix with the journalist main character, she becomes this amazing and even lovable character and I have to admit, that I cared deeply for her and kept holding my breath hoping she wouldn't die.
5. The story is long, meticulous, gets into detail that main American detective writers would never take time to do. And yet, it is this careful, slow work that makes it all the more believable and when some solutions start to emerge, it has been well worth the wait.
6. There were a few things that were a bit strange to me, a bit over the top, didn't quite seem right, but I don't want to give anything away here.
Suffice it to say that I'm very excited for the next book to come out and I can't believe I have to wait until July.
The book is adult and R rated with some scenes that will be offensive and hard to take for some readers.
Book Review: IF YOU LIKE A MYSTERY BUY THIS BOOK
Summary: 5 Stars
IF YOU LIKE A MYSTERY BUY THIS BOOK
If You Like Character Development Buy This Book.
Mr. Stieg Larsson's debut novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is terrific. An intricate novel that combines a complex murder mystery with a dysfunctional family saga, a complicated person love story, intricate financial corporate intrigue, and an esoteric 50 year serial crime spree. Well written, Mr. Larsson's keeps the reader in absolute suspense from page one to the end of this amazing tale. In many ways this novel is a lot like an expanded and more complex Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle mystery. Mr. Larsson builds the mystery as he adds facet upon facet until a complex mosaic leaves the reader wondering where the author will go next? The good news is that Mr. Larsson does not disappoint as he weaves layer upon layer of suspense. The basic thesis involves a discredited reporter who is hired to investigate and find the strangely missing niece of a very rich Swedish businessman. From there the story grows into a labyrinth of who-done-its, as Mr. Larsson brings in a multitude of interesting and in many ways despicable characters. To go into more detail would spoil a wonderful tale of mystery. Again, this is an extremely well done and satisfying mystery on many levels.
Character development was superb and the very heart of this novel. Mr. Larsson's literary forte is his wonderful ability to develop numerous characters and have then all interrelate. As the mysteries deepen, the characters become even more complex until the story reaches a thundering climax or should I say climaxes! Bravo and well done Mr. Larsson.
Heavy use of raw language and some extreme violence but all germane to this tale of interpersonal relationships. No gratuitous sex.
I heartily recommend this novel. The beginning drags just a bit as Mr. Larsson sets the literary table but then by page 20 or so hold on to your seat as the roller coaster ride begins. Could be book of the year. If you liked Child 44 you'll love this novel. Worth the hardback price. I am looking forward with anticipation to Mr. Larsson's next novel .
Book Review: Incredibly Good, but not for the Faint of Heart
Summary: 5 Stars
Mikael Blomkvist of Millennim magazine is in big trouble. He has been accused of libel by wealthy industrialist Hans-Erik Wennerstrom. Wennerstrom may have violated the law, but in Sweden you have to have very good proof if you're going to write about it and if Blomkvist can't get enough to back up what he's written, he could be going to jail.
But maybe not. Blomkvist gets a call from an aging lawyer, who represents eighty-two-year-old Henrik Vanger, who is very rich. Vanger wants Blomkvist to write his family's history. He also wants Blomkvist to find out what happened to his grand niece who vanished back in 1966. Blomkvist isn't eager for the tasks, but Vanger says he has the proof Blomkvist is looking for in the Wennerstrom matter, so Blomkvist agrees.
However, he needs a assistant, but not to worry, one is handy and ready to work for him, the waif-like and very young Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist wants to know if she's any good and she shows him just how good she is by providing him files she has on him and he is astounded. It seems she's dug up stuff only he knows about himself. She is apparently the queen of hackers. Together these two have a year to fulfill Vanger's requests.
I don't know if I've made this story sound exciting, but it is. The characters work well together and they play off each other beautifully, however this book is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of violence against women and that can be off putting, but it's necessary for the story. I know, because I'm squeamish and I couldn't put it down.
This is the first book of a trilogy written by Stieg Larrson who died shortly after having handing them in to his publisher. All three have been published in Sweden, but sadly I can't read Swedish, so I'm going to have to wait for the next two. This is an excellent mystery, which works on a whole lot of levels. Mr. Larrson is a fresh voice, new (to me at least) and already missed.
Reviewed by Vesta Irene
Book Review: The components of a top notch story
Summary: 5 Stars
What makes a great story? I'm not sure. But upon finishing this story I felt a satisfaction, a breadth and depth of feeling for the characters, especially the male and female protagonists, that rarely occurs, especially in a story that could mistakenly be called mystery.
At its heart, 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' is a tale of abused women by disturbed and hateful men. It's also about a particular woman with a mysterious past struggling to get on in a world which mostly barely tolerates her, tries little to understand her, and cruelly abuses her (by someone she should be able to trust). Lisbeth Salander also struggles with the painful chore of developing a moral compass and grounding, with little help from others, apparently including her family. She apparently has some sort of mental disorder which denies her the satisfactions of socialization. She's a savant, which enables her to find work of a specialized nature, and, importantly, allows her do it largely alone.
Mikael Blomkvist, a magazine publisher, convicted of libel, gets manipulated into working for an aged and retired industrialist on a 40-year-old mystery. He struggles with his loss of reputation--his integrity meaning a great deal to him--resulting from the libel conviction. During his investigation he struggles with what 'means' is it okay to pursue to achieve the desired 'end.' He's a bit naive, and a genuinely good-hearted fellow, who finds himself mixed up with people who deliberately take advantage of him, but his don't-take-it-personally attitude repeatedly enables him to keep his eyes on the tasks, including impending jail time, that ultimately demand his focus.
On many levels, this is as finely a written story, with fully developed characters, originality, and suspense, that one could hope for.
Being a somewhat slow reader, that I was captivated so as to read the last 250 pages of this story in a day testifies to the enthralling part one of Mr. Larsson's trilogy.