Pages (Paperback): 608 pages
Publisher: Vintage
Released: June 23, 2009
Quick Thoughts I remember reading this back in my book blogging days (can I still say that if I came back to blogging?) and I remember being really excited for this because it was new and getting rave reviews. I think during this time, I was reading more international novels, so his name popped up and after reading the summary I wanted to read it.
Review: Carl Mikael Blomkvist, journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium, is convicted of libel and the lose of revenue, readers, and his slowly his reputation. If that isn't enough, Mikael also has to serve some jail time. This is all too much for him, so he steps down and leaves the magazine. It's then when he is contacted by Henrik Vanger. The deal between the two is simple, Henrik will provide the proof that Mikael desperately needs to restart his reputation and in return, Mikael will have to spend a year in Henrik's estate and write the Vanger family history and to help solve the case on who murdered Harriet Vanger.
With the help of hacker, Lisbeth Salander, Mikael will have to solve the case in order to restore his reputation and ease the mind of old man Henrik.
There are an assortment of characters, but I'll deal with the two main ones, Mikael and Lisbeth.
Mikael is smart, passionate, and a hard worker. But, despite all of his good qualities, I didn't particularly like that he would occasionally bed his best friend and business partner (who is married). The whole situation, even though everyone, including the husband, was fine with this, was a little off-putting to me. I understand there is a strong connection between them, but that doesn't mean it has to go this far. If they were single, I don't think I would have minded too much.
Lisbeth, what can I say about her, she's awesome. Simply awesome. Throughout the story, you learn more about Lisbeth and her past and you realize that this is a girl who had to do a lot in order to survive in the world. She made the story for me and when she came into Mikael's life the story picked up and I couldn't putting it down.
Final Thoughts: Minus the libel case, I loved the book. The mystery was interesting and the Vanger family were intriguing and mysterious in their own way. After that case was solved and Mikael goes home, the book starts too lose some of it's fire and it drags the book down. Other than that, it's a great book and I like what Larsson has done with Lisbeth.
Grade: 9 out of 10
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
is the first book in Stieg Larsson's series and is available in bookstores and Amazon.Compact, but with the same energy, check out the 5 line review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo over at 5 Line Reviews
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