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Friday, September 18, 2009

Book: The Girl With the Dragoon Tattoo

I decided to actually speak on the title.

Summary: The book is set in Sweden and is about Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist who co-owns a magazine that goes after corporations and operations with shady dealings. He is convicted of libel based on an article about industrialist Hans-Erik Wennerström.

After the trial, in which he will son have to serve 90 days in gaol(or jail), he is offered a job by aging tycoon Henrik Vanger. Its to write a family chronicle but that's just the cover to his real request, to find out who killed his niece Harriet.

Harriet has been missing for about 40 years and the cops ran down every lead humanly possible.

Interconnecting into these stories is Lisbeth Salander. An antisocial young woman with a troubled past. In her twenties she becomes an asset to a security company as a PI with incredible, and questionable skill.

Eventually the two end up teaming up on the case.

Thoughts: I sort of wondered why Lisbeth didn't just get the case to track down Harriet because she did the thorough background check for Vanger before he was hired. but I guess Henrik sort of explains that away when he "first" meets Blomkvist.

The original title was Män som hatar kvinnor which translates to men Who Hate Women. I didn't know that when I first read the book but I that title is a bit more clear to the story. However I prefer the title the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Also, there are some fucked up Swedes.

Other than that, its a briskly paced book. Its over 600 pages and the fact i had no trouble reading it was surprising. Let alone the fact I actually enjoyed it. I mean, the main characters are mostly likable. Though a little annoying at times. Some of the Vanger family are trash.

It was entertaining to see Blomkvist retrace all the leads to find a new angle on the situation. But I enjoyed Lisbeth the most. She's definitely a tough woman and lacks empathy at times but its amazing to read what she's doing and what she's thinking.

Oh, and I never figure out what happens in mystery's.

Overall: I say its worth all the press and raves.

3 comments:

David Bird said...

I enjoyed Wednesday Comics, but its a hard one to recommend. Like all anthologies, its hit or miss, and you have to start at the beginning (they are all continuing stories) and its questionable as to whether they will ever be collected. The Wonder Woman story, for example, couldn't be resized without losing a lot. If you see them in a mark down bin...

I have The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in my 'to read' pile, but dont' know when I'll get to it.

David Bird said...

So I have read it and enjoyed it a great deal. I particularly liked the staggered endings.

I have a few books ahead of the second one, though.

Unknown said...

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, is the most subversive piece of work that has surfaced on planet earth in the 21st Century. Only because it dismantels the power structute, nice an crearly. White or what ever color men in power and who hate women, are over!
Women are taking over and are no longer victims od patriachy. This Film is a premonition of the years to come, where sadists, rapists and sex trafilers-Nazi fuckers are over!!!!!