Book Friday (On Saturday)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Sorry for the late post. I should note that the old punishment rules still stand but I won't get punished because I noticed I didn't post, and made a post, before anyone else could call me on it. Now onto the review.

Summary

This book picks up immediately after the thrilling conclusion of The Girl Who Played With Fire. In this book The secrets of Lisbeth's turbulent life finally come to a head, revealing a conspiracy far deeper than anyone could have imagined.

Overview (No Spoilers)

It's difficult to talk much about this book without giving spoilers because, at the end of the second, I felt like all bets were off, and no character was safe. Since the book is all about the characters, there's not a lot I can say without hinting at the ending of the second book. However, while I can say that the second book remains my favorite, this one was also great and I am glad it is the third book. The pacing isn't as quick as its predecessor. There was a rather lot of exposition. But the characters are as stunningly rich as ever and I had to keep reading to see how their lives unfolded in this fantastic drama.

Book Club (Spoilers)

Because I know how frustrating it can be to see a spoiler to a book this good on accident, I'll put this text in white and you can highlight it to read:

So most importantly, I'm SO glad that the ending was resolved and not a cliff hanger like the second. I was so worried when, at the end, Lisbeth had to confront her half-brother and there were only 20 minutes left on the audio. I didn't want her to die, or worse, end on another cliff-hanger. But as Lisbeth always does, she surprised me by persevering against impossible odds. However, this all also took place long after I felt the book had a natural end, which was after the trial. And I was a little thrown by Lisbeth wandering around Gibraltar being and alcoholic and sleeping with random dudes. But considering Larsson will never be able to write another, I was more than happy to put up with a few false endings. At the same time, I found myself wondering how they might have edited the books if Larsson had lived.

I loved the involvement of the Hacker Republic and only wish there had been more of them. Perhaps he meant that for a later book. I thought the Berger subplot was unnecessary but I was happy to go with it because this was the last book and it was still fun to read, even if it was irrelevant to the story at large. Then Blomvkist was up to his old tricks, or should I say, old luck of just having women throw themselves at him. But I can't say I blame them. There is something undeniably sexy about his constant drive and purpose, combined with his dogged loyalty to ethics. At the same time there's a certain charming bumbling nature to him when it comes to romance. He doesn't stalk women like prey; they stalk him, and he's generally just stunned and grateful to be hunted. It's an uncomplicated guilelessness combined with the otherwise focused and brilliant mind that's so attractive and makes you forgive him his frequent transgressions. I knew he'd probably hook-up with Figuerola, so there was the predictably by this time, but I still loved his character after. Lisbeth's amusing frustration that often resembles hatred towards Kalle F%*)*& Blomvkist is understandable simply because he is so hard to hate and for Lisbeth, that by itself would be frustrating because she cannot simply dismiss him.

The Girl Who Played With Fire:
Book Review

First off I thought it was really cool when I realized that the cover art was not fire but hair. Secondly, I listened to this on audio but I don't feel like I have enough to say about the audio to call this an audiobook review. I have a few audio critiques but the majority will be story focused. Honestly, I feel like most my audiobook reviews are like that so, in the future, I may just call them book reviews.

Summary:

So, The Girl Who Played With Fire, picks up where The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo left off. You find out that, after the events of the first book, Salander takes a year off to tour the world. She returns to find that a plot has been hatched against her that soon turns her into the country's most sought-after fugitive. When Salander's few friends fight tooth and nail to exonerate her, we discover the key factors of her past that made her the mystery she is.

Overview:

l loved this book even more than the first, which I loved quite a lot. This may have been because the underlying villains were in the sex trade which is a lot easier to understand than financial crime. Plus, I feel Larsson really hit his stride with the characters where I was really rooting for them even more than before and I was very worried when they were in danger. I began the book with the assumption only certain characters could die. I finished fearing everyone was fair game. They even had me get really into boxing in one scene, a sport I care nothing for normally. The only thing that had me concerned was the end. I won't reveal it here (that's for my Book Club section), but I will say, if that's the end to this book, I'm worried about the end of the last book. At the same time, I have to know what happens! I can't wait for the release of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest this May!

Audio

It was fine EXCEPT he gave Salander and Blomkvist these very distinct British accents which felt weird since they're Swedish. The narration was fine because it was a very standard midlands British accent which was fine. But the voices were weird. I don't know enough about British accents to point to a map and say where one is from, but I would bet someone who did could. I don't expect Swedish accents but no pronounced accent at all would have been the best route.

Film

There is also a Swedish film to this book. You can see the trailer below. The trailer made some scenes look a bit cheesier than I would have liked, but it's hard to tell without seeing the movie.



Book Club

Okay, this is where I talk about the book as if you've already read it, so if you don't want spoilers, don't read on.

First of all, Mia Johansson and Dag Svensson were really likable characters, so I was easily able to relate to the shock and heartache the other characters felt when they were murdered.

I also didn't think it was possible, but I love Blomkvist even more in this book. He's responsible, ethical, loyal, and true. These qualities easily outweigh his human foibles--such as his many and varied relationships with women. Part of the reason I'm never bothered by it is that Blomkvist continues to show all of these women nothing but respect and it is always believable why they're interested in him. Harriet, for instance, owes a lot to Blomkvist, and he's the only one who knows her secret. So it makes sense that she would feel close to him. Berger explains in even more detail that she just happens to be sexually attracted to Blomkvist. The few other women mentioned are interested in his rising fame. It doesn't feel like a male fantasy as these type of books often do. Not in the least because Blomkvist isn't jumping into bed with everyone who offers. Berger and Harriet are actually the only two in this book. He's not even tempted by the young star-struck intern which shows he has some measure of integrity and taste. I think it also helps that I generally like or at least respect the women he's with. There's also the fact that even after Salander has repudiated him, he remains a loyal friend. It's also a small detail, but the scene where he's panicking over the alarm after breaking into Salander's apartment and she can see him on video is hilarious!

I still find Salander difficult to relate to, but I understood her a lot better in this book than the first one. Probably because this book is actually about her. I also loved it when Paolo Roberto told Blomkvist he was a friend of Salander's and the "of course" moment. Priceless. The beauty of these characters is they are simultaneously realistic and larger than life. Salander is both troubled child and avenging angel. For this reason, and the fact that I knew there was a third book, I wasn't worried about her death through most the book. She seemed safely invincible. But at the end I began to seriously fear that she would die when she was shot in the head. I thought maybe the third book was a prequel or something because she was shot and buried! Part of me was thinking "No! She can't die! She's Lisbeth Salander!" The other part was thinking "@$#%! She's just been shot in the head and buried. She's dead. She's dead!!" Even if he brought her back as a zombie, it would be the death of a good book. But I was so excited when she bust out of that grave. Larsson made it just difficult enough where I could believe it just might be medically possible. Plus, I was willing to stretch the limits of possible just a little for Salander.

The ending allows for no denoument, though. Not really a cliffhanger, but I sincerely hope the third book doesn't end similar. I fear it's possible because this was supposed to be a ten book series but Larsson is dead. Literature is the poorer for that man's early loss. But I will definitely still read the third and last book of his oeuvre.

I read this book last month but hadn't had the chance to review it. Right now I'm listening to The Girl Who Played With Fire on audio. But I'll just focus on the first book for this review.

Summary:

Mikael Blomkvist, a Swedish reporter, stumbles into the secrets of a corrupt financier, but his evidence falls through, and he's convicted of libel. Facing the ruin of his career, Blomvkist is talked into humoring an old company mogul by investigating a long cold case involving the disappearance of the old man's niece, Harriet Vagner. At first Blomkvist does not expect to find anything, but his investigation of the Vagner family leads to growing suspicion of dark secrets. Along the way, he enlists the help of an enigmatic expert investigator, Lisbeth Salander. Together they find information that puts them on the trail of a serial killer.

Overview:

I love this book. The beginning was admittedly a bit slow because there was a lot of talk of corporate financial things that went over my head a little. The Swedish names were also a bit overwhelming at frst in a tongue-twistery sort of way. I also had to look up the references to Swedish literature, even Pipi Longstocking because I knew the name but nothing about the character. But once I got past that, I really enjoyed it. The characters are so real, and in spite of the cultural divide, I found myself able to personally relate to many of them, particularly Blomvkist. Salander is harder for me to relate to personally. Not just because she's a computer expert, but also her antisocial nature. This is a trilogy so you don't really understand Salander by the end and you're not supposed to. But I still cheered for her throughout. Larsson does a beautiful job of making Salander into a real life avenging angel. She sees the wrongs in the world and is determined to personally right them herself. He also does a good job of creating reprehensible but believable villains that you root strongly for the heroes.

Film

I was very excited to see a trailer for the Swedish movie up on IMDB the other day. I had known there was a Swedish version, but it hadn't been officially released in English yet. You could downlooad an English version illegally off the internet (ironically fitting for Salander's character) but you couldn't buy a real copy! Now finally, it looks like I'll be able to see it either dubbed or subtitled (impossible to know which they're planning. Personally, I hope it's subtitled.)

This isn't the official US trailer; it's the original Swedish trailer, but I liked it better, and it's subtitled in English, so you can enjoy and understand! :)



Rating

I would give this book 10/10 stars: * * * * * * * * * *

Book Club

This is where I discuss my thoughts on specific plot points in the book so scoot if you haven't read it.

I'm serious; this is a really good mystery and I don't want to ruin it. Go read it.

So the characters themselves are often a mystery. I think Salander wouldn't have so much trouble if she would just trust authority. The rape scene was really difficult for me to read and I've read plenty of really violent things without blinking. I wanted her to either turn that guy in to the police or kill him. But I have to confess I was very satisfied with what she did to him. I just didn't feel it was permanant enough and wished she had simply killed him. I guess I sound rather murderous, but it's just a literary fact that villains you don't kill always come back. He's also such a nasty person (though the tattoo she gave him helps to prevent him troubling other women). But it makes sense that Salander would feel she needed him to help to get the declaration of her incompetence revoked.

Blomvkist, in my opinion, is exactly the opposite of Salander. He's not exactly an everyman, but his quirks are understandable and even lovable. He might sleep around, but he respects all the women he's with. He manages to be sexually open while still being a very stable and responsible person. It also wasn't a mystery to me why he got propositioned by women so often. It was a believable mix of luck and his likable personality. I sincerely felt sorry for him when he fell out of favor with Salander in the end because I really liked them as a couple. But it's possibly the first time when I'm not angry at either party. Salander knew about Blomvkist's relationship with Erika Berger. He never lied to her about that, and Salander was the one who came onto him. All the same, I can see where, while Salander may have consciously understood about his running affair with Berger, confronting it when she's realized she's in love with him was much harder. And Salander isn't the type to talk those type of things out.

I thought that Harriet was alive the whole time. I didn't think anyone else would send the flowers (although the wall of flowers still always gave me a chill). But her owning a ranch in Australia did seem a bit out there. Still, the characters were so real that even some of the more bizarre happenings seemed credible. Some of the more complicated clues in Harriet's case also swished right over my head, but I was so into the drama by then that it didn't really matter to me.