First of all, I have to say that I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone I didn't know very well. There is a lot of bad language that I don't use, and several very graphic scenes that include sex, rape, and murder.
This book is the first in a series of three. From Goodreads:
It's about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden . . . and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.
It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance . . . and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age--and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it--who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism--and an unexpected connection between themselves.
It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance . . . and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age--and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it--who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism--and an unexpected connection between themselves.
It was a great read, very entertaining-- loaded with WAY too many details (it could have been half the length at almost 700 pages) too gruesome and racy for my taste.
I am glad I read this book, I don't think I'll read the other novels in the series.
The most interesting thing to me was that the author--Stieg Larsson was a journalist who apparently wrote the novels as a bit of a hobby at night time when he came home from work. He died leaving behind three completed manuscripts (making no attempt to publish until shortly before his death) and all three were published posthumously. He didn't know he would be a #1 best seller. I wonder a lot about his brain because of the things he did to his female characters. Lots of violence--then again, the bad guys always got what was coming to them and the females prevailed--unless they were murdered.
I am glad I read this book, I don't think I'll read the other novels in the series.
The most interesting thing to me was that the author--Stieg Larsson was a journalist who apparently wrote the novels as a bit of a hobby at night time when he came home from work. He died leaving behind three completed manuscripts (making no attempt to publish until shortly before his death) and all three were published posthumously. He didn't know he would be a #1 best seller. I wonder a lot about his brain because of the things he did to his female characters. Lots of violence--then again, the bad guys always got what was coming to them and the females prevailed--unless they were murdered.
3 comments:
As always I appreciate your book reviews. You've steered me to some of my favorite reads this year and I appreciate knowing about something out there that I can pass over. Thanks for all the good info and help!
So, question:
What do you do with a book that has the "qualities" you describe?
Put it on your bookshelf?
Donate it to the library?
Regift it?
Put it the trash?
A genuine question.
I had a similar problem once
@Georgia--The feeling is mutual! I love your book suggestions and know that you will never steer me wrong!
@Granma-- That is a good question indeed. I know it isn't a book I'd share with my daughters...but I hate to give it away since it was a gift. Hide it under my bed? I don't want my kids to read it--which means I probably shouldn't either.
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