I Liked It, But I Don't Get the Phenomenom

Book 41: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson

Recently, amongst several people I follow on Twitter, there was a discussion about books everyone's loved...except you.  I think that may be The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo for me.  Don't get me wrong. I didn't hate the book. In fact, I rather liked it and plan to read the other two in the Millennium trilogy.  I just don't get why it's a phenomenon. That could be because I've heard so many people RAVING about the book and the series that I just had incredibly lofty expectations.

I've also been told that the second book is even better,  and that by the third, I'll be quite angry that Larsson passed away before he could complete more books.  I hope that's true. I love a series that sucks me in, makes me want to read more and more about the characters.

There was a lot to like in Girl. Lisbeth is a complex, prickly heroine.  Yes, she's vulnerable and a victim, but at the same time, she's enough of a rebel and a bad-ass that you like her despite her somewhat thorny nature.  Blomvkist, too, is a likable enough guy, and you find you want him to get the revenge he deserves.  I thought the mystery was a good one, bits and pieces revealed at just the right pace to keep me reading.  I did guess the villain before the end of the book, although not the whole story and not how mental the whole thing was. I also understand why the book was called "Men Who Hate Women" in Sweden.

Reading a bit of Larsson's history- that he had witnessed a rape when he was fifteen and did  nothing to stop it, and his then life-long quest for absolution from this act and his guilt about his own inaction-  certainly explains a lot of his plot points, of the desire for justice and vengeance.

Now Twitter and Facebook are abuzz with the announcement of the actress who will play Lisbeth in the American version of the Film.  I don't have a strong opinion on the choice.  I can certainly see this novel translating well to the screen. I do hope they stay close to the story, and don't "Hollywood" it up too much.

I had anticipated being so enamored with these books that I would post on the series at one time because I'd had to read them back to back to back. That won't be the case, but I am looking forward to the next two books in the series.