My first review is going to be Steig Larsson's 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' (Quercus, 2010)Plot
The book starts with a rather ambiguous prologue which confuses the reader as they are unsure what the book is going to be about. Larsson then goes on to introduce one of the book's main protagonists, Mikael Blomkivist, the amusing 'womanizing' journalist. One of the sub-plots of the book is that Blomkivist is convicted of lying in an exposé of the industrialist, Hans Wennestrom and will do anything to prove he was 'set up' and expose Wennestrom as a crook.
However a cover up is in order to protect Blomkivist's magazine 'Millenium'. So, Blomkivist leaves the magazine. He promptly receives a phone call with a job interview (if only it were that easy) from Henrik Vanger, asking him to investigate the alleged murder of his niece, Harriet Vanger some 40 years previously under the pretence that he is writing the family history. He agrees to work for Vanger for a year, after being hooked by an offer of information on Wennerstrom.
On arrival to Hedeby Island, Blomkivist sets off trying to unlock the mystery. In the process he strikes a precaurious relationship with Cecilia Vanger which is on, then off, then on again, then definately off. He finds striking new leads including uncovering the meaning of some phone numbers, which are instead bible quotes with links to murders commited in Sweden. Mikael then gets in touch with Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, who is a hacker and an excellent researcher, to help him find the murders Harriet had uncovered. They are threatened several times by members of the Vanger family who fear that Henrik's 'obsession' with finding the truth about Harriet will kill him. This escalates when Henrik is taken to hospital, ill.
After several months Blomkivist accuses Martin Vanger and his father Gottfried Vanger of the murders and suspects Harriet was killed for discovering this. He is then captured and tortured by Martin Vanger, who admits to everything other than killing Harriet. Salander then saves Blomkivist and chases Martin, who then deliberately crashes his car and dies.
After that Salander contacts Plague, a fellow hacker, who arranges a team to aid her and Blomkivist to hack Annita Vanger's phone in London. Blomkivist attempts to talk to Annita but is refused and she subsequently telephones a number in Australia, where Blomkivist travels. Salander returns to Sweden where her mother has just died.
In Australia, Blomkivist locates Annita Cochrane, who is actually Harriet Vanger. They return to Sweden to tell Henrik Vanger. Henrik's lawyer Dirch Frode then reveals Henrik's information on Wennestrom is effectively useless, however Salander reveals she has hacked his computer and has all the information Blomkivist needs. The rest of the book develops their relationship and Blomkivist writing his expose, before concluding with Salander witnessing Blomkivist and his 'occasional lover' Erika Birger.
My response
A complex plot, with many sub-plots but completely worthwhile reading, with it's daringly different heroine and the irresistable Blomkivist. Witty, fun and very engaging I rarely put this book down.
- Cover- my version is less good- I prefer the original cover
- Plot- Complex but engaging- 9/10
- Characters- I love Salander and Blomkivist, and found the very corrupted Vanger family's dramas more entertaining than Eastenders- 8/10
- Overall impression- 8.5/10 :)
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