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After I had three people recommend The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to me within the space of a week, I decided to give it a try. I discovered in the bookstore that I was not unique; the cover of Entertainment Weekly was devoted to the Dragon Tattoo phenomenon. Obviously, I had jumped on a very popular bandwagon. Having read the book, I’m not completely on the bandwagon. It was pretty entertaining, but I’m not ready to shout about it from the rooftops or anything.
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One thing that drew me to the book: It’s translated from Swedish, and the entire series is set in Sweden. You can’t say that for many books. The series features two main characters in about equal measure. Mikael Blomkvist is an investigative journalist who goes after unethical businessmen. An error in judgment lands him in a courtroom, where he is found guilty of libel (he’s sort-of-kind-of-but-not-really guilty). He is sentenced to three months in prison, and voluntarily quits the magazine that he works for and runs. After the trial, a lawyer representing a client from a northern, rural area contacts him with a special proposition. His client is old and can’t travel, so Blomkvist will need to visit Hedestad to find out what the proposition entails. Henrik Vanger is the old scion of a fading Swedish manufacturing firm, and he wants Blomkvist to solve a forty year old mystery. His niece Harriet Vanger disappeared one day from the small island where Henrik lives. She’s been missing and presumed murdered all this time, and the number of people who were on the island that day and could have committed the crime is very limited. For Henrik, Harriet’s disappearance has become an obsession. His goal in hiring Blomkvist is to take one last crack at solving this mystery by throwing a pair of fresh eyes into the mix. Blomkvist, Henrik hopes, will manage to see something that others have missed all these years. He offers Blomkvist a generous salary and something even better: Proof that the man Blomkvist libeled really is a crook.
The other main character is the enigmatic Lisbeth Salander (the titular “girl with the dragon tattoo”). Lisbeth comes from a troubled background and has actually been declared incapable of managing her life, so she must have court appointed guardians to manage it for her. She currently works for a security company, and has an amazing talent for ferreting out information. She is actually hired by Henrik’s lawyer to research Blomkvist’s background, and it’s her thorough report that leads to his employment. She eventually ends up working with Blomkvist to find out what happened to Harriet, and she and Blomkvist become sexually involved (though he’s about twenty years her senior).
The story of Harriet’s disappearance is an interesting one, though it’s worth noting that this is a long book. The story meanders on its way to the conclusion, but most everything is related and tied together in the end. I wouldn’t call it a page-turner a la The DaVinci Code; it moves a little too slowly for that. But Tattoo is the better book.
For me the draw was more about the setting and the plot rather than the characters. I loved the Swedish backdrop – the little details, the weather, the cities. This is a novel with a real sense of place, which is something I can always appreciate.
I also enjoyed the mystery, and the process of solving it. It’s well done and intricate, and the pool of possible villains is large (though I did manage to guess one of the primary bad guys). The ending is satisfying as well.
As for the characters, I liked them but didn’t love them. I found their lives and personae interesting enough, but not so interesting that I felt the need to go out and buy the other two books right away. I could see myself reading them some time, but I don’t have a sense of urgency about it. It’s worth noting, however, that Salander stars in one of the best revenge scenes I’ve read. If you read the book, you’ll know what I mean; I wouldn’t think of spoiling it here.
That said, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an entertaining read. If you like mysteries – and don’t mind sinking your teeth into a longer one – you might consider hopping on the bandwagon.
Grade: B
Book Type: Mystery
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 10/07/10
Publication Date: 2008
I've been at AAR since dinosaurs roamed the Internet. I've been a Reviewer, Reviews Editor, Managing Editor, Publisher, and Blogger. Oh, and Advertising Corodinator. Right now I'm taking a step back to concentrate on kids, new husband, and new job in law...but I'll still keep my toe in the romance waters.
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.