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Product Reviews:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo |
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
Summary: The middle was middlingly exciting
Comments: The middle chunk of this book is a moderately interesting murder mystery thriller. I feel like I have read better mysterys, however. The motivations here are totally concealed and then completely explode to resolution in the space of 100 pages. The interesting part, alas, wraps up 100 pages before the end of the book. The rest is the 'corporate thriller' and is not thrilling. The 100+ pages of dull setup to start this book is not thrilling either. I love the tease on the back, something like, if you get to chapter2you are HOOKED!!. Huh? Maybe if you get to chapter 14 you might get engaged.
OK, SPOILER ALERT. Again, why are are thriller masterminds so stupid? This mastermind has a worldwide criminal empire spanning drugs and WEAPONS dealing. He's ostensibly run afoul of international law in coopting aid money to arm hosile commandos or whatever. So his arch-nemesis (worth installing a mole in the organization) is a SWEDISH FINANCIAL JOURNALIST WITH A STAFF OF6PEOPLE? WHAT? He's not concerned about Interpol, NATO, the Columbians, NSA, CIA, MI-6, no, no, no. He's busy trying to ruin a small magazine BY CONSPIRING TO WITHHOLD ADVERTISING. REALLY?
Also, the mastermind keeps 100% of all of his files on1laptop, had kept the SAME HARD DRIVE OVER NUMEROUS LAPTOPS FOR 15 YEARS AND STILL USED IT RELIGIOUSLY EVEN AFTER FLEEING? This plot device is so stupid the book even acknowledges it in2places and continues to use it. Also, he apparently has a million bank accounts however manages to lodge e critical krona in1BANK ACCOUNT that apparently doesn't require him to be even aware of what's going on to withdraw some super-bonds which are so liquid and transferrable they violate e possible money laundering statute even in Switzerland.
Oh, in further SPOILERS: the second generation killer has been able to kill apparently hundreds of women in his secret underground dungeon over the course of forty years, fine. Though the town is notably small and e coming and going of our hero is observed by EONE, the killer can transport foreign women in and their remains out over decades without the slightest detection. Yet, within2hours of being detected manages to not kill a journalist and crash his car into a truck. Dumb.
Further, I think the utter goofiness of the plot makes the startling violence and misogny in the book shocking and misplaced. Frankly I am sad to see the plug from John Burdett on the back because Burdett's books are awesome. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Great thriller and much more... in a time of financial crooks
Comments: As other reviews mentioned, this book catchs you and it does not let you breath until you reach the end. Fortunately, the sequel is already in our bookshops here in Spain and I am looking forward to my girlfriend finishing `the girl who played with fire` to go on reading (it's tempting to steal her the book!!). Unfortunately, the author died, and we will just have a trilogy. (Maybe fate wished that: too many sequels could be self-defeating).
The plot is greatly made in2parallel thriller stories plus a number of personal stories which are also interesting to read. I would like to underline2things:
1st, the great construction of characters.I am thrilled by Lisbeth Salander, hacker-hero, freak and completely un-adorable. It is a great character. however also Mickael or Henrik Vanger. All have their own contradictions and that makes them deep and close.
Second the premonitory (?) depiction of the corporate-financial world (and the role of journalists therein). When Mickael (Larsson) criticizes the idolatry of journalist to corporate tycoons,1cannot help recalling the recent times when the villains of today -some come to my mind-, were the heroes of the financial world and the financial journalism.
A great book!!
Just1minus, not to Larsson, however to the English version. The traslation of the title is unfortunate. It is much more appropiate the original traslation (Men who do not love women). Those who have read the book will understand why.
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Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Crept Right Up On Me
Comments: It was a bit slow moving out, however once the characters, the atmosphere, and the growing story line were fleshed out this book took off for me!! Delightful and wicked!! As it grew closer to the end of the book I found myself not wanting it to end. When it did "finish up" I only wanted more!! I want the author to explore, further, the irresistible interplay between Mikael and Salander. Lisbeth Salander is unconventional, bright, intriguing and a nice complement to Mikael's practicality. The Vanger family is so full of interesting people and though often strange, I find them compelling and want to delve more into their history and personalities. Wrap all this up in a tale of suspense, treachery, and dark secrets, you will quickly find yourself deep in the world of the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Takes Some Effort
Comments: One real problem with this lengthy novel is that it encompasses a multitude of characters--almost all of whom have exactly the same surname!! Hence, you really need to invest a lot of effort and valuable time referring back and forth to the expansive genealogical chart conveniently placed in the opening pages. Another difficulty lies with the occasionally awkward translation which, I thought, was a tad shaky with some foreign sounding naratives that seem odd to American ears.
However, if you stick with it, ething and eone eventually falls into place, and you are rewarded with a fine intelligent mystery with accompanying psychologial pathologies. I might add that I uncovered what I believe to be an unintentional spoiler early on, which kind of took the edge off of the suspense. Query me by submitting a comment to this review and I'll gladly reply and explain. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Slow start however great second half... left me wanting more
Comments: I do not do many reviews however I felt compelled to write a review of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it overall, and give it 5 stars.
Pros:
* Interesting to get exposed a bit to swedish culture.
* Great characters. Lisbeth Salandar particularly interesting.
* Great multi-threaded storylines.
* great blend of mystery and thriller
* Exciting ending
Cons:
* Started slow for me. 1st chapter or2discusses a corporate corruption story the main character (a reporter) is writing. did not grab me right away.
* minor nit-picking: The author tended to swap referring to the characters by their 1st name or their last name. Not a big deal, however there are several character with the last name of Vanger. Henrik Vanger, the rich patriarch of a family that owns a corporation, and his relatives Harriet, Martin, and Cecilia, among others. So a sentence might go like this: "Martin and Cecilia discussed it with Vanger". That took a little getting used to. Vanger in almost all cases referred to Henrik, although all3in that sentence had the same last name.
* another minor nit: there was a subplot in the book around Lisbeth and an adversarial relationship with another character. It was loosely resolved halfway through the book, however I expected a bit of follow-up at the end. Perhaps it will be dealt with in the sequel.
Again, overall,1of my favorite reads this year. can not wait for the sequel. |
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