The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson


The girl with the dragon tattoo also played with fire ... and I think it's grand!

The book in one sentence: The back story of the girl with the dragon tattoo.

Serious synopsis of The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson: Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine "Millennium," has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government.

But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander--the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire.

As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander's innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all.

My two cents

This is going to be one of my rare short raves ...

I knew that this would be a quick read, I just wasn't expecting to finish it in less than 24 hours! And the reason was ... I ... just ... couldn't put this down! I was up until the wee hours of the morning and I practically slept a few hours before cracking this open again. It was that good! In fact I found it even more satisfying that the first book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Why?
The story is tighter, none of those red herrings!

The story is extremely quick paced! I wanted to find out whodunit! I wanted Lisbeth to be innocent!
Salander is growing on me ... I like her even more in this one. There is better insight into the psychology of this heroine. Psychoanalyze away!

There is continuity from the first book. I guess this sounds only logical, but other books can get so convoluted and confusing. I  had no trouble remembering what happened in the past because Larsson rather deftly was able to remind me of past events and people in a not so obvious way. 

While violence against women remains a continuing theme, I found this one to be less gruesome yet just as hard hitting.  

With yet another cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to read the last book (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest)!
And with that ...

Verdict: A page-turner of a psychological thriller. A definite must-read if you enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- how can you not want to find out what happens to our heroine?

First line: She lay on her back fastened by leather straps to a narrow bed with a steel frame.

Last line: He put it on the floor, took out his mobile, and dialled the number for emergency services.

The Millennium Trilogy:
Book 1: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

2 comments

  1. I have this book just sitting on my bookcase, waiting. I need to open it and read!

    Especially since I've heard from several reviewers (and now you!) that it's better than the first book, which took 100 pages or so for me to really like it. And my favorite character was Salander....so what's not to love?

    Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  2. Laurel, I wasn't expecting to like it, actually. I was prepared for more gruesomeness. Thank goodness for nice surprises! I hope you get a chance to read this!

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