Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson

I often judge a book by it’s cover and title. I’m not ashamed, but the cover and title make me interested enough to pick the book up and read what it’s about.

Before I finally gave into reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I picked up the book a couple times and even read the first couple of pages, but none of it made me interested enough to actually want to read the book.

Then one day I’m reading a blog and the writer commented on how they bought the whole Millennium Trilogy and was engrossed in it during a vacation. That was enough to make me hurry up and buy the books (the 2 I could get in the US). I figured the only way I’d read them is if I bought them and gave myself no other choice.

After finishing the series, I can say it was a great choice.

I’ll admit The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo started a little slow. I had to force myself through the first chapter, but it got better. The first book is more about Mikael Blomkvist than Lisbeth Salander (who is the main character of the other 2 books). Mikael is hired to solve a 40 year old mystery and enlists the help of Salander. The mystery is solved, but more importantly these two characters have developed enough that you care about both of them. Blomkvist is a journalist who likes the big story and Salander is a girl that has had no advantage in life and also happens to be a very skilled hacker.

The Girl Who Played With Fire starts the roller coaster that is the next two books. Salander is accused of a murder which she may or may not have committed. Blomkvist sets out to prove her innocence and falls into a story about government corruption and abuse. Salander meanwhile is trying to figure out what really happened while hunting down an old enemy. I think this is my favorite book of the trilogy, because it has the most substantial story line and you find out the most information.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest continues only minutes after the previous book ended. Salander is about to stand trial for the many crimes she’s accused of committing and Blomkvist is still trying to prove her innocence. This book makes everything clear. You understand more of the story and realize just how corrupt a government can get.

None of these books are quick reads. I’ll say they each took me a couple weeks off and on to read them. There is a lot of detail. But in the end I have to say they are some of the best books I’ve read in awhile. They’re different than anything out there, I think. The story is so brilliantly thought out and written.  I strongly recommend them to anyone, men and women. I’m gently prodding my mom to read them. Who knows, one of the books might magically appear in her suitcase on her upcoming vacation.

Comments

[kerri]

i've only read the first- and you're right, it was a slow start. i did like it, but wasn't sure i wanted to dive into the next one. it sounds like i'd like to jump to the 3rd, but that wouldn't be right to skip the middle i guess. or could u give me the cliffs notes on it? ;)

[Valerie Johnson (Mom2Men)]

Funny, I have been debating about reading these as I'm not a huge mystery fan. I've been reading lots of blogs that recommend them. I was at Target today and they have the first two books for $5 so I bought the first one. I thought I might check out your blog to see what you are reading and low and behold...you have the books listed.

[SwoloJoyday]

5
5
Came to stay


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Writer Pat Nevin
Petropavlovsk lives by candlelight

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