Sunday, July 25, 2010

Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Brittany Geragotelis

I know what you're thinking: She's only just NOW reading that book? But there are seriously so many books and so little time. Yes, that's my excuse.

photo credit: Vintage
After two of my good friends read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and both suggested I check it out, I knew the time had come. So, a few weeks ago, I picked it up and allowed myself to get sucked into the story.

Harriet Vanger, scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

The book itself was very well written--which is good, since the first 250 pages were a bit slow. But once the story kicked into high gear, it was truly enjoyable, yet slightly predictable. I really enjoyed the main characters, Mikael and Lisbeth, who both had very distinct personalities and quirks. Both are flawed and damaged, but together, they make a good team.

My only note is that those who are easily upset by violence toward women (in fiction; I can't imagine any normal person wouldn't be upset by violence toward women in real life) might not want to read this book. But besides the violence (and there's plenty of it), I thought the book was entertaining. Not anything that changed my life, but definitely worth reading (all 644 pages of it!).

Did any of you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? What did you think?

5x5,
B.

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