The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

So, I just finished another book that is in a trilogy. I swear, I get sucked into these kinds of books. The book that I just finished is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. His novels have become extremely popular in the past year or so. I'm not surprised that Larsson's series is currently on the best selling list, because he is quite simply an amazing writer. When I first started reading this colossal novel, weighing in at 644 pages, I was reluctant that it would be as amazing as everyone claimed it was. Just a warning, the first couple of chapters are dead boring. They consist of the elements of the Swedish economy and a lot of unpronounceable Swedish companies.

I almost gave up on the book altogether until I got to the mystery of Harriet Vanger. (SPOILER) Just to fill you in a little bit, the main characters of the book are Michael Blomkvist, a journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, a hacker. I found it really interesting that there were two different main characters who actually don't meet each other until about halfway through the book. They each have their own separate plots. Blomkvist is asked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his niece, Harriet Vanger. The only problem is that the girl went missing over fifty years ago. When I was introduced to this plot, I could not stop reading. I won't spoil the mystery of whodunit, but I will tell you that even though it is a very long novel that takes some time and investment to read through, it is so worth it. The action and mystery is so in your face and raw that it is almost like you are right next to the characters, experiencing it all for yourself.

Lastly, I have to say something about the other main character, Lisbeth Salander. When you are introduced to her world, you have to take a step back. Salander is a bad ass chick with no regrets or emotions when it comes to serving up a steaming hot plate of justice. She may be a hacker, but she is a "good" hacker, if that is possible. Salander has her unspoken problems throughout the novel, which I am very excited to find out in the next installment, The Girl Who Played with Fire. I hear from a friend that it is the best of the three. I guess I will find out.