Scan barcode
zpw1820's review against another edition
3.0
The first 200 pages and the last 75 pages went really slowly, but the middle of the book was great. Not sure what I think of the book as a whole...
poweredbycroissants's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sams84's review against another edition
4.0
This series has received a lot of praise and with this opener I'm beginning to see why. Larsson has created a complex set of characters and woven together two competing mysteries without losing much of the storyline or the realism of his characters, including that of Lisbeth Salander who is far from your typical heroine (in fact she's pretty much the complete opposite). The story does take a chapter or two to really get going but I've got to be honest I found these first two chapter quite gripping in themselves as they set up many a mystery and intrigue to make you want to keep reading. This is a bit of a long read but at no point does it feel like it's dragging or that it has been padded out for effect. There are some complex points that do need a bit of focus and attention to get your head around but it is worth it in the end. There are also a few violent and graphic scenes that will not be to everyone's taste but none seem out of place or melodramatic given what we discover about the characters involved. Overall a really good read and I can't wait to get to grips with the rest of the series.
awoods3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
melice_in_wonderland's review against another edition
5.0
I tend to stay away from fad books. I protested reading the Harry Potter series until it was on my required reading list for a Children’s Lit class in college (in 2001). I had seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on every store bookshelf from Target to Barnes & Noble and thought I would never read the damn thing.
Then, one day, I was in a reading funk and I thought I would pick up something that was out of my “normal” range of reading (which is typically YA fiction, Stephen King, and the like). After admittedly struggling through the first 100 pages or so, I was in love. There are so many things to like about this book. The characters are really good. Between Salander and Blomkvist, it’s a 2-for-1 deal as far as main characters go. I like the grittiness of the novel as a whole; a couple of times I had to put the book down and mentally calm myself. I read a lot of really harsh stuff (obviously, Stephen King), but the descriptions as they pertained to Lisbeth really got to me. I fell in love with her the first time she was described. And come to find out, this book was not out of my “normal” range of reading after all.
I have never been won over by a female protagonist as much as I was won over by Lisbeth Salander. She is broken, desperate, crazy, and a badass. What an amazing combination. She isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done to get the result she wants. So often in literature, authors are afraid to go there. They dance around difficult situations and tiptoe around uncomfortable topics. In TGWTDT, Salander takes these situations head on. She dishes out the hell she has been given. That is rare in literature. We usually see the protagonist as one with a huge moral compass and Salander’s is all but blown the hell up. That’s not to say the people she lashes out on don’t deserve it, for they do, but we often don’t get that kind of satisfaction as readers from our protagonists. I also really like that Salander isn’t your typical female character. Except for when she falls for Blomkvist at the end, but she defies the typical reaction when she gets even rather than crying. So, she redeems herself. =)
All in all, I am deeply in love with this novel (and its successors). There are very few series that are worth re-reading but this one is definitely something I will revisit. In fact, as I write this, I’m beginning my 2nd reading of it.
Then, one day, I was in a reading funk and I thought I would pick up something that was out of my “normal” range of reading (which is typically YA fiction, Stephen King, and the like). After admittedly struggling through the first 100 pages or so, I was in love. There are so many things to like about this book. The characters are really good. Between Salander and Blomkvist, it’s a 2-for-1 deal as far as main characters go. I like the grittiness of the novel as a whole; a couple of times I had to put the book down and mentally calm myself. I read a lot of really harsh stuff (obviously, Stephen King), but the descriptions as they pertained to Lisbeth really got to me. I fell in love with her the first time she was described. And come to find out, this book was not out of my “normal” range of reading after all.
I have never been won over by a female protagonist as much as I was won over by Lisbeth Salander. She is broken, desperate, crazy, and a badass. What an amazing combination. She isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done to get the result she wants. So often in literature, authors are afraid to go there. They dance around difficult situations and tiptoe around uncomfortable topics. In TGWTDT, Salander takes these situations head on. She dishes out the hell she has been given. That is rare in literature. We usually see the protagonist as one with a huge moral compass and Salander’s is all but blown the hell up. That’s not to say the people she lashes out on don’t deserve it, for they do, but we often don’t get that kind of satisfaction as readers from our protagonists. I also really like that Salander isn’t your typical female character. Except for when she falls for Blomkvist at the end, but she defies the typical reaction when she gets even rather than crying. So, she redeems herself. =)
All in all, I am deeply in love with this novel (and its successors). There are very few series that are worth re-reading but this one is definitely something I will revisit. In fact, as I write this, I’m beginning my 2nd reading of it.
stacias99's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were two mysteries (one financial mystery and one locked-room mystery). The beginning of the book focused on the financial mystery, and because of this it took me a very long time to get into this book. Reading about finances is dry to me, so that mystery would never work for me. That said, once I was able to read about the mysteries in parallel, and in particular, once Lysbeth Salander was introduced, the story really started to move.
I plan to read the other books in the trilogy.
I plan to read the other books in the trilogy.
wrotki8778's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
rahuldeodhar's review against another edition
4.0
Nice engaging story but wrong title. I mean girl with the dragon tattoo is not the central part of the book. The original title as Tatiana suggested "Men who hate women" may be more apt. I think they should add it as a byline or something.
The story is interesting. A reporter is hired to look into 40 year old disappearance of a 16 year old girl. The characters are well developed using parallel tracks. Nice story - looking forward to the next installment "The girl who played with fire" or something.
The story is interesting. A reporter is hired to look into 40 year old disappearance of a 16 year old girl. The characters are well developed using parallel tracks. Nice story - looking forward to the next installment "The girl who played with fire" or something.
ninnicannotspell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
One of the best thriller/crime series but just the first 3 I count as Canon.