Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

107 reviews

kristen_monique's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Blood, Cursing, Murder, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Dementia, Violence, Animal death, Eating disorder, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Gore, and Sexual violence

Minor: Car accident

clotalksbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I ultimately enjoyed the story and waiting for the mystery to be unravelled. But there was a lot of "getting to know the characters" before the main story began, which was fine but a little slow. There is so much detail to things that I probably could have done without. 

It takes quite a while for things to happen, and again once the main crux of the mystery is revealed (and covered very quickly comparatively), there is a lot more story to go. It felt like there were multiple endings, and I kept looking at the time left on the audiobook with shock. 

Luckily the characters are interesting, and the narrator is good at putting them all across. His narration voice is very soothing though, so sometimes I did find myself drifting a little. 

Overall I liked it, even with the dark themes, just think it could have been a shorter book and packed more of a punch. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual assault, Torture, and Sexual violence

bearlyliterate's review

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Incest, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Violence, Murder, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Mental illness

Minor: Abortion

brendanmcbryan's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Violence, Torture, and Rape

rchltnnswd's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An interesting book, I agree with others that the beginning was a bit fussy and had too many characters to keep track of, also a bit slow. Once it got started I was really into it. 

I did find all the references to sex just annoying and childish. “I would like to have sex with you”. “I like having sex with you too” it was just weird and felt so basic and unnecessary. I felt there didn’t need to be so many sexual relationships, it didn’t add anything at all to the story. 

A lot of mention of “the anorexic girl” or “the girl who looks anorexic” as descriptors. Again, just felt flat and unnecessary. We get it, she looks anorexic *eye roll*. 

Generally though I did enjoy the story and will read the next in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Child abuse

Minor: Eating disorder

boogiebeez's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

this shit insane

• I never read mystery but this was actually very good!
•  definetly was a good book to make into a movie cause the dialogue in the book feels like a movie script.
• I 🖤 lisbeth salander
• i feel like I'm probably not gonna read the other books in the series but you never know 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Incest, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, Ableism, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Stalking, Body shaming, Death, Kidnapping, Child death, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Cursing, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, and Car accident

Minor: Abortion, Cancer, Chronic illness, and Confinement

keelya's review

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

How this book was a National bestseller is beyond me. The actual mystery plot was good but there was so much wrong with the book it was hard to focus on the mystery. 

Spoiler

 

My main grievances lay with how the author wrote about Lisbeth. My first grievance is way the author presents the character Lisbeth. She is first described by her boss in the most disrespectful and misogynistic way. And guess what, her boss’s weird infatuation has no connection to the plot! It’s just a weird way to sexualize Lisbeth for no reason! Second, the brutal rapes of Lisbeth also have no bearing on the plot!! What was the reason for the creepy conservator?! It was not needed. Women’s assault and rape is not a plot device!! The second rape is graphic, cruel, and violent. There was absolutely no reason for this. Third, every person who comes into the book has something mean to say about Lisbeth’s body. Why? She is described as anorexically thin several times. When she is looking at her body in the mirror she says because she’s thin “She didn’t have much to offer”. Why all the body shaming of this character from everyone? The male characters body is NEVER described in a negative way, only Lisbeth’s.  Fourth, Lisbeth has a “photographic memory” - which does not exist. The author essentially gave her a magical power to further the plot. Lazy. Sixth, the author hints that Lisbeth is autistic. Oh this made me mad. Lisbeth is described as anti social - because she had a rough past and doesn’t want people to know she’s under state conservator. Not wanting to talk much doesn’t mean you’re autistic. I hate when people minimize autism like this. 

Blomkvist’s character was okay. The most annoying thing was that every woman couldn’t help but throw themselves at him. Literally he sleeps with everyone woman who he talks to in this book. He’s also an absent father. Also Lisbeth, who he sleeps with (of course) is closer in age to his daughter than to him. Gross. 

Lastly, I knew Martin was involved from the beginning. I didn’t know to what extent but I knew he wasn’t innocent. It was not that big of a plot twist. 

Overall, this book was terrible. I only finished it to see if the creepy boss and rapes of Lisbeth would add to the plot - which they didn’t. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Racism, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Incest, Torture, Death, Sexual assault, Stalking, Trafficking, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Body shaming

zivia's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal death, Kidnapping, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Forced institutionalization

chanancrompton's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexism, Torture, and Sexual assault

brooksdac's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This book was amazing. I never wanted to put it down. The mystery was so well crafted with layers and twists. It takes a bit to get into, but once you do you can’t stop. I loved how everyone was given an ending. Every question I had was answered and more! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Animal death, Body horror, Antisemitism, Torture, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Eating disorder