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A review by esskaysquared
The Girl in the Eagle's Talons by Karin Smirnoff
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
I've been on a Nordic Noir kick lately and was really excited for this book to come out. I really liked David Lagercrantz's trilogy in the series and had high hopes for the new author. This did not feel like a Lisbeth Salander book at all, but a different book with the characters' names replaced. Salander and Blomqvist have completely different personalities from the previous books in the series to the extent that I felt like the author hasn't even read the other books.
I also did not like the return of sexual violence in this book. I always felt that Larsson was weirdly obsessed with sexual assault, even for Nordic Noir, and one reason that I liked Lagercrantz's books in the series so much was that his trilogy kept sexual violence to a minimum. Smirnoff lingered less on those scenes than Larsson, but it was there and several scenes were rather graphic.
I also did not like the return of sexual violence in this book. I always felt that Larsson was weirdly obsessed with sexual assault, even for Nordic Noir, and one reason that I liked Lagercrantz's books in the series so much was that his trilogy kept sexual violence to a minimum. Smirnoff lingered less on those scenes than Larsson, but it was there and several scenes were rather graphic.
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Ableism, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Gun violence