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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson
Creator: Reg Keeland
Publisher: Maclehose Press
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

35 reviews
Sales Rank: 3642

Media: Hardcover
Pages: 572
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 5.9 x 2

ISBN: 1847242537
EAN: 9781847242532
ASIN: 1847242537

Publication Date: January 10, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: IN STOCK - BRAND NEW - SENT FIRST CLASS - IMMEDIATE DISPATCH

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 35

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Good - but be wary of the hype August 5, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

'The best thriller in the world' said some review or other printed on my copy - well, it was good, but not that good. But one reviewer's hyperbole (or, as Natasha Bedingfield sang in These Words, 'hyperbowl') shouldn't spoil it for the novelist or the reader.

It IS good - even if the first chapter's a bit slow and heavy-going, stick with it. The characters are well-developed, even if Salander is a bit of a caricature, and it did keep me turning the pages - but, to be honest, not as much as a Tursten, a Marklund, a Mankell or am Indridason... or indeed any number of other beloved Scandy crime-writers.

So I will be reading the other 2 - but in no particular hurry.

4 out of 5 stars

Bleak but Involving August 3, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is superior, morally ambiguous, crime writing, that involves the reader both cerebrally and emotionally.

The first thing that struck me when reading 'TGWTDT' is how Scandinavian it is. Any lovers of Nordic Crime, in particular Henning Mankell, will enjoy this too. Like Mankell's books, Larsson's novel is about so much more than merely solving the crime.

The author carefully dissects many aspects of modern life; in particular, journalistic ethics and society's treatment of women. The novel contains corporate skulduggery, family feuds and violent murder and in parts is very involving.

I found the novel rather dragged at the beginning; the opening two hundred pages really just set the scene for the following three hundred and I think the introductory chapters, could have been pared down substantially. That said, once the action began, thanks to the characters' carefully laid back stories, I was locked in and completely gripped.

'TGWTDT', won't appeal to everyone. In addition to the drawn out beginning, Larsson's outlook on human nature is pessimistically bleak and there are some violent scenes that make for uncomfortable reading. If you can see beyond these and are prepared to read past the sluggish opening, you will find yourself enjoying a significant addition to the crime fiction genre.

3 out of 5 stars

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo August 2, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

I bought this in W H Smith where it was on offer for 2.99 with a copy of The Times. I struggled through its 532 pages with an equal mixture of enjoyment and boredom. I thought the central mystery was fairly obvious and uninteresting and the supposed revelation near the end was no surprise. Steig Larsson clearly understands business and politics and I found the accounts of high-tech corruption much more interesting than much of the unnecessary brutality in the second half of the story. Salander (Tattoo Girl) was a great character - sociopath? Aspergers? - you're never really sure, and a story based around her (and the book's connected theme of violence against women) would have been fine. However, until the later stages, she plays far too little part in the story.

Instead we get far too much about a worthy, but rather dull joint owner of Millennium, a magazine devoted to exposing business corruption, and an eccentric family of rich industrialists who require his services (in very unlikely circumstances). Many times I considered giving up as the narrative followed these characters in a little too much detail. Only a desire to find out what Salander was up to and, to a lesser extent, which of the family was a raving psychopath, kept me going to the end. Herein lies the weakness of the story. It really didn't need the gruesome murders and contrived drama of the later stages or the interminable descriptions of people making breakfast, cleaning their teeth, buying computers (with complete listed specification) and getting dressed.

Despite its faults (and length) I enjoyed the book and will probably attempt the next two books in the trilogy (yet to appear). The author sadly died of a heart attack at the age of 50 soon after submitting his manuscripts. There is still plenty here to inform, entertain and intrigue - it just could have been so much better. I hope that the remainder of the trilogy will contain less blood,gore and mundane detail and concentrate more on character and tight, believable narrative, as these appear to be Larsson's strengths. We will see.

5 out of 5 stars

Don't miss out on this great read!!! July 31, 2008
This book is a stunning read that I couldn't put down. Totally absorbing with more than a few twists at the end. Can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

4 out of 5 stars

A terrific read, but not without its cliches July 31, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is the gripping story of a financial journalist hired by an ageing businessman to delve into his family's past and investigate the disappearance of his niece. My interest wandered during the description of the businessman's family tree and of Salander's (a computer hacker who later becomes part of the investigation) past, but in general I loved this complex and well-written thriller and couldn't take my head out of it. And although I found the 'dark family secrets' idea and one of the conclusions, which I won't give away here (!), a bit cliche, it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book and I'm very much looking forward to the next part of the trilogy.

On a more personal note, the great shame is that, according to the inside cover of my copy, the author completed the trilogy but didn't live long enough to see this first part published and enjoy the success he deserves. So I'd just like to thank Stieg Larsson for the reading pleasure he has given me with me with his work.