The girl who conquered the world-Why we can't get enough of Stieg Larsson's hacker heroine

[babylonsister]

I know there are some fans out there...


The girl who conquered the world
Why we can't get enough of Stieg Larsson's hacker heroine
By Laura Miller

Salon composite

Noomi Rapace, star of the Millennium Trilogy films


Can anyone be seriously contemplating reading "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" who hasn't already read the two previous novels in Stieg Larsson's bestselling Millennium Trilogy, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and "The Girl Who Played With Fire"? And can there be a reader of those first two books who hopes to resist the third? Anyone who has succumbed to Larsson fever knows what it is to lavish the waking hours of entire weekends on his weirdly matter-of-fact and even more weirdly addictive fiction, surfacing at the end of the binge, bleary-eyed and underfed, wondering what just happened.

So let this installment of What to Read address the Millennium Trilogy as a whole and ponder the secret of its appeal. Certainly the charm doesn't lie in Larsson's prose; it's as flat and featureless as the Scandinavian landscape it ought to be evoking (but doesn't). Those who have proved immune to the Larsson virus protest that the books are filled with clichés, but that presumes the author to be reaching for more color than he is. There are not a lot of hearts pounding or chills running down spines in "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest." As Larsson went along, he almost entirely jettisoned the dime-store thriller theatrics; a heart does occasionally "sink like a stone" in the third book, but such moments are few and far between.

Which is not to say that his writing became more terse and economical. If anything, "Hornet's Nest" luxuriates in even more of the pointlessly meticulous, step-by-step detail that marked the first two novels. Here's how one character begins her day:

She blinked a few times and got up to turn on the coffeemaker before she took her shower. She dressed in black pants, a white polo shirt, and a muted brick-red jacket. She made two slices of toast with cheese, orange marmalade and a sliced avocado, and carried her breakfast into the living room in time for the 6:30 television news. She took a sip of coffee and had just opened her mouth to take a bite of toast when she heard the headlines.

I should point out that this is a supporting character briefly introduced in the earlier books, and while she plays a more significant role in this novel, there's really no reason to so exhaustively describe her morning. It's the sort of thing that drives the Larsson naysayers nuts, and even some fans have been known to complain that certain portions of the books "drag." So let me now testify: I love this stuff, although why, exactly, has long been something of a mystery to me.

more...

http://www.salon.com/books/laura_miller/index.html?story=/books/laura_miller/2010/05/16/girl_who_kicked_the_hornets_nest

[Xipe Totec]

1. Quote from the Matrix

Trinity: My name's Trinity.

Neo: *The* Trinity? Who cracked the IRS d-base?

Trinity: That was a long time ago.

Neo: Jesus...

Trinity: What?

Neo: I just thought... you were a guy.

Trinity: Most guys do.

[madaboutharry]

2. I am now reading

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It is hard to put it down. I was drawn in from the first paragraph.

[babylonsister]

3. I've read the first two and enjoyed them immensely. nt

[closeupready]

5. Me, too! The first was just slightly better.

I guess because it was nice to discover something different, and the second book, by default, wasn't 'different' anymore, lol. Can't wait for Hornet's Nest to come out in mass market paperback. :hi:

[EmilyKent]

4. I found the 'played with fire' one first,

which I didn't realize was the second in a trilogy. I loved it, so I got the 'hornet's nest' yesterday and am looking forward to it. I'll probably go back and read the first one eventually.

Great book, couldn't put it down.

[abluelady]

6. Got My Third One from the Library Yesterday

Can't believe I have to be somewhere today and won't be able to read. Did I hear there is a fourth one that wasn't finished? How sad for us, the readers.

[TexasProgresive]

7. I read 1 and 2 and want to read 3

I was hesitant to buy it as it is only in hardback- trying to be frugal - hard to do when it comes to books, HAH!
Checked my local library and they have 2 copies checked out with 12 holds. Oh my. I guess "The Girl" has a few fans out there.

[fadedrose]

8. Heard on TV that Girl with Tatoo was being made into a movie..

I signed up to reserve THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO at the library and I will read it if I live long enough - I'm NO. 57 on the waiting list ;).

[cyberswede]

10. The Swedish film is available on Netflix instant watch

I liked it a lot - but one should definitely read the book first.

I was leafing through an old People magazine in a waiting room a couple weeks ago, and a little sidebar article was talking about who should be cast as Lisbeth Salander in the American version of the movie (the only one I recall was Natalie Portman, but she wasn't the top choice, at least in the article).

Personally, I would probably pass on an American version anyway - the Swedish one is great (and the language is fun to listen to).

[tigereye]

12. the actress in the Swedish film is perfect for the character- wonderful

portrayal. I saw the 2nd movie after reading the first book (which was excellent, very gripping, great plot) because the first movie seemed to be "here and gone" so quickly - totally missed it. I really don't know why anyone needs to make an "American"version - haven't we gotten past the "OMG, not subtitles!" thing after all this time? :wtf:

I mean, people seemed to be able to handle the subtitles in Slumdog Millionaire. Americanizing "foreign films" usually ruins them, eh?

[Dulcinea]

9. I'm reading the first book & love it!

I wish Lisbeth Salander was a real person so I could hire her.

[Enthusiast]

11. A friend passed on a copy of

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I loved it. Now my wife has started reading it. I know what she likes and she will be GONE all weekend in that damn book.

I'm looking forward to the next two. :hi:

[JitterbugPerfume]

13. those three books cost me many hours of sleep

because I couldn't put them down. I really didn't think I would enjoy them , but I loved every word. Lisbeth Salander is heroic in a way that few could hope to be.

[yellowdogintexas]

14. reading bookd 3 now could not wait for the paperback

to read it.

I loved these books