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Read advance reader review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
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  • First Published:
  • Sep 16, 2008, 480 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jun 2009, 480 pages
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Reviews


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There are currently 22 member reviews
for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
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  • Molly (Claunch NM)
    Action & Morality in Northern Europe
    I was fascinated, horrified and entertained by this book. The level of detail on many fronts, especially about technology, intrigued me, and the plot is packed with twists and surprises. One of many questions raised by the book concerns morality. There are different levels of its presence and absence. I found myself excusing what, in the US at least, is considered immoral behavior (spoiler alert) such as incest, adultery, and theft, in light of some horrendously repugnant, misogynistic conduct. Stieg Larsson, who died right before this book was first published, was dedicated to exposing and combating neofascism and right wing extremism in Europe, and that could explain some of the moral relativity issues in his story. Oh, yes, and the title character…she is a curious and compelling individual, not totally fleshed out, who begins to develop at the end of the story. I regret that there won’t be a sequel.

    [Note from BookBrowse: In fact ,there will be a sequel - two of them. Just before he died the author delivered all three books in the Millenium sequence to his publisher. The books are already published in some parts of Northern Europe, and will be available in the USA over the next year or so.]
  • Dorothy (Ormond Beach FL)
    The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
    I have just finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and enjoyed it immensely. I did find the beginning a little slow.

    Steig Larsson's death is a significant loss. He was too young and too talented!
  • Neil Wasserman (Orlando FL)
    An Outstanding Book
    The reader of this outstanding book will be intrigued by its plot, character studies and thrilling mysteries. However, there is much more to be gained from it. The late author was an expert Nazi hunter who understood better than most how sadism and economic greed motivated the followers of Adolph Hitler. One caveat: this book contains explicit sexual violence.
  • Brenda (Sebring FL)
    A Surpisingly
    A bonus book with 3 stories in one, one theme ends and leads to the next only to be brought back to the original. The first 10 pages left some doubt about the ability to stay with the book. Then, it picked up speed and never stopped; even the ending was a surprise.

    The references to misogyny were subtle and a good reminder of what an unchecked society can allow. This condition is alive and well throughout the world.
  • Karen (Pittsburgh PA)
    Lisbeth Salander & Kathy Mallory: Separated at Birth?
    In "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", Stieg Larsson has written a blockbuster read with, after a slow start, breathtaking plot development and several of the oddest, most intriguing and likable characters in crime fiction. As a fan of the mystery genre, I couldn't help but compare Stieg's character Lisbeth Salander with Carol O'Connell's Kathy Mallory. Both protagonists are somewhat "damaged"; Kathy by living on the streets as a child and Lisbeth by being misdiagnosed as mentally incompetent and cruelly abused by a sadistic guardian. Both have a unique sense of justice and are brilliant computer experts working outside of the rules. Having such characters helps to keep the work fresh and unpredictable. Stieg's main character, Mikael Blomkvist, is equally fleshed out, but Lisbeth outshines him (see the title). Stieg cleverly blends several plot lines together to form a cohesive story line that will keep everybody guessing and reading! (The reader should be aware that there is quite a bit of graphic violence.) I highly recommend this book. You won't be disappointed!
  • Lani (Narberth PA)
    Run to buy this one
    Although not a fan of crime fiction, I could not put this book down. I have shouted to the rooftops to anyone I know that they must purchase this book.A compelling mystery, binding a dysfunctional family with larger themes of corruption, greed,and investigative journalism makes this book the number one book of the year!
  • Cathy (Fort Wayne IN)
    Twists and Turns
    Any novel that starts with a diagram of the genealogy of a family scares me, but this one proved to be a winner of a mystery. Descriptions of the characters and the setting bring the story to life and even though some of the story line is predictable, it is still a page turner.

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