Emily Tillema Book Reviewer: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Millenium Trilogy; Book 1

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, truculent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. When the pair link Harriet's disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

I once again watched the movies before I read the books, and I am glad that I did, as I enjoyed the movies, but I would have picked them to pieces if I had read the books first. May I just say; if you have seen the movies, and thought they were not too bad, then you need to pick up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the rest of the Millennium trilogy, as they FAR surpass the movies. Now I know that this is not a fantasy of science fiction book, but I will occasionally post reviews on general fiction books if I believe that they are worth the time, and are worth people branching out from the preferred genres, and this is most definitely one of those books worth branching out for.

These books are highly addictive, fast-paced and riveting. The first book introduces us to the main character Lizbeth Salander, and is a little slower paced then the next two, as it introduces the plot and characters and how they tie together, but the next two explode into action and keep you on your toes as you race through the mysteries and plots revealed. If you have seen the movies and found Lizbeth’s character hard to understand or relate to, then I think that understanding to some extent can be found within the books, as the character is much more approachable, more explored and better explained. There are also quite large differences in how characters are portrayed within the book as compared to the movie, most largely apparent in Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander.

If you like mysteries, stories of intrigue, deceit, strong, colourful characters and well put tother plots then you will enjoy the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Millennium Trilogy. Don’t put it off like I did, get out there, borrow a book from a library or friend, sit down, strap in, and prepare to be blown away.

★★★★ For the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
★★★★★ For The Girl who Played with Fire & the Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest