The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I don't think there's anything I can say about American Idol that hasn't already been said elsewhere, so I'll skip it entirely save for this: Kris is amazing in his own right, and Adam is as well. They're apples and oranges, and to compare the best orange with the best apple is ridiculous. Obviously, some people have their favorite fruit, but neither is inherently better than the other. I adore Adam and Kris as well, and America did not 'get it wrong.' Okay, done. Onto a book.

I'm actually not sure how I feel about this one. There's a lot of hype going around about Swedish author Stieg Larsson and his international best-selling series, which starts with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I was intrigued by the Swede (ho hum, I'm so funny with my rhymes), and am the first to say that Larsson's work is anything but juvenile and sub-par.

I just don't know if I actually liked it.

The story is a tantalizing little mystery, wrapped up in tales of violence and crime. It's too long and complicated to spell out, but the story is, on a most basic level, about Mikael Blomkvist, a once renowned financial reporter who has fallen from grace and earned himself a cozy spot in prison for libel against a big time financial guru named Wennerstrom. After this rather heavy blow, Blomkvist is surprised to receive a telephone call from Henrik Vanger, the former CEO of the Vanger Corporation, which in years past was a major player in Swedish industry, who hires Blomkvist to investigate the disappearance (and probable murder) of his niece, Harriet. Harriet vanished from the family's island home decades ago, and the incident seems to be a "locked room" case (if at this point you think I'm being long winded, then this book is not for you). Blomkvist takes the job, and eventually works with investigator/hacker Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, to crack the case. Dozens of little side-stories and innuendos crop up throughout the novel, all eventually interrelated, including a bit of a disfunctional love story. Phew. Got it all out.

I want to choose my words carefully, because this is definitely the work of a mature writer. The characters have been painstakingly, succinctly developed, and while at times this is borderline maddening, it is actually necessary for the flow of the story. It's clever. The crime and disappearance of Harriet Vanger herself is fascinating, as is the search for her killer. While some "twists" were predictable (what can I say, I watch a lot of crime TV), there were still some major shockers that dragged my jaw down to the floor. Parts were graphic, and plain gross; parts were boring; parts seemed irrelevant (but perhaps they'll come into play in the next book?). It was addicting--I couldn't put it down. But when I closed it, it was with a sense of tremendous relief. What am I to make of that?

I suppose the best I can do is present the facts. It's a tough read if you're not familiar with Swedish names, places, and pop culture history. (BTW, Lisbeth Salander is supposedly based off the character of Pippi Longstocking--I'm sorry, I don't see it). It addresses heavy issues, including murder, fraud, and sexual abuse, so don't mistake it for a cozy mystery or a light read.

The best I can come up with is that I respect this work, but I don't especially like it. I don't plan on reading the follow-up. I'll give it a puddle.