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.

Two Items

Item 1: American Idol

My faith in America has been restored. Danny Gokey has been sent home from American Idol, and Kris and Adam get to hash it out in the finals. I can now breathe easily, knowing that whoever wins will at least be talented. I have to say, though, that I'm torn as to who I support. I started out this season as a clear-cut Lambert fan, but as the weeks have progressed Kris Allen has gotten better and better, while Adam's simply been treading water (don't get me wrong--I know the water he's treading is the Nile and Amazon combined) and hasn't really got anything left to really 'wow' me with. Or has he? I guess I'll have to tune into the finale to find out.

Item 2: Enchanted, Inc. -- A novel by Shanna Swendson


I randomly grabbed this book off the library shelf, desperate for some form of entertainment at work. We're currently in an extreme lull (I actually just found out my position will be eliminated next month to save $$), and I'm at my wits end trying to entertain myself. Here's the basic story:

A smart, sarcastic young Texan has moved to the Big Apple to chase big city dreams (what these dreams are is actually a bit unclear), but unfortunately is only able to land a drab, administrative job which consists mainly of making copies for a Satanic employer. She notices a lot of weird things around the city, like people wearing wings and moving gargoyles, but chalks it all up to big city weirdness. Until a mysterious man approaches her and offers an explanation for it all--MAGIC. The man works for a magical corporation, an honest-to-goodness business that markets spells, and offers her a job because she has special abilities she wasn't even aware of. On top of the job offer, the world's cutest wizard is the company's researcher in residence.

Okay, in this day and age, a novel about magic is golden. I'm a sucker for it, it makes me weak in the knees, probably because my own life is so devoid of anything like it. The book is no Harry Potter, to be sure, but it moves quickly and has some snappy dialogue. Swendson also does a great job at making readers fall in love with the novel's leading man.

I can't, however, claim the book's extremely thoughtful and intelligent--it's not. In fact, it's far from brilliant. If you're looking for serious mental stimulation or a new obsession, this is not the book for you. It's just a quick, mindless read, the kind that would be great to toss in your beach bag and devour while soaking up some rays. It's pure fun and relatively entertaining, a cute little fairytale that makes you smile. It's the first in a series, which is fabulous, because you can keep indulging your magical fantasies for days at a time. I give it a daisy.

Adios Allison

I'm disappointed in America today. No, I'm not talking about anything political--though there's definitely room for disappointment in that regard, as well. I'm talking about American Idol, of course, and the public's idiocy at choosing Danny Gokey over teen-vocalist Allison Iraheta (A T.R. zephyr if I ever saw one), especially after Danny's ear-splitting vocal performance Tuesday night.

I'm pulling for Adam Lambert (an orchid, to be sure) to win, of course, though I would not be entirely put out if Kris made it to the final round and clinched a win. Kris's range isn't as broad as Adam's, but he's excellent in his element, a vibrant azalea on the AI stage, and would put out an impressive record.

If Danny wins I will know I belong to a nation of imbecilic morons, and then will promptly pack my bags and high-tail it to Australia ASAP, or perhaps to the Emerald Isle. Either locale would work for me, I'm sure, as long as they execute a nationwide ban on all things Gokey.

American Idol - The A's Have It

I want to begin by saying that this is the first season I've actually watched American Idol from start to finish. What can I say? I have no life these days. But I have finally come to see what the appeal of the show has been for the past trillion years (give or take a few), and find myself absolutely addicted, a fact which I'm slowly coming to resent since the show seems likely to never reach its climax. AI seems to be losing steam at the moment, which is a shame since things really should be picking up right about now.

My favorites on the show this year have by far been Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Kris Allen. I'm ecstatic that they're in the top 4, though I'd be even happier if Danny Gokey had been sent packing weeks ago. I just don't understand the man's appeal. Plus, he slaughtered Aerosmith's "Dream On" quite ruthlessly, then sauntered self-importantly up to the front of the stage with his signature smug smile.

Adam is hands down the show's best vocalist, and I'm sure that any future show he put on would be wildly interesting! The judges praised his Led Zepplin song last night; his notes were flawless (as usual). For me, though (to borrow a phrase from Randy), it wasn't his best performance. Could last week's bottom 2 showing have shaken him up? I hope he sticks around regardless. Adam was made to perform, and deserves a spot in the finals.

Allison Iraheta, sporting a new, darker hairstyle (courtesy of Lambert's hairdresser) took on a Janis Joplin tune, a daring, daunting task, and shined. I heart Miss Iraheta, and think she's got the chops to really make it in the music business. She does seem nervous most nights, however, which takes away from her performances. Teaming up with Adam for a "Slow Ride" duet seemed to melt her fears into oblivion, however, and the pair rocked the house to close the show. If Allison sings like that every week from now on, she could really give Adam a run for his money.

Kris Allen is a sweetheart, but he's just not vocally as strong as the A's. Rock wasn't his style (but how cute was he playing guitar with Slash?), so that could have hurt his chances of survival, especially since America for some (un)reason seems obsessed with the ridiculous Danny Gokey.

Maybe if I chant "Go Home Gokey" enough my incredible mind powers will prevail.

Overall, the show was a daisy--nobody wowed me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a double-A finale!