Millennium #3

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Loved it - needless to say, after the first two, there wasnt much doubt this one would be a winner too. A friend wss saying to me the other day, she wasnt going to read these becuase everyone was and they they were books for people who didnt normally read. I say - beleive the hype, they really are great page turner reads, they are smart and clever and unusual. Great characterisation. I love the Swedish setting, with Swedish sensibilities and a very modern socially sound feeling to them. This ones very phychological - Lisbeth spends much of the book within one room but still manages to be a captivating central character. Blomqvist is the new James Bond - actually i was a little dissapointed with him copping off with yet another character in this one as it was a little too Bondy but i still like his no strings relationship with Berger. I must admit although it can never be the same - i think i would quite like someone to continue to write sequels to these -preferably a Swede



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Millennium #2

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Im still going with a 5 even though I'd peg it v slighlty below the first one, I think for me more because the concept was fresher for me the first time round. That said though, its just as much of a page turner and Salander is simply awesome as the lead character, really coming into her own. She's ruthless. Brilliant. Im tempted to drop a point for all the pointless name dropping - I really dont need to know the details of each bit of Ikea furnature she buys or be told shes having a cafe latte in italics each time she has one. Though being a coffee addict I do quite enjoy the endless coffee drinking in these books!. The extent of the computer hacking was quite disturbing - I presume the author new his stuff as he was evidently a computer nerd - so im guessing that all that went on was pretty much possible, you have to wonder how much of that really does go on. I like the anti-establishment stance of the books too. All in all another winner and like last time I'll probably struggle to find a suitable follow on book to read after something so fast paced.



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Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Boy oh boy oh Boy. this one deserved all the hype for sure. Its been a while since i got through 500p that quickly. Its a completely addictive page turner, I was up half the night finishing off the last 200p and in fact prob most of the other half of the night as I was too hyped up to sleep. It has to be said, its pretty gruesome and graphic in parts. The rape scene made me feel physicaly sick but it was integral to the character developement. The characters were all completely absorbing and likeable - well the ones your supposed to like anyway. I loved the setting, on an island in Sweden. The only thing i struggled a little with was some questionable moral desicions made by our heros towards the conclusion of the book, although I did also quite like the fact that Lisbeth was always one to fly in the face of the conventional way of doing things.

I cant wait to see the film now, ive been holding off till I'd read the book, i do find it quite bizzarre that they are going to complete the trilogy of Swedish made films, but also do the whole lot again in English language starring Daniel Craig. Just shows you how good the material is i suppose.

My only problem now is what to follow it with.. being in the English coutryside i dipped into an Austen but it really does seem like not much more that frilly English nobility matchmaking right now, beatifuly written but withought a great deal of umphh. I think ill come back to it at a later date when ive finished book mourning.