About the Book
Lisbeth Salander, outsider and apparent enemy of society, is charged with attempted murder. In addition, the state has determined that she is mentally unstable and should be locked away in an institution once again. Pulling the strings behind the state’s prosecution is the inner circle of the Swedish security police. Only with Blomkvist’s help can Salander avoid the fate they have decided for her and expose the secrets they are protecting.
The Long Story
My review of the first book and the second book.
Alas, I have finished the final book in the longest (page count) trilogy I have ever read, and I have come out the other side feeling… so-so about the whole thing.
All the problems I had with the first books – so many names, backstory, etc – seemed to be exaggerated in this book to the point that I got distracted. With a conspiracy such as this one, you should expect a lot of names. Still, in this book more than the others, I felt like there should have been a cast of characters list. I have to admit that somewhere around the middle I began to get bored and felt tempted to skip ahead in some areas.
From a writer’s point of view, I admire the immense complexity of the plot web, but I wasn’t writing this; I was reading it. As a reader, it became a little too much at times.
That being said, I became hooked straight back into the book at the start of the trial, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I couldn’t imagine that section being any more satisfying.
Given that ten books were planned, I was afraid that things wouldn’t come to a satisfying ending and that there would be too many plot points left as cliffhangers. Thankfully, I was wrong. Things were resolved in a satisfying way and I was pleased. I am sorry to know that the author is no longer with us to continue on with his work, but I am glad we’re not left forever not knowing about some things.
The Short Story
If you’re looking for complexity, intrigue, political conspiracies and such, then this book (and trilogy) will be a good fit for you. Honestly, though, you’re not missing a life-changing book if you decide to pass it over.
***
Rating: 3 Stars
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***
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
By Steig Larsson
http://www.stieglarsson.com/
ISBN: 9781906694173
Length: 598 pages
