| Extraordinary. Stieg Larsson's thrilling novel, The | | | | into the detailed and complex storyline, fully aware |
| Girl with the Dragon Tattoo really does deserve | | | | that this first novel formed the platform for the |
| the praise it has been given and its place atop the | | | | trilogy. |
| bestseller lists. It is different to any other crime | | | | Larsson builds his characters beautifully – they |
| novel I have read. | | | | are complex individuals with both flaws and morals |
| Larsson tells the story of his main characters | | | | that his audience can identify and empathise with. |
| Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, along with | | | | Yes, there are certainly grisly and violent scenes |
| a great ensemble cast, in almost a clinically | | | | in this novel. I did not find them overly disturbing |
| detailed fashion, providing the reader a birds-eye | | | | though... they were simply part of the story being |
| view of their lives. While I know some found the | | | | told. You soon begin to realise that the mystery |
| detail provided around the financial subject matter | | | | being solved in the foreground is actually just a |
| and the disclosure of the characters everyday | | | | mechanism through which Larsson is telling the |
| routines laborious – it actually had the opposite | | | | real story, that being the story of his hero and |
| effect on me. I found the subject matter easy to | | | | heroine, Blomkvist and Salander. |
| follow and this confrontingly open and honest | | | | I can't wait to read the second novel in the |
| writing style very refreshing (credit also goes to | | | | Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Played with Fire. |
| translator Reg Keeland). I was hooked from the | | | | Larsson has written a crime thriller that has truly |
| moment I began reading, loving sinking my teeth | | | | broken the mould – a must read! |