Although The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was not published during the lifetime of author Stieg Larsson, it became a huge hit after his death along with its two sequels, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. The original title of the book was 'Män som hatar kvinnor' or 'Men Who Hate Women'. As the title suggests, there is quite a bit of misogyny in the book, in the crimes committed, as well as the personal experiences of the protagonist, Lisbeth Salander. Lisbeth is a ward of the state and when her guardian dies, she is transferred into the care of a lawyer who tries to take advantage of her position by sexually abusing her. The first time this happens, Lisbeth is taken by surprise and just does what he says but the second time, she comes prepared and videotapes everything. Later, she uses this videotape to blackmail him into letting her have control over her own affairs. She also ties him up and tortures him to get her revenge.
The other protagonist of the book is Mikael Blomkvist, a failing journalist who is given the job of looking into the death of a girl named Harriet, greatniece to Henrik Vanger, a well-known retired businessman. Harriet disappeared 36 years earlier from the island where the Vanger family had their home, but Vanger keeps receiving birthday gifts from her and determines to find out what happened to her all those years ago. He sends Mikael to the island and suggests that Lisbeth should work with him since she is a hacker.
Together, Mikael and Lisbeth figure out what all the numbers in an old notebook mean—they are references to the Bible. Lisbeth also finds out that there is a connection between Harriet's disappearance and several rapes and murders of women over a period of 20 years. In a stunning finale, Lisbeth rescues Mikael from the clutches of the murderer. Although a romantic relationship had started to develop between Lisbeth and Mikael, he goes back to having an affair with the married woman he was involved with before.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an intense book which shows the darker side of human nature. At the same time, its heroine is brave and courageous and, although she has been raped, she doesn't take this lying down. Not only does she escape from the clutches of her own rapist, she also prevents him from raping other women using threats of exposure. Plus, she is instrumental in uncovering what happened to all those women who were raped and murdered by a sadistic psychopath.
The writer, Stieg Larsson, took inspiration from the places he grew up for the isolated setting of the book. He was raised in northern Sweden where his father worked in a smelting plant. Although his parents later moved to Stockholm, they left Larsson behind with his grandparents because Stockholm was too cramped and crowded. So he stayed in a house in the country and used cross-country skis to go to school. During his lifetime, he did not publish his novels but was instead active in the science fiction community, publishing fanzine issues. He was also an activist who sought avidly to counteract the extreme right and the growing white-power culture in Sweden. As a result, he received many death threats and although he had a life-long partner in Eva Gabrielsson, he didn't marry her, in an effort to reduce the security risks.
"I saw this book everywhere a few years ago; it was the talk in the pubs, the subways, on the Internet, etc. I had to know what the fuss was about this book--so I checked if out of the library (after the movie). I was apprehensive (given how many pages if had), but I began reading it. After overcoming understanding the Swedish names I got into it--and read it I less than a week. I was so hooked that I went out and bought the trilogy. Excellent read in my opinion; the only thing that disturbed me about the book was the brutality against women; when I saw the Swedish version of the movie I seethed with anger. Other than that the book was excellent."
— Michele (5 out of 5 stars)
Murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue combine into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel, the first in Stieg Larsson's thrilling Millenium series featuring Lisbeth Salander.
Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.
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An intelligent, ingeniously plotted, utterly engrossing thriller that is variously a serial-killer saga, a search for a missing person and an informed glimpse into the worlds of journalism and business . . . Lisbeth is a punk Watson to Mikael's dapper Holmes, and she's the coolest crime-fighting sidekick to come along in many years.
— Washington Post“An exceptional effort for a first-time crime novelist. In fact, a fine effort for any crime novelist . . . This book is meticulously plotted, beautifully paced, and features a cast of two indelible sleuths and many juicy suspects.
— Boston GlobeCombine the chilly Swedish backdrop and moody psychodrama of a Bergman movie with the grisly pyrotechnics of a serial-killer thriller, then add an angry punk heroine and a down-on-his-luck investigative journalist, and you have the ingredients of Stieg Larsson’s first novel.
— Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times“The book lands in the United States as Wall Street sputters and global markets clench, a timely fit to Larsson’s themes of corporate corruption. He tells his crime story cleverly, but the zing in Dragon Tattoo is inked in its two central characters.
— Cleveland Plain Dealer“A super-smart amalgam of the corporate corruption tale, legal thriller and dysfunctional-family psychological suspense story. It’s witty and unflinching . . . Larsson’s multi-pieced plot snaps together as neatly as an Ikea bookcase, but even more satisfying is the anti-social character of Salander.
— Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air (NPR)“It’s like a blast of cold, fresh air to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo . . . It features at its center two unique and fascinating characters: a disgraced financial journalist and the absolutely marvelous 24-year-old Lisbeth Salander–a computer-hacking Pippi Longstocking with pierced eyebrows and a survival instinct that should scare anyone who gets in her way.Larsson’s novel could serve as the definition of page-turner . . . The worst part: We have to wait until summer ’09 for the second installment.
— Time Out New YorkThe biggest Swedish phenom since ABBA.
— PeopleImagine the movies of Ingmar Bergman crossed with Thomas Harris’s novel The Silence of the Lambs. Larsson’s mesmerizing tale succeeds because, like P.D. James, he has written a why-dunit rather than a whodunit.
— USA Today“A whip-smart heroine and a hunky guy who needs her help? This sexy, addictive thriller is everything you never knew you could get from a crime novel.
— GlamourLarsson’s debut thriller succeeds on so many levels it’s hard to know where to begin. First off, it’s an absolute page-turner. But the characters are so fascinating and the clear, understated writing so graceful, you are going to want to savor it . . . Electrifying.
— Portsmouth Herald (NH)“Is the hype justified? Yes . . . This complex, multilayered tale grabs the reader from the first page.
— Library Journal (starred)“The first U.S. appearance of another major Swedish crime writer is cause for celebration . . . The novel offers compelling chunks of investigative journalism, high-tech sleuthing, and psychosexual drama. What a shame that we only have three books in which to watch the charismatic Lisbeth Salander take on the world!“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a striking novel. Just when I was thinking there wasn't anything new on the horizon, along comes Stieg Larsson with this wonderfully unique story. I was completely absorbed.
— Michael ConnellyI doubt you will read a better book this year.
— Val McDermidDark, labyrinthine, smart, sexy, utterly original, and completely captivating, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo delights at every level. Nuanced, sympathetic characters, caught in a tangle of unusual and compelling relationships, grapple with a baffling family mystery and with their own demons in the unique literary environment of modern-day Sweden. This book is artful and grand entertainment. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
— John LescroartSo much more than a thriller, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a dazzling novel of big ideas. It tackles issues of power, corruption, justice, and innocence–all the while drawing you into the twists and turns of a frighteningly suspenseful mystery.
— Harlan CobenAs vivid as bloodstains on snow.
— Lee ChildThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an utterly fresh political and journalistic thriller that is also intimate and moral. In spite of its dark unearthings Stieg Larsson has written a feast of a book, with central characters you will not forget.
— Michael OndaatjeCases rarely come much colder than the decades-old disappearance of teen heiress Harriet Vanger from her family’s remote island retreat north of Stockholm, nor do fiction debuts hotter than this European bestseller . . . At once a strikingly original thriller and a vivisection of Sweden’s dirty not-so-little secrets, this first of a trilogy introduces a provocatively odd couple.
— Publishers Weekly (starred)“What a cracking novel! I haven’t read such a stunning thriller debut for years. The way Larsson interweaves his two stories had me in thrall from beginning to end. Brilliantly written and totally gripping.
— Minette Walters“With its compelling situation, its complex plot and especially its unique, fully-realized characters, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo embodies–in seamless translation–the best of European crime fiction.The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a Tolstoyan re-invention of the ‘closed room’ murder mystery, Agatha Christie for adults. Curl up on the sofa with this masterwork of noir and let Stieg Larsson draw you into the shadows. It’s also a profound investigation into tribal violence in the world of high finance, and a revelation of the dark side of a country normally seen as the very height of propriety. By the end of the first chapter you will know better. By the end of the second you will be putty in his hands. Don’t even think about putting it down.
— John BurdettFrom the UK:
Crime fiction has seldom needed to salute and mourn such a stellar talent as Larsson’s in the same breath.
— The Sunday TimesLarsson has up his sleeve two extremely engaging protagonists. Once these characters have appeared, our surrender to the novel is guaranteed . . . This is classic English mystery territory. But what follows is much darker and bloodier–more Thomas Harris than Dorothy L. Sayers.
— The IndependentThe ballyhoo is fully justified . . . The novel scores on every front–character, story, atmosphere, and the translation.
— The Times“This is a striking novel, full of passion, an evocative sense of place and subtle insights into venal, corrupt minds . . . The journalist and the hacker are ingenious creations.“A blockbuster story . . . The plot is interesting and credible but above all the heroine is splendidly original . . . An extraordinary book.
— Literary ReviewAn absorbing and idiosyncratic crime novel.
— Daily Mail“Combine the chilly Swedish backdrop and moody psychodrama of a Bergman movie with the grisly pyrotechnics of a serial-killer thriller, then add an angry punk heroine and a down-on-his-luck investigative journalist, and you have the ingredients of Stieg Larsson’s first novel.”
— New York Times“A compelling, well-woven tale that succeeds in transporting the reader to Sweden for a good crime story.”
— Los Angeles Times“Wildly suspenseful…an intelligent, ingeniously plotted, utterly engrossing thriller.”
— Washington Post“Exceptional…Meticulously plotted, beautifully paced.”
— Boston Globe“Unique and fascinating…It’s like a blast of cold, fresh air to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”
— Chicago Tribune“A whip-smart heroine and a hunky guy who needs her help? This sexy, addictive thriller is everything you never knew you could get from a crime novel.”
— Glamour“A meticulous exploration of both evidence and character, plus finely crafted revenge…Exemplary.”
— Houston Chronicle“A fine, complex, and rewarding novel.”
— Dallas Morning News“A big, intricately plotted, darkly humorous work…that only a master of the genre and its history could bring off.”
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette“The story has a great setting, very human characters, and a plot that becomes more intriguing with every turn of the page.”
— Kansas City Star“With its rich characterizations and intriguing plot, the first book of the late Stieg Larsson’s completed trilogy…clearly deserves the acclaim it’s received overseas. Wenner’s calm, controlled manner aids the listener in keeping track of the numerous members of the Vanger family, a task that the printed book simplifies with a reference page.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Once you start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, there’s no turning back. This debut thriller—the first in a trilogy from the late Stieg Larsson—is a serious page-turner rivaling the best of Charlie Huston and Michael Connelly.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review“Electrifying…Larsson’s debut thriller succeeds on so many levels it’s hard to know where to begin.”
— Portsmouth Herald“Engrossing…Lisbeth Salander is the most fascinating female protagonist in mystery fiction since Patricia Cornwell introduced Kay Scarpetta.”
— The Advocate" This is the first audiobook I listened to. As good as reading it, and so much better than the movie. "
— Thomas, 1/2/2023" Real attention getter, twists and turns that keeps you on the edge of your seat, characters that you can see and hear in your head as if you were with them step by step, so real you feel as if you can see every detail and hear the screams, your rooting for the good guys and cheering them on to discover the hidden secrets of the powerful companies that have cheated their way to the top. When you turn the last page you are sorry it's over and want more. Couldn't put it down even when it's done. "
— ben, 11/27/2016" Could not wait to hear the next chapter - very well read. "
— M, 3/28/2016" While the beginning was a bit slow and hard to follow, the rest of the novel was gritty and enveloping. Lisbeth may be crazy, but I like her. "
— Aubrey, 2/11/2014" A treat for crime fiction lovers. "
— Aakanksha, 2/11/2014" Lost sleep reading these because there were so disturbing. But I couldn't put it down. "
— Heather, 2/5/2014" Such a masterpiece! The best I've ever read so far.. Perfect ending, though last 2 pages were a bit sad and heart-breaking.. "
— Anas, 1/30/2014" I gave this only four stars because if it hadn't been given to me to read, I probably would have given up around 100 pages, but then the book seemed to come together and I found myself rushing through pages to discover what had happened to Harriet, who disappeared twenty or thirty years prior to the story starting. "
— Sharon, 1/6/2014" Skimmed through the boring bits but that's ok because the good bits were really good!! "
— Cheryl, 1/3/2014" It was so boring, by the time I got to the part where Mikael is given the murder mystery assignment, I decided to stop reading it. The movie was great, though. "
— Shadowlove3, 1/1/2014" Hard to get into it..but once you read like 150 pages you're hooked! "
— Olivia, 12/5/2013" All of the 3 books are good. "
— Bianka, 11/20/2013" The book didn't knock my socks off... "
— Frida, 11/18/2013" The start was so slow and painful I barely got through it. Good book overall but so much graphic sex. "
— Sarrah, 11/17/2013" This book is really good! Its exciting and suspenseful! "
— Eliza, 11/8/2013" One of the good thrillers and suspense. "
— Bushra, 9/17/2013" Oh, I suppose... "
— Rachel, 5/16/2013" The most brutal book ever! Really enjoyed it though! However I think that the business parts were extremely boring! Other than that the end was super jaw-droppig! Can't wait to read the others! "
— Domino, 5/12/2013" Absolutely the best of Nordic Noir :) "
— Linda, 2/22/2013" Not going to lie. Was kind of boring. "
— Monica, 2/3/2013" I really enjoyed this book. I love the edgy young girl in this story. I enjoyed this book because it was not an easy read but it did keep my attention. I plan to read the 2 remaking books of this trilogy. "
— Marcia, 12/29/2012" Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker. "
— Nieva, 9/20/2012" I know that I am one of the few people that did NOT like this book! The author spent too much time describing the way things look. I felt that he did my work as a reader. I found it dull, dark and icky. "
— Angel, 9/8/2012" Not for the faint of heart.... "
— Mona, 3/28/2012" Well written, but slow moving. I couldn't stay engaged & it was a struggle to finish the book. "
— Jennijelsing, 3/19/2012" Intricate plot but a good story! "
— Deanna, 12/12/2011" VERY slow start, but gripping past the first chunk of pretext. "
— Jessica, 12/5/2011" Liked this action packed book, just had a hard time with all the foreign names & locations. "
— Jacinda, 10/5/2011" Konecne som pochopila cely ten humbuk okolo tejto knihy. Zasluzi si to. "
— Mobanika, 9/21/2011" pure garbage. the horror was too much for the story to carry. everyone read it and told everyone else how good it was and it was a farce, they all just believed each other. "
— Angelicfiend, 9/12/2011" Half way through I realized it was a good old murder mystery. I'm not a fan of murder mysteries. But it was suspenseful, a real page turner. And it made Sweden sound like a beautiful place to visit... except for all the violence and rape and crimes against women. "
— britni, 7/22/2011" beginning was a bit slow but it builds up rather nicely :) "
— Crystal, 6/24/2011" Loved it! Couldn't put it down and have started on the second book immediately. "
— Sara, 5/23/2011" I'm not usually into mysteries, but this one kept me interested with the bizarre characters and the suspense. "
— Rachelle, 5/23/2011" Not sure what the big deal is. "
— Michael, 5/23/2011" Intense, satisfying read... involved, well-written, keeps you guessing. "
— Doris, 5/22/2011" After I got used to the confusing names I reaaly enjoyed the story ! "
— Suzy, 5/22/2011" Great book once you get past the first 115 pages. When you are into the story and start to understand the background and family tree it picks up speed and you don't want to put it down. Very good read and by the end you sangho run to the book store to get the second book. "
— Shannon, 5/22/2011" Very good and fast read. "
— Jessica, 5/22/2011" Lisbeth Salander is one of my new favorite characters. I was very apprehensive to read this book after all of the attention everyone had given it. I picked it up and couldn't put it down. "
— Ashley, 5/22/2011" I couldn't figure out what people were raving about. I liked the idea of the story but felt that the writing was disjointed. Didn't enjoy it and will not read the others. "
— Dori, 5/22/2011" I loved all 3 books in this trilogy. Despite being the first in a series of I think 7 books before the death of the author the last book has a satisfying ending so don't be afraid to read them. "
— Crystal, 5/22/2011" This read like a regular Clancy or Sheldon even. It was good but nothing spectacular. I guess I expected more. What really bothered me was how much casual sex there was, and how everyone seemed so detached from the fact that they were randomly having sex. "
— V.E., 5/22/2011Stieg Larsson (1954–2004) was a native of Sweden who wrote the internationally bestselling Millennium series of crime novels. Originally written in Swedish, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest were posthumously published in English in 2009. Larsson, a leading expert on antidemocratic right wing extremism and neo-Nazi organizations, was the founder of the Swedish Expo Foundation, an organization that seeks to eliminate white nationalism among young people. He was also the editor of the organization’s magazine, Expo.
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.