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The Millennium Trilogy (Millennium #1-3)

by Stieg Larsson, Reg Keeland (Translator)

4.44 of 5 stars 4.44 · rating details · 17,315 ratings · 1,244 reviews

Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy is now available in a complete hardcover set.

All across America, readers are talking about Stieg Larsson’s best-selling novels, set in Sweden and featuring Lisbeth Salander—“one of the most original and memorable heroines to surface in a recent thriller” (The New York Times). The trilogy is an international sensation that will grab you a...more

Other Format, 1531 pages

Published May 25th 2010 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (first published November 7th 2005)

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Community Reviews

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Aug 19, 2010 Ian Tregillis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One year when I was in grad school, a fellow student in my program sent a ranty, invective-laden email to the entire department. (This was notable, and sticks in my memory, because usually it was the tenured faculty who wrote these tirades.) His rant had been spurred by the announcement of a new scholarship program intended to encourage more women to pursue advanced degrees in technical disciplines. His argument (as near as I (a) could figure out at the time, and (b) can remember now, since it's...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Anthony Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like hard edged thrillers and crime dramas

Recommended to Anthony by: media

I'm giving the Millennium Trilogy four stars with a caveat: I'm positive I would have enjoyed these books even more if I could have read the originals in Swedish, and if I had a firm grasp of Swedish politics and economic policy. That I read all three books is a testament to their overall strength and that of the story. If it wasn't interesting I wouldn't have invested the effort. And it's not all about politics, wealth and privilege. These books are hard-boiled, crime dramas wrapped in a journa...more I'm giving the Millennium Trilogy four stars with a caveat: I'm positive I would have enjoyed these books even more if I could have read the originals in Swedish, and if I had a firm grasp of Swedish politics and economic policy. That I read all three books is a testament to their overall strength and that of the story. If it wasn't interesting I wouldn't have invested the effort. And it's not all about politics, wealth and privilege. These books are hard-boiled, crime dramas wrapped in a journalistic wrapper.

I loved the two main characters, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, the economics journalist who's made it his life's mission to expose the rich and powerful looters of the world, and Lisbeth Salander, possibly the most 'put through the meat grinder' character I've ever read. Job had it easy compared to the Trials of Lisabeth Salander. She is victimized throughout the books, but she is no man's victim. Each torment is noted, stored away and seared into her tapestry of vengeance. No one is forgiven or forgotten.

Mikael Blomkvist is a holy crusader who's more than willing to go to jail for his beliefs. He believes in a society based on equality and justice and lives to expose the hypocrisy and crimes of the privileged class. He's also very casual about who he sleeps with and makes no excuses for his bad behavior. His feelings for Salander give him a chance at a personal redemption of sorts, not that he can win her love, but he might win her trust. Ultimately his validation must come through her and for her. Blomkvist and Salander are an improbable and an incompatible couple yet somehow they are fated to steer each other's destiny. Who is saving who is an arc that runs over the three books and keeps both characters fresh and at odds with each other.

These books are violent. The treatment of women is ghastly to the point of misogynistic. I'd be tempted to call Larsson on it, but is the world so different from the horrors he portrays? No, it's not. Terrible things happen to women all the time, but here the author makes you look at them and understand that justice is not about what's right or wrong but who holds the power. By the end of the last book I wished that these characters actually existed. The world is in dire need of more Blomkvist and Salander's. Some things must be put to right.(less)

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Nov 23, 2012 Ankit Agrawal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, thriller, favorites, series

I don't know what to say about this Triology or not a triology but an incompleted series. I have loved this all in all but at the same time I have regretted reading it as well. It has kept me awake at nights but at the same time bored me. It has left me wanting to read more but at the same time left a bad taste in my mouth. There are so many contradicting emotions this series has left me with.
This has to be the most weird series or the most weird set of books anyone can read. Its so filled up wi...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Ayde rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even though the thriller is not my favorite genre I liked all the books of the trilogy. The author created a quite different kind of heroine.

She is somebody who is supposed mentally incompetent by law, and in spite of disgraceful family background, she is able to use her intelligence to carry on every part in the puzzles to solve.

There are more interesting characters, some of them really evil and some full of courage but she is the center of attention as well as the plot.

Recommended for those w...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Greg Lang rated it 4 of 5 stars

These books were so popular that I just had to read them. I found them gripping but also frustrating and, at times, over the top. Too many characters, too many far fetched plots and crazy confrontations. But the stories set a mood that I found addictive. I could not put the books down until I finished them. I can definitely understand their appeal.

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Mar 12, 2010 Anna Serra i Vidal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spanish

I have to say I liked it, because it sucked me and I read the three books in little more than two weeks. And they are long books.
But as some agents did say on Twitter some time ago, if this book was first published in the States, it would have been trimmed and it'd be better. The three of them are too long.
On the other hand, Lisbeth Salander character is one of the best characters I've read lately. You become instantly attached to her and want her to succeed.
In general, Larsson treats better w...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Brutal, but so thrilling. Worth the read.

This review is specifically about Hornet's Nest, but I've read all three.

FINALLY.

I have a problem. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but I have a real problem. I need all of the books in a series to match in my shelf. For example, I started reading the Harry Potter books late in the game… I started Book 1 when Book 4 was in paperback and Book 5 was not yet released. I read Book 1, frakking loved it, bought Books 2-4, loved them and realized that...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Bill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I began Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with the goal of understanding what there was about this book that made it so popular. I was gritting my teeth, convinced that getting through the book would be a most unpleasant labor. But then I found myself turning pages, not able to put it down, suprised, pleased, impressed.

And so I soldiered on to the second and third books of the series, and I loved them. But to answer my original question: what is it about these books that makes them so popular? Well, I...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Georgia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Charming Journalist, Corrupt Corporations and Lisbeth Salander (The Millennium Series)

Okay, so by now I'm sure that everyone has heard of the phenomenon that is "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". The new film has recently been released and there have been multiple discussions about the series.

So, the series contains three books; "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; "The Girl Who Played with Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". They were written by Swedish author Stieg Larsson and...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Evam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Thrillers en dergelijke zijn aan mij niet besteed, omdat die boeken doorgaans met haken en ogen aan elkaar hangen, de personages van bordkarton gemaakt zijn en de plot zo subtiel is als een olifant in een porseleinwinkel. Maar af en toe probeer ik mijn eigen stereotypen en vooroordelen te doorbreken. Zo gezegd, zo gedaan... en ik las de hele Millennium-trilogie uit.

Het eerste deel las bijzonder vlot weg. Het was verademend om eens iets no-nonsense, eendimensionaal en eenlijnig te lezen. De auteu...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Traci Slatton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I finished the last book with a sharp pang: I had read them all. There were no more to read. I felt a sense of loss.

Stieg Larrson simply wrote three of the most compulsively readable, engaging books I've read in decades. The characters were fantastic, complex and multi-dimensional and intriguing, flawed but heroic. I cared about Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. I liked them and I was rooting for them.

When I discussed the books with my mother, who reads continually, she said, "When Lisbeth...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anybody who likes crime/thriller fiction.

Recommended to Kate by: The 2009 film version.

I read these around the same time as I read the Fifty Shades trilogy and you couldn't ask for two sets of books that are such polar opposites of each other.

I hadn't particularly planned on reading them but happened to see the 2009 film adaptation on TV, late one night, and really enjoyed it. The next day I went out and bought the books.

The first book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, was my favourite of the three, I found the murder mystery plot more interesting than the political themes of the...more I read these around the same time as I read the Fifty Shades trilogy and you couldn't ask for two sets of books that are such polar opposites of each other.

I hadn't particularly planned on reading them but happened to see the 2009 film adaptation on TV, late one night, and really enjoyed it. The next day I went out and bought the books.

The first book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, was my favourite of the three, I found the murder mystery plot more interesting than the political themes of the second and third books, although all of them were gripping and held my attention from start to finish. They are well written, with a wealth of detail - in fact, my only criticism is that at times there was slightly too much attention to trifling matters and a slight tendency to overdo the recapping of previous plot lines; necessary, I suppose, if you are inexplicably reading the books out of order, but a bit frustrating otherwise.

The real genius is in the characterisations; Lisbeth Salander is the most original, refreshing and readable female protagonist I've come across in a long time. She's socially dysfunctional and eccentric in all kinds of ways and is described as looking like an adolescent boy - but she is also intelligent, strong and moralistic. Given the choice between Salander and the beautiful, mawkish Anastasia Steele - it is Salander I would aspire to, every time.

The male protagonist, Mikael Blomkvist, was a bit dull in comparison, but by the end of the trilogy this actually seemed to be the perfect foil to Salander's outlandishness. I found him slightly irritating at times; he was almost preternaturally clever and instinctive, often facilitating an easy way out for some of the plot's trickier twists and turns. I also struggled with his seemingly irresistible fascination to women; his character never came across as exceptionally charming, if anything, he struck me as being somewhat careless with regards to women. Nor was a full description of his looks ever given, which left me to form my own mental image of him; since I'd just watched the Swedish film version I often found myself putting the actor's face to the character in my head - and whilst I'm sure that Michael Nyqvist is a very nice chap, he doesn't have the face, in my opinion, of a man who is snog-bait to the ladies (sorry Michael). But he, as with all the characters, is believably written and adds a great deal of colour and depth to the overall storyline.

On finishing the books, I had enjoyed them so much that I Googled Stieg Larsson with a view to finding other works by him, only to find he had died in 2004. I don't think there is anything quite so sad and disappointing as discovering an author whose work you enjoy and respect and then realising there is nothing more of theirs to be read.

So, in summary: if you like crime thrillers with interesting characters and subject matters that make you stop and think, then I highly recommend these books.(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Cresta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire, and The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest all make-up the trilogy that is deemed "The Millennium Series" by Steig Larsson. I've read all three books and I've seen the first film based on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It has taken me quite some time to sit down and write this review for two reasons: 1) I wanted to write it on the entire trilogy, although now I'm not sure why I wanted to do that and 2) I find it difficult to actuall...more The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl who Played with Fire, and The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest all make-up the trilogy that is deemed "The Millennium Series" by Steig Larsson. I've read all three books and I've seen the first film based on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It has taken me quite some time to sit down and write this review for two reasons: 1) I wanted to write it on the entire trilogy, although now I'm not sure why I wanted to do that and 2) I find it difficult to actually put in words the genius of the stories Steig Larsson wrote. Yes, genius.

Nowhere in literature have I met a character I enjoyed reading about as much as I enjoyed Lisbeth Salander, the protagonist and awesome kick-ass main character of the Millennium series. I want to be her, not all of her because let's face it, she's down-right crazy sometimes, but I find myself drawn to her character in a connective way; I want her to be real and alive and hacking into computers for me because I'm important enough for her to care about. The depth of feeling and emotion with which Steig Larsson portrays her is truly amazing. You love her, you hate her, you feel apathy, empathy, and sympathy for her sometimes on the same page. You definitely don't want to piss her off. There's a part of me that's wants to have that kind of power, I think everyone does (don't lie to yourself!), and living it through a book character is the closest most of us will ever come.

The main champion of Lisbeth is Mikael Blomkvist (who she often views as the antagonist, but he's not), a brilliant journalist. He finds himself in situation after situation above and beyond the scope of mundane news, and at the center of each tryst is Lisbeth Salander. She is either the hero or the victim, depending on which book you read. I openly admit to having a literary crush on Mikael Blomkvist. And it surely didn't hurt when they cast Daniel Craig in the role for the film.

The books read very technically. However, Steig Larsson was a technical writer for a magazine in Sweden, where most of the books take place, called EXPO. He wrote this series because at 15 years old, he witnessed a gang-rape of a girl he knew named Lisbeth and spent most of his life haunted by guilt because he did nothing to save her. This book pays homage to this girl, and this is evident by the strength he gives Lisbeth throughout the novels. She is also a victim of rape. But again, do not piss this girl off - there will be absolute hell to pay.

In book one, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, we meet Lisbeth and Mikael. Mikael is in trouble over a libel lawsuit and is found guilty. In order to escape his life, he takes an assignment abroad for the Vanger family to write a memoir, but everything is not as it seems. Henry Vanger has really hired him because of his astute ability to uncover details others miss and he wants to solve a cold-case murder. This is where Lisbeth enters the story - she becomes his researcher, because she is the best. But, there are strings to cut in getting her help. First off, she is under government sanctioned legal guardianship because she's been declared mentally incompetent and dangerous. Her guardian, Holger Palmgren, suffers from a stroke and unfortunately Lisbeth's care is entrusted to a real prick, Nils Bjurman. But don't worry - she takes good care of him. Through a series of twists and turns, Lisbeth and Mikael form an unbreakable bond, at least for Lisbeth who for the first time in a long time, allows herself to become close to a man. Sadly, Mikael is a bit of ladies man and her heart is shattered.

In book two, The Girl who Played with Fire, we learn more about Lisbeth's life before she met Mikael Blomkvist. The book opens with a disturbing kidnapping scene from Lisbeth's perspective and through her eyes we see visions of her throwing a milk carton of gasoline into a car and setting it on fire. This plays over and over in her mind. While she is financially stable and quite aloof now, thanks to some business in book one, she can't shake the revenge she feels necessary to take upon the man that ruined her life - her father. Blomkvist finds himself involved in another high profile case with two new friends, but when he finds them murdered in cold blood one night and the police list Lisbeth Salander as their prime suspect, their lives are intertwined again. It's always a life or death situation with these two, but then again, that's what keeps you turning page well into the night. It is Blomkvist's attention to the little things as a journalist that becomes key in saving Lisbeth Salander's life. But, it's only fair - she saved his life in book one.

In the final book, The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, the reader is drawn in immediately to the slow and painful recovery of Lisbeth Salander. We begin in a hospital, where Lisbeth's life hangs in the balance and all I kept thinking as I was reading this book was "Don't you dare kill this girl - don't you dare!" I can't tell you if I'm angry at the author or not - you'll have to read and find out. However, I can say that in the final book, every person that has ever cared about the very difficult and troubled Lisbeth Salander comes out of the wood-works to try and save her, and to clear her name. It's a tribute to the value of respecting another human being and the ultimate fight for justice in a corrupt and cruel world. The plot is tricky and you really have to READ this book, little things make a big difference.

This is not a series to read for the faint of heart or the lazy of mind. It takes a keen eye and interest in the characters and the story to continue on to each destination. This is a grown-up book, and people that lack life experience I believe will have difficulty following the story line. Larsson was somewhat criticized for his overly intricate plot, yet he did not live to hear these comments. He suffered a heart attack and died in 2004. All three books were published posthumously in 2005, 2006, and 2007 respectively.
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Jan 25, 2012 Tim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! You have got to read it.
This was so good I stated up late and then went and got the sequel the next day to read that. This is a modern sexy thriller set in Sweden with engaging characters and a plot full twists and turns.

Details: The plot covers disgraced investigative journalist Michael Blomqvist as he takes a break to investigate a disappearance from 40 years ago. He connects up with Lisbeth Salander, a private investigator and together they hunt down all the clues to learn the truth.
This...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Rosie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Millennium series focuses on journalists in the throes of their journalistic lives, writing and covering the daily lives around them. Journalists don't always have the luxury of paring down their prose in the way that fiction writers do. Whatever information they've uncovered today, be it the fact that Mr. X worked for Texaco in 1987 or Ms. Y has a penchant for blue suede shoes, it could all be relevant tomorrow. Therefore, it's all worth publishing.

The difference, and why we don't notice it...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Tammy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Books were very hard to get into at first, I'll admit. The books drag a lot in the beginning. In the first novel, I nearly put it down until I got the part where he introduced Lisbeth. Then it got interesting. In the second book, it started out the same way as the first; slow pacing and lots of unneeded detail to the personal lives of the characters, like Lisbeth apartment-searching, shopping, etc. I actually put the book down for a couple of weeks before picking it up again. Then BAM - I hit th...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Philip rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first books I read on my Kindle, since I keep hearing good things about them from other people. They are good. As everyone else I've ever talked to said, the first one is definitely the best of the three, though unlike some other people, I did still read and enjoy the other two.

Larsson made some very interesting/different characters in these books, but I found them to always be believable/reasonable in their actions. Despite these people being so very much different from me, their actions ge...more

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May 31, 2011 Rocky41-7 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, murder-mystery, violent, crime

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. A juicy story about the trials and tribulations of Mikael Blomkvist as he struggles to solve the mystery of Harriet Vanger's disappearance forty years ago. An impossible crime; a disgraced journalist and a girl with some very interesting tattoos.
Lisbeth Salander, the troubled, genius hacker who aides Mikael in his attempt to solve the decades old crime. First off, I LOVE Lisbeth. She is a girl who has suffered a lot, and she has come out fighting. She takes no cr...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first of three books in the Millennium Series, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, has a slow beginning. The first half presents two separate lives in Sweden: Mikael Blomkvist, a 40-something journalist convicted of libel, and Lisbeth Salander, a 24-year-old eccentric computer hacker working for a security firm. The first half was boring.

Eventually, the book gets better when Blomkvist and Salander join forces to find a murderer of a member of the Vanger family who disappeared 40 years ago. The...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Steven Peterson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sets like this have several purposes. One is simply putting a set of related works together, for people who want to acquire all parts, for instance, of a set of books. Another is "value added" by putting together a set.

For those who have not read the Millennium trilogy, this is a nice way of "one stop shopping." Begin with a "murder mystery," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Here, we begin with journalist Mikael Blomkvist losing credibility and being humiliated for lack of journalistic integ...more Sets like this have several purposes. One is simply putting a set of related works together, for people who want to acquire all parts, for instance, of a set of books. Another is "value added" by putting together a set.

For those who have not read the Millennium trilogy, this is a nice way of "one stop shopping." Begin with a "murder mystery," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Here, we begin with journalist Mikael Blomkvist losing credibility and being humiliated for lack of journalistic integrity, all because of a set up concocted by someone whom he was investigating. We get introduced to Lisbeth Salander, a victim of many kinds of abuse, but independent, extraordinarily talented, and a keen researcher. She partners with Blomkvist to solve a series of murders.

"The Girl Who Played with Fire" follows. Salander has separated herself from Blomkvist and others. She ends up, in essence, being framed for three murders (although by accident). Blomkvist tries to solve the question as to what happened; Salander does her own research to find out what actually happened. We see the dynamic story that results from her relationship to her father, a vicious Soviet defector, Zalachenko. At the end of the novel, in trying to get her revenge against her father, she is grievously wounded.

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" follows up where the previous novel ends. Salander has surgery for her multiple wounds, rehabilitates, and is subject to a government effort to put her back in a mental institution--to protect a rogue element within the Swedish security establishment. The book, which is drearily slow and detailed in the middle, ends with a dramatic (albeit not totally believable) courtroom scene, a confrontation between Salander and her murderous half-brother, and a quiet reconciliation (perhaps) with Blomkvist.

The other aspect of a set like this is "value added." There is an extra element here--a piece focusing on Stieg Larsson himself. Many will know that Larsson died of a heart attack before the trilogy was published, thus never experiencing the success of his creation.

So, this set works pretty well on two separate levels.
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Dec 11, 2010 Lynn Romaine rated it 5 of 5 stars

I started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo back in February of this year, and for the first time in years, I read right through this and the other two books in the Trilogy (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest). So I must give these books my highest recommendation. Why? Mainly because Stieg Larsson has created the most unforgettable character in fiction since who knows when. For me, probably since Elizabeth Bennett. Will you like these books? If you like very co...more

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Sep 22, 2010 Dingus rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" is about the efforts by a journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, to solve a decades' old missing person case, which result in uncovering the trail of a sadistic serial murderer; about Blomkvist's efforts to expose, via his magazine, the dealings of a corrupt Swedish business tycoon; about the illegal activities of Lisbeth Salander (an extremely high-functioning autistic savant), both on her own behalf and in her attempt to assist Blomkvist; and about sexual promiscuity a...more "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" is about the efforts by a journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, to solve a decades' old missing person case, which result in uncovering the trail of a sadistic serial murderer; about Blomkvist's efforts to expose, via his magazine, the dealings of a corrupt Swedish business tycoon; about the illegal activities of Lisbeth Salander (an extremely high-functioning autistic savant), both on her own behalf and in her attempt to assist Blomkvist; and about sexual promiscuity and excessive coffee consumption. The bottom line is this: It's a far better book than YOU could ever write, but not nearly as good as the very worst of Updike or Nabokov or Heller.

"The Girl Who Played With Fire" is about the extensive but inept efforts of the Swedish police to capture the perpetrator of a triple murder; about the efforts of Lisbeth Salander, who is falsely accused of those murders, to elude the police, while also eluding the real murderer; about Mikael Blomkvist's efforts to prove Lisbeth's innocence; about Lisbeth's hunt to find and kill her gangster father for a multitude of crimes that have impacted her life; and about sexual promiscuity and excessive coffee consumption. The bottom line is this: It's a far better book than YOU could ever write, but not nearly as good as the very worst of Hammett or Chandler, or Ross Macdonald.

"The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" is about Lisbeth Salander's long recovery from injuries sustained during her failed effort to kill her father; about the path to her eventual triumph in court while on trial for lesser charges; about her various criminal activities, including the "elimination" of some of her adversaries; about the efforts by Blomkvist, and others, to expose the activities of a top-secret "Section" hidden inside Sweden's national Security Police; and about sexual promiscuity and excessive coffee consumption. The bottom line is this: It's a bit unsettling to read this trilogy which absolutely DRIPS with a bizarre version of ultra feminism-- ironically written by a male writer who can't quite resist including numerous, extensively detailed accounts of extreme violence against women, and whose alter ego in the story, Blomkvist, has an effect on most women similar to that of James Bond-- only to ultimately realize that "equality between the sexes," in this author's mind, merely means that it's implicitly "OK" when a woman dishes out similar examples of cruelty and death, if done in the guise of vigilantism.
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Jul 21, 2010 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

I loved these books! I read them on my Nook, and I couldn't click "next page" fast enough, through all three. Lisbeth Salander is a quirky, brilliant girl of about 25 who gets involved with a series of adventures with Mikael Blomqvist, a journalist. In the first book, she helps him investigate the mysterious disappearance of a girl from her wealthy family more than 30 years ago. In the second, they get involved with trying to find a Soviet spy who just happens to be Lisbeth's father. And in the...more

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Jul 05, 2010 Sarah Finley rated it 4 of 5 stars

*** Very mild spoilers ahead ***

I saw the movie first and then, realizing finally that there was actually an interesting plot, I had to get my hands on the book. And like so many others, I literally could not put the books down, reading whenever I had a spare moment, and sometimes even when I did not. The first two books seemed to me more fast paced and more gripping, while the third book's pace slowed and was bogged down by less riveting material.

Larsson was not a great writer, but he is certai...more *** Very mild spoilers ahead ***

I saw the movie first and then, realizing finally that there was actually an interesting plot, I had to get my hands on the book. And like so many others, I literally could not put the books down, reading whenever I had a spare moment, and sometimes even when I did not. The first two books seemed to me more fast paced and more gripping, while the third book's pace slowed and was bogged down by less riveting material.

Larsson was not a great writer, but he is certainly a great story-teller, and his characters, especially Lisbeth, are multi-faceted, engaging and believable. He does not write exceptionally intricate plots, but the plots in the trilogy are nonetheless thrilling and entertaining.

The first book concentrates more on a mystery involving a murdered girl, whose body was never found, and the relationship between the two main characters, Lisbeth, the brilliant young hacker who probably has Asperger's, and Mikael, the investigative journalist behind the (fictional) Swedish magazine Millennium. Very little is told in the first book about Lisbeth, but much is alluded to. More concentration is put into the mystery, which is at times clunky and inexplicable (such as why a murderer who has done such a good job at hiding himself for so many years would decide to leave a "calling card" on the door step of the investigator who is getting close to solving the mystery. Now he know that you know he is close, and he knows that you must be nearby, and when you're on a frickin island, that kind of narrows things down a bit.) The movie, strangely enough, does a much better job at trimming down the details and fashioning it into a tighter and faster plot.

The second book starts with another expose by Millennium, but one that is inexplicably tied to Lisbeth, who has now broken contact with Mikael and fled the country. After a series of murders, one of which is easily tied to her, she is accused of all the murders. Mikael quickly comes to her defense and does what he does best - investigates the mystery, which only gets him into the heart of Lisbeth's life story. She, meanwhile, is doing her own research into the matter. Their paths cross again, albeit briefly and at the very end.

The third book feels more like the continuation of the second, for instead of presenting a new mystery, it continues to focus on Lisbeth's story. This time she is awaiting trial for murder. Most of this book is bogged down with dull details of trying to prove all the things learned in the second book and then presenting them yet again at the trial, which consequently lacks much emotional punch since it really can add little to the tale.

Larsson sadly died after delivering these three books to his publisher. Had he the benefit of time and an editor, I think these three books, and probably the supposed 7 others he had planned for the series, would have been spectacular. Instead, they tend to repetition and insignificant details (he is especially focused on when characters go to sleep and when they wake, and how much sleep they had, and exactly what kind of crap food they scarfed down when awake.)

The American titles take away from the main theme he was going towards, which is much more accessible when one learns the less stylistic Swedish title of the first book - Men Who Hate Women. All three books deal with this - from murder to rape to domestic abuse to prostitution and so on. To counter this, his heroes and heroines all share similar noble qualities. The good men are all caring and sensitive to the women in their lives, even if they have faults that might unintentionally hurt the women in their lives (Mikael's biggest downfall is that he is ridiculously attractive and women are always breaking down his door to sleep with him - which he readily succumbs to). The women on the other hand are all either strong, smart, or a combination of the two, and if they're not, well, then they're probably the victims. There is very little middle ground - the good characters are good, the bad are bad - and this lends an allegoric feel to his books, coupled with the strong themes of men who hate women.

For all their weaknesses, I wholeheartedly recommend them, but with a disclaimer for those who are sensitive to violence, specifically to violence against women. Details are not spared and Larsson's ability to bring the written word to life is definitely true even at the most graphic parts of the books. (less)

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Feb 28, 2010 Dayna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am adding this as a stand in for the third book in the Millenium trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. My sister-in-law brought me a copy from Europe, but it isn't officially out in the US yet. I couldn't put down the first two books and ended up reading the whole trilogy all in a row. I've never done that before and I really felt like I knew these characters by the end.

I think this book is great if you love the first two books, but it is definitely a slower build than the other two....more

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Apr 03, 2012 Janyaa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Trilogy Themes and How They Relate to Our Society. (Spoilers)

First off, I want to mention that I ordered the trilogy kindle pack, so my impression of this series is fluid from book to book. You’ll notice in my examples that they are taken from all three books, not just the first one.

There are a number of themes running throughout this series. The original title to this book was "Men Who Hate Women." Indeed, the author does a very good job of acknowledging the varying degrees of misogyny that are...more Trilogy Themes and How They Relate to Our Society. (Spoilers)

First off, I want to mention that I ordered the trilogy kindle pack, so my impression of this series is fluid from book to book. You’ll notice in my examples that they are taken from all three books, not just the first one.

There are a number of themes running throughout this series. The original title to this book was "Men Who Hate Women." Indeed, the author does a very good job of acknowledging the varying degrees of misogyny that are pervasive throughout our society. The most obvious example, of course, is the rape scene. The more subtle examples are the ways in which many men react to women of power. Some examples would be the interactions between Faste and Modir, or between Berger and Holm. It's a very cynical view, but not altogether inaccurate.

Having made that point, it may be counter-intuitive for some to recognize that Larssen also acknowledges that women can be equal sexually. One of the things I found refreshing in this book is how the author treated sex. I'm not talking about the instances where it was a tool or a weapon. I'm referring to the situation between Berger and Blomquist, or any of the other women he ends up getting with. He acknowledges them as sexual equals with their own needs and desires, and trusts that they are adult enough to handle the situation in a way that is right for them. These women are sexually liberated in the best sense.

Larsson also addresses capitalism and it's role in our society. There are a couple of instances that I want to note in particular. After the Wennerstrom affair has been revealed, the Stockholm Stock Exchange was in freefall. Blomqvist was being interviewed and asked what the Millenium's responsibility was in regards to the fact Sweden's economy was going to crash. Blomqvist makes a point of distinguishing the difference between the economy and the stock market. "The Swedish economy is the sum of all the goods and services that are produced in this country every day." He goes on to give examples of Ericsson telephones, Volvos, shipments, etc. and says that they are just as strong or weak as before the big news hit. Coming from America, I saw huge parallels between this and America's relationship between the economy and the stock market.

Our society has gotten to the point where it values the investment into things more than the things themselves. That's how an investment banker can make a boatload of money, but the guy working 40hours is barely scraping by. The value of work, in the purest sense of the form, has decreased. What Blomqvist does in this interview is call the speculators out on their game. He calls them fantasies in which people from one hour to the next decide that this or that company is worth so many billions; which, in the end doesn't have anything to do with the reality and true value of the product.

There is another example in the series that talks about stock ownership and the responsibilities of a company. Berger has become the editor for SMP and is facing down a board that is wanting to make drastic cuts to the budget. She is already in a position where she doesn't have enough reporters to do the job and knows that if she cuts any more of the staff, the newspaper will fail. However, the board of directors have recently given themselves HUGE bonuses and pay raises, and they claim these cuts are necessary to improve their value of the stock for their shareholders. Berger says, "Ownership implies responsibility. As you yourself pointed out, capitalism is what matters here. SMP's owners want to make a profit. But it's the market that decides whether you make a profit or take a loss. By your reasoning, you want the rules of capitalism to apply solely to the employees of SMP, while you and the stockholders would be exempt."

Man, does this sound familiar, or what? How many CEO's received millions of dollars in bonuses while the company filed for bankruptcy in 2008-2009? How many CEO's ran a company into the ground and then floated away on their golden parachute,only to land into another CEO position at another company? I really appreciated the message that Berger was relaying. True capitalism means you have a responsibility to make sure the company succeeds. It's about being BETTER than your competitors and being able to attract business from the market/ consumers. It's not about cannibalizing a company to the point that it starves to death.

Another point that really spoke to me was how Blomqvist addressed the media. He said that journalists have a responsibility to report the truth and ferret out the facts, but more often than not, they just take the soundbite that's fed to them and pass it along. In essence, they've become bullhorns for bullshit. This has come about because it's the very companies that journalists are supposed to be reporting on that owns the their media company. Honest journalism can't occur when the journalists are working for the hand that feeds them. Again, it reminded me of the state of affairs here in the States. We have been experiencing a consolidation of media companies who are all owned under one umbrella. How can we have accurate journalism when the fox (news) is guarding the hen house?

Overall, this trilogy was amazing. I loved Salander as a character. Her story is captivating. It's definitely a case where you're rooting for the under-dog and I appreciate how Larsson does a good job of tying up all the loose ends. However, more than the main storyline, I really enjoyed the subtext and broader themes that Larsson tackles throughout the series. I found it particularly relevant considering the recent events in our global society.(less)

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Apr 12, 2011 Lacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

On of my favorite reads of 2010. The first book 'Dragon Tattoo' is full of harsh and grotesque imagery. It's like a car crash you can't look away from. However, it sets the tone while focusing on another story entirely and the happenings of the main characters take a backseat. In the second 'Played with Fire' the plot thickens and the backstories come to the forefront. Government corruption and a giant cover up plot. However Lisbeth lies dormant in a hospital bed, and you miss her fiery personal...more

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Sep 08, 2010 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the way the first book grabbed me with a hook. A cop who is being tormented by a yearly reminder on the anniversary of a girls disappearance (death?). Who could the killer be and why are the yearly cards sent. This is when we meet Mikael Blomkvist and find out about his skills at finding a story, or perhaps solving a mystery. Along the way we are introduced to Lisbeth, who Mikael hires to do some background work. It isn't right away that you know that Lisbeth is the girl with the dragon ...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Virginia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Sorry, but I don't get it. Sorry. Blomkvist was boring and I didn't like him very much. I didn't care much about Millenium. Larsson was the MOST pedestrian writer. I know, I know ... it was translated. But that's not all that was wrong with the writing. If I had to read one more time what color t-shirt someone was wearing, I was going to lose it. And by the way, does anyone in this series ever make a commitment to anyone else, or is that just too conventional and 20th century for these oh-so-enl...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Shirley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I had always wondered about all the hype over Larsson's books and thought what would be so great about it. When my sister bought the trilogy, i decided to read to quench my curiosity. I must say that i was overtly surprised. These books are fantastic. The rock solid storyline keeps you captivated and always on the edge. Every step the characters take, fills you with anticipation and anxiety. It's difficult to put down the book. I finished all the three one after the other, within two weeks and i...more

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About Stieg Larsson

Stieg Larsson (born as Karl Stig-Erland Larsson) was a Swedish journalist and writer who passed away in 2004.

As a journalist and editor of the magazine Expo , Larsson was active in documenting and exposing Swedish extreme right and racist organisations. When he died at the age of 50, Larsson left three unpublished thrillers and unfinished manuscripts for more. The first three books ( The Girl With...more

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Books by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium, #2)

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium, #3)

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