The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz - 3.5 stars

[annapi]

It's difficult to rate this book, because inevitably a reader will compare it to Larssen's original trilogy (which I rated 5 stars all the way). I tried very hard to be objective about this, but I still can't help feeling disappointed.

Oh, it started out very well, and for most of the book I was prepared to give it 4 stars. Then about 70% or so into it, Lagercrantz stumbles. Up till now I was enjoying getting reacquainted with Lisbeth Salander, the kick-ass heroine. We have Mikael Blomkvist digging into a story about hackers, a professor whose research is on the brink of a breakthrough in artificial intelligence getting murdered, and his son the autistic savant the sole witness.

Then came the action sequences in which Lisbeth plays a major part. Okay, I thought, it's still within what I felt were Lisbeth's boundaries. Then came the major trip-up, as far as I was concerned - Lisbeth's back history with her sister Camille. I found it way too simplistic, way too neat, and the explanation for the code names of Wasp and Thanos - that was just corny, IMO, not worthy of Larsson. As far as I'm concerned, there's no way a hacker of Lisbeth's ability would ever be so obvious.

From here on out, it just read like a poor attempt to live up to Larsson's talent. Not to say that Lagercrantz doesn't have talent of his own, but he lacks the sophistication of Larsson's writing, the clever plot twists and turns that left the reader breathless, the talent for prose and for bringing his characters alive. I feel the only reason I felt connected to the main characters was my previous acquaintance with them. The best of the newbies were the characters of the professor and his autistic son. The way Lisbeth manages to get away from all the attackers was just not credible. The almost superhero/supervillain-like traits that Lisbeth and her sister were imbued with made me want to punch the author in frustration. Lisbeth does not need to be superhuman in order to impress - rather the opposite, in fact. I don't believe Lagercrantz does her justice.

My ultimate rating is 3.5 stars. For the longest time I dithered about whether I would round up or down, but the flaws are just too many, and so I round it down.

I will probably read the next book (if there is one) just to see where they take it. But my disappointment in this one does not bode well for the series as far as I'm concerned. It just makes me feel the loss of Larsson more keenly.

[Jennifer]

Interesting. I've been both excited and wary of reading this. I, too, loved the original series, the Swedish movies & the American version. I will probably read it at some point too though.

[annapi]

I have yet to watch the American version, but I enjoyed the Swedish movies very much. I thought they really played both Salander & Blomkvist well.

[Olivermagnus]

I gave this the same rating. I think Lisbeth is one of the most fascinating characters in literature and I wish the Larsson heirs had let her go at the end of the Trilogy.

[annapi]

Olivermagnus wrote: "I think Lisbeth is one of the most fascinating characters in literature"

I absolutely agree Oliver!

[Jennifer]

I liked the Swedish ones more, but it's hard to know for sure because I saw them first.