The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
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Is this a good book?
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Mindy
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rated it 5 stars
Aug 07, 2014 07:13AM
I so agree that the Swedish version movies DID make it come to life. And tho this series was not the greatest knock my socks off writing, it was fun and I couldn't put it down. Then of course, for we Daniel Craig fans, the American movie is the frosting on top of the cake. :)
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Since there are so many fans of this series, I would still like to know.... IF there were a 4th, what things would you like to see happen in it?Hope that I get some answers :)
I thought it was horrible. Dark and depressing and violent. But I have heard it likened to American Horror Story (not my thing but popular with many folks). Again, just wasn't my thing...
Betsy wrote: "Since there are so many fans of this series, I would still like to know.... IF there were a 4th, what things would you like to see happen in it?Hope that I get some answers :)"
I want to see Mikael Blomkvist eat too many sandwiches, get fat, run up 7 flights of stairs, and drop dead of a heart attack.
K?
For me, it began slow but soon became un-put-downable. Later, when I reflected on it, I did feel Blomqvist was living a male fantasy that may have been unrealistic, but I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
The movie didnt do it justice...it's a great book. i loved all three of them. The writer's style is exquisite and mind engaging. Makes you ravish every minute part of the story.
Page turner and basically all three parts of the trilogy rightly dominated the best seller's list for quite some time.
I actually saw the Girl with the Dragon's Tattoo (Swedish version) first in the cinema and then figured that the book might be a good use of my time a few days later. I then picked up parts two and three in airports a few weeks later because I just had to read the rest.
I later saw the rest of the movies as well (Swedish part 2 & 3) and the American remake of part 1. The latter is an interesting one. Arguably it is a remake that can stand in its own right. It actually stays a bit closer to the story and was shot on scene in Sweden. I like both versions though.
I actually saw the Girl with the Dragon's Tattoo (Swedish version) first in the cinema and then figured that the book might be a good use of my time a few days later. I then picked up parts two and three in airports a few weeks later because I just had to read the rest.
I later saw the rest of the movies as well (Swedish part 2 & 3) and the American remake of part 1. The latter is an interesting one. Arguably it is a remake that can stand in its own right. It actually stays a bit closer to the story and was shot on scene in Sweden. I like both versions though.
Everyone I know who has read it says yes. The story is interesting but I personally hated it.
It was a slow start...but I found the characters interesting.
Eva wrote: "For me, it began slow but soon became un-put-downable. Later, when I reflected on it, I did feel Blomqvist was living a male fantasy that may have been unrealistic..."Oh, you picked up on that too, huh? All the women he wanted, whenever he wanted them, with no strings attached. In reality, one of them would have killed him (or cut his nuts off) - and he'd have deserved it.
But maybe there's a bright spot in the firmament - maybe if the likes of Bill Clinton read it, they'll all move to Sweden?
Never having lived abroad, I know nothing of how things go on in Sweden. Maybe Mikael's behavior is totally accepted there, simply a male "thing" ?Chuckle on the Bill Clinton reference :)
Considering that Sweden is one of the most liberal countries in the world, maybe in the top three, there isn't much that is NOT accepted for adults who are not hurting anyone, both men and women.
I've heard that, but that sort of arrangement usually just makes for a feeding ground for male predators - which is what I was wondering about when I heard that whatsisname, Julian Assange? was getting sued or prosecuted or some damn thing by 2 or 3 different Swedish women; apparently he was "Cutting A Wide Swath", or whatever they call it, over there, and then the women decided they'd been "Had"?, or something?but what the hell, if they actually WANT it that way over there, where's my plane ticket?!
Hmm... OTOH, after Blomqvist drops dead in my newly envisioned sequel, maybe all the women he's been "Doing" should find out that each other exist and then try to get his estate and discover that he had Yet Another secret life and blew all his money on sex junkets to Thailand and left them with nothing because he got jaded with Swedish women, Or Something... That oughta sell!
I found the first few 10s of thousands of pages very tedious. Gave up on it. Did I miss out on something good? Don't care. I read something better :)
OK, well, sometimes my cat demands attention and I have to go sit on the couch with him, and he gets mad if I leave, so I end up reading whatever comes to hand that I can reach from where I'm sitting, and one time it was The Girl With The Dragqueen Tattoo that somebody ELSE dragged into the house, so I ended up reading it by default.I.e. it's not my fault I read it, I am the hapless victim of a manipulative Cat...
I thought the book was OK, but nothing more than that. The excessive raving about the books baffles me somewhat. If my friends are anything to go by, I'd suggest that a lot of non-crime fiction readers read them and thought 'ooh, I like this kind of book' and thought it was a brilliant example of the genre, when it wasn't.
I am surprised by how many people didn't like the books. I loved them and I loved Lisbeth Salander. The author is really unusual and takes a great risk in making the first few chapters boring. I tell everyone to please going with it. It as if the author is challenging the reader.He also makes his two main characters flawed but still manages to make them likeable which is no mean feat.
Carol wrote: "I also much prefer the Swedish version to the American one. The "feel" of the book is nicely reproduced in the Swedish while the American version felt like a horror story."
I agree the Swedish movies were much better than the Hollywood version although I thought both actresses played Lisbeth well.
Sophia wrote: " The author is really unusual and takes a great risk in making the first few chapters boring. I tell everyone to please going with it. It as if the author is challenging the reader."Unfortunately it also stays boring till the end and I don't think the author meant even the start to be boring. So yes, it's a challenge.
Sarah wrote: "I thought the book was OK, but nothing more than that. The excessive raving about the books baffles me somewhat. If my friends are anything to go by, I'd suggest that a lot of non-crime fiction r..."hmmm... That got me thinking (congrats) - if it wasn't for the big flapdoodle over it, I probably would have just yawned and forgotten about it.
But now that the PC crowd and whoever is having a big orgasm over it and making movies and whatever, I am compelled to stomp on it in the name of Whatever (I'm not sure what yet... but it's a good cause, whatever it is)
Janet wrote: "Maybe I shouldn't bother picking up book 3 again! The trilogy was so popular that quite a few stylists have come on to the market, such as Jo Nesbitt - ' Snowman' etc. What are his books like? Are ..."I've read a few Jo Nesbo - very good. Less detailed than these, but still draw you in. Snowman was good - actually creeped me out quite a bit in parts :)
To Janet and Bridgette, Jo Nesbo is one of my favorite authors and his character Det. Harry Hole is also a favorite. The Harry Hole series is all wonderful but so is his newest stand-alone book THE SON. I heartily recommend Nesbo !!
It's neither a good book or a bad one. Some people love it, some don't.For me that usually happens when a book has strengths and weaknesses. Good bits and bad bits. That might be strong characters but a weak plot, or vice versa. Or good writing but not very exciting.
For me, the concept of Lisbeth is the book's main strength, and why the publishers quite rightly made her the focus of the title. For some people that will be enough for them to overlook or forgive the book's weaknesses, such as the long boring passages and the fact the supposed main character is a bit of author wish fulfilment.
For other people, the problems will outweigh the Lisbeth factor.
That's what makes reading such a subjective thing. We all want different things from a book.
You summed it up perfectly, Will, and I totally agree. We all bring something different to our book reads and no two people have quite the same experience.I have always believed that it is the character of Lisbeth Salander that drives the positive reaction to this trilogy; I find her unique and completely captivating, so different than anyone w/in my world. Would be interesting to know what Larsson had lined up for her in the future but....
I just thought the plot, especially Lisbeth's story, was too unbelievable. And I didn't find her that special, either.
And that, Tytti, is why there's chocolate and vanilla ice cream :)
Betsy wrote: "And that, Tytti, is why there's chocolate and vanilla ice cream :)"I also live next to Sweden so I know quite a lot about that country.
Will wrote: "It's neither a good book or a bad one. Some people love it, some don't.For me that usually happens when a book has strengths and weaknesses. Good bits and bad bits. That might be strong character..."
I agree with this and I loved the book. I never thought of Mikael being author wish fulfilment, but recognise it as such as I am doing the same for the principal character in the book I am currently writing.
One more reason (as if there weren't enough) why the Salamander chick isn't believable: any of the punk rock girls I know, would bash your head in with a skateboard in about 2 seconds if you tried any of that "Abuse" crap with them (Assuming you were lucky and they didn't cut your throat with something in their boot)
Yes it was a great story!
One of the best and most memorable books I ever read.
I wonder if this thread will keep on going round in circles as people who love the book alternate with people who don't?
well, if it really *bothers* y'all, I'm sure it could be hijacked, as an alternative, for instance by by somebody asking "Why do you hate Robin Williams?", or something. (Of curse *I* would NEVER do something like that... But where's the Amanita these days?).
Not bothered, just curious. What is an Amanita?
Perhaps it IS time to change the thread....
(oh, no... should I even answer this)An Amanita is a professional, *expert* disruptor, of incalculable deviousness, who WOULD do something like ask "Why do you hate Robin Williams?" just to watch the world burn... (Hence Betsy's warning...)
It is a terrific book. Both movies did as good a job as a movie can at being faithful to the book both with the characters and the storyline.
It's excellent and definitely worth reading. Am now reading the sequel! Check out this great blog post about it: http://www.bookmenus.co/2012/01/girl-...
Well,Duane, at least I learned a new vocabulary word.... never heard of an "amanita". Thanks!In our State College (Penn State) magazine this month, someone on the lookout for other Scandinavian thrillers in the vein of THE GIRL WITH.... suggested KILLER'S ART, Jungstedt and ARTIC CHILL, Indridason. Anyone familiar w/ either book/author?
Betsy wrote: "never heard of an "amanita""It's a name, or a nick, and it's not even spelled like that. Don't take it seriously.
Well I know of Indriðason and I know a couple of people who read his books...
I think this is a great book. Not what I normally read but it pulls you in. However, I probably would not read it again or watch the movie.
I just checked out the above blog post of Book Menus and found some "interesting' information that I think someone earlier asked:How many sandwiches did B. eat or how many times were sandwiches mentioned? 6 sandwiches were mentioned
pages 227, 271, 328, 330, 351, 461 and 580.
Coffee was mentioned 10 X and Aquavit 5 X.
Who would ever take the time to find this trivia? But, now we know the rest of the story :)
This is my favorite book in the trilogy! I didn't like the second or the third book as much as the first book! It's pretty graphic so it's not for everyone but I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to anyone.
Betsy wrote: "I just checked out the above blog post of Book Menus and found some "interesting' information that I think someone earlier asked:How many sandwiches did B. eat or how many times were sandwich..."
GOOD job! What's the Internuts for anyway...
NOW - For the bonus point! - How many sandwiches did Stieg Larrssonn eat before he ran up the 7 flights of stairs to his doom??
it's good book, but some time i confuse about heroine personality. she's genius with cruel past and somehow i can't get the way she thinking.
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