It's Thursday! (Where did the week go?!!) And it's time for a Favorites Spotlight!
This week: The Millenium Trilogy.
The Millenium Trilogy,
by Stieg Larsson
# Of Books: 3
Genre: Mystery, Psychological Thriller
Words To Describe This Book: dark, intriguing, feminist, excellent
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| Stieg Larsson |
Funny story, actually.
So, back in the day when we were just dating, Dave and I were vacationing in England, visiting friends and seeing the sites. In Oxford we went to Blackwell's (an awesome, 4-floor bookstore) and purchased a few books. I picked up Harry Potter (surprise, surprise), and Dave picked up The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Now, I knew Dave was going to propose to me at Stonehenge; it was a gut feeling that turned out to be right so there was no surprise there. What surprised me was the trip to Stonehenge. We were on the train, both of us reading our respective books, and I looked up from mine, confused. I had finished a chapter without interruption! Usually Dave gets bored with reading and wants to discuss what he's read so far. I look over at him. He's still reading! Tentatively, I reached out and touched him on the shoulder.
"Honey," I asked. "Do you want to go get something to eat?"
"In a minute," He responded, without looking up. "I want to finish this chapter first."
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| *gasp* My boyfriend...is reading! |
My boyfriend....the man who never reads.....wants to finish...a chapter! I must say that I was flabbergasted. I didn't know how to respond, especially since he basically stole my line. Suffice it to say that if this book was able to grab the attention of a non-reader, then I must read it too. So when we got home, the newly-engaged me got the story on audiobook and started listening.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was amazing! I could see why Dave fell in love with the series. The premise was dark but very well done. A girl from one of Sweden's wealthiest families, named Harriet Vanger, has disappeared. Forty years later, her uncle, who still wants answers, seeks out the help of journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, who was recently trapped in a libel conviction. Aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy, Lisbeth Salander, Blomkvist finds out that there is more to this mystery than he bargained for. It's a tale of twists, dark turns, intrigue and corruption. The story more than makes up for the dryness of the writing, and the protagonists are ones that you could like. Lisbeth Salander is a strange, strange character, but you can't help but love her. And the twist ending threw me through a loop. No wonder my husband loved it!
After that I went and got the audiobook versions for the next two installments; I ended up finishing the trilogy before Dave did, although I checked in on his progress frequently. The story started revolving around Lisbeth Salander more and more, as you get to learn about her past, and how it's affecting her present. You also get introduced to some very independent, and very awesome women.
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| Lisbeth Salander (from the movie adaptation) |
I really loved the feminist aspect of this series; the women in these books can kick some serious butt, and it's the men who need rescuing, not the ladies. I really loved that. This series really shows how much has changed in the perception of women. I've said it before, I am a feminist, and proud of it. I am all for equal rights and opportunities for everyone, including women and minority groups. So when I read about strong women who are able to overcome the odds just as well as the men, I can't help but respect it. And this trilogy has more than earned my respect, it has earned a spot on my favorites shelf.
Would I recommend this trilogy to everybody? No, probably not. The books are frequently graphic and violent, and there are some disturbing scenes that make you cringe a little when you read them. Also, like I said earlier, the writing isn't a work of art. It's dry and a little monotone, and I don't think it's because of the translation. So if you only go for books that are well-written, you might not like this one so much, although I have to admit, I enjoyed it more on audiobook.
The readers who would enjoy this series are mystery lovers, particularly of dark mystery or psychological thrillers. To give you a better idea, my husband loved the Hannibal Lector series back in college, and he also really enjoyed Gone Girl. So if you like books that go along these lines, then you'll probably really enjoy The Millenium Trilogy.
For more book details, click on the links below:
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Played With Fire
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest
Happy reading everyone!
-Lisa the Dancing Bookworm
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