Book Review: The Girl Who Played With Fire (Millennium #2), by Stieg Larsson

Genre: Mystery thriller
Date Published: June 2006
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
# Of Pages/Listening Time: 503 pages/18 hours 40 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis:
The Expose
Millennium publisher Mikael Blomkvist has made his reputation exposing corrupt establishment figures. So when a young journalist approaches him with an investigation into sex trafficking, Blomkvist cannot resist waging war on the powerful figures who control this lucrative industry.
The Murder
When a young couple are found dead in their Stockholm apartment, it's a straightforward job for Inspector Bublanski and his team. The killer left the weapon at the scene - and the fingerprints on the gun point to only one direction.
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Ex-security analyst Lisbeth Salander is wanted for murder. Her history of unpredictable and vengeful behavior makes her an official danger to society - but no-one can find her. The only way Salander can be reached is by computer. But she can break into almost any network she chooses...

My Rating:

 ★★★★★

.....For still being awesome!

My Thoughts:

I love Lisbeth Salander in this book. It's in this story that we get to learn more about her past, and we also get to see her kick some butt once again!

The plot is considerably more exciting than the first book, probably because the mystery is more personal for our main protagonists, and there are more dangerous villains to watch out for. The Blond Giant is a little unbelievable perhaps, a little too much like the villains we see in comic books, but it's still an exciting story to read. I love watching the police slowly figure out who did it, while at the same time dealing with clashing personalities within the department. It's a lot fun seeing strong women stand up to prejudiced men in this book; it's something that makes me smile every time I read these particular scenes.

The only thing I find a little improbable is the ending. (view spoiler) It seems a tiny bit over the top, especially when you compare it to the ending we saw in the previous book. However, I love these characters so much that I'm willing to overlook this tiny flaw. Suffice it to say, this trilogy is awesome, and it makes me happy because I love the people portrayed in it, particularly the women. Strongly recommended for suspense/thriller enthusiasts!