The one ongoing theme throughout the series is violence towards women. It is a reality folks, and it is not a pretty reality. If it isn't exposed and shown for what it is, it is easier to ignore. While Larsson is not on a soapbox recommending we all start behaving like Lisbeth in solving these matters (although... there is something to be said for her methods), he is clearly showing the reality of something that he felt strongly against. (Speculation - but who on earth writes that much without feeling for the topic?)
I already did a review of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', last month, so I am not going to bug you with a rehash. If you're curious, click on the link above and it will take you directly to it.The plot of 'The Girl who Played with Fire' is set almost a year after the previous book. While the mystery of the first book is not really relevant to the plot of the second, there are events that were set up in the 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'. In other words, read that one first. But that is a bit obvious...
The main plot of 'The Girl who Played with Fire' begins with an investigation into the illegal sex trade in Sweden for the Millenium magazine. One thing leads to another, the shit hits the fan, and then all hell breaks loose. Unspoilerish enough for you? I think the back of the book revealed more. But as I am a firm believer of not even reading the back of the book unless it is something I have never heard of before, I am going to leave that option up to you.
I was very happy to have book 3, 'The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest' on hand before I had finished book 2. It followed directly after - as in, no sleep is possible between finishing book 2 and starting book 3. Take my advice. Have it on hand. And because of they follow straight after one another, yet again, I find myself with nothing to say about the plot.Now let's get to the nitty gritties.
It seems people either love these books or hate them - and not for the reasons my prudish acquaintances had. It seems popular consent for disliking these books is the long-winded detailed descriptions of what these people are doing, being it relevant to the plot or not. I actually enjoyed this. Let's face it. If my life were any more boring, I would wake up to find the world colourless, a black and white 'townscape' with nothing else. I LOVED living with these people, going to work with them, drinking coffee with them, having meetings (they sure beat the ones I go to) and getting into all sorts of trouble with them. It made them real to me. I forgot about the tests I need to set, the shoddy essays I need to mark, the ... *yawn*. I got to be a Swedish journalist, an editor, a debatably-semi-psychotic female and loads more other characters. It was a blast! It made these people real. Their lives were not abridged because of reader impatience. It was fun.What I loved
There were so many things that I did love about these books. I think the thing that really stood out for me was Lisbeth. I am still unsure whether she would be classified as the heroine of the story or not - Blomvkist is the glue between everything, and it is him that we follow throughout the investigations. But what I do love about Lisbeth is that, while we learn so much about her in the last two books, we still don't really know her.News
It would appear that the 4th book will be released in August this year. [source] It appears that it was completed by Swedish journalist and author David Lagercrantz, He claims to have kept closely to Larsson's writing style. Big shoes to fill - but I will be there... even if it means that, once again, I have a series that does not match on my shelves!I rated all these books 4 stars on Goodreads,
These are the third and fourth books I have completed for the 2015 TBR pile reading challenge!
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