Pigen Der Legede Med Ilden (2006) - Plot & Excerpts
Amazing! Just like the first one, got me hooked 100%. It really surprises you and keep you in suspense big time. I think what I liked the most was the ability of the author to make me feel worried and literally making my heart beat fast, which is something easy with a movie, for example, but definitely not with a book. You could easily read this one, even though you haven't read the first one, the story taked a different path. However, this one is essential for the third book. It took me a while to get to this second book in the Stieg Larsson trilogy because I disliked THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO so much, but when I started it I found that unlike the previous book, I was starting to warm up to it. And then, it lost me.What starts off as an engaging thriller quickly turns dull once the actual plot kicks in because for the most part, nobody is really in any sort of danger (although that does change at the end which I found completely ludicrous). As a character, Salander is intriguing given her anti-social attitudes, protector of women and hater of men who abuse their power to take advantage of women. Also great is the element that everybody underestimates her. Here though she turns into almost a Jason Bourne-like character, one not trained by a covert government program but by trauma in her life. Oh, but then the government covert stuff starts to seep into the plot and well, that's when things REALLY start to fall apart.In TATTOO, Salander was more or less a secondary character to reporter Blomkvist, the center of attention. Here Salander is the focus of the story and Blomkvist has to figure things out from the outside. Salander is ridiculously 20 steps ahead of everyone - Blomkvist, the cops, the killer KGB agent and his giant, non-pain-feeling assassin sidekick (ugh) - EVERYONE. There is a moment (spoiler here) where 2 bike gang members head out to a location where she happens to be and never are we worried for her as it is so obvious she is going to easily out maneuver and kick their asses. No suspense and like TATTOO, this book could have done with some heavy duty editing as some plot details and characters that have significant roles and mentions seem to just disappear into the background for no reason. A cop that for some reason really wants to get his hands on her, an illegal sex trade operation, a character close to Blomkvist being offered another job and about to jump ship. About half way through things really slow down and the plot loses the potency that almost had me liking it off the top.I'm sure all those loose ends will be wrapped up in the third book THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST which I have decided to read next and just get it over with already. I've come this far, so why not.
What do You think about Pigen Der Legede Med Ilden (2006)?
Holy shit, if this series couldn't get any better...
—crystal
I loved this series. Easily in my top 5 of all time.
—red
