|
[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
Stieg Larsson's debut novel THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO threatened to go supernova with all the hype it garnered before it had even hit the bookshops. Reviewers who'd got in the habit of nodding politely when publicists raved over a new release had to admit that this time the bells, whistles and marching bands were totally deserved. No doubt it was helped by the incredible story surrounding Larsson and his books. The author, a campaigning journalist in Sweden, died not long after he'd delivered the manuscripts to a publisher, and so never knew just what an impact his novels had made. Now the second book in the trilogy, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, has lived up to those high expectations that followed the first book. It's another 500+ page giant, but never flags. And that's mainly down to Larsson's incredible ability to immerse the reader in the world he's portraying. So we feel like we're in Lisbeth's flat or the Millennium magazine editorial meetings or clashing with some decidedly scary villains. In the main, though, the book is anchored by the character of Lisbeth Salander, one of the most unusual creations in crime fiction. We're used to our faintly flawed main characters. With the possible exception of Patricia Highmsith's Ripley, we're not so used to them being amoral. Larsson succeeds where Carol O'Connell's Mallory never quite convinced me. The book crackles and sparks every time Salander is on-stage. She's bisexual, anti-social, ruthless, highly intelligent, and capable of hacking into any computer. And she's taken up trying to crack complex mathematical formulae as a hobby. When the book opens, she's sunning herself in the Caribbean and is now a woman of wealth. But when Salander starts digging into the sex trade – the subject of an investigation by journalist Mikael Blomkvist – she is suddenly wanted by the police for murder. And she also has some unsavoury sorts on her trail. Blomkvist, ostensibly the hero of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, cedes top spot in the second book to Salander. It seems a tad harsh to call him the less interesting of the pair, although Larsson is clearly writing the world he knew inside out – that of the media – and that plot thread more than pays its way. But it's difficult for him to dominate the stage with Salander in control. Don't go thinking that no reviewers dare step out of line and find fault with the series. That's because THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE deserves the plaudits and really is as good – maybe a smidgen better – than its predecessor. It's intense, complex and intelligent crime fiction, made even more remarkable by a central character who will remain seared on your brain.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, January 2009
[ Top ]
QUICK SEARCH:
Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]
| 
