Editorial Review:

Amazon.co.uk Review:
Stieg Larsson gleaned a remarkable degree of success before his too-early death in 2004. He had delivered to his publisher three remarkable crime novels; the initial book in his ‘Millennium’ sequence, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, had enjoyed an unprecedented success in his native Sweden before the translation took the UK by storm. Larsson had made a considerable mark as a crusading journalist, with a speciality in tackling political extremist groups. But he offered assistance to many people and groups who he felt were vulnerable – something of a modern hero, in fact.

One of Larsson's key achievements as a writer was to create an innovative kind of heroine for the crime novel. His unconventional sleuth, the highly intelligent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, is a confrontational young woman, whose Goth accoutrements sometimes alienate those around her (except the individuals she opts to have sexual relations with – strictly, that is, according to the rules she lays down). In the second book in the Millennium sequence, The Girl Who Played with Fire (as in its its predecessor), Lisbeth's closest ally is the older journalist Mikael Blomqvist, even though she has abruptly ended her emotional relationship with him. Lisbeth has left all she knows behinds her and has begun a relationship with a gauche young lover. But after a grim revenge run-in with a man who has abused her, she becomes a suspect in three murders, and is the subject of a nationwide search. Blomqvist, however, is convinced of her innocence (he has just been responsible for a blistering report on the sex trafficking industry in Sweden), and is determined to help her – whether she wants his help or not.

As with Larsson’s earlier book, this is highly compelling fare, with tautly orchestrated suspense; it's often grisly and uncompromising (not a problem for many readers), and the massive text may be longer than is good for it, but Larsson admirers won't begrudge the late author a word,and will be impatient for the third (and, regrettably, concluding) book in the sequence. --Barry Forshaw

After thoroughly enjoying 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I just had to buy this. I was not disappointed! Excellent.

Average Rating:

Rating: - As good as the first.
After thoroughly enjoying 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I just had to buy this. I was not disappointed! Excellent.

Rating: - great
very good book, but you need to read the book which precedes it first. That is the girl with the dragon tattoo. Well written and maintained my interest.

---

Rating: - the girl who played with fire
This was a first class read, continuing the same quality as in his previous book.
The "heroine", if that could be an appropriate term is a complex person who I could identify with, although being a real person I doubt that I would be able to aspire to her unconventional methods; I would probably be too afraid of the consequences.
A truly remarkable genre of a subject which held me captive until the very end. Not for the fainthearted.
I eagerly anticipate the final volume.

---

Rating: - Anoither compelling read
Lots of difficult names - places and people - to keep track of and a complex plot but a compelling holiday read for sure. As there is only one more to go encourages me to start doing some research on additional Scandinavian crime writing as it is an impressive genre based on Larssens work - and Yes Lisbeth Salander is a great off the wall character. I look forward to watching the film adaptations which I have already been advised by a Swedish contact will not be disapointing.

---

Rating: - Loved it! 2
If I have to chose, I prefer the first one. This one seemed to be more locked into a closed world, whereas the other two are more "out there". But I still loved it!

More >>

Related Items:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest

Wolf Hall

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite