The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Book Review

As a person who judges books by their covers 85% of the time and refuses to read inside flaps: it will come as no surprise that this book was no exception. Although, this time, while the cover was intriguing it was actually the movie trailer that spiked my interest. Nearly a year ago I saw the trailer for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and I instantly knew I wanted to read the book. Aside from an action packed movie trailer, I really had no idea what it was about. Contrary to what you might have thought me capable of, I neither speak nor understand Swedish. The movie is made with subtitles, not included in the trailer, otherwise it is completely Swedish.

It was only this past month that I finally got around to reading the book. When I started reading I was slightly annoyed, mostly with myself. I didn't understand the financial gibberish; money, politics, more money, stocks, fraud. . .the book might as well have been in its original Swedish. That was short lived, though, I decided to keep reading and not worry about understanding everything.

This is a story written by a truly gifted and complex person. Stieg Larrson must have been incredibly intelligent. It is sad he was unable to live to see the success of his books.

If I never go to Sweden, I may have been there through this book. His ability to describe the country in which his characters live so vividly is admirable. The characters themselves leap off the page, eager to claim their stakes in the real world, not just the book world.

Lisabeth was such an intricate character. While she was not easily accessible to the other people in the book, she was to me as the reader. The pain, the “introvertedness”, the anger, were so real and easy to relate to. Where is this girl? I'd like to befriend her.

The mystery kept me reading and thinking. I was eager to solve it along side of Mikael and Lisabeth. I really appreciate that this book, while happening in the span of a year, moves along. Many books written like this, you're stuck reading 20 – 40 pages of nothing. The author manages to have the story last a year, but have the plot continually moving as well. Each part was an intricately woven piece of the story, never boring.

This book is quite possibly one of the most Adult books I've read. I will warn you that it has the elements of: Sadism, Graphic Murder, Sex, Incest, Torture, and Perverted Sexuality. This does not take away from the story's (nor does it add to it really) level of liking, but it is important to me personally to point out such content as disturbing.

I plan to read the other books and to finally watch the Swedish version of the movie. It will come as no surprise that America will be making their own version. American filmmakers don't like to be left out. I'm confident I'll like the Swedish version better. You've heard it before, I'm sure, that things are always better in their original language.

You Probably Won't, You Think You're Cooler Than Me

Writing book reviews. . . you either love doing this or hate it. . . you either are really good at writing them or you suck. . .

I enjoy writing reviews, but I suck at them. This basically defeats liking the process. I read other book reviews and think wow that sounds great, it flows and is convincing. Mine not so much. This frustrates the heck out of me. I figured, though, better to be up front and honest about this hiccup in the Maddie machine. I'm hoping for some feedback, maybe some advice on how to better my technique or lack there of. Maybe you read a book or a blog post that told you what was what when writing book reviews. I don't know, but please share. Direction is much needed for a good ole boost to the self-esteem.

I also struggle to write negative reviews. I can't bring myself to crush the creative soul of an author by saying bad things about his/her book. I know, you are probably saying how could little miss nobody's (me) opinion have any affect on the feelings of a big wig author. They're human just like me and you. . . unless well. . . you're really aliens, then I have to start worrying. Do you have this problem too?

My book review for Nancy Werlin's next book Extraordinary (coming out next month!):

I would imagine it is extremely difficult for an author to write a book following great success from their previous work. The attempt to live up to the hype can only be a daunting task to undertake. As a reader it is hard to set the previous book(s) aside and only form opinions of the new rather than focus on comparing the old and new.

I found myself doing just that with Extraordinary, comparing it to Nancy Werlin’s previous work of greatness, Impossible. For a good deal of the book I didn’t like Extraordinary. I kept whining mentally, “Oh I want it to be like Impossible! Why can’t it be great like that was?” I know it was unfair of me. I finally, midway through, had to tell myself to shut up and look for the good in it, let it stand on its own. Lucky for me it did grow to be better than I first let it be. Although I felt, certain portions of the book should have been more entertaining.

On Phoebe’s first day of seventh grade she decides to leave behind her friends (snobby and mean) for the strange and intriguing (a.k.a. social outcast) Mallory. Fast forward a few years and Mallory and Phoebe are as close as sisters. Then Mallory’s brother comes back and strange things start to come to light about who and what Mallory and her brother are doing there.

Phoebe’s relationship with Mallory was odd to me at various times. I wasn’t sure of the undertones I was picking up throughout. At times it was hard to believe certain character’s behavior, Phoebe and her parents especially. It was fairly gag worthy to read how Phoebe abandoned herself to Mallory’s brother, but on the other hand Werlin did a good job writing these scenes, very convincing.

In the end you come to realize that you have to make hard choices and sacrifices for the people you love. Phoebe grows up by the end of the book and really learns what it is to be truly extraordinary even when everyone is telling you aren’t and can’t be.

The last half of the book was definitely worth sticking with it. (3 out of 5 stars)

Check out this cool project on Kickstarter.com:
Mysterious Letters
They need backers!

Quote of the Day:

I have never been aware before how many faces there are.
There are quantities of human beings, but there are many more
faces, for each person has several.
~Rainer Maria Rilke

History...I've written...just not here.

I've been good about scribbling little musings on scrap paper, but I've neglected to post anything in forever. Not sure what my punishment should be, but I'll leave that up to you. :)

Old posts:
Written 15, April, 2010

It feels as though my mind has been wading through a thick fog for some time. I’m truly amazed I can even focus at all to do the menial tasks that I am called upon to do every day. I keep hoping that I’ll come to the bend in the road where I can choose to get off the mind fog path. Until then I’m stuck where I’m at. I’m sure it doesn’t help that the majority of my reading selections lately have been what I refer to as fu fu books, otherwise known as mind fluff.

There really is no excuse for picking such books. I have over 500 books in my personal library that I have not read. However, do you ever come to the point when something has accumulated beyond reason and you look at it with this sick feeling in the pit of your stomach…oh my gosh what did I set myself up for? Where do I even begin? That’s where I’m at. I have no clue what book I should pick to read first. It doesn’t help that I have various avenues producing more books for me to add to my library. Shut the door!!!! Just say no!!! Have you lost your mind? I can’t turn a book away. I must be like a dragon hording away its treasure with no thoughts or plans of what to do with the ever mounting wealth. You have to love that comparison. I’m a dragon.

Written 25, May, 2010

If I didn’t know better I’d think I was becoming a hermit. Why might I ask, is that a bad thing?
My trip to Chicago this past weekend, for the Green Festival, is proof positive that this is quite
possibly true. Every time I’m in Chicago (or big cities for that matter) I find myself eager to seek
refuge from the world. I have reverse small town girl wants to escape to the big city. I have,
small town girl wants to escape to an even smaller town. Oh let’s say no neighbors for 25 plus
miles or better yet in the mountains with trees (and native wildlife) as my only neighbors. Cities
are just not my cup of tea and the older I get the less I enjoy social interaction with humans. I
think the explanation for this, is that I don’t understand people or actually that I use to think
I understood them, but now I realize I never did. The desire to live in the city, I will never
understand. That’s my soap box for the day.

Purchases from the weekend:
Coco Loco Earrings (I buy a pair every year.)
Books!

The worst place and at the same time best place to be when grounded from buying books is a 3 story Borders. I couldn’t locate the YA section and that’s when I discovered a 3rd floor. If I hadn’t been on a time crunch and had more buying freedom I could easily have spent hours there. They had by far the largest YA section I’ve seen in a while. I did buy (he he he) 3 books despite book probation, one for Elyza and two for me. I have a good excuse for one of mine. It was in the bargain bin, hard back, and only $3.00. No brainer!

I should be reading the book, A Tramp for the Lord by Corie Ten Boom, but I haven’t started it yet. My fingers do a good twitching impersonation worthy of Dennis Menace when I look at or think of other books I could be reading. I know I need to stick to my read five buy two plan. Of course that was thrown to the wind when I bought two books in Chicago. I haven’t read anything at all, book or otherwise for a while. That might be why my sanity is in question at the moment :). Buckle under Maddie and get to reading! It isn’t healthy to not be reading…

Shop day and I spent it playing Kakuro (blush). I managed to finish 2 ¾ puzzles. Hey! That’s no small task I’ll have you know. It is what I needed though, something to quietly content my mind to focus on.