Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Note: This post originally appeared on my discontinued website maartensity.com. The published date and time has been adjusted to match the original.

What at first looked like just another popular thriller, soon turned into a fascinating, complicated, and intelligent tale featuring a large cast of characters and a milieu in which to immerse myself.

This novel has won several awards, including the 2008 ITV3 crime thriller award, and the accolades are well deserved. I'd read that the author died soon after submitting the manuscripts for the trilogy, and it left me feeling a tinge of sadness whenever the story hit the heights, because I knew there is a limit to the number of books he wrote.

Stieg Larsson, a professional journalist, was known as a social conscience writer, addressing issues such as violence towards women, and corruption in big business. His engaging debut is a fine vehicle for highlighting them without ever making us feel patronised or preached to. That in itself is a remarkable achievement.

The second volume has just been released in hard cover. I'm also excited by the prospect of seeing the upcoming movie later this year.

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