.

Just finished this, although I have to admit I nearly didn't But once I got to a certain point I realised I did want to get to the end. I agree with a lot of the points already made about the characters, the plot and the violence. Also, how much blooming coffee do they drink in Sweden - every second page there is a pot of coffee on the go .

I didn't think the writing, in some parts, was that great to be honest but I am not sure if it was due to the fact it has been translated or if this style is more to do with the genre of the book.

I didn't think that I would read the second one but as Jack says it is really good then maybe I would. However the third one got a real slating on a review show on Radio4 which has put me off a bit. It is a real shame the author died suddenly and didn't get to see his success. I can see this book being made into a film ~ anyone heard a rumour of that?

Finally finished this !!

Well, it did get better but I was never really that in to it. I didn't hate reading it or find it a chore but it didn't grab me like it seems to have done everyone else (inc. people in real life who encouraged me to keep reading).

I guessed v. early on that Harriet was still alive although not the whole story. The graphic stuff was a bit graphic but part of the story. Again, I didn't really get what was going on with the transactions at the end but I think by that point I was so pleased to be almost finishing it I didn't concentrate too hard.

the whole murder/mystery bit was definitely better than the wennstrom stuff which I thought was a bit weak tbh in that it was a useful vehicle at the beginning for getting him to get the project but felt the book really ended when the harriet mystery was solved. Maybe this part gets developed in other books.

I don't think I would rush to read the others but I am going to pass it on to DH to see what he thinks.

They are both big parts in the next book, Salander gets in big trouble and Blomkist has to help her out. Very good, I actually thought it was better!

I really enjoyed this book. Amusingly it came up on my amazon.com recommendations when I was on there just the other day.

Vagner family did seem quite messed up! Their family tree was hard to keep track of too. Agree that the violent scenes, by more than one character, were a bit much but can see how they fitted the story. I didn't work out the whole Anita / Harriet set up in advance so was kept page turning to find out. Found it quite beliveable unlike some of the hunting down of people in the old photographs and them happening to still have the negatives etc. available.

Rather disconcerting how much infomation can be "dug up" about ones self legally or illegally. Reminded me of how Big Brother-esque our world is becoming and that's without anyone with a grudge trying to gather info, iykwim.

Found Salander very intriguing character. Look forward to finding out more about her in the next book which I will def. get. Am curious as to the story line? What role does Blomquist play?

Just finished the 2nd one (DD hid it in teh bottom of teh toybox!) and it's brilliant, better than the first actually and actually got me weepy at the end.
Can't wait for 3rd now, such a shame about him not being able to write more

I bought the second one yesterday. Am glad it has same 2 in it, looks good!

i loVED this book
and the second one

I didn't figure out about Harriet until it was revealed at the end, I can never work out mysteries!

Thanks. I chose it as it was one of a BOGOF type deal that I just chose randomly, it took me awhile to get into it as well, but once it got past the publishing stuff (which I agree I wasn't that interested in, but I thought added a nice sense of 'normality') I thought it went off at such an odd tangent.
Salander's character/background was a big shock as from the early descriptions of her I found it hard to match the 2 up IYSWIM.

I did figure out about Harriet a few chapters before they did, no other explanation really, but I did like the way they solved it, very good and beliveable.

I do agree with teh violent scenes, you could tell it was written by a man....

I actually am quite interested in reading the others in the trilogy in the hopes they are about Salander and not mainly BLomkvist, who was a lovely character, veyr sweet and likeable, but not as intersting as she was.

Glad you liked it!