Reading: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
#1 in the 50 books challenge

I really enjoyed reading this one. It was a little slow in the beginning as it set up the background with Mikael Blomkvist and the Wennerstrom affair. But as soon as Blomkvist was wholly fascinated by the Harriet Vanger case, I was as well. It was like boom boom boom. All of the pieces falling into place very quickly.

I found Lisbeth Salander to be such an interesting character. At times, you cheered her on because she was being a badass. But at the same time, her no mercy attitude and stubbornness could be a little off-putting. Perhaps it was the anti-Lisbeth within me that was conflicting with her in certain situations. No matter though, I don't want to like or agree with a character all the time because it makes them more human.

I also thought the ending didn't leave with a huge plot cliffhanger to set up the next novel. Instead, the hook leading into the next book is the relationship between Mikael and Lisbeth as well as their further characterization. Lisbeth is a closed book to everyone around her and the readers too. I found myself reading more and more each time, hoping to find out more about the mysterious Ms. Salander. Of course I shouldn't have expected to find everything out about her or else there wouldn't be sequels. So instead, I'll have to start The Girl who Played with Fire.

Anyway, I finished this book first so I could watch the U.S. movie in theaters, which I just came back from. I'm too lazy to recap that. It would most likely be a post about all the differences between the book and the movie and I'm sure there are plenty of posts like that elsewhere on the Internet. But I will say this: I believe that Daniel Craig's glasses and the cat should both be nominated as supporting cast because that was some quality acting by an animal and inanimate object. I thoroughly enjoyed it.