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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

A sensation across Europe — millions of copies sold!

A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue.

It's about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden...and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance...and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age — and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it — who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism — and an unexpected connection between themselves.

It's a contagiously exciting, stunningly intelligent novel about society at its most hidden, and about the intimate lives of a brilliantly realized cast of characters, all of them forced to face the darker aspects of their world and of their own lives.

Review:

A Swedish industrialist named Henrik Vanger, on his 82nd birthday, receives a pressed flower in the mail, as he has for each of the 36 years since his beloved 16-year-old grand-niece Harriet vanished. This flower, like all the others, comes with no note, no return address and no fingerprints. After decades of futile investigations, Henrik has painfully concluded that Harriet is dead and the flowers... Washington Post Book Review (read the entire Washington Post review)

Review:

"[R]emarkable...intelligent, ingeniously plotted, utterly engrossing....The story starts off at a leisurely pace, but the reader soon surrenders to Larsson's skillful narrative....It's a book that lingers in the mind." Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post Book World

Review:

"Sweden may be the land of blondes, Ikea, and the Midnight Sun, but Larsson, who died in 2004, brilliantly exposes its dark heart: sexual violence against women, a Nazi past, and corporate corruption. Highly recommended." Library Journal

Review:

"A blockbuster story....The plot is interesting and credible but above all the heroine is splendidly original....An extraordinary book." Literary Review

Review:

"Larsson has two great stories (and two star-worthy characters) here, and...the novel...offers compelling chunks of investigative journalism, high-tech sleuthing, and psychosexual drama." Booklist

Review:

"As vivid as bloodstains on snow." Lee Child

Review:

"This is a striking novel, full of passion, an evocative sense of place and subtle insights into venal, corrupt minds....The journalist and the hacker are ingenious creations." The Observer

Review:

"What a cracking novel! I haven't read such a stunning thriller debut for years. The way Larsson interweaves his two stories had me in thrall from beginning to end. Brilliantly written and totally gripping." Minette Walters

Review:

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a striking novel. Just when I was thinking there wasn't anything new on the horizon, along comes Stieg Larsson with this wonderfully unique story. I was completely absorbed." Michael Connelly

Review:

"[A] big, intricately plotted, darkly humorous work, rich with ironies, quirky but believable characters and a literary playfulness that only a master of the genre and its history could bring off." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Review:

"[A] compelling, well-woven tale that succeeds in transporting the reader to rural Sweden for a good crime story." Los Angeles Times

Synopsis:

In this European publishing sensation, a crusading journalist joins forces with a 24-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker to investigate the whereabouts of a missing woman from one of the wealthiest families in Sweden.

Synopsis:

A sensation across Europe—millions of copies sold

A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue.

It’s about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden . . . and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

It’s about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet’s disappearance . . . and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age—and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it—who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism—and an unexpected connection between themselves.

It’s a contagiously exciting, stunningly intelligent novel about society at its most hidden, and about the intimate lives of a brilliantly realized cast of characters, all of them forced to face the darker aspects of their world and of their own lives.

About the Author

Stieg Larsson, who lived in Sweden, was the editor in chief of the magazine Expo and a leading expert on antidemocratic right-wing extremist and Nazi organizations. He died in 2004, shortly after delivering the manuscript for this and two subsequent novels.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 7 comments:
davidwmack, July 18, 2009 (view all comments by davidwmack)
I went "outside the box" on this one and I am VERY glad that I did. There is a reason that this book is getting alot of attention, Its REALLY good. All of the elements of a truley great book can be found within. This is a wonderful book no matter what kind of book you usually read. Its good to go "outside the box" sometimes! I cant wait for "The Girl Who Played With Fire". (book 2 of 3)
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Brendon, June 14, 2009 (view all comments by Brendon)
So far so good. The best thing so far? The anti-hero is a magazine publisher and journalist. He's just been convicted of libel, sentenced to 90 days in gaol, so how will the plot move forward? With the tattooed girl, of course...
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(3 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
RichardBush, April 14, 2009 (view all comments by RichardBush)
My first sensation was the lack of air. I was nearly 450 pages into this remarkable book, and I sensed the finish line ahead. Disoriented, I did not know whether to speed up or slow down. I wanted to know all.. but not to finish. Breathe!
Oh my God, "Trilogy" in the Intro., only three books total. I was about to finish one. Relax, two left then, but in Swedish! How hard is it to learn Swedish? Oh please do not take these people away from me. How can I think without Salander.
Upon finishing I celebrated in part of my soul, yet angry with no clear path forward but to wait...hmm Swedish to English takes how long? Two books to go, but then what? Goodbye forever?
I need an actuary, perhaps an A.A. meeting.
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(4 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
View all 7 comments

Product Details

ISBN:
9780307269751
Author:
Larsson, Stieg
Publisher:
Knopf Publishing Group
Translator:
Murray, Steven T.
Translator:
Keeland, Reg
Subject:
General
Subject:
Suspense fiction
Subject:
Suspense
Edition Description:
1st U.S. ed.
Publication Date:
September 2008
Binding:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Pages:
480
Dimensions:
9.52x6.82x1.50 in. 1.82 lbs.

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