Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Review



"I traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice," -- Proverbs 8:20

I assume that you know there are two earlier books in this trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. If you didn't know that, read those books first.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest deals with the consequences of the violent episode at the end of The Girl Who Played with Fire where Lisbeth Salander meets her father and brother. While that battle within the family would normally play itself out among those three, modern society isn't likely to permit that. Too many other agendas need to be served. This book recounts how those who want to take advantage of the situation face off against those who want to see justice done.

Along the way, you'll find yourself thinking long and hard about what doing justice means to someone who has been dealt as bad a hand by her family and government as Lisbeth Salander has been. Stieg Larsson clearly has that purpose in mind as he develops a resolution that's as much social commentary as it is a suspense story.

Lisbeth will continue to amaze you.

I found that story to be very intricate and complex. You may have to remind yourself from the earlier books who some of the characters are. Although it was rewarding in the end, a simpler, shorter story would have worked better for me. This book came across as though it could have used more structural editing, excising major plot lines.

Hang on the end and you'll be glad you did. Stieg Larsson's monumental work of imagination will leave you wishing he were around to write a fourth book in the series. Perhaps someone else will be asked to do so. I hate the thought of not reading about Lisbeth Salander as a character in new stories.

Great series! I must admit, though, that this was by far my least favorite of the three books. Don't get your hopes up too high.




The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Overview


The stunning third and final novel in Stieg Larsson’s internationally best-selling trilogy

Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.


From the Hardcover edition.


The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Specifications


Amazon Best Books of the Month, May 2010 As the finale to Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is not content to merely match the adrenaline-charged pace that made international bestsellers out of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. Instead, it roars with an explosive storyline that blows the doors off the series and announces that the very best has been saved for last. A familiar evil lies in wait for Lisbeth Salander, but this time, she must do more than confront the miscreants of her past; she must destroy them. Much to her chagrin, survival requires her to place a great deal of faith in journalist Mikael Blomkvist and trust his judgment when the stakes are highest. To reveal more of the plot would be criminal, as Larsson's mastery of the unexpected is why millions have fallen hard for his work. But rest assured that the odds are again stacked, the challenges personal, and the action fraught with neck-snapping revelations in this snarling conclusion to a thrilling triad. This closing chapter to The Girl's pursuit of justice is guaranteed to leave readers both satisfied and saddened once the final page has been turned. --Dave Callanan

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jun 13, 2010 16:10:19

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