The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium Trilogy)

An outstanding and dare I say superior sequel to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Having read the first story of the trilogy this summer I was eager to know how the sequel would compare. In the girl with the dragon tattoo, Lisebeth Salander is definitely an enigmatic character and there are subtle hints that there is a lot of back story to her character. Am I glad that this back story has been developed and interwoven into this sequel. Too often we say "I couldn't put a book down" but in this case it is definitely a book you will be glued to. The story comes to life when Salander is wanted in connection with some murders that have been commited. From this point the story moves on at a frenetic pace with all characters connected to Salander such as Blomkvist the journalist and Armansky her former employer defending her and trying to get to the bottom of the case alongside a national police investigation. Ultimately this book is about why is Salander the way she is. What drives her and what is she willing to do to get to the truth? Enjoy and look forward to the third part of the trilogy which should hopefully be translated from Swedish before the end of the year. If you're lucky (not me) and can read Swedish then why not get the third installment asap. Having said that if you're Swedish you've probably already read it.

This is a great sequel to "Dragon Tattoo", a definite must-read if you liked the first book. This time round we finally discover more about Salander, she's slippery as an eel and so much smarter than any other character. It was a joy to have such a brilliant female protagonist, if only other books had strong women characters like her. Blomkvist is again stubbornly digging away to find the killer, but now he's not so morally upstanding and he's willing to bend a few rules and lie to get what he wants. The story moves at a fast pace, and it kept me turning the pages even at 2am. The blond hulk was an amusing character, in that he seemed out of this world - the boxing match was great! Perhaps it's not a good idea to read this book without reading the first book, as there were quite a few references to the previous story and there was only scant information about the characters' relationships with each other. I'm really looking forward to reading the third book, and it seems such a shame that Larsson only produced the trilogy - I would have loved to read more!

The girl with the dragon tattoo was always going to be a tough act to follow. With captivating story lines and ever thickening plots, readers may think the sequel would disappoint in some way. In fact entirely the opposite has happened. The girl who played with fire, if possible is even better than its predecessor. Our knowledge of the characters deepens and more of their previously clouded background is reviled with astonishing consequences. Lisbeth Sandler is an enigma in her own right and combined with the efforts of a 'practical pig' (Millennium magazine's publisher) Mikael Blomkvist she manages to get herself into situations way out of her or anyone's control. The characters in this book are portrayed in a very definite way and all bring something to the storyline. The harsh way Sandler lives her life may sound far removed from the reality of the world today, but in the end this book is about how Sandler carves her own set of morals so fiercely into everything she does that others around her whether they know her or not can't help but be affected. The girl who played with fire is an exceptional book, and I read it non-stop for two days until it was finished. However, not everyone's tastes are the same when it comes to books, so if you are unsure about the book my advice to you would be, please read it and then make your own mind up.

I promised myself after finishing the first novel in the Millennium trilogy that I would not start this, the second book in the series, until the third was available for purchase. I didn't want to have that vague feeling of bereavement that comes when finishing an utterly engrossing book involving characters that have become familiar and for whom, and this probably sounds ridiculous, it is possible to feel an element of affection. The `good guys', at any rate, are people who, were you to meet them in real life, you feel you would like to get to know better. They are intelligent, sympathetic, motivated, for the most part, by a higher moral code than mere financial gain and supremely competent at what they do, which is getting the bad guys! And all of this is still true of the superficially nihilistic Salander. There are certain structural inconsistencies within this book that might be explained by the author's sudden death and some may find this, shall we say, irritating? I didn't and contented myself with the thought that the plusses so far outweigh the minuses that it would be churlish to gripe! Larsson's talent in creating these characters and setting them in high tech yet plausible environments is obvious almost from the first paragraph of the first book and is matched by the skill necessary to provide a structure and narrative drive that produces something that truly can be described as `un-put-downable'! Book lovers everywhere should lament the loss of such a rare talent. As you can see, when the temptation is so great, promises are sometimes difficult to keep!

Having read 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' earlier this year, I couldn't WAIT for the next installment in Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy.. And WHAT a sequel! Oh my god from the moment the story gets going you won't want to stop reading. I finished it in one weekend it, was that good! In brief, Michael Blomkvist hasn't seen or heard from Lisbeth Salander since she disappered after their successful partnership on the Vanger case nearly 2 years ago. But when Salander suddenly hits the national headlines as the prime suspect in three killings, Blomkvist has his doubts, and is compelled to do some of his own research.. What follows is an exciting rollercoaster ride filled at every corner with shocks, twists, and turns.. but most importantly, the answer to the question: Who is Lisbeth Salander??

The Millenium Trilogy is absolutely addictive. You must read all 3 books!!! Shame that Stieg Larrson died so young when he obviously should have had a long career as a crime novel writer.

Just when I thought the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was the best read I've had in ages along came this second part of the trilogy which topped it. What a fantastic storyteller Larsson was - I can't believe I have to wait till October for the final instalment. This is definitely a page turner.

The second part of Steig Larsson's trilogy is as fast-paced and unexpected as the first novel "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Salander, a young woman who lives just this side of the law and Mikael Bloomkvist, the investigative journalist do not meet until the very end of this novel, in terrifying circumstances. This makes for intrieguing writing. Both pursue different paths which finally lead to uncovering the men responsible for the double murder, thus exonerating Salander, and to the disclosure of Salander's violent past. Larsson has created a strange world of dark secrets, a female lead who defies stereotypes, and the result is a fast-paced shifting read which reveals the underbelly of law-abiding Sweden, and the sex trafficking which permeates even the highest level of society.

Really enjoyed this 2nd novel in the trilogy. Read it about 2 years after reading the first, but soon got back into the characters and storyline. As soon as I finnished this book had to order the 3rd book and have just started reading this. It has gripped me already.

Having read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I could not wait to begin this book. It did not disappoint, in fact it was even better and I am now waiting impatiently for the third book in the series to arrive. There are so many twists and turns in the plot, the characters continue to develop and in this book we discover so much more about the enigmatic Salander. Intelligently written and totally addictive.