Comments on: REVIEW: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By: Jayanta Kurukulasuriya

Jayanta Kurukulasuriya — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:25:20 +0000

Having read a review in the SriLankan newspapers which advised me that “Tatoo sucks you in after the first few pages..”, I was wondering what I’d missed at page 188 of boring prose.I’ll take your advice and plod on, hoping the latter part of this book lives up to the hype. So far I agree that “Larsson’s prose is awkward, his style is overly plodding”.

By: Calvin

Calvin — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:48:10 +0000

Thanks for the review, you vilified by feelings exactly. Not sure if I’m going to move onto the other two if they have they have the same sort of dialogue.

However, I may give “The Secret In Their Eyes” a try. I’ll read it first before moving onto the movie.

Thanks again

By: Nico Vreeland

Nico Vreeland — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:25:31 +0000

Hi Mike,

Thanks for stopping by, I’m glad you found this review useful.

By: Mike Powers

Mike Powers — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:55:39 +0000

Hi, I’ve read the first two books and I find myself in agreement with most of your assessment. I tried to get into all that mind-numbing detail but I found it just slowed the pace and confused me as I didn’t know how much significance to give them.
I must agree that the Blomkvist character hardly jumped off the page and was really no more than a cipher. I was far more intrigued by the Salander character and couldn’t really by into their relationship.
It didn’t help that the dialogue for all characters was in the same style
Despite all this is was an oddly compelling read
Your criticism helped to clarify my feelings about the book

By: Nico Vreeland

Nico Vreeland — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:21:08 +0000

Hi JD,

You have every right to disagree with me, and to like these books. I think they had a lot of promise, but it makes perfect sense that Larsson died before he could revise them—they’re rough drafts.

Also, fleshing out chracters does not require more words. In fact, a few of the very minor characters—crimes scene techs, etc.—were actually more vivid than Blomkvist or Erika, because Larsson takes risks with those characters that he won’t with his cherished (self-modeled) protagonist. Larsson wanted his good guys to be nearly without flaw, and as a result, they became very very bland.

In any case, thanks for stopping by and thanks for leaving your thoughts.

By: jd Dallas

jd Dallas — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 10:35:06 +0000

I read (and enjoyed) the trilogy. Each of the three books has its own style. I find myself reading and re-reading each of the works. I don’t understand the comment about 2-dimensional characters. As with most books, the peripheral characters here are not developed. You have already commented adversely on the length of this book; if the (minor) players were developed further the book would necessarily have been longer. There are minute areas where I have noticed errors or rather passages which might have been translated differently. But both the author and the translator have done an admirable job. Their recognition is well-earned.

By: erin

erin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:25:26 +0000

Amazingly accurate synopsis! But strangely I still find myself compelled to continue reading….there is something within the drabness that has hooked me. Am I falsely anticipating some excitement?

By: Nico Vreeland

Nico Vreeland — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 09:51:17 +0000

Hi Gary,

Thanks for your thoughts. Patterson’s definitely worse than Larsson, I’ll give you that. But that doesn’t mean Larsson’s characters are three-dimensional. I think Blomkvist is extraordinarily bland, especially for a main character. But to each his own.

By: gary dobbs

gary dobbs — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 01:57:40 +0000

I do not agree at all with your review. I mean if you like the vapid thrillers churned out by those writing under the James Patterson byline then you might find this book a little off putting. I don’t think that the characters are two dimensional at all – in fact I feel that they are all well rounded and become very real to the readers. In fact all three of the Millenium Trilogy are nothing short of excellent

By: Nico Vreeland

Nico Vreeland — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:48:13 +0000

Hi Mike,
I agree with you that too many mysteries and genre novels are 2-dimensional, but almost all of Larsson’s characters are 2-dimensional, too, except Salander. I don’t think he’s the antidote to 2-dimensionality.

And you’re right: people looking for day-to-day minutiae and not a thrill ride will have a better chance of liking this book. I prefer faster-paced novels.

Thanks for your thoughts.