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adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence
Moderate: Gore, Incest, Antisemitism
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault
Moderate: Antisemitism
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Dementia, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
ON THE EDGE OF MY FUCKEN SEAT GLUED TO THIS THING FOR HOURS!!!! LISBETH GET HIS ASS!!!!!!!!!!!
SPOILERS:
In all seriousness this is one of the best stories I've ever read in my life. The nuance and starkness with which it tackles the issue of extreme violence against women & girls is POWERFUL. Lisbeth Salander is a FORCE. The most masterful is the way that the women discuss and react to violence against women vs how the men do. The well-meaning men still ultimately trust the authorities and make excuses/invent explanations for violent misogyny. But the women do what needs to be done. The most salient quote comes from Lisbeth, when she and Mikael are making breakthroughs about the serial rapist/killer. She says, "It's not a serial killer who read his Bible wrong. It's just a common bastard who hates women." In wider cultural discussions about extreme violence against women we tend to fantasticize these acts as if they are removed from our society, committed by deranged individuals, when in reality, the problem is simple: there are men who hate women, and our society goes to great lengths to allow this. Absolutely brilliant.
SPOILERS:
In all seriousness this is one of the best stories I've ever read in my life. The nuance and starkness with which it tackles the issue of extreme violence against women & girls is POWERFUL. Lisbeth Salander is a FORCE. The most masterful is the way that the women discuss and react to violence against women vs how the men do. The well-meaning men still ultimately trust the authorities and make excuses/invent explanations for violent misogyny. But the women do what needs to be done. The most salient quote comes from Lisbeth, when she and Mikael are making breakthroughs about the serial rapist/killer. She says, "It's not a serial killer who read his Bible wrong. It's just a common bastard who hates women." In wider cultural discussions about extreme violence against women we tend to fantasticize these acts as if they are removed from our society, committed by deranged individuals, when in reality, the problem is simple: there are men who hate women, and our society goes to great lengths to allow this. Absolutely brilliant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Antisemitism, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting
The most graphic rape scene I have ever read. Entire novel focuses explicitly on sexual violence against women/girls and graphic horrible murder of women/girls. If that is not something you can stomach, do not read this book.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism, Murder
dark
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
The frighteningly well-adjusted journalist and editor Mikael Blomkvist takes a sabbatical on a tiny Swedish island, researching a family mystery but uncovering deeply uncomfortable truths along the way.
The story is built upon a solid foundation of strong, believable, and compelling characters, with complex interpersonal relationships and motivations. Uncertainty around their individual interests and incentives helps sell the mystery, but also builds a story where half the narrative has next-to-no plot going on but still feels strong and satisfying. Its open approach to characters' sexuality, including polyamory and bisexuality, feel like natural and core parts of their identity, without coming across as voyeuristic—it's uncommon to see such representation in mainstream media from the mid '00s.
Eventually the plot picks up very strongly, with small pieces of the background story satisfyingly clicking into place with little (though not without) contrivance. Behind it, a powerful message about misogyny and violence against women, for which the story holds little back, with some deeply unsavoury characters and moments of grim savagery and coercion. There's a minor secondary message against capitalistic greed and the error of conflating economic success with that of the financial market.
Originally published in Swedish under the more direct title "Män som hatar kvinnor" ("Men who hate women"), the English translation reads brilliantly, feeling quaintly Swedish while introducing the right idioms—serious kudos to the translator Steven T. Murray, and though it was a shame to hear about his editorial disagreements with the publisher there's no denying the quality of the result!
Overall a slow and characterful read, with great prose and a genuine Scandinavian feel, building a compelling mystery which creeps up on you gradually but doesn't let up once it comes together.
The story is built upon a solid foundation of strong, believable, and compelling characters, with complex interpersonal relationships and motivations. Uncertainty around their individual interests and incentives helps sell the mystery, but also builds a story where half the narrative has next-to-no plot going on but still feels strong and satisfying. Its open approach to characters' sexuality, including polyamory and bisexuality, feel like natural and core parts of their identity, without coming across as voyeuristic—it's uncommon to see such representation in mainstream media from the mid '00s.
Eventually the plot picks up very strongly, with small pieces of the background story satisfyingly clicking into place with little (though not without) contrivance. Behind it, a powerful message about misogyny and violence against women, for which the story holds little back, with some deeply unsavoury characters and moments of grim savagery and coercion. There's a minor secondary message against capitalistic greed and the error of conflating economic success with that of the financial market.
Originally published in Swedish under the more direct title "Män som hatar kvinnor" ("Men who hate women"), the English translation reads brilliantly, feeling quaintly Swedish while introducing the right idioms—serious kudos to the translator Steven T. Murray, and though it was a shame to hear about his editorial disagreements with the publisher there's no denying the quality of the result!
Overall a slow and characterful read, with great prose and a genuine Scandinavian feel, building a compelling mystery which creeps up on you gradually but doesn't let up once it comes together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder
Minor: Antisemitism, Car accident, Abortion
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book starts out as a sort of “trust the process.” It’s not super captivating for the first few chapters, and I got somewhat lost in all the financial journalism talk. However, once Henrik hires Mikael for the investigation, I was hooked. I binged the investigation and kept being surprised by the twists and turns, not ever really expecting what was next. I’m really curious if there’s anything I’d pick up on during a reread. The plot is then quicker post-investigation (he’s only hired for a year, and the novel doesn’t end right when the year does), perhaps knowing that after all the drama readers don’t want to go back to menial details. Still, all the details felt so purposeful, and things that felt random often came back. I loved Lisbeths character, and the setting was so easy to picture without the descriptions being too verbose. I think the book maybe could’ve been a bit shorter, but a good chunk of the book flew by because I was so enraptured by the plot. I would definitely read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Antisemitism
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a thriller I couldn't put down, it's intital mystery hooked me and its conclusion was well worth waiting for.
The main character one Mikael Blomkvist was not who I thought this book would be about. But the way Larsson crafted his character through the actions he took was fantastic. I had seen complaints that all he did was this, or all he did was that, but through these actions he became a character. Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, was a fascinating character, having a starkly contrasted view to Blomkvist in which they worked together well.
The only complaint I have about is how Blomkvist seem to attract every single woman he came across.
Although I absolutely loved the sexual fluidity of these characters. Salander's refusal to put a label on what she is and Berger's and Blomkvist open relationship. These people feel a lot more real in their sex than the myriad of carbon copied queer fluffy characters that seem to be pumped out today.
The main character one Mikael Blomkvist was not who I thought this book would be about. But the way Larsson crafted his character through the actions he took was fantastic. I had seen complaints that all he did was this, or all he did was that, but through these actions he became a character. Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, was a fascinating character, having a starkly contrasted view to Blomkvist in which they worked together well.
The only complaint I have about is how Blomkvist seem to attract every single woman he came across.
Although I absolutely loved the sexual fluidity of these characters. Salander's refusal to put a label on what she is and Berger's and Blomkvist open relationship. These people feel a lot more real in their sex than the myriad of carbon copied queer fluffy characters that seem to be pumped out today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Antisemitism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Stalking
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
no se si me gusto el libro o no, salander why do u hate women, you’re all one and the same but for a raped girl who’s afraid of what would happen to her and for u to call her a bitch and a cunt, truly nothing gained only your own feelings of superiority over her, kinda wishy washy q al final harriet sea la CEO despues de ni saber bu mierda de la familia y la compañia por mas de 50 años pero por ser la favorita cuando tenia 15 se lo gano, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, y todo lo q estaban teasing saber quien era el killer y para q cuando finalmente lo revelan solo lo matan y borran todo lo q hizo, para q putas, no me va con el final del libro, solo lo enseñan cuando son malvados pero a harriet ni la conocen y se merece q todas las mierdas q martin hizo fueran swept under the caroet, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, hubieran llamado a la policía cuando lo tenian colgado del cuello en lugar de pretender q ni estuvo alli, lisbeth was pretty mysoginistic but she was written by a man si yes pero tambien con todo lo del rape y el incest i think that after a point they started making it gratuitous, ya solo era un show para mikael, en lugar del verdadero crimen q debio ser, igual q la nueva evidencia, si verdaderamente henrik estaba tan obsesionado con resolver el crimen hubiera suponido q hubiera investigado literal a todos sus familiares, incluyendo a anita, su trabajo y su ubicación, con todo y las flores y hubiera encontrado q estaba pasando, igual q con las fotos y las camaras, literal si en el pasado una sola persona hubiera revisado mejor las fotos hubieran visto q harriet se sorprendia angustiada al ver a alguien del otro lado de la calle y hubieran podido sacar conclusiones, q estaban mas frescas q ya a 50 años de la fecha, me parece muy sospechoso, pero en fin, no se si leeré el proximo libro bc i liked the ending con mikael returning to his cheating days bc its only natural for him, but why did lisbeth think she was any better than his wife or child, you’ve known him for less than a year, you arent that special, but i did like it, idkidk, i dunno what to think
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Antisemitism
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder