A review by afictionalescapist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

challenging emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson 

Henrik Vanger wants one last shot at finding out what happened to his niece 36 years ago when she was taken suddenly from his life. Suspecting foul play amongst his own family he hires shamed journalist Mikael Bloomkvist to dig into the Verger’s sordid past. The more he digs, the more it becomes apparent, someone doesn’t want him to find the truth. 

Enlisting the help of brilliant computer hacker Lisbeth Salander he aims to find out just what happened to the girl, and how far this story, really goes. 

I really enjoyed this book, I loved and appreciated the slow, meticulous build up of layers to both the plot, and characters. I also loved that the characters themselves were complex and flawed with sometimes questionable motives. There is very little for me to fault here from my own personal tastes, except maybe an over emphasis on the amount of coffee being consumed… probably a good idea to check everyone’s heart rate. 

If you love the feel of a gritty mystery with passionate, smart yet flawed protagonists this is the book for you. The most satisfying read for me so far this year. 

I gave this one a 4.5 ⭐️