I think the Carribean intro was meant to tell us a little more of Lisbeth rather than ‘lead’ to anywhere. It opens up the idea that she has been (a long way) away from Sweden for a considerable time. It shows that she is prepared to form unconventional relationships (with George) and honour them in a crisis. It shows us that when it comes to observation of abuse of other women, she is not prepared to turn the blind eye that many do(though she does bide her time).

Posted by Iestyn in Cardiff ,

Ah, yes…i’d forgotten about the git who gets done over on the beach. Lestyn makes a good point. All part of her character development.

Posted by Lee in seville ,

The answer to the Caribbean plot comes back to haunt Liz in the fourth book. It is that event that forces her into northern Canada!

Posted by Derek Anthony in Los Angeles ,

Initially, I thought the series of events involving Dr Forbes and his wife would be part of the book’s central plot. But Larsson has a really cinematic way of writing; he chose to open the book with some pretty thrilling action — pretty much like a Hollywood blockbuster.

On that count, readers will definitely be reeled into the story right from the start, which also is part of Salander’s character development.

What I find somewhat misleading is all the nuggets of info on mathematical formulae and of Salander’s preoccupation on Fermat’s theorem. Larsson returns to this — but very briefly — towards the end of the book, when the reasoning behind the theory suddenly struck Salander out of the blue as she was entering hostile waters and preparing for the showdown.

Even then, it’s like, so what? Larsson just wrote that Salander finally understood it, but he didn’t even explain her perspective on how she figured it out. Not every reader is familar with Fermat’s last theorem, and after all the paragraphs devoted to it at the start of the book, it seems like Larsson wrapped that bit up hurriedly at the end because he felt obligated to do so.

So that was the weakest link in the second book, at least for me, anyway.

Posted by Rin in Farrer Park, Singapore ,

Derek Anthony, you stated: “The answer to the Caribbean plot comes back to haunt Liz in the fourth book. It is that event that forces her into northern Canada!”

How do you know this or are you speculating?

Posted by CNJ in NYC ,

With the ten books he had planned, I wouldn’t be surprised if it would have surfaced later along with her maybe meeting her sister again eventually.

Posted by Ismael in Cleveland ,

I read that in the unfinished fourth book Blomkvist and Salander are in the wilds of Newfoundland, but hadn’t heard that there was a connection to the Caribbean

Posted by hilogreg in Hawaii ,

hilogreg – Northwest Territories, as far as I’ve heard, which has even less to do with the Caribbean, or Forbes’ native Texas. I don’t think it was supposed to come up again, it was more about Lisbeth’s character.

Posted by Rachael in Toronto ,

I think the references to Fermat’s theory only further develop Lisbeth’s character. They highlight her brilliance and obsessive nature. Just my opinion:) A recovering English teacher.

Posted by in Nancy K. ,