this really, seriously is the most under-edited, over-rated writer I;ve come across. Just tthink, really, is this a good book…
Posted by jd , 19 August 2010
this really, seriously is the most under-edited, over-rated writer I;ve come across. Just tthink, really, is this a good book…
Posted by jd , 19 August 2010
Hahahahaha!!! Craig seriously you hit the nail on the head, buddy! I really honestly enjoyed these books. I can understand the frustration people are expressing with some of the text (really, it could be better) but come on, it really is about the story guys. Until you become a best selling author, shut ye traps…
Posted by Carey M ,
All three books in the series are interesting to me because they take explore so much. The three books take on the reality of the misogyny of detective fiction, this is the notion that some people, both men and women, “hate” women for arbitrary reasons. Larssen is “pro women,” however, because he portrays so many differences in women, in their personalities, lifestyles, sexuality, careers. This paradox is one that the series’ female protagonist, Lisander, explores in a subtle way. What I like about Lisander is that Larsson keeps her in the dark about so much of what is going on around her. Her limitations endear her to the reader, but her opportunism excites the reader as well.
Posted by Mae in Fay, NC ,
This is a story, and like all good stories they are meant to engage the reader. The translation does make the reading teadious at times and the geographic explanations can be soporific, but overall they are a good read. I admitt getting into the first two books took me no less than 100 pages before I was actually wanting to continue. The fact that Larsson passed wans’t something I knew until mid-way through the second book. I certainly agree that the hype his death created may add to the number of books sold. For me this in no way influenced the fact that there is a certain anticipation created in the stories. I love to read, and I am by no means a literature major, but I think people tend to want to criticize anything with so much hype. I say sit back, and enjoy the read!
Posted by Cynthia in Fonthill, Onatrio, Canada ,
I just think it’s funny that people who hated the books so much and thought they were so horrible, have not only found there way to the website but have put so much thought into all this. easy to rip on others who put themselves out there. relax.
Posted by kheide in honolulu ,
I think the geographical detail, kroner information and others may seem tedious because we are not familiar with them. If you know the city of Chicago and read “The Time Traveler’s Wife” this same type of description walks you down the street and escorts you to the next scene. I don’t believe one should criticize based on ignorance.
By the way, thanks for the map on this website. It is very helpful for those detailed descriptions.
Posted by Tori in Fort Wayne ,
I was getting tired of the list of roads and places in a strange language, too. But then I got the idea and turned on my Google Earth and I started following the characters movement on the map during tailing “scenes” and it was exiting. You have picture of Mikka’s house, too.
Posted by Thai in Shanghai/Perugia ,
I think it all lies in the translation. I wish I knew swedish, because as good as the books are, I think that they must be even better in the author’s native tongue. Case in point: I am bilingual (English-Spanish) and Gloria estefan,s voice is 10x better in her native tongue…just saying…
Posted by Kat in Decatur, AL ,
Is it great literature? Of course not, but I didn’t read the books expecting so-called “literary fiction.” It was a great diversion, though, as most good detective novels are, and the character of Lisbeth Salander was fascinating. She’s one example of many characters that have been appearing lately in novels and films who apparently have some form of autism (or something like it, as some of Larsson’s characters note). I’m glad someone else raised the issue of familiarity with geographic particulars. Larsson’s inclusion of street names is no different than that of, say, John Lescroart in his detective novels set in San Francisco. I, too, read the books with a map of Sweden and a street map of Stockholm nearby as well as a calculator to figure the cost of things in dollars.
Posted by Elfkin in Barbourville, KY ,
Good grief. How can someone compare Stieg Larson with Dan Brown’s piece of garbage. Please.
Yes, the Millennium trilogy does have flaws – translation and the fact that almost every male character is at least slightly chauvinist except for Christer who is gay. My biggest gripe – not a huge one is that Lisbeth Salander is good at EVERYTHING. Also, people with photographic memories never have fantastic reasoning skills for abstract Math. Different parts of the brain. Larsson made an error there, but who cares??? Its a great read!!!
Posted by Cherry Pie in NJ ,
I agree with the fact that sometimes its just fun to read and “escape” which thest books were so good at! I agree with the person that said “relax”
Posted by Mike in San Antonio ,
I agree with Carey M’s comments and, by the way, to JD who started all this, did you ever consider editing your own writing???
Posted by Glenna in Flagstaff ,
Consider all the time and effort people have put in to the responses on this website. If Larsson’s books were poor reads, no one would be here. Some writers can spend a page describing a particularly moving sunset or sunrise and some readers will swoon over said description. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, or so I’ve heard it said. Larsson’s writing is good enough to carry the story and not get in the story’s way, and for me the story and its characters are are the important factors. It is a really good story through all three books, with characters who obviously come to life for most people. I’ll be recalling Lisbeth Salander and her fellow characters for many years and wondering what they are doing, just as I have wondered about the characters in David James Duncan’s ‘The Brothers K’ even though it’s been years since I read that book.
Posted by JAG ,
Really – each to their own. These aren’t great literature and I didn’t expect them to be. They’re a good read for a rainy weekend. Page turner, whatever. All a bit silly, but no big deal.
These people carrying on – why did you read them? And why waste your time finding the website and complaining? Get a life?
Posted by JA Arena in Melbourne ,
These books are horrible! – badly written, unedited, it seems, the characters are one-dimensional, not at all worth reading about, the stories are just sex and violence, pedophilia, sadism, nothing more. The only appeal I can see is that people are, sadly, vicariously interested in this kind of crap. Good for stoking a furnace, but not much else.
Posted by Bill Kennedy in Newbury, Ohio ,
I don’t think I’ve ever been so interested in a book trilogy and writer that I may never read. I expect to see the films based on the novels. I got interested from a blog post on Writ at Large. This blogger described Larsson’s fascinating background in his film review of The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and he points out that the original book title in Swedish was “Men Who Hate Women”.
Posted by Kate Cornell-Ford in Manhattan ,
Bill Kenneddy: Well played irony there, carrying on right after the post calling it out. Why did you post that, really?
Posted by Nathan in Denver, CO ,
If the books were all so bad..why did some of you bother with vol. 2 and 3! I enjoyed them……and Dan Brown’s too. I love to read, but I must say I am not in the category so expressed by Mr. Kennedy in Ohio. Lastly, why did you, Mr Kennedy!
Love to complain, is that it! It’s not all bad!
Posted by Luisa Fialho in Boston 1/4/11 ,
I agree that the books are overrated. So far anyway. I only read about 100 pages of the first book and then someone took it from me. So, I started reading the second book while I waited to get the first one back. I’m about 100 pages into the second one as well. For as long as I have been reading them, I should be done by this point. When a book grabs my attention, I literally can not put it down. I will be done reading within 2 days. Not the case this time. I would think that if I were going to enjoy these books, I would know it by now. Usually, by time I’m done reading the prologue, I’m hooked. If not, then by time I’m done the first or second chapter. I’m 100 pages into both books so far, and I am really not seeing what the big fuss is all about. Honestly, the only reason I am still reading, is in hope that it will eventually grab my attention. If it does turn out that I did enjoy them, I will repost.
Posted by Cortney in Bear, DE ,
Why did I bother to read the books, if I didn’t like them that much? Because of my book group –all three books were put on our calendar and I have read the first two and will read the third. For a book group, it isn’t so much about liking or not liking, it is about the discussion.
In the book group, I have suggested books that other people didn’t enjoy. But they still read them, and came to discuss them. That’s the point.
Posted by Groupie ,
I tired of the endless directions, details about kronor, and technological details also. But that never made me put the books down. I often wonder how much has been lost in translation (yes, a poor translation at times.)
The story is great, though. Isn’t that why most of us read books in the first place?
Posted by growingstronger.tumblr.com in MO, USA ,