In the second and third book, Larsson assures that Lisbeth’s feelings for Mikael have gone. But I really believed there was still a kind of connection between them.
Also, I didn’t like Figuerola’s role and romance with Mikael. I don’t understand how Mikael has fallen for her in that way. At some moments it seemed he didn’t care for Lisbeth, and he was only interested in Figueroa like a teenager. A little weird position after all the story between him and Salander.
Posted by Debs in Mexico , 13 December 2010
the only problem i have with mikael blomkvist’s character is that he thinks he can fuck almost every woman mentioned in the story and get away with it that really pisses me off and the fact that he cant see the damage hes causing .he needs to think twice before fucking someone .i cant imagine blomkvist in a stable relationship he only screws and then leaves.
Posted by trinity ,
I didn’t care for Figuerola either. His relationship with her seemed to be a betrayal of Lisbeth more so than his relationship with Erika. This is perhaps because he admitted he was falling for Figuerola – something he didn’t feel for Lisbeth while Lisbeth fell in love with him. Stupid man. We’re all on Lisbeth’s side.
Larsson’s series feels unfinished to me. Book 3 ends neatly, resolving the plot that started in book 2. But I was just getting to know Lisbeth and Mikael and in my view both still had a lot of growing to do as individuals and in their relationship with each other. Mikael and his serial relationships and lack of desire to make a commitment. Lisbeth and her antisocial behaviors and penchant for no-strings-attached connections. Mikael was a warm and social person, but he also had a wall around himself. Lisbeth’s “wall” was more obvious. They are different on the surface but they are a lot alike on the inside.
I wonder what arc the story would’ve taken after book 3. There’s a part of me that feels these two belong together.
I don’t buy Larsson’s neat ending that had Lisbeth not loving Mikael anymore. She was a young woman perhaps in love for the first time. He was perhaps the first man who demonstrated that he cared about her in a big way. They experienced some big dramas together that built a bond between them. I believe Lisbeth was still in love, and Mikael was too dense to realize he was too. He went to some lengths to try to get back in touch with Lisbeth when he could’ve just let her go after she disappeared. He does serial relationships after all. And he cared enough to go to great lengths to rescue her when she needed him. I don’t think it was just because he was after a good story or because he owed her after she saved him.
Posted by Ronna in texas ,
It is my belief that Blomkvist’s true love in life is Erika but like Ro mentioned in her thread, Blomkvist loves Erika more than she loves him. Blomkvist even admits to his willingness to marry her if she wasn’t married to someone else. Therefore, Blomkvist is unable to commit to anyone else until he can let go of Erika as a lover.
After Lisbeth refuses to see Blomkvist, he states that he can take a hint and won’t go where he is not wanted. This character trait is reenforced by the fact that all the women he is with always make the first move and chase after him. Yet, Blomkvist is always concerned for Lisbeth and makes every effort to find her and help her.
In the end, even after Lisbeth is sure that Blomkvist will keep his distance because that is the type of stubborn person he is…he still comes knocking at her door. Blomkvist may not know he is in love with Lisbeth but his attachment to her is much stronger than he is willing to admit. She may be the girl that breaks the unhealthy bond he has to Erika and helps him find a love that is mutual.
If Lisbeth does have a type of Aspergers or some mild form of autism, allowing Blomkvist back into her life is a huge step forward for her. She is learning to cope with difficult emotions in a mature manner as well as learning to completely trust another person.
So despite Blomkvist’s desire for Erika and his new-found “love” for Figuerola, he still seeks out Lisbeth even after she no longer needs him to rescue her.
Posted by Violet in Miami ,
I also thought that Mikael felt that Monica Figuerola was becoming a little obsessed with him. It didn’t seem like he was in love. Until he told Berger that he thought he was falling for her, that is.
It didn’t flow and didn’t seem realistic.
Reading the third book, I didn’t feel like Figuerola was one of the likable characters. She was pushy and a little aggressive (in a bad way). I didn’t think she would be more than a fling for Mikael.
Posted by HB in Tel Aviv ,
Monica was a poor subsitute for Lisbeth. She had blond hair and big boobs like Erica and built like an Amazon to mirror Lisbeth’ warrior heart. In Hornet, there is a scene when Mikael is at Lisbeth’ apartment. He stares at her king size bed for a long time and then calls Monica.
Mikael, saying he thinks he is in love is not the same as knowing he is in love. Plus he is very secretive about Lisbeth when speaking with Monica. And he agressive defends her too.
Posted by sonya in new britain ,
For me Lisbeth and Mikael show some love affairs in the first book while the second and third book shows them as if they are only friends. It is important to show those two always because the story shows a sideline of the two characters stories and life. Because they are only main characters where Mr. Larsson focused. I know everyone felt sad that the two remain as if friends hey maybe if there’s a fourth book coming maybe they can be together. What really Lisbeth is falling for is hes attractive and kinda sort of good to her. I don’t know what makes Mikael make him falling for her as usual. What make them appear everytime is that they were actually u know the first introduced by the author in the book
Posted by Mawyy
in PHILIPPINES ,
I don’t think they were only friends in the last two books. I believe Mikael was driven to prove his profound feelings for Lisbeth, even though on a conscious level he did not realize what they were. He was haunted and hunting for Lisbeth as she was haunted (by her feelings for Mikael) and hunting her father. Mikael was obsessed with Lisbeth to the point where he endangered and risked the lives of all around him to save and free Lisbeth. That’s not friendship or even best friends.
Posted by sonya in new britain ,
Micke is definitely attracted to her and it could grow into something significant. As for her, it remain(ed)s to be seen if she really is over him. As everybody stated, I have no love for Monica and I think for Micke and Lisbeth to get anywhere he will have to pry himself off of Erika. I have nothing against their relationship as a whole but she herself noticed it’s not good or fair for him.
Posted by Iantonia in Ottawa ,
You all keep commenting on the Lisbeth and Mikael relationship. How do we not know that Steve and Eva didnt participate in such adventures with trading partners and was a good easy to write about. Steve and Eva had to help one another to write through the scenes. I am sure Eva wrote some of the book with Steve and should have some rights to continue writing the books. I want to finish the books..
Posted by Derek in Phoenix ,
Eva’ name isn’t on the book. The courts will have to settle this. I want more books so badly but its going to be a long wait, if it ever happens.
Posted by sonya in new britain ,
Agree with most of what Violet says. BUT I think we are too hung up on turning these books into romance novels. Real life doesn’t work like mass market fiction and I think Stieg was aiming for more realism and depth in his characters’ psychological makeup.
Lisbeth is a ‘broken’ person. She has never experienced love as we know it. When she ‘falls in love’ with Blomqvist, it is a powerful feeling, but she does not know what it means or how to cope with it, so she copes with his ‘betrayal’ in the only way she knows how…avoidance and escape. During her year-long trip abroad, she finds she no longer has feelings for Micke and rarely even thinks about him. This is the real Lisbeth…detachment. If Blomqvist had returned her love, the relationship would have shattered. He is a bit of a tool, intellectually plodding…not on her level at all…and he’d be sure to disappoint her because of his lifelong attachment to Erica. Plus, with all Lisbeth’s mental problems, if Blomqvist had loved her back she would have eventually sabotaged the relationship anyway. Who would be mentally capable of enduring Lisbeth’s focussed, laser-like intensity? She’s an all-or-nothing kind of person. I prefer to think Lisbeth had a massive crush on Blomqvist initially…not a normal or enduring love. Ultimately, Lisbeth is not normal…she can learn coping skills for life events, but there is no cure for Aspergers, if that’s what she has. Being much older, Blomqvist would not live long enough for all the therapy Lisbeth would need. He is so flawed that he’d do her more harm than good anyway.
Posted by Jean Ferguson in Toronto, Canada ,
Still, Micke and Lis belong together. Micke because nothing good will come of being with a married woman and Lis because where else is she going to meet people. Haha
Posted by Nini in New York ,
I think this is a serious thing to talk about the trilogy ok so the first thing is that salander get mad because mikael runs away with Berger the first time if Berger had spoken with her like she did with Monica figerola his heart won’t broken in pieces that is my opinion. On the other hand Lisbeth never hadvent fall in love never in his entire life and to get to that point to be dissapointed it’s really mess up and it hurts in a sort of way because everyone had pass for that in one point of their life’s and she always avoid to had feelings for the same reasons .
Posted by Wspjims in Zurich ,
Micki and Lisbeth together is just sick. He’s old enough to be her father for god sake.
Posted by Charlene in NY ,
so what. the heart wants what the heart wants.
Posted by sonya in nb ,
i think both do have feelings for each other but mikael is unconscious with this feeling of his. lisbeth on the other hand is confuse with her feelings as well.
Posted by Neil in philippines ,
To me it’s pretty obvious that when Larsson created the characters of Salander and Blomkvist, he created them in such a way that they fit together. Since the series would last ten books, he probably wanted to establish some chemistry between them right from the very start to make their relationship interesting, but obviously he would not keep that up for ten books, because it would be rather uninteresting. I think he wanted them to only properly get together in the tenth book, which sadly will never be written. Of course, along the way Blomkvist has to live out Larsson’s sexual fantasies with tons of other attractive women. As to what Charlene said about the age difference, Larsson always expressed that age should not be a factor in relationships, it’s just the feelings (and the sex…) that counts. Blomkvist slept with Cecilia and Harriet Vanger, both who were much older than him, and Salander clearly did not care for the age of her love interests. She made it clear when she said that the fact that Blomkvist was twice her age did not bother her in “Tattoo”.
Posted by Kaat in Singapore ,
It bothers me very much there is no form of closure in the trilogy in terms of relationships. While Blomkvist’s relationship with Fig-whatshername seems to work out at first, I’m pretty sure that Larsson won’t have them end up together. Their thing is just a fling, just like Harriet and Cecilia Vanger. However, Blomkvist and Lisbeth’s relationship would carry on for a long time, and it is obvious that Blomkvist feels a certain level of attraction to her from the way that he keeps trying to contact her and talk to her despite how she pushed him away because she was hurt. I understand that these aren’t romance novels but the chemistry between the characters are a big part of the stories and it just bother me that there is no attempt at closure at the end of the third book. I really wish for the fourth/ fifth book to be published, even thought the transition would be kind of sloppy, I would read it just to see how the characters develop, especially since the relationship between Mikael and Lisbeth was at a cliffhanger the last time we saw them.
Posted by Kaat ,
Everyone had quite valid thoughts and ideas. But chew on this…In The Girl Who Played with Fire, Blomvist himself says, “…During the autumn to years ago, I was seeing her. The relationship ended around Christmas of that year…” (Chapter 14) Obviously, seeing someone is a casual, but it’s more limitied than dating. Dating is casually seeing someone or many others, whereas seeing someone is a pre-coupling stage, until the couple move onto the next step, which would be an exclusive gf/bf relationship. When you admit to seeing someone, isn’t that some sort of decloration of commitment? Maybe I’m being overly critical or just desperately wanting Blomkvist to be in love with his Sally. Either way, if she was just a friend, he would have said, the friendship ended, not relationship. That’s just my POV.
And am I imagining things, or did he not completely seperate himself from Berger -the supposed love of his life- for six months. Sure, he had reasons to avoid her, but it was so easy for him, while it gnawed at her core. He had Lisbeth to keep him company, a company he very much enjoyed, and missed when it disappeared.
And the dude went over and beyond to reestablish his connection and build a stronger companionship, through phonecalls, e-mails,and handwritten letters. I mean who does that, if not a school boy that has a crush? He even went to lengths as to physcially go to her apartment, on several occasions as well as stubbornly waiting outside her apartment.
Lisbeth is no limerance to this man, and she’s always on his mind. He even once confided in his sister about her disapperance, which drove him up a wall and kept his mind preoccupied on the night of Annika’s b-day. She’s someone he clearly loves. He didn’t deny, yet didn’t admit to Figuerola that he loves her. I don’t care for Ms. Monica either, btw. her and Blomkvists relationship is going to hell in a handbasket. The only difference is, she recipricated feelings, and Lisbeth didn’t. She wouldn’t even let him hug her.
Anyways, I find that Blomkvist chooses to ignore that possibility of falling for Lisbeth, for whatever reason. He probably factors in their age and figures, it’s not possible, it can’t work. Mainly because, Salander keeps cutting ties from him, and he’s completely oblivious as to why.
Then there are small things that stick out, such as Erika stating to Monica, “So you’ve been to Sandhamn? Then it is serious.” Mikael only brings special women to his cabin, that CLEARLY means Lisbeth was one of these women.
For me, I clearly understand that Lisbeth feel in love, and she may have fallen in love with him again. What I question, is when Mikael Blomkvist is going to realize, “Damn, I could fall in love with this girl. Or maybe I am?”
Sadly, we will never know, but I will forever imagine that Lisbeth’s love for Mikael returned. Steig must have been heading in that direction. And as for Blomkvist, I think once Lisbeth works on her social skills and allows Mikael’s affection, their romantic relationship would evolve. Just imagine if she allowed intimacy from the get go? They would have been a couple after they left Hedeby Island and most likely stayed a couple since they are so alike, cerebrally. Plus they enjoyed sex with one another, and that certainly can’t hurt a relationsihip.
Okay to much, I’m done…..
Posted by ELLE in Cali ,
I can’t agree more with ELLE!
Posted by Rose in Seoul ,