The Swedish film version of Stieg Larsson's, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo inspired me to buy the books that make up the trilogy. The hype has been so overwhelming about the author, his life, his writing and his untimely death. I've finished the first book and I'm about to launch into the second. While I found the characters compelling enough to forge ahead with the reading, had I not seen the film and knew what was coming, I might have shelved the book for another, more patient day. I thought the story got bogged down several times in the minutia of the publishing and financial industries. Germane, certainly, but wearying at times.
During my viewing of the film, a woman in the theater shouted, "Yeah!" when Lisbeth took her revenge on Bjurman. My friend said he felt like a willing participant in her violent attack against him. Salander is the great avenger. Without remorse, she commits violence against the violent. It's been said by others that she's a heroine for our times. Scary thought given her anti social behavior and capacity for brutality. But she's smart and calculating and capable of carrying out a plan under incredible stress. She's almost completely shut down emotionally and maybe that's what makes her so effective in her ability to take revenge. These must be qualities a lot of people admire but lack.
While I loved the film, I can't say that I loved the book. I know that puts me in a small, worldwide minority. I have one, possibly silly question: Why are people always making, drinking or talking about making and drinking coffee in the book? Is this leading somewhere in the next book or is this just a Swedish thing?
Monday, May 31, 2010
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