In 2004, Swedish journalist-turned-author Stieg Larsson died of a sudden heart attack at the age of fifty, about a full year before the release of his debut novel, the hugely popular The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first book in the Millennium series. Larsson intended to turn Millennium into a 10-book series but sadly only got as far as three due to his untimely death. This means Larsson never knew how widely admired and acclaimed his books were, nor was he aware that the publishers of his three books (the other two are The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest) commissioned a contemporary of his, David Lagercrantz, to continue the series, which now stands at six books in total. After being translated into English and many other languages, all three books topped the best-seller lists and were among the highest-selling books of their respective years, with the third offering, Hornet’s Nest, becoming the number one selling book in the U.S. in 2010.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows journalist and publisher Mikael Blomkvist whose magazine, Millennium, is in the process of losing a libel case brought down by a billionaire industrialist named Hans-Erik Wennerström. Meanwhile, Henrik Vanger, the rich uncle of a woman who went missing over 40 years earlier, hires Blomkvist to do some investigating into her disappearance. To assist him in his quest is Lisbeth Salander, the titular girl with the dragon tattoo, an unconventional prodigy who will help Blomkvist wade through all the evil and corruption. It is here with the relationship between Blomkvist and Salander and the way the two interact that often make up the most engaging parts of the novel.
For me, the standout character in this book and in the whole series is without a doubt Salander, whose punk but aloof demeanor contrasts well with her almost computer-like mind and darkly troubled past. Heavily pierced and tattooed and usually dressed in a Goth-like style, Salander is a woman of few words whose almost child-like level of communication makes for a unique character. Although the book’s title in English is clearly referring to Lisbeth, its original Swedish title, Men Who Hate Women, creates a much clearer picture of Salander’s motivation for the prying into others’ lives as a brilliant computer hacker who seeks revenge on those who have done her and others wrong. I really love how Larsson paints her as mysterious and sneaky yet still makes her strong and powerful and capable of inflicting pain on those who are twice as big as she is. Rarely do we get to see a female character with so much complexity and humanity kick this much butt.
“Everyone has secrets. It’s just a matter of finding out what they are.”
Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon tattoo
Blomkvist is another compelling character, and one that is loosely modeled after the author himself in that they were both journalists at respected magazines whose focus was on left-leaning sociopolitical issues. Blomkvist has an on-again off-again relationship with a married woman named Erika Berger, an editor and co-founder of Millennium who Mikael frequently relies on for advice, oftentimes between the bed sheets. Their scenes together in the book provide us with more of an insight into who Blomkvist really is and what makes him tick.
Larsson introduces so many colourful characters all throughout the book, which in most stories would be confusing and hard to keep track of, but the author somehow manages to keep track of them for you, giving you reasons to remember each one. Many of these characters appear throughout Larsson’s entire trilogy, with new ones coming in with each book, including cops, people from Lisbeth’s past and many others who fit neatly into the plot.
In 2011, one of my favourite Hollywood directors, David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Gone Girl), made a feature film version of Dragon Tattoo adapted by screenwriter Steven Zaillion (Schindler’s List, Moneyball), and starring Mr. 007 himself, Daniel Craig, as Blomkvist and Rooney Mara (Her, Carol) as Salander. Under Fincher’s direction, the film had a very gruesome feel as can be expected for followers of his work, and casting the then unknown Mara in the role of Salander was a star-making turn, earning Mara an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in the process.
Another standout performance in the film came from the magnificent Canadian-born actor Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, A Beautiful Mind), who plays the wealthy businessman, Henrik Vanger, whose character helps set the film in motion. Having just passed away earlier this year at the age of 91, Plummer, as always, brings a screen presence that is unmatched, managing to somehow bring a charm to the rich patriarch. Plummer has a way of seducing the camera so that every time he’s on screen you are drawn to him, one of those rare actors whose career spanned so many decades that, even if you don’t know who he is, you know you’re in the hands of a true professional.
If I were to make a complaint about this film it would be that it’s a little too nicely wrapped in a bow. The book takes us on a mysterious journey that, even when the story brings us to a conclusion, still leaves us wondering what else has been unresolved. The movie gives us much more of a tied off ending, perhaps because the sequels were never intended to be made, or maybe because that’s what the studio executives demanded. This brings me to one of the potential downsides of film: it’s a collaborative medium, unlike novels, so when competing visions and interests get in the way (especially when so much money is involved), it can sometimes affect the finished product. However, that’s not to say the film isn’t enjoyable; it most certainly is. Any film directed by Fincher is going to be miles more enjoyable than most directors’ best films, and this is no exception. But perhaps if Fincher had planned on making films out of the entire trilogy, we may have been given something that was a little less polished and a little more rough around the edges, which, in this case, would be a good thing.
All in all, when choosing between the two, I’d have to go with the book. Larsson’s sense of story-telling and creation of compelling, original characters is very fine-tuned, and Salander in particular has such a fascinating backstory that it’s almost impossible not to root for her to successfully exact revenge on the awful men in her life. Page-turners like this are rare to find, especially ones that are of such length, making it a shame that Larsson passed away before getting the chance to develop the characters and plot lines further. If you’re looking for a fun story to read while sipping poolside margaritas on vacation or sprawled out on the couch on a rainy day, then this is your book.
Final verdict: the book.
Click here to order your own copy of Larsson’s novel and take a look at the American film version by David Fincher below.
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