Day: February 19, 2011

Altogether brilliant.  Will go down as one of the great novels of our time.  And what’s it about, you say?  About relationships, of course– what else?  What could make a more brilliant story?

And just when you think a bullet to her brain would mean the end of things, Lisbeth Salander comes back to life, and boy, does she kick the hornet’s nest– she kicks it to smithereens by the time you reach the end of this last book in the Trilogy.

The mother of all world-hackers climbs out of that hospital bed– with some help from her friends– to get herself acquitted of all charges, help a few others along the way, and ties up all loose ends nicely before making peace with Blomkvist, her partner and friend that she has had a love-hate relationship with. No more cliffhangers, although, what I wouldn’t give to know what the rest of her life might be like… a pity Larsson didn’t leave a fourth sequel behind that might have told us about a reunion of the Salander twins and the huge trust or foundation that the two of them make in memory of their mother in Sweden for battered women…!

And perhaps she even tires of the dragon tatoo and replaces it with a tiger…? I don’t know… regardless, it was a good ride… thank you, Mr. Larsson– I hope the movie released yesterday lives up to the suspense and energy of the book.

World-class hacker with passionate morals will get you anywhere, and let you be anybody, and let you get out of anything, even death. 🙂

An engaging, fast-paced account of a mysterious and eccentric girl who seems to be wiser than her years and takes no nonsense from anyone.

Not the most polished of literary styles, and if anything it is casual to the point of being dry, but the story that Larsson weaves leaves one oblivious to this small fact. 

Beautiful insights into the delicate nature of human relationships. With the backdrop of the Second World War, the English countryside, bustling big-city life in London, and even a glimpse into the streets of Edinburgh, Alexander McCall Smith weaves a poignant story of how life has a way of ironing out the wrinkles in time, and of how second chances come one’s way sooner or later. And of how restraint and patience are their own reward.

I have yet to come across an AMS book I am not moved by.

Lethem’s style is vaguely reminiscent of Roth and Bellow. Might check out his other stuff…

Great collection of short stories!

Manic depressive protagonist who to his credit tries very hard to regain his sanity, but without hope and redemption in the end.