I got sucked into a series a while back. I'm 2/3 of the way through it. It's with mixed emotions I await May when the 3rd and final book will come out. I will most likely find myself waiting at Barnes and Noble in the middle of the night to be the first one to buy the final book in the Millennium series.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo took me on a journey to another land. Admittedly, I struggled to get into it. There were so many characters and I kept trying to "see" the area in which the book took place, never mind the fact that I've never been to Sweden. However, after I set my mind to just reading it and stop trying to figure out all the towns and scenery, I couldn't put it down. I couldn't wait to read the next part - but wait I did, a whole year!!!
The Girl Who Played with Fire finally came out this past summer. I read it in about 2 days. No wading through names and places like the last time, just hit the ground running and don't look back! What a ride it's been so far.
The journey will end this spring and because of the early death of the author The Girl Who Kicked a Hornet's Nest will be the 3rd and final book. This is why I have such mixed emotions. I want desperately to know how it all ends but at the same time want there to be more. The main characters in this book have me hooked. They will stay with me for a long time I am sure.
These books have been a smash hit in Europe for a while. It took us awhile in the US to catch on to this new trend of Scandinavian Mysteries. My cousin and his wife have read the last installment and offered to send it too me.....We've joked about how the story would lose a bit in translation if I have to try to learn French at the same time. They've assured me the final book is every bit as interesting as the first two.
Steig Larrson, the author of the series, died shortly after he delivered the 3 manuscripts that would become the Millennium Series. He never got to revel in his success. There has been a lot of speculation about his death in the years since. In Novembers issue of Vanity Fair there was a particularly good article on Mr. Larrson & it appears some foundation to the theory of these books being more than fiction. It seems many people got quite nervous about some of the accusations made in the book. Of course this bit of salaciousness does tend to add to the intrigue of the books, doesn't it? Maybe his death was just plain luck for the publisher. It certainly makes for excellent marketing!
If any of it is true of not, I may never know. What I do know is these books have been an excellent read and a incredibly interesting escape. They are a quite graffic and not for everyone but if you like a good political thriller or just to read about another country, give them a try. I have not been dissapointed.
Lisbeth Salander I am pulling for you girl!
2 comments:
For some odd reason we here in Australia have had this series before you in the US (it's usually the other way around) so I have already had the happy/sad experience of reading the last book in this series. I won't give any spoilers - will just say I thought it was an excellent finish and very fitting for the series.
I don't know why it's been such a long wait here, it's frustrating! I'm glad to know it had a fitting end. I would be pretty bummed if it wouldn't have felt complete. Thanks for writing!
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