Book Review: Millennium Trilogy I & II

I wasn't intending to write this post until I had finished all 3 of the books but I don't think I can actually wait any longer. 


I first saw these books back in 2009 when I had a brief stint of employment in Waterstones. They always seemed quite intriguing despite not being the type of book I usually go for. I didn't actually purchase the first one until a year later and was given the other two for Christmas the same year. It has taken me until now to get round to reading them so you can see precisely how much I was putting it off. Something I really regret...


The first in the series is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. There are two central characters within the plot (who also appear in the other two books) Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. To summarise the plot without spoiling it it, Mikael is a publisher of a political magazine in Sweden. After writing and publishing material that caused him to be sentenced to prison for libel, he is offered a job from a former family friend in a small Swedish village. The job entails the search for a relative, Harriet Vanger, who disappeared without trace 40 years previously. Along the way, not only does Mikael become friends and lovers with Lisbeth (who is hired to be a research assistant), he uncovers family truths buried for over 40 years and almost gets himself killed. He is then given information to allow him to successfully republish the work that previously got him in trouble, except this time it catapults him to fame and brings back his magazine from the depths of despair. 


The second in the series carries on from the first except this time the main focus is on a young journalist doing freelance work for Millenium magazine. He comes to Mikael with an article on sex trafficking in Sweden that uncovers many high profile people who have had some sort of involvement in the abuse of young women. Before publishing, the journalist is murdered and Lisbeth is named as key suspect. Mikael, not believing this to be true, uses all his will and power to uncover the truth. A truth he does not expect to find. The book ends on a huge cliffhanger that I won't even begin to ruin for anyone. 


These books are a fantastic read, although not normally something I would reach for in a book shop. Apart from Harry Potter I don't actually think I've managed to read a book so quick and am very far into the third instalment already. The characters, although not people you might associate with in reality, leave you empathising with them and willing them to achieve certain outcomes. Almost as if they are a friend or someone you care about, you are able to build a connection with them you would not expect to in a book like this. 


Although confusing at times with the sheer amount of characters involved in each plot, the book is never a slow read and can become very quick and easy to read during the action scenes. The plots are clever and I'm so gutted that Larsson died before managing to write the other 7 there were supposed to be. 


I would recommend these books to everyone, even if you don't think you would be into this type of genre, you may be pleasantly surprised!