Eh...
Was not a bit impressed.
I guess people were impressed with this book because people don't read much these days and don't know what to expect from books or how the books should be different from other types of media.
<Spoiler Alert>
If you have read enough number of mystery books, you know what's coming, and the book revealed too much in the beginning.
At the prologue, I knew Harriet was alive.
Upon the introduction of Vanger family members, I knew it was either Martin or Hendrik that was with some serious issues.
The book was interesting only in the middle part when Blomkvist discovers things with old photographs.
The rest was so much as I predicted.
Also why spend 1/6 of the book on the "Wennerstrom vs Blomkvist Part 2" was sooo bad. Ugly, a total waste of my time.
I at least hoped to read something about Swedish culture. "Let the Right One In" was so casual about homosexuality and even with pedophilia (which was a pleasant surprise other than the vampire love story), but Larsson had nothing of those sorts. Maybe I am used to people cheating one another with all the American media. A younger girl going out with a man twice her age is also very cliche.
Not a bit impressed.
Not at all.
Violent? Sure. But the descriptions are not graphical enough to give any daring images to the reader, at least not to me.
If I read this when I was a 5th grader (that's when I was really into mystery novels), I would have yawned at this book even then.
I was also very annoyed with the description of technology at that time. Why went so detail on that? Don't you know times would change and technology changes so fast?
Damn. Now I started this so-called the Millenium Trilogy, I have to finish it. I really want to read some John Irving and John Steinbeck before the break is over, but I have no choice to finish this crap as soon as possible.
PS: The literal translation of the title is "Men Who Hated Women". I think this title is more relevant than "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". But I am glad this was not the English title. Had the literal translation was used, this book might not have been a bestseller. Because it then tells you there is a very important link between Rebecca and Harriet up front. This book is horrible (especially more so in retrospect)!!!!
2.5/5 - because the photography part was interesting.
