The Millennium Series

I just finished reading all three books in Stieg Larsson's Millennium series. There are books I can't say I enjoyed reading, though I couldn't put them down at some points. Honestly, reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, I was tempted to skip an important appointment because the book was zooming along toward its climax. Maybe that's a definition of enjoyment, maybe not. I only know there were large parts of all three novels I had trouble reading. In fact there were a couple of passages I skipped. Knowing in general what happened was enough. The details of how were unimportant. (I'm not a prude, and I'm not in denial. I do choose sometimes not to imprint certain graphic mental images. There's enough bad stuff rattling around up there already.)


The books are disturbing. Lisbeth Salander was disturbing, with a sense of herself as judge and jury. She is a strong, compelling character. All the women in Larsson's books are strong. They're survivors of sometimes horrific events. Not superhuman, very human and flawed, but they handle themselves in a world dominated by men. They kick through their fear, which is what makes Lisbeth so impressive. 


Denise Mina, crime novelist, is adapting the Millennium series for DC Comics next year and was recently quoted describing Lisbeth as "a survivor of sexual abuse," and goes on to comment:  "I think every so often [Larsson] doesn't realise how frightened she is most of the time." In part that may be Larsson's writing style:  it's a blunt instrument, powerful and compelling most of the time, plodding in others. 


I wondered that it wasn't enough to destroy Dr. Peter Teleborian's testimony, credibility, and reputation. Larsson had to see him carted out of the courtroom for child pornography, too.