My decision to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson started with a lukewarm review.  Michiko Kakutani’s notice for The New York Times includes one-liners like this one:  “it’s clear as the story progresses that Mr. Larsson has no idea how to create a credible villain.”  Oddly, the review ends with Michiko looking forward to the author’s next book.  If you can get a mixed review from Kakutani, that’s close enough.  She hates fiction.  I’m convinced.

What sealed the deal is that the book is set in Sweden and is written by a Swedish author.  Since I’m a regular reader and fan of a select group of Swedish lit blogs (more on them in a minute), I couldn’t wait to read one of their authors.  It’s book geekdom on an international scale.

Girl begins with Michael Blomkvist, a financial investigative reporter, on trial for libeling a captain of industry.  Blomkvist chooses not to defend himself of the charges, even though it is clear that the plaintiff is clearly a criminal dirt bag.  We learn that Michael enjoyed early success by accidentally solving the case of a string of bank robberies, which earned him the nickname Kalle Blomkvist.  Blomkvist hates the nickname, but the joke is not explained to American readers.  As it turns out, Kalle Blomkvist is a the hero of a famous book series about a teenage detective by the author of Pippi Longstockings, Astrid Lindgren.

In between the early chapters on Michael, we are introduced to a scrawny, tattooed girl, Lisbeth Salander, who finds herself in the unlikely employ of a high end corporate security firm.  Lisbeth is emotionally scarred, anti-social, possibly afflicted with an eating disorder, and rejects authority every chance she gets.  Oh, and she’s a ward of the State.  Her computing hacking savvy and investigative skills earn Lisbeth a steady paycheck, even if she unnerves everyone she meets. (Michiko envisions Lisbeth being played by Angelina Jolie - wrong!)

Before Michael reports to prison, he is summoned to the north of Sweden to meet with an aging tycoon who is the patriarch of a family owned Swedish multi-national industrial concern.  The tycoon offers Michael an intriguing proposition and possible road to redemption.  All he needs to do is solve a 40 year old family mystery that has become an obsession for the old man and write a history of the family.

Eventually, Michael and Lisbeth cross paths and must join forces to solve the mystery.  (That revelation can not be misconstrued as a spoiler - it is self-evident.)  They are an unlikely couple, the urbane reporter and the prickly sociopath. Naturally they have undeniable chemistry together (even Michiko thinks so).

From what I gather, Larsson turned in three completed novels to his publisher before his untimely death shortly thereafter.  The novels were all bestsellers, and each features Michael and Lisbeth.  Like Michiko, I am looking forward to the next one (due in August of 2009).  I enjoyed the novel very much, and I was fascinated by the Swedish backdrop.  I’m ready to fly there and check it out first hand.  Much of the action takes place in the winter time as Michael researches the case in the north of Sweden.  Given the frosty clime, this would be a good book to have in your to be read stack for the cold nights ahead.

OK.  Back to my Swedish lit blogging pals.  I first discovered these wonderful blogs because they had the good taste to link to our site.  Intrigued, I’ve been checking them out ever since.  I don’t understand Swedish, but Google translator can get you close enough.  Check out these excellent Swedish lit blogs:

Swedes, let us know what you think of the Larsson books.