The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Book 9/50

These books are long yet addictive. And I am now done with the Millennium series. At least, with the texts. The movies are an entirely separate challenge.

The final installment leaves off exactly where the second ended. So if you've not read the first two books, this review will be a bit of a spoiler for you. Consider that your one and only warning. But that's just for the first two books. I'll play nice and try to keep the exciting details of this book to a minimum.

On to the book...

So when we last left our favorite reporter/hacker duo, there had been a massive shoot-out-turned-axe-attack at a distant Swedish barn. Our gal Salander had taken quite the beating and was rushed to the hospital covered in duct tape and brain bits. While she was being operated on, Blomkvist managed to get himself arrested for being a reporter, and Zalachenko was busy trying to convince everyone that he totally deserves Sweden's Father of the Year 2005. And Neanderthal the Blond Giant has successfully eluded capture from the police.

We spend a good deal of this book with Salander recovering in a hospital bed while Team Free Lisbeth fights the good fight to end all corruption in the government. The details are detailed. Very. But I don't want to spoil the good stuff for you, so suffer through it just as I did. It'll be worth it in the end. That or you'll fall asleep. Or both. Plan accordingly.

There is also a random Berger side story that could have easily been removed from the book without losing anything from the Salander/Zalachenko affair. Why it was included? Probably so we wouldn't get bored having pages upon pages about the forming of Sweden's secret police thrust upon us like a court appointed legal guardian. I know. That was mean.

Eventually, we get to Försök av århundradet (at least, that's what pops up in Google Translate when you type "The Trial of the Century"...but when you reverse the search, it translates to "Try of the Century"...works for me). As my one basis for understanding the Swedish judicial system is founded entirely on Salander's trial in this book, I am convinced wholeheartedly that Law & Order: SIS would be a major hit in America. MAJOR.

Following what I can only describe as the most insane legal proceeding I have ever heard of, the trilogy wraps up. As I am pleased with the overall outcome (although still baffled by some random character motivation and bizarro plot points), I will refrain from giving you much more than that.

It was a long journey but worth all the reading. Now I've got a film to watch. Can't wait to see how Michael Nyqvist's non-womanizing portrayal of Blomkvist manages to wrap up his version of the trilogy. Catch up already, Daniel Craig!