The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest: A Lisbeth Salander Novel

The spellbinding conclusion to Steig Larsson's Millinnium Trilogy has Lisbeth Salander taken to the hospital after being shot three times. She's in critical condition with a bullet to the brain. Her friend, Mikael Blomkvist found her and called in help. He tells the police that he tied killer Ronald Niedermann to a road sign and could be taken in to custody. He also warns them to be careful of him. The police don't heed his warning and Niedermann kills one police officer and beats the other severely. Former Russian hit man, Alexander Zalachenko, who is Salander's father had shot and burried her alive. Always resourceful, Salander scrapes her way out of her grave and wounds her father with an ax. Inspector Modig and Criminal Inspector Marcus Erlander from the violent crimes division of the police are investigating. Blomkvist asks Insp. Modig if she will make sure that there isn't a cover up for the crimes against Salander by the Secret Service, i.e. SAPO. It was they who brought Zalachenko into the country and declared Salander insane after she finally took action against her father for the years of extreme physical abuse he gave her mother. Blomkvist also persuades his sister Annika Giannini to act as Salander's attorney. In this complex but suspenseful plot, Everett Gullberg is the former chief of Sweden's secret police. It was he who appointed Gunnar Bjorck who, was one of the major players in SAPO's recruitment and cover up of Zalachenko. Gullberg tells the current secret service group that they have to discredit Salander and make sure that Zalachenko doesn't get to tell what he knows. This is a significant work of literature. It does for Sweden what "Doctor Zhivago" did for Russia, it brings that country into the current age of major literature. The story is very realistic and emotionally captivating. It could have used some editing but nevertheless is an outstanding novel.

What a thrilling conclusion! Picking up right where the previous book ended, Larsson balanced his large cast of characters through till the very exciting conclusion of his trilogy. There were, naturally, some new developments and interesting side plots, but the majority of this book wrapped up plot elements started in the previous two books. I am going to miss these characters - even more so now that I know that the series was expected to continue on for at least another seven books (would this shadowy twin have played a larger role??... that remains one of my biggest un-addressed questions). Lisbeth utterly charmed me, she is an impressive heroine, and all the more so since she was sketched into existence by a man. In fact, it is this underlying tone of Larsson's great respect for women (made even more crystal clear in this book in particular) that makes me even more depressed that these are his only finished novels before his untimely demise. My only real complaint about the book - though I did enjoy every single page - was that many of the salient facts were frequently repeated. And considering the book's overall length, it seems that it was rather hesitantly edited (perhaps due to the posthumous publication and translation?) because it could have been made into a much tighter novel. Still, this trilogy as a whole was thoroughly impressive and the Swedish setting only added to make things even more fascinating.

Another great, fast-paced read. Hornet's Nest picks up right where The girl who played with fie left off and doesn't stop until the last chapter. There was never a point where I wanted to put this book down. The final book of the trilogy was able to throw a lot of detailed plot in since we already know the main characters so well. My only disappointment was the final chapter which tied up some loose ends in an odd way that I felt didn't need to be tied up any more. I recommend all three books!