Book Review -- The Girl Who Played With Fire

An Introduction to Larsson’s Second Novel of the Millennium Trilogy

Mar 25, 2009 Sabrina Louise Webb

The Swedish author, Stieg Larsson famously wrote what is now the Millennium Trilogy, the second book is titled 'The Girl Who Played With Fire'

‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’ follows on from the first novel, ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ and the characters from the first book, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander return.

Journalism

The book begins with a young, inexperienced journalist, Dag Svensson, approaching Mikael Blomkvist, who is still working for Millennium magazine with information on the sex-trafficking industry that exists within Sweden. Dag’s girlfriend, Mia Johansson, who wrote her thesis on the subject have found vast amounts of information about people that have been involved in the illegal industry. Dag asks Blomkvist to publish the information they have found and he agrees.

Hacker

Salander, meanwhile, has had no physical contact with Blomkvist since they unravelled the mystery of Harriet Vanger. Salander being a genius computer hacker has been able to keep tabs on Blomkvist by reading the files on his computer. Thus, she finds out about the new investigation that Blomkvist is involved in.

Salander

During the course of her snooping, Salander comes across the name ‘Zala’, mentioned in Dag’s research that is recorded on Blomkvist’s computer. As a result, she goes to visit Dag and Mia at their apartment.

Murder

Shortly after her visit, Dag and Mia are found murdered and it is found that Salander’s prints are on the weapon that killed them both. Meanwhile, Salander’s corrupt guardian Nils Bjurman has been plotting against Salander and he too is found murdered.

Hunted

Salander is now being hunted by the entire Swedish police force for the murders of Dag, Mia and her former guardian. She seemingly disappears; neither the police nor Blomkvist can find her. But Salander’s unique brand of computer hacking allows her to contact Blomkvist feed him information about the people involved in the murders she has been accused of.

Revealed

It is unclear whether Salander is guilty or not; the police believe she is, as more and more disturbing information about her childhood and past is revealed in the tabloids.

Blomkvist, Palmer Holgren and Dragan Armanskij, the people closest to Salander, believe she is not the real killer. As the hunt for the real killer unfolds, Blomkvist is shocked to find out how personal the investigation is for Salander and just how involved she really is.

Reception

Like its predecessor, ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’ was a huge success. Numerous reviewers championed Salander as both a unique and alternative heroine; Larsson, like in the first book uses Salander as a tool to discuss social issues involving the structure of the care system, the roles of men and the origin of an individual’s crimes.

Reference & Useful Links:

The Girl Who Played With Fire

Publishers: MacLehose Press

Publication Date (UK): 06/01/2009

ISBN: 1847245560

Copies of The Girl Who Played With Fireare available here.

The copyright of the article Book Review -- The Girl Who Played With Fire in Mystery/Crime Fiction is owned by Sabrina Louise Webb. Permission to republish Book Review -- The Girl Who Played With Fire in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

The Girl Who Played With Fire