Book me fail... The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

[byslantedlight]

I'm not doing very well with this one, I'm afraid - I'm not particularly enjoying it at all, which is odd, cos two people recced it, and someone else said it was on their to-read list! So what's gone wrong...

I think, for me, it's the writing style - I feel as if the story is being explained to me, rather than told in a way that makes me imagine it, makes me feel like I'm watching it, or a part of it, which is really why I read at all... For example:
Blomkvist regretted his decision before even he left for home, but by then it was too awkward to call and cancel. So on the morning of 26 December he was on the train heading north. He had a driver's licence but he had never felt the need to own a car.

or
Instead of giving Salander the boot, he summoned her for a meeting in which he tried to work out what made the difficult girl tick. His impression was confirmed that she suffered from some serious emotional problem, but he also discovered that behind her sullen facade there was an unusual intelligence. He found her prickly and irksome, but much to his surprise he began to like her.

It doesn't sound too bad in isolation like that, but page after page of it leaves me feeling kind of tired rather than interested to find out next... Why do I need to know the thing about the driving license? It just makes me stop and think you told me this because...? And I'd like to see the meeting with Salander, rather than be told about it, if you know what I mean...

Also, so far the characters are all absolutely perfect - Blomkvist has fallen for some trap, but he's a fine, upstanding man, has money, enough charisma to be on tv, is almost certainly good-looking. Salander is pretty but quirky, incredibly clever but rebellious, again charismatic "despite" being sullen and teenager-like. She's young, and turns up to work only when she wants to, is brilliant enough that she earns enough to do whatever she wants (including only working when she wants) and she also has time to visit sick mother in hospital and treat her with patience and tender care... Gaaargh! I'm waiting for the bad guy to be seen kicking a puppy, to be honest...

But there has to be a reason this book - trilogy in fact - is so well thought of. Does the plot turn out to be fabulous? Or...?

I might have to put this one down (I didn't say I had to finish every book on the list - and life's too short to be that bored... *g*) but I'd still like to know why other people like it so much?

Comments

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

I am so happy you don't like this :) It was one of my Book Club's reads a few months ago and I loathed it (I did finish it but under sufferance). Everyone else adored it and has read the whole series. There seemed to have been a point in the first book where it just suddenly grabbed them, even when they'd been a bit meh to begin with. I never got grabbed, although I was not in a good book-reading frame of mind at the time for some reason. Also I tend not to like thriller/whodunnits much. But unfortunately I didn't like Salander either, which is a bit key ... Overall, if I really think about it, I didn't enjoy Larsson's style. It was too much hard work, didn't give me enough emotional light and shade, and I agree with your thought that the story was being over-explained. It made me not care about the plot (which was a bit complex for a lightweight like me). But oh well. There's a film upcoming, I believe? Any idea who's going to be in it? Chuck the book on the epic fail pile and get on to the next one, love :) (the voice of a very flaky literature student here) *g*

[erushi.livejournal.com]

I wonder if this is a cultural style thing? I read this other English-translated work by another Swedish writer, and the syntax/style was closely similar to what you've quoted above. And I know, for example, that reading English-translated works by Japanese (or even Chinese, though the Chinese aren't quite as bad) works are usually really heavy on dramatic imagery and setting, so much so that when compared to native English works, the story often seems bogged down. I wonder if we're all influenced in the way we right by the societies we grew up in. Hm!

[scherwood]

I love the three movies, but I don't like the books that much. It might have been part translation - part story - part characters. Salander is so much cooler in the movies. And Larsson have this weird way of writing, that I don't like, I'm much more into Jan Guillou. :)

[lukadreaming.livejournal.com]

I rate the trilogy very highly. I read a lot of crime fiction, and often feel burned out. What I liked about Larsson was the wider view of a nation and its corruptions -- something that you see much more of in the later books. I liked Salander, so that made a difference for me.

There is, though, an issue with the translation of the first book in the trilogy. I *think* I'm right in saying that the translator wasn't happy with some of the changes made to his translation later on. I've read other stuff he's translated, and he's usually pretty reliable.

Swedish crime fiction, though, is never what you'd call sprightly and a laugh a minute *g*.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Haven't read the books yet...but on a completely OT note, I seem to have lost all the info/links for the Pros gathering...there was going to be one, right? Forgive me if I remember incorrectly, I don't retain info well these days!

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Found it! Just ignore me ;)