Review: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
by Stieg Larsson
Published by Knopf
Publication Date May 25, 2010
Source: Bought
Genres: Thriller
Goodreads

Lisbeth Salander - the heart of Larsson's two previous novels - lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge - against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest is the last novel in the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.  The third installment picks up where The Girl Who Played With Fire left off, our hero Lisbeth Salander hanging on through life and death after being shot in the head.  When she is “captured” and taken to the hospital she is put under security until she can be transferred to jail and await the trial.  Meanwhile, those at Millennium and Milton Security are working hard to prove her innocence.

I felt The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest was just as fast paced as it’s predecessors and grew a stronger bond to the characters making it more difficult to shut the book. Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander could be compared to a modern-day Nick and Nora Charles.  They banter, drink freely and have sex without a second thought.  They are on the case first, discovering clues that others have glaringly missed making it look as easy as tying your shoes.

I do have two small complaints, that while sometimes a bit annoying still did not detract from the storyline for me.  One is that Stieg Larsson goes into great detail of the politics of Sweden  and while it can be interesting could have shortened the novel by at least a hundred pages.  Second, there were a plethora of evil-doers all conspiring against Salander and sometimes I got confused or mixed up on who was who, having to flip back and forth to make sure I had it straight.

Like the two before, the ending was a pageturner and  sped read as fast I could go, waiting on pins and needles while reaching the conclusion of the Millennium Trilogy.