The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first novel of the trilogy, has been a European sensation. The Swedish author, Stieg Larsson, who died of a massive heart attack at the age of 50 handed in the copies and never got a chance to see it get published. The first installment of the trilogy talks about a 40-year old murder mystery, the downfall of journalist Mikael Blomkovist, and a corrupted businessman.
In this novel, there is mystery, love, and overall the absolute devastation of being powerless. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo discusses the power of family, misfortune, and hope for what the truth holds. When one family member with one unimaginable lie is being investigated, the truth will come out.
This thriller kept me on my toes as I was reading. It was very well written with much emphasis on every exact topic. I enjoyed this book because of its thrilling mystery case and its underlining topic of how the Vanger family is "clearly dysfunctional." Though most of the book examines the 40-year old mystery, there are parts that are unsettling. This novel notes rape and other forms of sexual abuse that were not pleasant to read about. Other than that, this book was very interesting and I give it two thumbs up.