The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, Narrated by Simon Vance (Read Via Audible.com)

What a first book!

The story revolves around Mikael Blomkvist, a writer/publisher of Millennium. The story starts of Mikael being prosecuted for libel for a story he published about Hans-Erik Wennerström. After getting burned and his reputation in the can. He was then offered a ‘freelance assignment’ for an old acquaintance named Henrik Vanger, a retired industrialist and former CEO of the Vanger Corporation. Henrik knew Mikael from his childhood where he used to play when he was young. He tasked Mikael to give a fresh look on a mystery that was plaguing him for half his life. The disappearance of his great-niece Harriet Vanger.

What surprised me the most about going back to the first book on how much character there is. Reading it took me through great character arcs of both Blomkvist and Salander. I really saw how they evolved as people in the first book and how that information shaped them for their transition for the second book. Brilliant!

One of the great themes over the two books (so far I have read) which I really love is the nature of relationships and interaction. This book had a great quibble that really highlighted this theme. To paraphrase Blomkvist: Friendship has two key parts; trust and respect. It has been one of this trilogy’s greatest strengths so far. That these two characters are by no means have lived a picturesque lifestyle. In the case of Salander, she has lived almost the opposite - the trifecta of Epic Fail really.. However the roots are there, and the dynamic between them is just plain gold to read and to reflect on.

I have to say, so far this is definitely a series I do see myself reading over and over again (hopefully the last book can do the same!).

10/10