The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

A Lisbeth Salander Novel

By: Stieg Larsson, Reg Keeland - translator

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 16 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The thrilling first book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series featuring Lisbeth Salander: “Combine the chilly Swedish backdrop and moody psychodrama of a Bergman movie with the grisly pyrotechnics of a serial-killer thriller, then add an angry punk heroine and a down-on-his-luck investigative journalist, and you have the ingredients of Stieg Larsson’s first novel” (The New York Times). • Also known as the Millennium series

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

Look for the latest book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, The Girl in the Eagle's Talons, coming soon!

Listen to the rest of The Millennium Trilogy.

©2008 Stieg Larsson (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Cases rarely come much colder than the decades-old disappearance of teen heiress Harriet Vanger from her family's remote island retreat north of Stockholm, nor do fiction debuts hotter than this European best seller...At once a strikingly original thriller and a vivisection of Sweden's dirty not-so-little secrets, this first of a trilogy introduces a provocatively odd couple." (Publishers Weekly)

"Combine the chilly Swedish backdrop and moody psychodrama of a Bergman movie with the grisly pyrotechnics of a serial-killer thriller, then add an angry punk heroine and a down-on-his-luck investigative journalist, and you have the ingredients of Stieg Larsson's first novel." (The New York Times)

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a striking novel. Just when I was thinking there wasn't anything new on the horizon, along comes Stieg Larsson with this wonderfully unique story. I was completely absorbed." (Michael Connelly)

it pulls you in!

If you could sum up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in three words, what would they be?

incredible story writing

Who was your favorite character and why?

lisbeth has become my hero! she is always one step ahead and constantly surprising you as the reader.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

he conveys emotion through his voice. and I love his accent!

Any additional comments?

It was a great story and undoubtedly a re-reader. At one point my jaw literally dropped.

one of the best

I never rate ,but here we go, If you don,t buy this book it,s you loss , this author is fresh, not the some old song and dance

A Shock and Awe Description of Women In Sweden!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I recommend this book if you like a story that takes time in finding its way around the Story Line. If you like puzzles you will be spell bound.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It was Elizabeth. No, I have none of the Tats or piercings except for earrings. I feel Her vulnerability. Even, the isolation She needs to survive and accept the world around Her.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first time I have listened to Simon Vance, Unless He does Nero Wolfe- Rex Stout, John Grisham, Tony Hillerman, James Lee Burke, etc.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, the flowers, I yearned for more. I wanted to know How Harriet, in such a family, came to find a way to learn the pressing of flowers. The pressing of flowers, is so much a part of the rape of Elizabeth by Her Controller.

Any additional comments?

Over all there are parts I would have added to, However, this book is great to listen too and to read. I recommend it be purchased in the way most dear to each reader.

Wonderful!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It took me in and I didn't want to stop until it was over.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The girl. She was well developed and unpredictable.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't. But he did a great job. He was an integral part of the great experience.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It did make me laugh in a few places. No crying. But gripping, I would say.

Any additional comments?

Can't wait to hear books 2 & 3 of the trilogy.

Incredible

awesome story and i love Simon Vance reading it. this trilogy is a favorite for me!

An Engaging and Dark Mystery Novel - Good Stuff

What did you love best about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?

The character and plot development are excellent.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mikael Blomkvist is the man.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I like the way the book ends. I don't want to give it away.

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book. But beware, it gets graphic and disturbing.

Untangling the mystery

What made the experience of listening to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo the most enjoyable?

Once I got past the beginning that I had to listen to twice, I got into the story. It helped to look up a list of characters online to see the words in print which helped me to associate them better when listening. The story line changes from character to character quickly enough to keep it interesting.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?

When Salender started cooperating with Blomkvist, even though she did not open up to him, she let her guard down a bit becoming a bit more normal. It helps the reader like her character more. I appreciated the strength Salender had when faced with situations that seemed intolerable.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this story in just a few sessions.

Any additional comments?

The book was good and left off at a point where the reader is eager to find out what happens next.

Read them all

Any additional comments?

I have listened to all 4 millennium books and loved them all. Lisbeth is one of the great characters in mystery/suspense literature.

Thank you Simon Vance

There is no better person to narrate this book than Simon Vance. He truly is a master craftsman, able to give a unique and stirring voice to a story most people have an idea about. Stieg Larson’s unique story is at once dark, compelling, twisted, but ultimately deeply human. It encompasses a bit of everything in the human experience.

Surprisingly good.

What made the experience of listening to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo the most enjoyable?

All of the foreign names and words spoken with the proper accent and ennunciation.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The girl, of course. She is quite a mystery and a very complex character.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It is too long. But I listen to Audible books in the car, and this one was particularly good for a my 700 mile trip.