The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye

Publisher's Summary

The girl with the dragon tattoo is not given to forgiveness.

Lisbeth Salander has been forged by a brutal childhood and horrific abuse. And repeated attempts on her life.

The ink embedded in her skin is a constant reminder of her pledge to fight against the injustice she finds on every side.

Confinement to the secure unit of a women's prison is intended as a punishment. Instead, Lisbeth finds herself in relative safety. Flodberga is a failing prison, effectively controlled by the inmates, and for a computer hacker of her exceptional gifts there are no boundaries.

Mikael Blomkvist makes the long trip to visit every week - and receives a lead to follow for his pains, one that could provide an important exposé for Millennium: Salander tells him to check out Leo Mannheimer, a seemingly reputable stockbroker from Stockholm, somehow connected to the long-ago death of a child psychologist - and to the psychiatric unit where Lisbeth was an involuntary patient as a child.

Lisbeth knows she is coming closer to solving the mysteries of her early life, and even within the confines of the prison, she feels the deadly influence exerted by her twin sister. She cannot stand by as racial and religious conflicts run unchecked amongst the community around her, manipulated by criminal forces far beyond the prison walls.

Salander will stand up for what she believes in. She will find out the truth. Whatever the cost...

The tension, power and unstoppable force of The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye are inspired by Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, as Salander and Blomkvist continue the fight for justice that has thrilled millions of readers across the world.

Translated from the Swedish by George Goulding.

©2017 David Lagercrantz (P)2016 Quercus Publishing

Critic Reviews

"Lagercrantz has more than met the challenge. Larsson's brainchildren are in good hands." ( Wall Street Journal)

"Lagercrantz pulls it off, and with a great deal of style." ( Observer)

"Salander and Blomkvist are just as compelling as ever." ( New York Times)

Doesn't quite hit the mark

The plot had promise but it just is too convenient with just in time saves. The author should have spent more time developing the characters rather than just chasing sensational situations.
Pitty.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A pity about the performance

I have enjoy the full series, but found this book lacking. I kept looking and hoping to find this book read by someone else just so I could enjoy the story some more. I would gladly send it back and listen to it again if read by someone else, more fluid and not so staccato.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

David Lagercrantz does an excellent job of continu

David Lagercrantz does an excellent job of continuing the Steig Larsen trilogy and securing a place in my top tier of writers. Narrated by one of the all time best narrators Saul Reichlin what could be better? How much more punishment can Lisbeth Salander take? Look forward to the next one.

Tedious

I have enjoyed the dragon tattoo series but couldn’t finish this one. There was too much mundane detail and not enough interaction of the characters we’ve come to love

lacks a bit of the darkness of its predecessors

lacks a bit of the darkness of its predecessors but worth a listen. i will be getting the next one.

I almost abandoned the book because of the poop performance

I love the millennium series and I was so eager to finally get to listen to the book. I got so disappointed with the horrible performance of the reader. He pronounces all the names differently, his diction and timing is really off. I struggled to listen to the book and almost dropped it altogether.

Very enjoyable from a good author

At first I was hesitant to listen to this book. I didn't enjoy the previous book as much as I'd hoped. I'm glad that I did, because in contrast to the previous book, where, at times, the characters was so exaggerated they almost seemed like parodies of Larssons characters, in this they are great. The dialogue between them is good, and the book has a nice flow. The story is intricate and very well written and thought out. We finally get to know the reason for Salanders dragon tattoo, and learn more about her past. The book springs into action at once, unlike the previous book where it took some time before something really happened.

One has to remember that this is a different author than the first three books, so of course the writing style and flow will be different. Lagercrantz does a great job and makes the characters his own, which in itself is no easy feat considering the mastery of Stieg Larsson. I really enjoyed this book.

As with the previous books in the series: Saul Reichlin does an amazing job as the narrator.

disappointing

awkward translation did not enjoy it...battled to finish it. won't be buying the next one

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Wish they would stop.

A disappointing addition to the Stieg Larsson memorial series. Wish they would stop or get better writters.

0 of 2 people found this review helpful

The Story That Makes Salander a Sideshow

When David Lagercrantz controversially took the Millenium series forwards I think a lot of people had reservations but Stieg Larsson had created such wonderful characters that we felt they deserved to live on. With the first book I think Lagercrantz managed to pull it off pretty well. This one though I am not so sure. It's a pleasing enough mystery that he weaves and an interesting look into the evergreen nature vs nurture debate. Unlike others in the series it does tie off all the loose ends nicely and it further explores the hellish fires of Lisbeth's childhood that forged the wonderful character we've come to love. It also starts very well with Salander behind bars in a tough environment still trying to serve justice in her own inimitable way.

Saul Reichlin is an excellent narrator and does a good enough job of this one though as I thought before I don't think he has the youthful "edge" that's required to do a number of the characters full justice.

So, what's not to like? Well simply put while this is a decent if relatively tame story it does seem to have taken full precedence and the characters are sacrificed for it somewhat. Despite a few decent scenes at the beginning and some excellent interactions with her old guardian Salander is a side show for much of the book and Blomqvist although prominent seems to be merely a means to move it forwards and flesh out the background.

In summary I still enjoyed it but I think that if Lagercrantz is going to continue to roll these out he needs to adjust the balance between his own clever story ideas and allowing the characters we all love to take their full part.

34 of 40 people found this review helpful

I wish Larsson hadn't left us

Lagercrantz had a lot to live up to and the previous book was a valiant (passable) attempt (though far from the quality of the trilogy), but this is just a mess and a shame.

I'm sure there are other writers whom could closer match the style and intelligence of Larsson and put the characters to a more creative use, but alas I feel Lagercrantz isn't the one. I had to tear myself away from my computer when listening to the first 3. The Girl Caught In The Spiders Web was a fair effort but I could only listen in parts before getting fidgety. This one I don't think I can even bring myself to finish.

Such a shame. Saul narrates beautifully as usual but this story is just too boring and incoherent. I wish it wasn't so.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Too much Blomkvist

Too little Salander. Lagerkrantz does not get into Salander. Sorry, I am not happy with this book

16 of 20 people found this review helpful

Where is Lizbeth Salander?

Can't believe it's the same writer who wrote the 4th book in the series. Maybe Lagercrantz studied Stieg Larsson's style of writing a lot for the previous book and experimented with his own style this time. Well! It was a total flop. It's as if the author thinks we are all totally dumb that every single moment and issue has to be elaborated and supported with background info. Lisbeth Salander makes only occasional appearances in between a lot of drivel and even then she isn't acting like herself. Well, she is not ACTING at all. That's the whole problem. The book is missing on action completely. There is no mystery, no sense of impending danger, no thrill that was part and parcel of Stieg Larsson's books - things that kept us on our toes, every minute full of action, heart throbbing anticipation, and hope that lisbeth would survive the next moment, the next turn. That is all missing. Lisbeth herself is missing from the book.
My request to the author. Please don't write another book in this series. Just let it be.

19 of 24 people found this review helpful

BITTY BOOK

I strugglcd with continuity owing to repeated and lengthy references to eventss in the past

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Very poor read

Nothing like the trilogy, Salander is a bit part, the story jumps around too much, which does not improve the plot. This is the first audio book I have actually given up on before the end, and i have listened to some bad ones!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Gripping

Still have many unanswered questions regarding Lissbeth Sallander.absolutely loved it.couldnt stop listening.just get it and enjoy

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Not as good as the others

This book was ok, but the narrator sounds really old, which doesn’t suit the story. The plot itself is quite interesting but it certainly didn’t grab me the way the first three - and to a certain extent - the fourth, did. I don’t regret buying it, I was just a little disappointed.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Poor story line

Very disappointed in this book.
Nowhere near the originals ......so poor I decided not to finish

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Worst of the Series

What was most disappointing about David Lagercrantz and George Goulding - translator ’s story?

To little focus on Salander in this book and not a patch on the original trilogy. The only thing that made this bearable was the performance of the narrator. Very disappointing.

12 of 16 people found this review helpful