I finally finished this book the other night. It took me a really long time to get into it. Compared to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it has a really complicated storyline that deals with sex, drugs, trafficking, and so many names that are Swedish that it's really difficult to wade through the all names, relationships and information.
Finally towards the middle of the book, the story picked up and it started to get exciting. There were all these connections between the characters that made you set the book in your lap and say "WOAH WHAT!?" And of course, the awful cliffhanger ending that makes you want to immediately pick up Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. And of course, all the libraries in my surrounding area don't have it, are ordering more and almost all are on hold by other people and due at much later dates. But I'll find a way. Even though I hate electronic book readers, I might just have to download the book onto my iPod and read it that way.
Anyway, it's an interesting sequel to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, though if you desire more of the relationship between Mikael and Lisbeth, don't get your hopes up too much. Mikael spends more of the book chasing Lisbeth's tail, and they don't actually speak face-to-face at all the entire 600 some pages, which leaves some to be desired, but I'm putting my faith in Hornet's nest that they'll meet again.
My suggestion for this book is to keep a piece of paper and a pen with you while reading it and write down people's names and who they are and what they're purpose is in the story. I've had to do that before with other books just to keep all the names and relationships straight, and I think it would be helpful for the serious reader of this book. Unless you're good at remembering all that. I'm not.
Looking forward to an update after reading Hornet's Nest and a whole review of the trilogy that Stieg Larsson so sadly missed the popularity of.
