“The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest”
Millennium #3
by Stieg Larsson
Nikki’s Rating: 10 out of 10
Summary: Shot in the head and fighting for her life, Lisbeth Salander must now prepare for the trial of her life. Facing charges for 3 murders, Mikhael Blomkvist is desperate to prove Lisbeth’s innocence. But now it is not just Lisbeth’s father they will expose, but the Swedish government. The clock is ticking as government agents move to silence Mikhael and Lisbeth forever.
10 Greatest Things about THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST by Stieg Larsson
(May Contain Spoilers)
1. The Writing
As with the other books in the Millennium series, “The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” was a thrilling masterpiece. Hard to put down, this novel was a rollercoaster of emotions and anticipation.
2. Lisbeth Salander
An unforgettable heroine who continues to push on with strength and determination regardless of being the victim of traumatic abuse at the hands of so many men in her life.
3. Sexuality
Throughout the Millennium series, Lisbeth’s character never conforms to a label on her sexuality and openly opposes the idea of giving herself a label. She consistently displays a healthy acceptance of herself and her fluid sexuality without judgment.
4. Polyamorous
The Millenium series also includes a portrayal of a healthy polyamorous relationship that is presented in a nonjudgemental manner with the characters being mature and respectful of each other.
5. Sexism
Larsson uses his characters and their stories to portray the sexism that many women experience every day in real life. From questions about their sexuality and other sexual comments to believing that their work is less than simply because they are a woman; sexism leads to violence against women.
6. Violence Against Women
Larsson’s most important theme throughout the Millennium series is that of violence against women. Larsson includes examples of rape, assault, stalking, and harassment of women in the series.
7. The Characters
The whole Millennium series includes characters readers become invested in and truly care about. Characters with depth, with both irritating and endearing qualities; readers fall in love with them, regardless of their faults.
8. Corruption
“The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” accurately portrays how easy it is for a group of people, especially in the government, to be seduced by the idea of their own power and importance. Without proper oversight and transparency, corruption is easy and can have devasting effects for many.
9. Sweden
While by no means a detailed account of Sweden, it was enjoyable and interesting to read a book that was placed in modern-day Sweden.
10. The Ending
Happy to report that while Larsson intended for the Millennium series to continue and then unexpectedly died after completed the transcripts for the first 3 novels, “The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” concludes satisfyingly and has an overall happy ending with no cliffhangers to drive readers mad.
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