Larsson has not only developed existing characters such as Blomkvist’s Editor Berger and Salander’s employer Armansky to a much greater degree, but has also created new characters equally as engaging as Salander and Blomkvist. In an unexpected masterstroke Larsson removes Salander entirely from the middle third of the book, allowing the creation of a separate string of action away from her and Blomkvist as we follow the investigation. The interaction between the various elements of the police are some of the best crafted sections in the book, and amusingly it seems as if Larsson has created a miniature version of the Salander- Blomkvist relationship we saw in the first book between Inspectors Bublanski and Modig- a different situation but no less engaging. The introduction of serious police characters itself is a welcome breath of fresh air, and gives somewhat more credence to the ‘Crime Fiction’ monicker attached to these books, which seemed reductive when applied to the first, and was somewhat undermined by the lack of any sort of convincing police presence.

The much anticipated revelation of Salander’s past is quite simply stunning. Interweaving elements from the first book with his typical drip- feed of new information, Larsson creates a world in which we feel as if we are involved in the investigation, as both Blomkvist and the police piece together the truth. The pace is varied, and despite a slow start to the book (more of a round up tying up lose ends from the first) when the action starts the pace is unrelenting, building up to a huge twist- fairly predictable, but no less exciting or intriguing- setting up a brutal and shocking conclusion.

One of Larsson’s talents is for really allowing us to get inside the mind of characters, adjusting his style to suit their personalities and using their mannerisms and turns of phrase during descriptive elements. Indeed, no new characters seem to be simply described objectively, but at different points they are depicted and analysed by each of their peers. Miriam Wu is savagely derided by Faste, yet appreciated and understood by Modig. The result of these subjective descriptions is that we develop not only an appreciation of the speaker’s attitude and character, but we also build up a multi-faceted description of every character, as seen through the eyes and mind of those they interact with. This level of immersion and characterisation in a crime fiction novel is rare, setting Larsson apart from his contemporaries.

However, the extraneous and one- dimensional characters that plagued the first novel do return, although fewer than before, as do the mediocre and astonishingly stereotypical action sequences. The stock characters also return to bore us- the obligatory misogynist dinosaur policeman Faste and his counterpoint, indignant lesbian Miriam Wu spring to mind. However, the biggest disappointment (which some would call this unforgivable in a crime fiction novel) are the villains who, when they are finally revealed, including the mysterious figure that had stalked the previous 200-odd pages, are frankly laughable and terribly clichéd (a seven foot giant who cannot feel pain who crushes men to death this his bare hands? Seriously?). They seem a baffling weak point for an author so skilled in character development, a fact displayed by the engaging and charismatic protagonists in both this and the previous novel.

So whilst both similar and different to the first, the aforementioned simpler plotline most certainly does not indicate a dumbing- down that the more cynical among us would be tempted to presume. On the contrary, this is an excellent sequel, a complimentary novel that by taking a wildly different approach from the previous book manages to iron out most of its flaws, whist retaining the imagination and sparkling style that got us hooked into the first book and will thrust us eagerly straight into the third and final novel, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.

The plot centres equally around two main protagonists. Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist facing a jail term for libel, who is hired by the head of the dynastic Vanger Corporation to investigate the disappearance of his niece nearly forty years earlier. Lisbeth Salander, a young woman, declared mentally unsound with a tormented past, and yet a genius hacker and an outstanding private investigator. Gradually their paths cross as they both struggle to figure out the Vanger mystery, unearthing well hidden, often disturbing family secrets along the way.

What makes this stand out from other crime fiction novels is that it tackles more than just the traditional fodder of the typical genre – at various points in the plot, there are elements of psycho analysis, a critique of the Swedish mental- health system, a reliance upon theology and symbology to solve certain riddles, as well as romantic elements contrasted with brutal violence, and parts touching upon journalistic practice, corporate fraud, woman’s rights and the abuse of power in general. Larsson has without doubt taken on an ambitious task, but he excels at interweaving these different and often conflicting themes into a brilliantly fast paced and engaging narrative. There is a healthy balance to all these elements, and the plot flows smoothly without the feeling of suffocation that can occur when an author focuses heavily on a specific element- such as Dan Brown’s heavy reliance upon symbology, or the extended use of forensics and police procedure in James Patterson’s novels.

The characters of Salander and Blomkvist are well developed, and Larsson’s style provides an intricate insight into their lives, giving us access to their innermost thoughts and feelings whilst retaining an objective tone. He seamlessly switches between the cold, precise thoughts and feelings of Salander to the more emotionally charged, sensitive yet professional mind of Blomkvist. Later on the interaction between the two characters is mesmerizing, as we see their relationship blossom despite their polar opposite personas, and we hunger for more information about their lives as they gradually reveal their secrets to each other. A lot is left unresolved, certain aspects are given a brief ambiguous explanation, possibly (and hopefully) in anticipation of their resolution in the following two novels. Like any skilled writer of a ‘locked-room mystery’ Larsson drip feeds us information about these two remarkable characters, but we are constantly left with the feeling he has kept hidden more than he has revealed- a perfect balance between intimacy and mystery.

Yet the supporting characters seem overshadowed by these two colossal figures within the narrative. Each character is given his or her brief introduction, painting a rough picture of them, but yet very few are developed in any depth, and only a few members of the extensive Vanger family feel more than just one dimensional ‘stock’ figures. No more is this the case than with the ‘villain’ of the novel- a wasted opportunity for a more developed evil within the book, which would have provided an excellent contrast to the well rounded and detailed protagonists. It almost seems as if the supporting cast’s function is purely to provide opportunity for more insight into the lives of Salander and Blomkvist by their interactions with the various other characters, rather than standing alone as objects of interest in their own right. They seem to just pop in and pop out, serving their purpose as disposable ‘foils’ for Larsson to meticulously develop his two protagonists.

This is a truly ground breaking novel, a hybrid if you will, combining many elements of popular fiction in a perfect balance that never feels clogged or overly complex. In Salander and Blomkvist he creates characters who are both memorable, intriguing and mysterious, whom we crave to know more about. Larsson’s skill is not in creating people that we all empathise with or can find some element of them in ourselves, but in the opposite- creating those who are an enigma to us. Normally it is the socially unstable villain who we struggle to understand, but in this case Larsson brilliantly endows this attribute upon his heroes. Salander, the social introvert, and Blomkvist, the jaded journalist, provide a challenge for us a readers to unravel their mysteries and find out more about their multi- faceted personas.

And the ending, typically of Larsson, keeps far more hidden than it reveals, teasing us with a conclusion that draws one into the second book in the saga, The Girl who Played with Fire.