The Girl Who Played With Fire

Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played With Fire is the second book in the posthumously published action thriller trilogy by Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson. Larsson builds on the background of his central character, Lisbeth Salander that was established but not completely revealed in the first novel, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. There are references to events in that book throughout The Girl Who Played With Fire and, although Larsson tries to fill in a bit, it makes much more sense to someone who has read the first book.

The Girl Who Played With Fire is both less graphically violent and more plot driven and exiting than The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. There is a considerable amount of violence, mind you, but the way it is presented is more artful and less stomach turning. I found myself reading it at one in the morning when I knew that I would have to get up at six.


Where The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was about corruption in big business, Nazis and misanthropic men, The Girl Who Played With Fire contains corruption in government, particularly the police, international spies and the sex slavery trade. Naturally there are plenty of misanthropic men. It wasn't until near the every end of the book that the significance of the title appeared. Don't read ahead.

I'm going out looking for book three, now: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest.




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keywords: fiction, thriller, Sweden, Stieg Larsson