A Book Review: Don’t Ever Leave, Lisbeth

There’s something really sexy and badass about a little wispy woman who can pack a punch and hack into the most difficult of firewalls. I realize that last part probably sounded super juvenile because I don’t really know any hacker lingo, but still, Lisbeth Salander was definitely a fun heroine to follow in the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.

So of course I was excited to crack open a continuation of one of my favorite characters in David Lagercrantz’s The Girl in the Spider’s Web. And it didn’t disappoint. As you remember, the original Millennium series by Larsson was extremely popular, and it was sad he didn’t survive to see his manuscripts published. Larsson’s long-term girlfriend criticized Lagercrantz’s work when the fourth book came out, but I think the authorship transition went smooth. I dived right in with no problems. While there is less coffee drinking and more blood-letting, Lagerscrantz blends Larsson’s voice with his own in a very digestible, action-packed thriller.

For me to consider a book, trilogy, whatever, a good thing it needs to have great characters. The Lisbeth and Mikael Blomkvist combo is a goofy James Bond journalist and a runaway turned vengeful Lara Croft with a little sexual tension and unlikely chemistry mixed in.

I think the only disappointing thing about their relationship in Spider’s Web is they were more like friends than ex-lovers, but the story didn’t lend them to even see each other in person until the very end. When she shows up at his apartment. Lagercrantz expects us to use our imaginations on that one and it pissed me off until I read a fifth book is in the works (I’m late to the party, I know). And you know what? I wonder what Lisbeth’s Instagram would look like …

If you haven’t had a chance to read the trilogy and Spider’s Web, I suggest you do. Also, I know my monthly book review initiative failed miserably this summer, but it’s back on.