The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz
Reviewed by: Dawn Dickey, Library Volunteer
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: The Girl in the Spider’s Web continues the adventures of fictional heroine Lisbeth Salander. In this, the 4th book in the series, Salander’s deeds and misdeeds are again intertwined with that of investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Computer genius and hacker Salander is hired to find out who has stolen the ideas of noted computer scientist Frans Balder. At almost the same time, Balder contacts Blomkvist, suggesting they meet. Salander’s and Blomkvist’s paths cross again when Balder is murdered. Both Salander and Blomkvist frantically try to save the life of Balder’s autistic son, August, who has witnessed his father’s murder.
My Review: The first books starring Salander – product of a horrific childhood and dysfunctional family – began with the late Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. (You might remember this title from the 2011 English-language film starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig.) The series is now continuing under the capable writing of David Lagercrantz. It is no easy thing to take up a series started by another writer and both recreate and expand on the characters and themes. Lagercrantz does both well, and, in addition, also does a good job with summarizing the characters’ histories, so that a reader could take up this 4th book and not be totally lost. His characters are true to the series’ roots, and the themes are intricate, appropriately reflecting the characters’ flaws and moral dilemmas. The complex plot has plenty of surprises to keep you guessing. The plot and its denouement also set the groundwork for the next book in the series. The Girl in the Spider’s Web is a suspense-filled read, and I am greatly looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
Three Words That Describe This Book: Intense, Techie, Contemporary
Give This a Try if You Like… HBO’s True Detective; books & films with strong female protagonists such as Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan mysteries; or Nordic noir suspense by writers such as Camilla Läckberg, Jo Nesbø, or Yrsa Sigurđardóttir.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!