The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson

Was I the only one not to get on with this book? The first volume in the Millennium trilogy, this is the story of journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who is hired by industrialist Henrik Vanger to solve the mystery of his niece’s disappearance several years before, under the guise of chronicling the family history. Blomkvist is assisted by the rebellious security specialist Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo.

Partly, perhaps, because I am a translator by profession and I read the English translation, I found myself almost proofreading the text and I think this also impacted on my enjoyment of the book. This is not to say that the translation wasn’t extremely good. However, the complexity of the family history with all the many names and relationships repeatedly sent me into a slumber. Whatever the opposite of a page turner is, for me, this was it. I could barely finish a page without wanting to nod off.

The few compelling parts of the story were, unfortunately, outweighed by the many tedious narratives. I so wanted to like this book after the great reviews it received, but I won’t be rushing out to buy the second and third volumes.

James’ out-of-five star rating: ** (and that’s being generous!)

Different Seasons

Different Seasons, Stephen King

A collection of four novellas: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (which inspired the film The Shawshank Redemption), Apt Pupil (also made into a movie, I believe), The Body (made into the most excellent film Stand By Me), The Breathing Method.

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is the tale of a man wrongly convicted for killing his wife and her lover and his eventual prison break. I won’t reveal how he did it. It is a finely written piece and very compelling with strong characterisation. Differs quite significantly from the movie (which also has its merits).

Apt Pupil is very dark, a fairly lengthy story about the disturbing relationship between an old man and a young boy. The boy discovers the old man’s secret – that he was once a Nazi commandant at a concentration camp – and such is his thirst for war stories that he blackmails the old man into telling him everything about those dark times during WWII.

The Body is about four country boys on a journey of discovery. It is a coming-of-age tale about a quartet of pre-adolescent boys who trek for miles to see the body of a dead boy. Another beautifully written story and a real page-turner. If like me you are a fan of Stand By Me, then The Body is well worth the read – if my memory serves me correctly, the movie is very true to the original.

The Breathing Method sets out as a story about an old gentlemen’s club, but as is frequently the case with King, there is another story within the story. The club is a place where men gather and tell stories, and this particular tale is told by an old doctor. His story concerns a pregnant woman who came to him long ago, a very determined single woman in an age where becoming pregnant out of wedlock earned the worst kind of reputation. The “Breathing Method” was just that: a breathing method used during labour to help ease the pain. Suffice it to say, the story comes to a chilling end.

All in all a great collection. I used to steer clear of King because of his reputation as a horror writer, but his talents clearly extend far beyond the genre. He is a compelling writer, a great story teller and a painter of vivid characters.

James’ out-of-five star rating: **** (verging on five!)

The Comfort of Strangers

The Comfort of Strangers, Ian McEwan

At a mere 100 pages, even slower readers like myself can read this in one sitting. A dark tale of an English couple holidaying in a city which is unmistakably Venice, though it is never explicitly stated. McEwan nevertheless captures the mood of the city and the landmarks are instantly recognisable through his vivid description.

Colin and Mary are barely on speaking terms as the story begins, simply going through the motions and wondering aimlessly through the city and repeatedly getting lost. Though I imagine most would consider getting lost in Venice an adventure, it seems to be a source of irritation for the couple. One evening they bump into a stranger, Robert, who insists on taking them to a bar. They spend all evening there and because they are unable to find their way home, end up sleeping in the street. The next day, hungry and thirsty, they run into Robert again and, accepting responsibility for their night of sleeping rough, he takes them to his home.

Colin and Mary wake in the evening in a room in Robert’s house, only to find their clothes are missing. Mary ventures out and soon meets Caroline, Robert’s Canadian wife. Clearly, something is amiss – she admits to having watched Colin and Mary for half an hour while they slept. Caroline is also in some physical discomfort, the reason for which unfolds towards the tale’s macabre end. Colin and Mary spend the evening with Robert and Caroline, sharing a meal and browsing some of their belongings – which includes a kind of shrine to Robert’s father.

After leaving, Colin and Mary seem to rediscover each other, recapturing the passion they had for one another when they first met. For the next few days, they barely venture out of their hotel. When they finally do, they spend a long day at the beach and on the way back to the hotel are drawn back to Robert’s house. This is when the story reaches its climax and conclusion, which I shall not reveal here. Save to say it is a chilling end to a Venetian holiday…

James’ out-of-five star rating: ***