Larsson likes layers.
Each section of his bestselling second novel of the Millennium trilogy, titled The Girl Who Played with Fire, is introduced by a type of mathematical equation.
So on the surface, there is apparently logic to this circus we call life. Then there’s the actual story, which is not quick so clean-cut and obvious. Our antisocial, rather violent yet moral, computer hacker heroine Lisbeth Salander is accused of murdering three people: her guardian, a journalist working with Millennium magazine’s Mikael Blomkvist, and the journalist’s girlfriend. Blomkvist is sure of Salander’s innocence, and so the search for the truth (and Salander) begins as her past slowly unravels.
However, then there’s the next layer, which is Larsson’s central themes of abuse towards women and sexism. By the time we’ve gotten to this layer, we realize Larsson has deceived us. Equations? Roots? Algebra? As the murder investigation unfolds, everyone—including the reader—soon learns that such puzzles with logical answers don’t truly apply to reality.
In Fire, Larsson brings more depth to Salander. After having introduced her hacker skills, photographic memory, and violent strengths in the first novel, he appears to have decided to dedicate the sequel to her by highlighting other characteristics past one’s first impression. (Who knew? She likes the Caribbean, apartments with lots of windows, and can be sympathetic towards others.) The mystery in Fire is also centered on Salander’s past—especially the moment right before she got institutionalized that she refers to as “All The Evil.”
Once again, the central themes of domestic abuse and general sexism come to light. Reading Fire is a tough task, and not because of its 700-some pages paperback. (The book is actually very easy to read in only a couple of days.) Rather, Larsson has created some male characters that are so infuriating, you want to grab them by the shoulders and shake sense into them. However, since it’s a book, you can only sit back helplessly and continue to read. During the police investigation into the murders, a couple of the reporters and police officers are so fixated on Salander (negatively) that they refuse to see logic that is so obvious to the readers. Moreover, many of these misogynists also view the only female police officer as incompetent and make inappropriate homophobic jokes towards Salander’s (kind of) girlfriend. Instead of listening to those who actually knew Salander or the way the lesbians she associated with actually act, these men (and yes, they are only men—otherwise that would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?) only hear and see what they want to. Without giving anything away, it can be taken for granted that “All The Evil” also revolves around the same issues.
This frustration, although difficult to read through, only helps Larsson convey his message. If such issues such as police bias, sexism, female and gay stereotypes, and domestic abuse were treated lightly enough that the accused changed their ways, the reader would be left with the feeling that such problems are solved. It is through these characters that Larsson is able to apply his novel to the “real world.” On a lesser note, Larsson succeeds at extending his world and its problems outside of Sweden. He introduces characters from other countries, such as Russia and Germany, which allows him to point out that abusive sexism is existent all over. We remember Salander and enjoy her moral yet socially different presence, but when we close the book and our eyes at night, it is these men and their ignorance that haunt our minds.
There is less of the exotic “whodunit” mystique in Fire in comparison to the first novel. The answers are not given until the final pages, but since it is Salander accused of murder this time, the book is more about her with a mystery in the background rather than the other way around. Salander is the main draw for Larsson fans, however, so this works. The interest in the main character is also used as the draw for The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Larsson’s third installment in the series. (When you get to that final page of Fire, you will know the true meaning of “cliffhanger.”) Although bringing up just as interesting themes as the first, Fire is less of a story on its own but a continuation, or middle man—filling in the blanks on exactly who Salander is, and seemingly setting the stage for the third novel. Is Hornet’s Nest out on paperback yet? Because it’s time to snatch that up and see where this Swedish story is going.
Should you check the series out? I did not like it as much as the first one. [Rating:3/5]
