I was walking with a ghost: THE GIRL WHO TAKES AN EYE FOR AN EYE.

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


The latest in the Millennium series picks up not long after book #4 ends, with Salander in a women's prison after the incident with Frans Balder and his son, August. Salander being Salander, prison doesn't bother her too much (she has her beloved mathematical equations after all), but she is irate over the treatment of another prisoner, Faria. Faria--and soon Salander--are under threat of the prison's most evil prisoner, Benito, and her feared knife, the Keris. Meanwhile, a visit from Holger Palmgren, Salander's former guardian, has Salander looking back on her childhood, wondering exactly what happened. Soon Mikael Blomkvist is involved as well.

This was a tough one. I was impressed with Lagercrantz's last take on the Millennium series and how well he picked it up, but this one felt a little off. Lisbeth is still Lisbeth for the most part, though it almost feels as if something is missing, at least until the end. And not to give too much away, but I missed her interactions with Blomkvist. I miss the novels where they were more tightly involved and entwined. Salander spends most of her time in prison and then on the run, while Blomkvist is investigating on her behalf.

The investigation is intriguing, but more straightforward than I was expecting. It involves Salander's childhood and an investigation into a society that studied twins, genetics, and more. There are certainly striking parallels to today's society, with its focus on racism and pure society. (It's a little scary, honestly.) There's also pieces that cover finances, the stock market, and more. It's all timely and exciting, but, as I said, more predictable than typical in this series.

Overall, I found the storyline interesting and dynamic. I always enjoy when Mikael gets focused on a story. I will love Salander forever, but I missed seeing her in her total glory. The book picks up at the end, the last fourth or so, and felt like a true Blomkvist/Salander tale. There's a moment that involves Salander's Hacker gang that gave me a few chills. Still, though, this just didn't live up to the other Millennium books, even Lagercrantz's previous try. I enjoyed it, but felt a little let down at the end. I'll be curious to see what the next attempt is like. 3.5 stars.

You can read my review of book #4, THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB, here.

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