Finished ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ which I found tedious and long-winded. Derivative ‘Silence Of The Lambs’. Cannot understand the sensation around Stieg Larrson’s trilogy; and although my brother-in-law bought me all three as a present in August I doubt if I shall read the other two. I felt the same about Harry Potter – couldn’t wait to finish one that I was reviewing for the BBC, not because I awaited the denouement with baited breath but because it meant I could get back to reading something meaningful!
‘The Girl’ is full of infuriating psycho-babble and around page 400 we have the usual stuff where the killer is asked by the current victim what exactly he does with the bodies, his modus operandi, etc., and the killer explains, etc., only for the victim to escape (like in all those B-movies) and escape with all the evidence he needs!
“You enjoy torturing and killing women…?”
“I don’t think so really. If I do an intellectual analysis of my condition, I’m more of a serial rapist than a serial murderer. In fact, most of all I’m a serial kidnapper. The killing is a natural consequence, so to speak, because I have to hide my crime.
“Of course my actions aren’t socially acceptable, but my crime is first and foremost a crime against the conventions of society. Death doesn’t come until the end of my guests’ visits here, after I’ve grown weary of them. It’s always so fascinating to see their disappointment.”
Disappointment! You can say that again!