PetrusOctavianus Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 It's interesting how Larsson switches the gender roles for the two main characters.Blomquist never tries to seduce a woman or even (IIRC) has "sinful thoughts" about women. Nearly all the women he meets seduce him instead.Salander is sexually aggressive. She suddenly mounts Blomquist in one scene. In another she throws a 16 year old "cabana boy" on the ground and says "we are gonna fuck". If Salander was a male and Blomquist and the capana boy mentioned above were females, she would have been a rapist after Swedish law.So this could have been a clever way of commenting on traditional gender roles, except I don't think it is. I think Larsson felt that this is how it is supposed to be in a perfect world, because women are inherently better than men.Except for one older woman having nazi sympathises all women are portrayed in a positive way, while most men are portrayed negatively. With the exception of Blomquist, who is Larsson and therefore is a perfect specimen, nearly all white males are portrayed negatively (racists and bigots), but the more "exotic" the men are the more positively they are portrayed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galleymac Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Nope. The most recent film implied unsubtly that she attacked her father when she was 12 for such abuse and was ruled incompetent by the state because of it. Is that a deviation from the book? (I tried reading it myself, I did, but, just, no.) What's the book's explanation for her legal status? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 The most recent film implied unsubtly that she attacked her father when she was 12 for such abuse and was ruled incompetent by the state because of it. Is that a deviation from the book? (I tried reading it myself, I did, but, just, no.) What's the book's explanation for her legal status?The explanation for it is the plot for the last two books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angeleyes Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 The original post sums up most of my sentiment about the first book. I haven't read the second two yet, however I will at some point because I hate a series half finished.I simply had to chime in to ask the Swedes of the Boards...Do people really drink that much coffee in Sweden? If so I'm moving. Every 3rd page is about Blomkvist putting coffee on, or going to the shop for coffee and sandwiches. Author avatar indeed! His is the lifestyle I will one day live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melifeather Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Bought this book first, started reading it, then saw the movie, now I can't get back into the book. Loved the movie, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The GRRumbler Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I watched the Swedish movie, it was great imo, but i want to know what's the difference, what did they changed in the ending? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I just finished the second book. I'm tempted to just watch the third movie and be done with the series.In general, the writing is good, but the middles are such a drag. Spoiler for book 2:It took 250 pages (mmpb) to get to the murders, the catalyst for the book. Then we get to thumb through another 190 pages of theories we know to be false before Salander finally turns up. It just felt like it dragged. Then the actual murders are told in such a mundane fashion that I wonder what was the writer thinking? I do like the concept about how Salander got framed and how everyone was coming up with inaccurate theories and assumptions based on their own skewed world views. But almost 200 pages of that sapped my interest. So, folks who have read all three books: Should I read the last book borrowed and sitting on my nightstand, or just stream the movie over Netflix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I was kind of creeped out because I couldn't help thinking of Blomqvist as being Larrson inserting himself into the novel. Both writers in some sense, middle-aged, etc. And then he coming up with scenes where this young damaged punker mounts Blomqvist unexpectedly, etc.. It came across as Larrson's fantasy as much as Blomqvists. I got the whole self-righteous/feminist "Men who hate women" vibe before I knew that was the original title, but to mix that feminism with the sexual component of Blomqvist himself just makes me think that Larrson was likely some seriously weird guy himself, and not someone I'd like in the least.I felt badly for Lisbeth, but she wasn't a character I really enjoyed reading about. A lot more interesting than Blomqvist, though.I'm not sure how well it got across, but AFAIK it's at least partially deliberately skeevy: It's supposed to be ambigious whether or not he's a good guy or just another of the "Men who hate women." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papirolle Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 The original post sums up most of my sentiment about the first book. I haven't read the second two yet, however I will at some point because I hate a series half finished.I simply had to chime in to ask the Swedes of the Boards...Do people really drink that much coffee in Sweden? If so I'm moving. Every 3rd page is about Blomkvist putting coffee on, or going to the shop for coffee and sandwiches. Author avatar indeed! His is the lifestyle I will one day live.Yes, we do drink that much coffee! It's almost mandatory. I'm teaching my 9-month daughter to drink coffee right now. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Yes, we do drink that much coffee! It's almost mandatory. I'm teaching my 9-month daughter to drink coffee right now. :cheers:2nd. largest amount of coffee per capita, IIRC, and not far behind Finland.Although it should be noted that a swedish cup of coffee is smaller than an american one, although they tend to also be considerably stronger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lock67ca Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Is everybody in Sweden addicted to Billy's Pan Pizza as well. or is that just one of Lisbeth's quirks? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isalie Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Well, since this thread never leaves the front page, I might as well ask if anyone know how much editing the novels made it through before the author's death? I doubt that they could really have been fixed in the sense that comic book heroes are generally more realistic than either of the protagonists, but still. If there were just 3000 pages in his drawer then perhaps...I'll say though that I read all three of them, was some kind of love/hate experience, but I'm a sucker for wanting to know how it ends no matter how obvious it is so me finishing them was no big surprise.To the guy planning to read the two last ones in order to finish the series: I think he planned like 9 books or something, reading the third will give no catharsis ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 To the guy planning to read the two last ones in order to finish the series: I think he planned like 9 books or something, reading the third will give no catharsis ;)So, just watch the movie and return my friend's book. Right. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince Alexander Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 My favorite part was where Lisbeth needed a new laptop and described at length how awesome at was. Nvidia graphics card, like a boss... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Is everybody in Sweden addicted to Billy's Pan Pizza as well. or is that just one of Lisbeth's quiirks? :DAmong a particular subset? Yes. It's pretty much the iconic LAN-party food. (ah, now that's a brief cultural phenomenon) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriele Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 2nd. largest amount of coffee per capita, IIRC, and not far behind Finland.Although it should be noted that a swedish cup of coffee is smaller than an american one, although they tend to also be considerably stronger.Swedish coffee is stronger than the American stuff? Oh dear me, do you drink water in the US? :D I found Swedish coffee pretty weak compared to German coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papirolle Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 American coffee is like coffee-flavored tea, Gabriele! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isalie Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Among a particular subset? Yes. It's pretty much the iconic LAN-party food. (ah, now that's a brief cultural phenomenon)Quake, pan pizza and a sleeping bag, fond memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Quake, pan pizza and a sleeping bag, fond memories.Sleeping bag?? What kind of lame LAN parties did you go to? No way, man. Play until your fingers bled and your eyes burned too much to see. When sleep started grabbing your eye lids, pop a Red Bull and keep going. :lol: Counter-Strike forever*!*Legal disclaimer: forever only lasts until a better game comes around, like Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2142, Counter-Strike: Source, TF2, etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The GRRumbler Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I watched the Swedish movie, it was great imo, but i want to know what's the difference, what did they changed in the ending?I'll just repost this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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