Title: The Girl in the Spider’s Web
Author: David Lagercrantz
First published January 1, 2015
400 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780385354288 (ISBN10: 0385354282)
Rating: 3.79
Overview
Meet the girl with the dragon tattoo, a brilliant hacker and an outcast who refuses to conform. Her path crosses with a fearless journalist who is always on the hunt for the truth, even if it means putting his life on the line.
One night, the journalist receives a call from a source claiming to have information that could shake the world. The source has been communicating with a young female hacker, one who bears a striking resemblance to someone the journalist knows all too well.
As they both delve deeper into the conspiracy, they realize that the stakes are higher than they ever imagined. With spies, cybercriminals, and governments involved, the duo must navigate a treacherous web of lies and deceit to uncover the truth before it’s too late.
In this pulse-pounding thriller by David Lagercrantz, the girl with the dragon tattoo and the journalist team up again for an electrifying ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
About the Author
David Lagercrantz, a Stockholm-based journalist and author born in 1962, has made a name for himself through a series of successful publications. He began his writing career with a biography of Swedish adventurer Göran Kropp in 1997, followed by a biography of inventor Håkan Lans in 2000.
Lagercrantz’s breakthrough as a novelist came with Fall of Man in Wilmslow, a fictionalized account of British mathematician Alan Turing’s life.
Lagercrantz’s writing often revolves around major talents who challenge the norm, exploring not only what sets them apart but also the resistance they inevitably face. In 2011, he wrote the best-selling sports biography I am Zlatan Ibrahimović, which has sold millions of copies and been translated into over 30 languages.
The book was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award and nominated for the prestigious August Prize in 2012.
In 2013, Lagercrantz was approached by Moggliden (the Larsson Estate) and Norstedts to write a fourth, free-standing sequel to Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. The resulting book, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, was published simultaneously by 26 publishers in 24 languages worldwide in August 2015, a decade after the Swedish release of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
The Millennium Trilogy has sold over 82 million copies by 52 publishers worldwide, while The Girl in the Spider’s Web has been sold to 47 publishers and has sold over 6 million copies globally.
Editoral Review
David Lagercrantz’s The Girl in the Spider’s Web is a riveting addition to the Millennium series, a Swedish crime thriller franchise created by author Stieg Larsson. First published on January 1, 2015, the book follows the brilliant and complex hacker Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist as they uncover a global conspiracy involving cybercrime, government corruption, and family secrets.
Lagercrantz is a Swedish journalist and author who was commissioned by Larsson’s estate to continue the Millennium series following Larsson’s death in 2004. His writing style aligns with Larsson’s gritty, realistic approach to crime fiction, but he brings his own imaginative flair to the characters and plot.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web takes place a few years after the events of Larsson’s The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest, and opens with Lisbeth Salander hacking into the National Security Agency in the United States. From there, the story rapidly unfolds, taking the reader on a fast paced ride as Salander and Blomkvist unravel a web of deception that spans continents and puts their lives in danger.
The themes of The Girl in the Spider’s Web are timely and relevant, touching on issues such as privacy, security, and government surveillance. Lagercrantz seamlessly weaves these themes into the plot without sacrificing character development, which is top-notch.
Salander is as enigmatic and fierce as ever, and Blomkvist is as dogged and determined as he was in Larsson’s original books. The book’s strengths lie in its intricate plot, gritty realism, and layered characterization.
Lagercrantz successfully carries on Larsson’s legacy, creating a book that feels both true to the original material and fresh and exciting in its own right. That being said, there are some weaknesses in the book.
Some critics have argued that Lagercrantz’s writing lacks the nuanced social commentary and feminist messaging that characterized Larsson’s work. Additionally, some of the plot points feel contrived, and the action can be a bit over-the-top at times.
Despite these flaws, The Girl in the Spider’s Web is an enjoyable and engaging read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. For fans of crime fiction and the Millennium series, this book is a must-read.
However, for readers new to the series, it may be worthwhile to start with Larsson’s original books to fully appreciate the context and themes of The Girl in the Spider’s Web. Overall, The Girl in the Spider’s Web is a solid addition to the Millennium series, and a testament to Lagercrantz’s talent as a writer.
It is a worthy continuation of Larsson’s legacy, and a thrilling read for anyone looking for a dark and gritty crime thriller. I would give this book a rating of 4 out of 5, based on its strong plot, complex characters, and timely themes, with deductions for some inconsistencies and plot contrivances.
