On My iPod
These are the books I listen to while walking, driving, cleaning the kitchen or doing my hair. (Whoever said curly hair was easy has sniffed too much product. I have to spend about 35 minutes every couple of days so that I don’t look like Rondald Mc Donald.)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
This is the third, and as far as we know, the final book in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. (The author died with a fourth book in process, and we don’t know if his girlfriend is planning on releasing it.)
I don’t like novels that are overly graphic (and can’t watch the movies), but the stories are so compelling I couldn’t help but get sucked it.
There is a lot of violence against women, but it is always seen as a bad thing, and never glorified. The other thing you have to take into consideration is that while American morals may be lacking, Sweden (where the stories are set) has a very different idea of what is right and wrong than even my most liberal countrymen.
I read all three and found them to be amazing page turners. They are as you say quite graphic on the violence. Violence happens in all societies and there is nothing pretty about it. I think what makes it tolerable is that it moves the story along and doesn’t seem to be gratuitous.
One of my GFs spent a year in Sweden as an exchange student. It was her belief that the writing and entertainment in Sweden is much darker than what we consider mainstream here in the states. I have no idea why. It’s a shame that the author passed before he had a chance to experience the accolades.