The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2007) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

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• Mikael Blomkvist: The male lead character of the story, a journalist with a weakness for strong women. Called Kalle after a character in Astrid Lindgren's stories.
• Lisbeth Salander: The female lead character of the story, a genius hacker with a troubled past. Very small in stature. Has tatoos and piercings.The most exciting female character to emerge in fiction for many decades. A computer wizard with a photographic memory, she is atypical of heroines in general. She is not tall; she is not beautiful; she is not gregarious but in fact rather anti-social, but by gosh she is lovable.
• Ronald Niederman: Psycho bad guy who is huge and dangerous. He does not feel pain.
• Alexander Zalachenko: a/k/a Karl Axel Bodin, Soviet defector, former spy, Salander's father and father of Niedermann.
• Dragan Armansky: CEO of Milton Security, sometime employer of Lisbeth Salander.
• Dr. Anders Jonasson: The brain surgeon who is taking care of Lisbeth in the hospital.
• Monica Abrahamsson: Inspector with the Swedish Security Police in the Constitutional Protection Unit.
• Jan Bublanski: Criminal Inspector, Violent Crimes Division, Stockholm - head of Niedermann investigation.
• Marcus Erlander: Criminal Inspector.
• Annika Giannini: Sister of Mikael Blomkvist, domestic violence attorney, lawyer to Salander.
• Erika Berger: Former editor-in-chief of Millennium, current Editor-in-Chief of Svenska-Morgon-Posten (SMP), sometime lover of Mikael Blomkvist.
• Advokat Holger Palmgren: A lawyer who used to be Lisbeth's guardian until he suffered a stroke. He comes back to assist Annika at Lisbeth's trial.
• Prosecutor Ekstrom: Leading the investigation against Salander, Ekstrom is a vain, easily manipulated man who is at odds with Bublanski about Lisbeth's presumed guilt.
• Fredrik Clinton: Retired head of special section of Sapo.
• Evert Gullberg: Former head of a covert operation within Sapo.
• Jonas Sandberg: In charge of operations within Sapo.
• Henry Cortez: Journalist at Millenium.
• Georg Nystrom: Part of special section of Sapo
• Sonja Modig: A female detective who works for Jan Bublanski.
• Susanne Linder: An employee of Milton Security, and a former policewoman. Hired to look after Erica Berger.
• Carl-Magnus Lundin: Part of the Svaveljo MC.
• Dr. Peter Teleborian: A nationally recognized child psychiatrist.
• Lisbeth Salander: This character fascinates me. When I first began The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I did not think that I would like Lisbeth Salander because on the surface we seemed to be nothing alike and have absolutely nothing in common. She seems to be harsh and emotionless but when you get to know her, you know that she wears an armor to protect herself rather than allow people to continue hurting her. She has no one whom she can trust because they have all hurt her, and to prevent it from happening again she would rather not let anyone into her life. She has a social disorder, probably Aspurgers, a form of Autism and having a lot of experience with this disorder I sympathize with her struggles and see that she is just trying to survive.
• Judge Jörgen Iversen: Judge at the trial of Salander.
• Curt Andersson: A female police officer.
• Malin Eriksson: Works for Millennium.
• Thomas Paulsson: A police inspector.
• Gunnar Karlman: Assistant chief of the immigration division of the Security Police.
• Herr Advokat Nils Bjurman: Salander's current guardian, after Holger Palmgren.
• Miriam Wu: Salander's friend and sometime sexual partner
• Dag Svensson: A journalist who was investigating human trafficking.
• Greger Beckman: Erika Berger's husband. An artist.
• Trinity: Male hacker, member of Hacker Republic
• Christer Malm: Journalist at Millennium.
• Eva Carlsson: An employee of Erika Berger's at SMP. She is harassed via email by Erika's stalker.
• Lillian Josefsson: Add a description of this character.
• Tomi Nikolich: Gangster from Yugoslavia
• Birger Wadensjöö: Säpo
• Paolo Roberto: Ex-Boxer, former sparring partner of Salander. Does not only exist in the book, but also in real life.
• Dr. Frank Ellis: psychiatrist involved in trial.
• Miro Nikolich: Gangster from Yugoslavia. Tomi's brother.
• Peter Fredriksson: assistant to Berger when she moves into new Editing slot at large publishing company
• Agneta Sofia Salander: Lisbeth's mother
• Jeremy Stuart MacMillan
• Margareta Orring
• Dr. Helena Endrin: doctor who treats Salander
• Magnus Borgsjö: CEO of the newspaper that Berger joined
• Henrik Vanger: Swedish mogul who Blomkvist aided in book 1
• Sonny Magnusson: One of the band of "bad guys" who comes looking for the young heroine.
• Camilla Salander: Lisbeth's twin sister
• Anders Holm
• Lotta Karim
• Anita Cochran
• Benny Karlsson
• Johan Vanger
• Martin Vanger
• Robert Lindberg
• Poor Martin
• Johan Fräklund
• Anita Vanger
• Ulrika Vanger
• Isabella Vanger: Isabella is part of the notorious Vanger family, keeps to herself, but was more instrumental in the first book of the series. I don't remember her mention in this one.
• Magnus Sjögren
• Monika Nilsson
• Alexander Vanger
• Otto Falk
• Herr Wagner
• Kurt Nylund: Member of the Section
• Pettersson
• Herr Palmgren: Lisbeth's first guardian
• Jerker Holmberg: Police Officer; Specializes in crime scene forensics
• Sara Witt
• Sven Olof Lindholm
• Hedestad Courier
• Eugen Norman
• Per Engdahl
• Hermann Lobach
• Östergården
• Rakel Lunde
• Alexandre Vangeersad
• Jeff Cochran
• Fredrik Vanger
• Herr Hasselmann
• Hans-Erik Wennerström: Owner of Wennerström group. Powerful man.
• Albert Shenke
• Gunnar Nilsson
• Ragnhild Gustavsson
• Lars Faulsson
• Lisbeth Salander: This character fascinates me because although I did not expect to like her in the first book, it amazed me how much I could sympathize with a character who on the outside I would have judged and thought I had nothing in common with. She is the way she is to protect herself from getting hurt because she has no one she can trust because everyone she loved has betrayed her.
• Ebbe Carlsson
• Hans von Rottinger
• Hans Wilhelm Francke
• Nicander
• Idris Ghidi: janitor
• Georg Nyström: One of the "old guard" who were instrumental in setting up The Section, and takes it over again in his 80's, because he feels that it must be done to protect the nation.
• Göran Mårtensson: Sapo operative
• Stig Wennerström
• Peter Fleming
• Bambi
• Christer Sellberg: works at big publishing firm where Berger has now been put in as editor
• Bergling
• Mia Johansson
• Mandrake
• Torsten Edklinth
• Agneta Jervas
• Johannes Frisk
• Richard Ekström
• Sonny Bohman
• Gunnar Magnusson
• Daniel Mogren
• David Rosin
• Monica Figuerola: Sapo police woman assigned to look into Mikael Blomkvist activities
• Kurdo Baksi
• Erik Magnusson
• Harry O'Connell
• Marianne
• Ronald Niedermann: The huge ogre of a man who is almost impossible to defeat, because he feels no pain whatever, due to a congenital error in his makeup. He is half-brother of and son of .
• Stefan Bladh
• Valentina: A girl who is brought from Russia to work, she thinks, but is put into prostitution for the monetary gain of her captors.
• James Jesus Angleton
• Ingvar Carlsson
• Carl Lidbom
• Eleanor Badenbrink
• Dakota
• Thorbjörn Fälldin
• Otto Hallberg
• Hans Faste
• Bob the Dog
• Bertil K. Janeryd
• Niklas Adamsson
• Dr Jesper H. Löderman
• Carl Bildt
• Ulf Flodin
• Daniel Olsson
• Håkan Morander
• Hans-Åke Waltari
• Dieter
• Nils Erik Bjurman
• Judge Iverson
• Arnold Magnusson
• Anders Berglund
• Martina Karlgren
• Viktor Göransson
• Herr Hansson
• Otto Danielsson
• Sebastian Strandlund
• Torstensson
• Martina Fransson
• Gunnar Björck
• Carina Spångberg
• Gunnar Ingemarsson
• Dr Johannes Caldin
• Gottfried Vanger
• Reg Keeland
• Mimmi
• Pernilla Abrahamsson
• Cilla Norén
• Josef
• Lea Persson
• Magda Lovisa Sjöberg
• Gustaf Morell
• Spencer Cochran
• Minos
• Anna Nygren
• Birger Vanger
• Mari Holmberg
• Cecilia Vanger
• Richard Vanger
• Fru Lindgren
• Henning Forsman
• Harriet Ulrika VANGER
• Herr Armansky
• Gerda Vanger
• Burman
• Magnus Nilsson
• Fröken Nilsson
• Hitler
• Astrid Lindgren
• Isabella Koenig
• Helena Nilsson
• Rebecka Jacobsson
• Jerker Aronsson
• Greger Vanger
• William Borg
• Sara Sjögren
• Adolfsson
• Dirch Frode
• Janne Dahlman
• Gustav Aronsson
• Mildred Berggren
• Lena Andersson
• Ingrid Vanger
• Liv Gustavsson
• Edith Lobach
• Herr Torsson
• Peter Sarowsky
• Mildred Brännlund
• Fröken Blomberg
• Herr Frode
• Harald Vanger
• Assar Brännlund
• P. G. Vinge
• Ulrika von Liebenstaahl
• Sonny Nieminen
• Anita Kaspersson
• Martin Thomasson
• Eva Hassel
• Wasp
• Ernst Teodor Billinger
• Magge Lundin
• Saddam Hussein
• Plague
• Irene Nesser
• Sally
• Kalle Blomkvist
• Olof Palme
• Falun
• bush
• Herr Vanger
• Norsjö
• Mamma
• Hedeby
• Järnvägsgatan
• Poison Pen: Berger gives this AKA to the unknown person stalking her
• Inspector Paulsson
• Inspector Erlander
• Sonny Nieminen
• Benny K.
• Samir
• Katarina Holm
• Hans von Rottinger
• Benny Svantesson
• St. Stefan

Quotes edit see section history

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• “Jonasson was the goalkeeper who stood between the patient and Fonus Funeral Service. His job was to decide what to do.”

  Narrator

• “The reason I work out is that it feels great. That's a normal phenomenon among people who do extreme training. The body produces a pain-suppressing chemical and you become addicted to it. If you don't run every day, you get withdrawal symptoms after a while. You feel an enormous sense of well-being when you give something your all. It's almost as powerful as good sex.”

  Inspector Monica Figuerola

• “I don't read fiction, I never go to the cinema, and I watch only the news on TV.”

  Inspector Monica Figuerola

• “All food is decent. ... No, I'm a workout fanatic. If you work out, you can eat whatever you want. Within reason.”

  Inspector Monica Figuearola

• “But she was not someone who went in for one-night stands, although she did think that sex was an underrated therapy for just about all ailments.”

  Inspector Monica Figuerola

• “What the hell? Is there some sort of spy convention on Bellmansgatan today?”

  Inspector Monica Figuerola

• “But strangely enough despite your personality, You have a number of loyal idiots working on your behalf. I have already established an elite body called the Knights of the idiotatic table. We will be holding annual dinner at which we will have fun talking about you. No, you are not invited.”

  Mikael Blomkvist

• “If loving someone is liking them an awful lot, then I suppose I’m in love with several people.”

  Mikael Blomkvist

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• antediluvian it was almost comical. You shouldn’t worry your pretty head over complex matters, little girl.

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• on the history of the Security Police, the IB affair,*

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• Assistant County Police Chief Carina Spångberg tapped her pen against her glass of water and asked for quiet. Nine people were seated around the conference table in her office at police headquarters. Three women and six men: the head of the violent crimes division and his assistant head; three criminal inspectors, including Erlander; the Göteborg police public information officer; preliminary investigation leader Agneta Jervas from the prosecutor’s office; and Inspectors Modig and Holmberg from the Stockholm police.

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• Semiramis from Nineveh, who shaped the Assyrian Empire, and Boudicca, who led one of the bloodiest English revolts against the Roman forces of occupation, to cite just two. Boudicca is honoured with a statue on the Thames at Westminster Bridge, opposite Big Ben. Be sure to say hello to her if you happen to pass by. On the other hand, history is reticent

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• palavering ensued. “We don’t know what they’re planning, and we have no idea whether Mikael was the only intended victim,” Figuerola said. “Or whether Erika here was supposed to die too. We don’t know if they will try again or if anyone else at Millennium is being targeted. And why not kill Salander? After all, she’s the truly serious threat to the Section.”

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

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• Stockholm, Sweden: Capital of Sweden. Where most of the story takes place.
• Sahlgrenska Hospital: Famous Swedish hospital.
• Goteborg (aka Göteborg): Second largest city in Sweden, located on the west coast.
• Gosseberga: Farm where Zalachenko and Niedermann lived.
• St. Stefan: A psychiatric hospital for children.
• Bellmansgatan: Where Mikael Blomkvist lives.
• Lundagatan: Salander's apartment
• Kungsholmen: Where Stockholm's Police Headquarters are located
• Nykvarn: Location of the warehouse owned by the Svavelsjo Motorcycle Club
• Artillerigatan: Street in Ostermalm where the section held their meetings.
• Kronoberg: County in Southern Sweden. Home to Kronoberg jail.
• Ostermalm: Block in Stockholm
• Laholm
• Uppsala
• Nossebro
• Edklinth
• Trollhattan
• Malmo: City in Sweden
• Hedestad

Organizations edit see section history

• Millennium: The newspaper company that Mikael runs.
• Sapo: The Swedish secret police.
• Dagens Nyheter: Dagens Nyheter (DN) (Swedish: lit. "today's news") is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881 000 people every day. Opinion leaders often choose "DN" as the venue for publishing major opinion editorials. The stated position of the editorial page is "independently liberal".

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Justice: Lisbeth has suffered her entire life because of injustices done to her. She has her own unique way of getting justice.
• Violence Against Women: This is a major theme throughout the Millennium Trilogy.
• trust: Describe this theme.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Stieg Larsson (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Reg Keeland (Translator) - Translated into English from the original Swedish
2. Zeljka Cernok (Translator) - Translated into Croatian from the original Swedish
3. Marja Kyrö (Translator) - Kääntänyt alkuperäisen ruotsinkielisen tekstin suomeksi.

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Glass Key Award (Swedish) (December 2008)
• Amazon Best of the Month (May 2010, #1)
• NPR Top 100 Killer Thrillers

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PT9876.22.A6933 L8413
• Dewey: 839.738

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Strong violence and sexual content.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Mystery
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary
• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Suspense
• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › Scandinavian
• Books › Computers & Internet › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction
• Books › Computers & Internet › Security & Encryption › Forensics

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Random House (Publisher)
• New York Times Book Review
• Los Angeles Times Book Review
• The Guardian Book Review
• Washington Times Book Review
• National Public Radio Book Review
• Wikipedia article

Movie Connections edit see section history

• Luftslottet som sprängdes (IMDb): The Swedish film, released in 2009 based on this book.

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history