The Girl in the Spider’s Web

The ‘Girl’ Returns

Lisbeth Salander, who appeared in three bestselling books by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson is a heroine for our times.  Brilliant, brave, loyal and indestructible.

The writer passed away tragically young, and Salander fans all over the world were bereft.  But there is always a way keep a fictional character alive; if  Sherlock Holmes,  Hercule Poirot, James Bond and Jeeves can be resurrected, why not Salander?

Larsson’s father and brother commissioned David Lagercrantz to write the fourth installment of the Millennium series— The Girl in the Spider’s Web, translated into English by George Goulding. (The Millennium trilogy – which comprises The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest – sold more than 80 million copies worldwide, giving a major boost to Scandinavian crime fiction).

There will be debates whether this book is as good as Larsson’s, but with Salander around, there can never be a dull moment.  She appears a bit too late in the book, after it has been established that Mikael Blomkvist’s beloved magazineMillennium is in financial trouble and he is facing a professional slump that only a major scoop can pull him out of.

Meanwhile, renowned scientist Professor Frans Balder, who is working on an artificial super-intelligence programme, realizes he is in trouble and fears for his life. He has also rescued his autistic son, August, from the clutches of his greedy, abusive step-father and hopes to protect the child too. So he calls Blomkvist in the middle of the night, so that his story reaches the people.

But by the time Blomkvist reaches there, Balder has been shot dead, the sole witness being the son, who cannot speak.  As the cops and Blomkvist start to investigate, the only person who can help unravel the tangled mess is Lisbeth and her superhacking capabilities.

When there is major conspiracy involved the Americans have to be in it, as well as the Russians and the Swedish Secret Police.  When Salander enters the narrative, it is in her usual no-nonsense way. Her first brusque words to Blomkvist are, “Shut up and listen.”

Those who have read the earlier books would know that Salander survived a horrible childhood with a Russian gangster father, weak mother and an evil twin sister. She is now a black-clad, pierced and tattooed punk, whose idea of dealing with pain is inflicting more pain on herself.  She lives on junk food, keeps fit with boxing and treats bullet wounds like normal people would an insect bite.

She wants to avenge Balder’s murder, like she wants to right every wrong—she cannot bear to see women and children hurt.  (She breaks the fingers of a surgeon who molests a woman.) The only man she is somewhat close to is Blomkvist and she keeps him at a distance too, communicating with him by hacking his computer.

Salander takes a bullet meant for August and runs with him into hiding. The child somehow manages to let down his guard with her and reveals his mathematical genius, as well as amazing artistic talent.

Lagercrantz has followed Larsson’s style faithfully—tech jargon juxtaposed with shootouts and action.  His long descriptions of artificial intelligence slow the pace and make large tracts of the book boring to read, but there is nothing Salander can’t fix.

It’s a good thing she has been brought to life again, and fans can only hope Lagercrantz or other writers keep the franchise running.

The Girl In The Spider’s Web

By David Lagercrantz

Translated by George Goulding

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Pages: 403