The final entry in the Millennium trilogy is a hot, convoluted mess that somehow succeeds as a fast-paced thriller, despite being the longest of the books. The story continues exactly where the previous novel ended, yet takes the reader on a wild roller coaster ride into Blomkvist and Salander's battle to unveil the Security Police agency which shielded her father from justice and save Salander. Along the way, the novel meanders and deviates while perhaps revealing too early the intricacies of the organization responsible for endeavoring to thwart all plans of Blomkvist and company. Like the preceding book, this one develops the Cold War context and threat of national security surveillance agencies, with clear references to political scandals and assassinations in Swedish history. The centrality of gender-based violence is also key, as well as the abuses in the guardianship system. However, with Blomkvist's close collaboration with a branch of the Swedish government, this time the major question or ethical dilemma for a functioning, social democratic state is the following: who can protect the interests of democracy and to what extent should be they sanctioned to do so? Clearly, the post-Cold War Swedish government is culpable for the injustice and harm done to Salander. But countless others were caught up in the web, thereby forcing the reader to confront the decay both moral and social of the forces allegedly designed to protect Sweden.
No comments:
Post a Comment