Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I keep trying to figure out *how* this Swedish crime novel became an international bestseller. Yes, the decades-old case of the missing niece prodded me to reach the final page, though not with bated breath. Yes, Lisbeth Salander (young, tattooed, socially challenged, incompetent-per-the-State hacker) makes a readable heroine; too bad she's given fewer pages than the alleged hero. But other than the mystery subplot and Salander herself, almost every element of this work falls short, astonishingly so given the multitude of five-star reviews. Within these too numerous (465) pages, you'll find flat, artless prose; rampant description (rooms, every article of furniture therein, multiple walk-throughs of characters' daily routines); and clinical interior monologue. You'll be treated to graphic scenes of sexual assault (realism in fiction is one thing; gratuitous detail is another). You'll meet a main character (Mikael Blomkvist) defined by extreme passivity, unfettered libido, and frequent cluelessness. You'll wade through endless exposition on the Vanger family history. You'll probably find yourself interested in one or more of the plot threads, yet continually frustrated at their fragmented presentation. I agree with other reviewers that the book should have retained its Swedish title (MEN WHO HATE WOMEN). This better fits the social commentary Larsson clearly intended; it better warns of the disturbing sexual themes; and it doesn't falsely promise us much page time with Salander, the only sympathetic character in the book. However, even with a more accurate title, this novel's runaway success would confound me. I guess it was brilliantly marketed.