The original Millennium Trilogy written by Stieg Larsson, is my hands-down, all-time favorite book series. It’s dark, it’s gritty, but there’s something about Lisbeth’s character of being the ultimate badass that draws me back to read, listen and watch the original Swedish movies over and over again.

The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons is the seventh book in the series, written by the third author, Karin Smirnoff. The book continues in the vein of sinister acts of violence against vulnerable women, organized crime and government corruption. I was super excited to see what the MCs were up to now that they are older but something fell flat for me. Mikael’s role seemed to take a backseat and Lisbeth lost her badass appeal. I also found that parts of the story were thrown in for shock value.

Overall, I’m glad I read/listened to the book as it was an exciting plot and I enjoyed meeting new spinoff characters but it has veered off from the original more than I would have expected. The narration was superb and I’m so glad the series continued with narrator Simon Vance

Lizbeth Salander find out that she has a niece who needs guardianship and, though she is reticent, she decides to help her. What follows is an adventure into the underworld that is connected to Lizbeth’s past. At the same time Blomquist finds himself in the same area as he is attending the wedding of his daughter. While their lives intersect, this story doesn’t pursue their relationship or their joining together to expose corruption and evil.
Recommended for fans of the series.

2.5 stars, rounded down
I was a huge fan of the original Lizbeth Salander books by Stieg Larson. And I didn’t mind the fourth in the series, by David Lagercrantz. Now, Karin Smirnoff is trying her hand at the series, with book seven. But I can’t say her attempt has much to recommend it. The bad guys are all cliche villains. The writing is choppy and uninspiring or maybe that’s the translation. I don’t know. The plot was confusing and meandered. As expected, there’s misogyny and sexual violence. But it really takes until the halfway point before the action ramps up.
Once again, the story tackles corporate and government corruption. I did find it a nice twist that wind power is seen as the industry being taken over by the criminal element.
Major portions of the book involve Mikael and Lizbeth’s family situations. In Lizbeth’s case, it’s her niece. Now, it’s one thing to have Lizbeth appear all super human. But it starts to truly beggar reality to have a thirteen year old also be some kind of savant, capable of opening safes by feel.
The book veers between multiple POVs, which seemed designed to just move the story forward without adding anything to the drama. I really disliked how the author included characters’ thoughts in italics.
I typically rate an action story on how easy it is to envision how it plays out. Unfortunately, this one also lacks in that department. The book ends with a cliffhanger, so I expect there will be another in the series. But I, for one, won’t be reading it.
My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Unfortunately this book wasn’t keeping my attention, it’s too difficult to follow. It may be uncorrected or the translation, but the writing here is very choppy and confusing; switching between POVs where I’m not sure who is thinking or talking. It seems very unfinished.

I loved the previous books in the series. This book seemed to go much slower and was a little hard to follow at times. It did have an interesting plot and was exciting at times. .I would say read this book if you are a fan of this series but don't expect it to be as interesting as the others
I want to thank NetGalley ,the publisher and the author for letting me read this book

This is the newest installment on the Lisbeth Salander Millennium series. I’m a huge fan of Salander and her hacking abilities and bad ass fighting skills. In this story Salander learns she has a 13year old niece, Salva. Salva is the daughter of her half brother who was murdered back in book 5 by the motorcycle gang he double crossed.

Many of the same characters are in this book , including our old hero Mikael Blomkvist. Blomkvist’s daughter Pernilla, is getting married to a local politician who has ties to very corrupt and evil man, who’s trying to build wind farms in a protected reindeer area in Northern Sweden.

The book end with loose ends and room for the next installment of this.series.

Recommend for all fans of the Millennium series.

ARC revived from Knopf thru NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Star Rating: ⭐️ - DNF
Genre: Mystery Murder/Thriller
Setting: Sweden
Time: Current day
Format: 📖
Release Date: Aug 29, 2023
Length: 368

I such a fan of the original Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson's and even liked the fourth book in the series that David Lagercrantz finished after Larsson died. So, I was interest when I saw there was a female adding her voice to this series with a book 7 but <i>Karin Smirnoff</i> just went a little too far. . I got about 25% done and just could not continue .. it was dreadful, violent, and just hard to follow. I think will end my attempt to read anything else in this series.

Thank you, Karin Smirnoff, Knopf Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on August 29, 2023

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I did not care about Lisbeth/Svala's storyline and found myself glazing over it to get back to Mikael's plot. When you get to 40% into a book and feel like nothing significant has happened yet, there's a problem. Also, I really dislike when you can tell that the author worked in their personal feelings into a novel. Just stop that. I love The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series but I don't think there's any impact of picking this novel up.

I've followed the Lisbeth Salander series from the start, and after the original author Stieg Larsson died unexpectedly after the publishing the first three books, I thought David Largercrantz did a grand job with the next three. But now the series has hit the wall with author Karin Smirnoff holding the pen -- or perhaps with the translation of her offering. It didn't hold my attention as the previous six did for me, despite the requisite action and suspense. Other true fans may find it thrilling.

Enjoyable if you like the original series. Would have liked more Salander - less Henry! Lots of violence and last minute saves. Overall a good attempt at continuing the series.

I recently finished reading the entire Millennium Series in quick succession over the past year and I am thrilled to continue the story. Karin Smirnoff's novel, The Girl in the Eagle's Talons, is executed flawlessly! Her writing style is similar to Larsson's - it keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager for the next clue. I was immediately captivated and couldn't put the book down. I struggled to enjoy books 4-6 as much since the second author didn't quite have the same spark as Larsson. However, this book is a must-read for Millennium fans.

Smirnoff subtly references past books in the series and takes jabs at ridiculous news from the States. The storyline and character development are strong throughout the book, and Smirnoff provides sound reasons for Mikael and Lisbeth's actions and behaviors. Due to the genre and international setting, some readers may be turned off by certain uncomfortable topics. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read the first six books in the series and is eager to know what's next for Lisbeth. I can't wait for the release of the next book!

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with an advanced complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book has all the elements of a Lisbeth Salander novel, yet somehow doesn't feel like one. For starters, Lisbeth doesn't appear until 20% of the way into the book, which I found frustrating for a seventh installment in a series. I also felt like more POV time was given to the villains than in previous books, and almost none to Blomkvist (who feels like a caricature) and Salander (who feels flat).

The plot is pretty good, and feels current and topical. I struggled to keep up with which villains were which and what everyone's motives were, but to be honest I always feel that way when reading a Salander book, and it's part of the ride.

I would recommend this book to a reader who has kept up with the series, and is looking for an escapist read with characters they are already familiar with. Someone who has never read any of the Lisbeth Salander books would probably be confused.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Knopf for the advance reader copy of #TheGirlintheEaglesTalons.

3 1/2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the book's publisher for providing a free copy of this book to me in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This in no way affected my overall review and score.

I was excited to continue reading Lisbeth Salander's continued story and was anxious to see how the new (third) author, Karin Smirnoff, would handle her ongoing saga.

I really enjoyed the addition of a new major character, Lisbeth's niece, Svala. I also found Mikael Blomkvist's character going through some mid-life changes in attitude and priorities along with his attempt to form a connection with his daughter and grandson very engaging. Lisbeth herself seems to be maturing and going through a period of personal growth while still struggling with the years of abuse she endured.

The plotline itself felt a bit uneven and I think some of that may come down to the translation. It did hold my attention throughout despite this issue.

I almost felt like this was a bridge between the prior books and what is to come more so than a story that can stand on its own strengths. In other words, I am very excited to read the inevitable next book in the series. It seems like Svala will come into her own as a character and the growth in the relationship between Lisbeth and Svala will be very interesting to observe.

I do recommend this book, but the reader should keep their expectations in check while knowing the next installment will likely be very exciting.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons by Karin Smirnoff from Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, /NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

It really pains me to say this, but I certainly do wish I hadn’t wasted my time with this mishmash of a book.

Therefore, I’m not going to make the same mistake with this Book Report. I’ll keep it short and sweet and note for the record that the structure was hard to follow, the characters’ interactions weren’t believable, a lot about the translation felt “off,” and the creation of a new uber-villain in the vein of a modern-day Moriarity bordered on ludicrous caricature.

If you’d like to read a good review that makes some of these same points in a much more erudite fashion, here’s a link to follow: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

No more of this series for you, Future Kristi!

DESCRIPTION
#1 INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLER • Lisbeth Salander returns, in a trailblazing new installment to the best-selling Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series • Also known as the Millennium series

“Lisbeth Salander is back—and maybe better than ever. Karin Smirnoff’s take is both respectful of the past and ready for the future—altogether remarkable.” —Lee Child, author of No Plan B

Change is coming to Sweden’s far north: its untapped natural resources are sparking a gold rush, with the criminal underworld leading the charge. But it’s not the prospect of riches that brings Lisbeth Salander to the small town of Gasskas. She has been named guardian to her niece Svala, whose mother has disappeared. Two things soon become clear: Svala is a remarkably gifted teenager—and she’s being watched.

Mikael Blomkvist is also heading north. He has seen better days. Millennium magazine is in its final print issue, and relations with his daughter are strained. Worse still, there are troubling rumors surrounding the man she’s about to marry. When the truth behind the whispers explodes into violence, Salander emerges as Blomkvist’s last hope.

A pulse-pounding thriller, The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons sees Salander and Blomkvist navigating a world of conspiracy and betrayal, old enemies and new friends, ice-bound wilderness and the global corporations that threaten to tear it apart.

Lisbeth Salander is called by child services to come and take her niece. While she never really knew her brother who tried to kill her, she really can’t just turn her back on the girl. Determined to help find an appropriate place for her niece, Lisbeth finds herself engaged in a mystery surrounding not only the disappearance of the girl’s mother, but also the grandson of Mikael Bloomkvist’s grandson. Can they save the boy and the woman? Can they even find them? While they have worked well together in the past, can they manage to be successful again?

I adore Lisbeth! She’s the strongest protagonist in any of the series I read and the smartest, for sure. No matter how much she tries to come off as aloof and standoffish, she’s got a heart of gold that shines brightly once it has been opened. I hope there are many more to come as I adore each and every entry!

I really enjoyed Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy so I was apprehensive about how this book would compare. I need not have worried and I think Larsson would be pleased with Karin Smiroff's take on this legacy book. Not only are most of the original characters back, but Smirnoff does an excellent job of making Lisbeth more relatable.

Coincidentally Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander end up in the same small town in northern Sweeden. He is to attend his daughter Pernilla's wedding and she is to become the guardian of her niece Svala, whose mother has disappeared. Unbeknownst to either of them, a ruthless business group is extorting Pernilla's fiance to control the proposed wind farm development in the area. I won't divulge how Mikael and Lisbeth end up coming together to defeat the business group, but safe to say the twists are neatly woven into the separate storylines.

This is a fast-paced mystery and although it may be hard to fathom that both Mikael and Lisbeth would end up in the same small town at the same time, somehow it works. I especially liked that it had the feel of picking up where Larsson left off: the same secondary characters and enough background to help refresh my memory. I think Karin Smirnoff is a worthy successor to continue this series.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an advance copy for review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 29, 2023.

I enjoyed the original Millenium trilogy, but this book didn’t work for me. I was bothered by the violence and child rape.

The Girl in the Eagle's Talons is book seven in the Millennium Series by Karin Smirnoff.
The author builds up this story up with a fantastic and steady pace. As the mystery gets twisted and turned into the deep dark word of hidden agenda to overpower, it hits with a thrilling and exciting pace along the way.
The plot is twisty but masterfully spun.
The characters keep this book moving and they kept me hooked till the very end.
Lagercrantz does a good job of continuing the series.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Knopf for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you NetGalley & Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for sending this book for review consideration.

I have been a fan of this series for so long, but that ends now with this new direction.
This was awful, weird, confusing…. Had no semblance to anything written prior in the series.
I wanted to stop 10% in but managed to get to 35% before DNF’g it.
So disappointed.

I'm going to keep this short and to the point. I've read every book in the series so knew to expect excessive violence, misogyny, and child abuse. I don't like reading any of those topics, but the storyline in the previous books has been good enough, the characters engaging enough, and the revenge sweet enough, that I was able to distance myself for the "unpleasantness."

This book goes OVER THE TOP. The author crossed the line one too many times for me. Child rape and enslavement. I'll stop there in this review, and should have done the same when reading instead of finishing the book.

I put up the white flag and surrender... congrats to Ms. Smirnoff, you've taken a fan and effectively disengaged her. I definitely will not be reading the rest of the series under this author. I'll consider it with a new direction/author, but not before.

The book was disgusting and destroyed even the good characters.