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.

I really enjoyed the original first three books in the series and was excited to see another book released. This is the first in the series written by this author and the third author to take the reins at penning the series. I am not sure if it just doesn't translate to English well, but I didn't enjoy this as much as the first three. The writing was simple and things were written oddly. It does satisfy a craving for more Lisbeth Salander, but perhaps the series should end. This wasn't for me, but if you love Lisbeth ten you will probably enjoy this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Knopf for a digital ARC.

Karin Smirnoff is the third writer to continue the Millennium series (after Stieg Larsson died and David Lagercrantz added three more books). But the 7th book seems forced and might well be suffering from a stilted translation (I’ve noticed that Swedish reviewers gave the book higher marks than readers of the English translation). There is still corruption at high levels, but Lisabeth Salander more or less stumbles on it rather than purposefully seeking it out for a precise planned revenge as in the past. She’s in the north of the country to take reluctant custody of her niece Svala, who’s a bit of a mini-me (Svala’s mother has mysteriously disappeared). Mikael Blomqvist, now a much sadder character, seems to have been added out of obligation. He has his own family problems as well as also gets involved in the criminality of northern Sweden. But the plot is uneven and confusing. As much as I loved Larsson’s original Salander, this wasn’t the same character anymore. Again, maybe it was the translation, but I can only give this 3 stars.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Some empty and bulging eyes, but no eye colors are described.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The northern forests are filled with unnamed species of trees.

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf Publishing, and Karin Smirnoff for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This is number seven in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series, originally by Stieg Larsson. Since Stieg Larsson has died, this is the second author that is continuing the series. I loved Stieg Larsson's writing and was very sad to discover that he had died. Then I was very excited to find that the series was being continued by author David Lagercrantz. I enjoyed his books (#4, #5, and #6 in the series), although the style was noticeably different than Stieg Larsson's style. Recently, I was again very excited to see that the series was continuing and looking forward to reading the first installment by Karin Smirnoff. However, I stopped reading the book at 27% and will not be finishing it. Here's why.

I do not enjoy gratuitous violence in books. Certainly the first six installments in this series had a LOT of violence, but it was all necessary to the plot and handled by the authors so as to make a piercing point without getting mired in a violent scene that just keeps going. However, Karin Smirnoff's approach to the violence that moves the plot forward is to brush it on thickly and descriptively and add violence to nearly every chapter so that there is no break between difficult scenes . I had been considering not finishing the book earlier, but I finally put it down forever at about 27% during a rape scene. Instead of making me hate the rapist/bad guy, which seems to be the author's intention, it made me not want this scene to have ever been written. I do not enjoy scenes such as this.

The second reason that I didn't finish is that the author did not succeed in making me feel invested in the fate of the characters. If I didn't already know the main characters, this book would not have made me want to know them more deeply. Basically, if this wasn't in the Millenium Series I would have discontinued it sooner.

I am very sorry to see a series that I so loved end for me. I will not be continuing with it.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Lisbeth's life is changing when a relative moves in with her. She is hoping to help her with her grief and other issues she is dealing with. This book lagged at times.

Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist return, with both heading to a small town in Sweden’s far north. Mikael is depressed at the end of the printed version of the Millennium magazine, which will now be a podcast. He’s going to see his estranged daughter, who is about to be married. He’s looking forward to spending time with his young grandson.

At the same time Lisbeth is also headed to the same town, unhappy to be named a guardian to Svalla, an unknown niece that she wants nothing to do with; but Lisbeth is her only living relative since Svalla’s mother has disappeared.

The thing that ties everything together is the plan to build a huge windfarm in the area. Mikael’s future son-in-law is an ambitious, somewhat shady local politician, who is under a lot of pressure. Svalla’s mother and step-father are in deep with a criminal developer who wants 90% of the project. Soon, Svalla is the target of criminals who want something from her.

I really liked Svalla, she was the most interesting character in this story. She’s 13, brilliant, and a savant when it comes to breaking into safes. I was way into the story before I became interested in Mikael and Lisbeth. Marcus Branco, the criminal mastermind, was a truly evil person. Still, it was Svalla who made the story interesting and tied everything together. Overall, I ended up enjoying the book, although I was disappointed with the characterization of Mikael and Lisbeth, they almost seemed secondary to the story.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley; this is my honest review.

The Girl in Eagle's Talons is the seventh of ten in the Millennium series, initially crafted by Steig Larsson. The first two books of this series gripped me, but the few books to follow putzed out a little for me.

In this rendition, Lisbeth Sanders is back; this time, her character takes on a new role as an aunt to her sister's daughter, Svala. Since other family members have also passed, Sanders is the next in line to be her caretaker. She struggles to accept a teenager into her life, but Svala shows signs of being brilliant. Though she is in danger, she is an intelligent girl able to use her resourcefulness to her advantage.

This series started as a great one for me, though I wish the plot line were more in-depth, like the first book. When comparing book one to book seven, though written by different authors, you can tell they are vastly different. This book was, sadly, not my favorite read.

I enjoyed the first 3 books in this series but did not read the next three by the second author. I was really looking forward to trying The Girl in the Eagle's Talons to see how the third writer would handle the series.
I think I was missing something in the translation from Swedish. I found it difficult to follow and had to go back and read to see if I had skipped something. I kept circling back but never could really get into the story or relate to the characters.
If you enjoy this series, I would say definitely give The Girl in the Eagle's Talons a try because it may have just been a difficult read for me.
I received and ARC of this book but this is my honest, voluntary opinion.

Lisbeth Salander is active again, but this time she’s an aunt trying to decide if she wants to take on the responsibility of a teenage girl. Lisbeth has been dark but still this is her sister’s daughter, and she eliminated the girl’s father. Mikael Blomkvist is involved as well, and his grandson is taken at his daughter’s wedding. Which causes him to take on issues as we usually does as a journalist.
The book looks at many environmental issues, but the number of characters and going by different names make the story confusing. As well Lisbeth doesn’t seem to be the usual strong persona who takes a head-on approach to matters. She seems indecisive, unsure, hesitant.