Monday, June 14, 2010

Really Sweden? That's all you got?

I've been devouring the 2nd book of the Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson, "The Girl Who Played with Fire"(see NY Times review here). I have about 30 pages left to go, and I decided to make dinner and put the conclusion on hold until bed time. There has to be something to look forward to when I hop into my big empty bed tonight (Mark's gone on a over night school field trip).

But it has to be said-- What is with Sweden and Pippi Longstocking? I feel sad that this children's book series is really their only national claim to fame. And let me tell you, Larsson milks the popularity of the Pippi books for all it's worth. The main character in The Millennium Series is nicknamed Kalle Blomkist, a prominent character/boy detective in Pippi books. And the other main character Lisbeth (such a great kick butt character!!! Love her!), names her expansive apartment V. Vulla, after Pippi's home. Lisbeth has some Pippi-esque qualities, now that I think about it. But it just cracks me up how these Pippi books keep being referenced in Larsson's Millennium books; they couldn't be more different.

Well, I look forward to end book 2 tonight. Book three can wait until my summer vacation officially starts on Thursday, on the other hand, maybe it can't!



But I do have to admit, Pippi rocks.

9 comments:

  1. do you own the 1st book in the series? if so can i borrow it? or was it a library book when you read it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. we have all three! :) oh, actually one is scott's..but I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we lent it out...I'll let you know when mark finishes it

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sweden's got a lot more than Pippi! volvos, Ikea, krumkakker (sp?), Ingmar Bergman, Ingrid Bergman, and the Swedish Chef

    ReplyDelete
  4. don't know 1/2 those things, but I'll give you tre kroner!

    ReplyDelete
  5. hope you have volume 3 - you can't pause between them...sooooooooo GOOD. The pipi thing makes even more sense when you finish #3. He had mapped the story out to include 10 volumes. So sad that he only finished 3 and partially a 4th.

    Happy Reading!

    ReplyDelete
  6. hope you have volume 3 - you can't pause between them...sooooooooo GOOD. The pipi thing makes even more sense when you finish #3. He had mapped the story out to include 10 volumes. So sad that he only finished 3 and partially a 4th.

    Happy Reading!

    ReplyDelete
  7. @ monte-- yes, I'm reading 3, and loving it. But so far, no pippi references

    ReplyDelete