The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest discussion

Personally I loved her. I liked how they were both respectful of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

I don't know. I really wanted Blomkvist and Lisbeth to be together and I feel like Figuerola and Blomkvist don't really work? I can't explain it, but I like Lisbeth with Blomkvist better.

Actually I'm a big fan of Blomkvist and Erika. I felt Figuerola was needy and I hated how she treated Erika.

I really loved Lisbeth and Blomkvist's chemistry.They're poles apart in terms of their personality, which, in my opinion, would make them a great couple!

I agree with Tina. I personally was hoping Blomkvist and Erika would end up together. They have such a special connection throughout the series.

I didn't really see Blomkvist ending up with Lisbeth for the simple reason that she is not good at relationships. With regards to him and Berger, although they have a special relationship, she is married and I think that both of them are happy with where they are at.

With Figuerola, her reaction to Berger was simply that she saw her as competition. Obviously she is aware of their relationship. Long term, I'm not sure that Figerola and Blomkvist would work either because of Berger. That relationship has lasted over 20 years and I'm not sure that a new partner would be willing to accept it.

Did anyone notice that in the Swedish movie version, the Blomkvist and Figuerola romance doesn't even exist?

I did. I was annoyed, only because I really felt the other movies kept to the book. But I guess they felt that subplot wasn't necessary.

Such a huge book, they aren't able to get it all in there I suppose. Lisbeth and Mikael were right for the time they were together I think but it wouldn't last. There are relationships for reasons, seasons and lifetimes. Berger is a lifetime but she is honourable and will take Mikael's request in hand. We will never find out which type of relationship Figuerola and Mikael will have? Her reaction, and Lisbeth's in the first book, to Berger are both - what is the word? - un-understanding. I'm into communication rather than jealousy - yeah, I know - dreamer!!!

When she showed up I thought she was OK. But later after I finished 3rd book I couldn't believe they ended up together. Personally, I think that Mikael and Lisbeth were THE couple Larsson had in mind when he started writing the books.

Hegdesushmita wrote: "I really loved Lisbeth and Blomkvist's chemistry.They're poles apart in terms of their personality, which, in my opinion, would make them a great couple!"

Agreed!!

I wanted to see Mimi and Paolo Roberto together.

Mimi and Paolo would've been an interesting hook up, but I think that's about it. As a character Mimi was pretty useless without Lisbeth. I don't see her being in any of the proposed future books unless she moves back in with Lisbeth.

Figuerola and her team would've made a good spin off series. Each of those characters were obviously developed with "series" in mind.

I think she and Blomkvist were a good couple but I could see that relationship going either way after a couple more books. In a separate series his use in the books would eventually seem implausible. He couldn't possibly be involved in every one of her cases.

Olivia wrote: "I don't know. I really wanted Blomkvist and Lisbeth to be together and I feel like Figuerola and Blomkvist don't really work? I can't explain it, but I like Lisbeth with Blomkvist better."

I have to agree.

sushmitha wrote: "I really loved Lisbeth and Blomkvist's chemistry.They're poles apart in terms of their personality, which, in my opinion, would make them a great couple!"

They are better, more entertaining, as an almost couple. Blomkvist and Lisbeth are both serial singles. Porcupines kissing.

well, I don't really know, but I think Blomkvist and Figuerola is a big blunder in this book. This feels so made up.

I don't agree either with the Lisbeth-Blomkvist couple. She deserves better? blomkvist is Berger's, no doubt.

I think that Larsson intended for Blomkvist and Lisbeth to be together but I don't think it would of worked. I think that she should stick with Mimi. Lisabeth and Blomkvist are too different. I like the chemistry that he and Berger had and were good together. I was turned off by Figuerola and Blomkvist; It didn't feel natural and I didn't like the way her character treated Erika.

I don't really know about this couple... Figuerola and Blomkvist became a couple too fast for me... And I didn't really get the chemistry between the two of them (not like with Erika or mostly like Lisbeth) But I'm not sure Stieg Larson had really intended to make them last forever... But I guess we will never know !

Kerry wrote: "sushmitha wrote: "I really loved Lisbeth and Blomkvist's chemistry.They're poles apart in terms of their personality, which, in my opinion, would make them a great couple!"

They are better, more e..."

Haha, that was perfectly & poetically put! I totally agree but also think Berger was Blomkvist's soulmate.

Olivia wrote: "I don't know. I really wanted Blomkvist and Lisbeth to be together and I feel like Figuerola and Blomkvist don't really work? I can't explain it, but I like Lisbeth with Blomkvist better."
I completely agree! That affair was superfluous and had no real reason to be in the book.

Lisbeth and Blomkvist were perfect from the start; even when she pushed him away in Played With Fire he was still for there. I have a feeling that if Larsson could have finished the series then he would have put Lisbeth and Blomkvist together in the end, with Figuerola disappearing completely.

Lisbeth and Blomkvist....I was sure they will never get together ..:S
I wanted them too but I knew the writer will never bring them together the series is like 1600 pages how many of those ... they were together ??? 200 or 300 pages??
I hate Larsson for it but what did I expect the book has no romance what so ever with a middle aged man who sleep with every woman he meets and.... they always fall in love with him !!
I hated the last one it was really boring but I loved the second one it was exciting, this one was like watching a CSI episode a veryyyyy looooong one !

Mirisue wrote: "Olivia wrote: "I don't know. I really wanted Blomkvist and Lisbeth to be together and I feel like Figuerola and Blomkvist don't really work? I can't explain it, but I like Lisbeth with Blomkvist be..."

That's how I felt about Figuerola. It seemed random, like Steig just thought "sure, why the hell not?" I also found her character annoying, so maybe that is where my opinion comes from...

It would have never lasted with Lisbeth. They make great friends, and she needs him, but it had more of a brother/sister feel to me.

I think the Figuerola/Blomkvist relationship had potential, and maybe it would have been further developed in future installments, if only Larsson had lived to write them. Berger backed away when she saw that Figuerola and Blomkvist were getting serious, but I think the ideal situation would have been Blomkvist finding someone who accepted Berger the way that Berger's husband accepted Blomkvist.

As for Salander, I did like her relationship with Blomkvist, and I wish there had been a scene where she revealed to him that moment of heartbreak she went through at the end of Dragon Tattoo. It was good to see them at least resume their friendship at the end of Hornet's Nest, but I'd have liked to see Blomkvist truly grasp what Salander had felt for him.

Yeah, the whole Blomkvist and Figuerola came too fast. Blomkvist was a manwhore. He even had Harriet Vanger. I wanted him to be with Lisbeth, but it was obvious that wouldn't work... there was a certain something between them, maybe because they were so different.

Bloomkvist needs a delicate figure with a strong personality... neither Figuerola nor Lisbeth work (my opinion). The way Erika nonchalantly just let Bloomkvist go is yet another unnatural feel I got from this book, but again, perhaps this isn't where the trilogy was supposed to end...

I never really liked Erika at all. I always felt that she was somewhat a spoiled kid on the blue pill that was just part of the story just for the purpose of filling space. I always felt that Lisbeth was more right for Mikael IF Mikael should be with anyone at all. Still, it might have been cool if Lisbeth found a hacker boy/girl friend in the end.

Monica and Mikael: I am bothered by their relationship with each other. Why did the author choose to introduce us Monica and he possibly of Mikael being attracted to her in the midst of Lisbeth's crisis? To me, she just seems to comes from nowhere, and left nowhere, too. Her sole purpose is to give Mikael a nice ending.

Erika and Mikael: I knew (or had a feeling) that they wouldn't belong with each other, and didn't hope that they would end up together. The author kind of said it clearly that they are just best friends and feel something different toward one another.

Lisbeth and Mikael: A lot of the trilogy centers around Lisbeth and Mikael saving each other. I wouldn've thought that they would end up together too. In fact, I kind of hoped that they were going to. Reading between the lines, I think that there was something there. I mean, look at how much Mikael cares for Lisbeth in the book. It's more than everyone he cares for combined!

Any one of Mikael's lovers and Mikael: I think that they were just there to make the story interesting and to show how attractive Mikael is. They aren't in the trilogy much, anyway.

Olivia wrote: "I don't know. I really wanted Blomkvist and Lisbeth to be together and I feel like Figuerola and Blomkvist don't really work? I can't explain it, but I like Lisbeth with Blomkvist better."

I also wanted to see a Lisbeth/Mikael ending. Figuerola was irrelevant as far as I am concerned. Where the heck did she come from?

I absolutely hate Mikael and Figuerola together, Figuerola isn't even a main character and it kinda felt like their relaionship was a bit rushed. I mean, you hardly even know much about her except that she a a fitness freak. They don't have that 'opposites attract' thing going on like Mikael and Lisbeth do. It was the one thing out of the trilogy that I was thoroughly disappointed by.

Ursula wrote: "well, I don't really know, but I think Blomkvist and Figuerola is a big blunder in this book. This feels so made up.

I don't agree either with the Lisbeth-Blomkvist couple. She deserves better? bl..."

I agree, it felt thrown together.

I don't think Blomkvist could have a relationship long term with anyone but Berger. That relationship allows him whatever freedoms he wants without true commitment.

I am glad that Blomkvist and Lisbeth ended up friends, for me it did not make sense for them romantically, even in the first book.

Having read the books two years ago I totally forgot about the Figuerola character. She didn't have any impact on my overall perception of the series. Both Lisbeth – Mikael, Erika - Mikael lines were really exciting to read about. In my opinion it was possible for both relationships to co-exist for some time but I guess Lisbeth would of mind.

I think they make a good couple. Lisbeth was never gonna work out

I felt Fiuerola kinda popped out of nowhere. There were already so many characters to keep track of and her character wasn't really needed.
Doesn't change my opinion about the book itself, though. I loved it!

This is why I was scared to read an unfinished series by a dead author. I've been CONSUMED by the first two books, and am already a third through the last. But I couldn't help but see if my fears were true. I've been consumed mainly because I wanted to see Blomkvist and Salander get back together. That was the catharsis for me. Now that it looks like Mikael goes off with some lame side story and Lisbeth goes to Mimmi (which I always found boring) I'm really disappointed. Don't know if I even want to finish. At least I have the new Arcade Fire album to look forward to....

I guess you could be led into believing that Lisbeth and Bloomkvist somehow were meant to be together but there didn't exist any "emotional/love" attachment i felt. There was something between them but combined with Lisbeth's temper and Bloomkvist's nonchalance... was always a doubt. As for figuerola, have to say it's a twist. Not made for each other ? ;)

For me the books are at their best when the two are together. That's why I'm bummed.

I personally love Figuerola, to the point of defending her existence here. I'm surprised I am alone, or almost, though, based on the previous comments. Maybe a question of taste: I like strong women -- and Figuerola is very strong, both physically, ethically, mentally, professionally... And Bloomkvist likes them strong too.

So I guess I disagree with all that believe Figuerola came from nowhere. I was very excited to see the plot-openings she created, and was said to miss her in the Swedish film. I hope she appears in the American sequel.

She actually seems to be a homage to the tradition of strong sleuths/delectives Larsson admired: I am thinking of Liza Cody's Eva Wylie, Sarah Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski, Elizabeth George's Barbara Havers & Emily Barlow -- by the way, all three very strong women confessedly read & admired by Larsson. Therefore, I see both internal and meta-fictional reasons for Figuerola...

Figuerola and Bloomkvist made no sense I really thought that Lisbeth and Bloomkvist were going to be a couple in then end because it seemed like Lisbeth could have accepted Berger. Especially if Lisbeth had Mimi too.

I agree that both Bloomkvist and Lisbeth are not really relationship people but with the balance of Berger and Mimi I think it would have worked out.

Ok I finished the book. To me it's obvious that the author EVENTUALLY would have put Lisbeth and Mikael together. Even though Lisbeth thinks she has no romantic feelings for Mikael why was she confused on how to react when Mikael said it was his intention to just talk to her not get in the tub with her? Clearly, Lisbeth just needs to grow as a person and eventually it would all work out. Maybe I'm biased, but an author who puts two strong characters together, intertwines their lives, and plans to write 10 novels about them plans for those characters to eventually wind up together.

Makes sense to me too.

I thought it was a bit of a reach. I understood why he and Salander never got on again - it made sense. But with Figuerola, it just seemed obligatory.

Well, considering that the author died in the middle of writing what would be Book 4, I don't think Mikael and Monica were together for good. If he knew he would only be able to publish the 3 first books (out of 10) I bet Mikael would end with someone else (or alone). It makes no sense to think that a secondary character like Figuerola would appear at the end of a trilogy just to pair up with him.

Adrienne wrote: "Figuerola and Bloomkvist made no sense I really thought that Lisbeth and Bloomkvist were going to be a couple in then end because it seemed like Lisbeth could have accepted Berger. Especially if L..."
Yep that makes perfect sense to me. I can't see how Lisbeth and Blomkvist would not be intertwined with each other if Stieg Larsson is making 10 novels. Maybe, I'm just being selfish but I don't really see them not ending up together if larsson lived to tell the tale.

No doubt Blomkvist and Salander a better pair.. lethal pair if any thing more. but ofcourse blomkvist should keep banging Erika Berger. (sorry, for the phrase).. Else character of blomkvist won't be interesting. My personal opinion.

Kev wrote: "Ok I finished the book. To me it's obvious that the author EVENTUALLY would have put Lisbeth and Mikael together. Even though Lisbeth thinks she has no romantic feelings for Mikael why was she conf..."

I think you are right but it would have been laced with bitter sweetness.

I loved all three books and I sure wish there were more to come!

As for Blomkvist and Figuerola - I don't like them together as a couple. I like them separately as characters, but I just don't think they fit.

I loved the interaction between Mikael and Erika - but I don't think it would be the same if they were married.

I really didn't want Mikael and Lisbeth to be a "couple" either - but they could at least have had an ongoing affair....

I don't think Mikael is the long-term, monogamous type.

One of my honest thoughts about Monica and Mikael was how cool it was that even though Mikael isn't in as good shape as Monica, he could still get a girl like that ;) Or hey, even vice versa how a girl as fit and seemingly very sexy as Monica would not be so shallow and enjoy the company of Mikael despite his less than perfect physique.

Their relationship is therefore based on their attraction to each other's mind and personality, with a little bit of luck, opportunity and circumstance as the groundwork for all of this to take place.

So yeah, I definitely enjoyed their storyline.

But Monica hinted at being the jealous type - and Mikael will definitely cheat on her - with Erika - and whoever else that strikes his fancy. I can't see Mikael putting up with jealousy.