Two pages into the prologue, I knew that the film would not measure up to the book. These few paragraphs tell me far more about Henrik and Morell than the corresponding film scene, in about the same amount of time (reading vs. viewing). Not an auspicious start for comparison, and only gets worse as all sorts of interesting details are left out of the film, presumably for lack of time.
But rather than catalog all the problems, let's focus on one of the most glaring mistakes the filmmakers made. In general, the cast is good, and Rapace's Salander looks more like a real person to me than the Salander described in the book, but I feel sorry for Nyqvist because the filmmakers have miswritten Blomqvist's character. Nowhere is this more evident than when he goes to recruit Salander. In the book, Blomqvist is charming and talks his way into the apartment; he brings bagels and makes coffee; he tells Lisbeth that he knows she broke into his computer but comes off as interested rather than outraged: he *makes things easy*. In the film, he practically forces his way into the apartment, is confrontational, threatens her with his knowledge of her breaking into his computer, and practically demands she make coffee. Needless to say, he didn't bring bagels. The real Lisbeth Salander would have taken a golf club to the film Blomqvist's head before they ever got to Hedestad.
This isn't to say that I don't have reservations about the book. Far from it. Upon watching the film, my first question about the first scene with Bjurman was "why doesn't Lisbeth tell him that she's a PI for Milton Security instead of lying and saying she makes copies and coffee? That would make him back off." Given how well she pushes other people away, this doesn't make any sense, so I was hoping that something in the book would explain this for me. Page 166 of the paperback says, "She did not know why she had lied, but she was sure it was a wise decision." That explains everything. The author decided he needed Lisbeth to act out of character in order to contrive the salacious subplot. Whee. Why have her lie at all? It would be far simpler, and actually in character, for her to refuse to answer his questions and have Bjurman come to his own incorrect conclusions.
Also, I have no idea why Harriet does not confide in Henrik. By 1966, he has already shown a fondness for Harriet and a willingness to help (having extracted Cecilia from an abusive relationship). Henrik is not immediately available on the day she disappears, but it's for an obviously good reason. Why wouldn't she approach him immediately after the emergency on the bridge is over? Or in writing shortly after fleeing Hedeby? Or even a few years later once she's started a new life? Oh, right. Harriet needs to be unreasonably uncommunicative in order for there to be a story. Boo. I don't think there is an easy fix for this one.
Still and all, it was a pretty good book.
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