A couple of weeks ago I finally gave in and read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I had been resisting because it is so darn popular. People love it, millions of people love it, millions of people may have something.
After the first couple of chapters I was struck by the bad writing. Aware that the book is a translation, I let it go. After reading a couple more chapters, I was skeptical. Friends told me, "Keep reading, it gets better." So I did. It does not get better. Jeez Louise this is a bad book. The writing is bad, the characters are flat and do things they should not. No way is an Autistic person who does not like to be touched going to climb in to the bed of a friend. No way is a middle aged woman going to straddle her new neighbor in the kitchen. Not unless she is trying to manipulate him. I kept waiting for that storyline to evolve. I was disappointed. There are inconsistencies all through the book. A mystery can not have inconsistencies. I can not believe I read the whole thing. I can not believe there are two more books in the series.
The day after I closed the stupid dragon tattoo book, I opened Big Machine by Victor LaValle. Holy crap, what a difference. Victor LaValle is an amazing writer. I wish I could write the way he writes. I do not know how the books ends. In truth it does not matter. The writing is so good, the characters so strong, that the story could be so-so and I would still be happy. Something tells me the story will not be so-so.
Life is short, drink the good stuff, eat the good stuff, read the best.