The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Score Modern
What it's about
Lisbeth Salander lies in intensive care with a bullet wound to the head. If she recovers, she'll stand trial in Stockholm for three murders. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she has to prove her innocence and expose the people in power who allowed the vulnerable, herself included, to be abused, while plotting revenge of her own.
Why it's worth reading
It spent nine weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2010. It completes Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, one of the publishing phenomena of the century.
You'll love it if you liked
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl or The Silent Patient
Good to know
It follows directly from The Girl Who Played with Fire, so read the trilogy in order. It's more a political and courtroom thriller than its predecessors.
Quick answers
Is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest worth reading?
Yes. It spent nine weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2010. It ranks #263 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest about?
Lisbeth Salander lies in intensive care with a bullet wound to the head. If she recovers, she'll stand trial in Stockholm for three murders. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she has to prove her innocence and expose the people in power who allowed the vulnerable, herself included, to be abused, while plotting revenge of her own.
How long does it take to read The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest?
About 14 hours (563 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest?
If you liked it, try The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
By the numbers
- Readers79 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller87 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
#1 New York Times bestseller (9 weeks at #1).
Where it ranks
- #18 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #135 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #263 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- #1 New York Times bestseller (9 weeks at #1)
- One of the ten best-selling books of 2010 (Publishers Weekly)
Reads as
Gripping
