Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Have you all started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?

We got a lot of e-mails from people being concerned about the choice because of a) there are some weird names in the book that can be hard to read; and b) it starts out very slow.

In answer to the two main concerns I have two much sought after secrets to let you in on:

About the weird names; the book is actually Swedish and has been translated. The names are still weird, so I suggest coming up with different names to use instead.

Examples would be: Blomkvist pronounced as Blowhard. Just a suggestion. You can use any name you like.

And yes, the first chapter is boring. It's explaining a bunch of political and business partnerships that are confusing because we're not Swedish.

So here's a synopsis on the first chapter, in my own words, in case you are bored by it and/or don't understand it. This is seriously condensed down. And I'm not even sure I have it correct, but here

it is anyway. It's a Spoiler!

Spoilers Below!!!

The first chapter details a Financial Reporter named Blowhard Blomkvist who tried to take down a giant corporation called Wennerstrom through tips from a "secret" source. Nothing could be proved because the corporation covers it's tracks very well. Either that or possibly they paid someone on the inside off.

The whole scheme that the corporation was involved in, is kind of convoluted or murky, I think because it's lost in translation, as they say. Either that or I'm just stupid. Which could be the case.

Basically, the Swedish government gave big amounts of money to big Swedish corporations to build up

 their companies.

This corporation, Wennerstrom (here on out called Weineschnitzel, pronounced with a V), took the money and used about 2 million of it to do what they were supposed to do. They were given 50 million.

Even though they only used the 2 million, and should have given the 48 back, they sunk it into something other than what they were supposed to, but they said it went towards building the company and therefore didn't have to pay it back. So they kept a bunch of money from the government (ie, taxpayers) and spent it on who knows what, and got away with it. (hey! this sounds like it could be in the US!)

When Blowhard Blomkvist tried to take them down, they had covered it all up so well, that they were able to sue him in return and now he's headed for 3 months of jail.

Now. I have no clue what that has to do with the story. Because when the story takes off, and it does, I promise (right around page 35-40), it begins to talk about a young investigator and a murder. And a weird family. And all kinds of weird stuff.

So. Stick with it, I've heard so many good things about it, and if you get past the first chapter, you're good.

Let us know what you think so far!