The Girl Who Played With Fire

Just finished The Girl Who Played With Fire, which had me as transfixed as its predecessor, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The 'girl', Lisbeth Salander, is one of the most unusual & unpredictable protagonists I've ever come across. It will be quite a challenge for the actress just chosen to play her in the Hollywood version, Rooney Mara. In the weeks before the choice to play Salander was announced, there was quite a frenzy in Hollywood -- comparable to the protracted Scarlett O'Hara search which eventually handed stardom on a silver platter to Vivien Leigh. I like the fact that Mara, a virtual unknown, was chosen over big names like Scarlet Johansson -- said at one point to be a shoo-in for the role -- Ellen Page and Natalie Portman. And I also like the fact that, like me, she has a last name for a first name.