The Girl Who Played with Fire

Main Characters and Their Development

• Lisbeth Salander – an outstanding hacker with a troubled past, who continues to battle her demons while trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding her family. She is characterized by her willpower and independence, and in this installment, she faces even sharper confrontations with the world.
• Mikael Blomkvist – a journalist and co-founder of Millennium magazine, who continues his investigations into corruption following the events of the first book, this time related to human trafficking. He stands by Lisbeth and tries to help her using his resources and connections.
• Alexander Zalachenko – the key antagonist of the second book, whose past is closely tied to Lisbeth's history. His character becomes central to the unfolding events in the book.