Let the Right One In: A Novel [Paperback]

 

 

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I'd been anticipating this novel for quite some time, and not just because I'd booked to see the author at the Melbourne Writers' Festival. This tale is much more than just a vampire story. It has crime, social commentary, school life, parental issues, alcoholism and cats. It's so refreshing to read an urban fantasy novel that doesn't have the cliché kick-arse heroine. Instead, we have schoolboy Oskar, bullied relentlessly at school, who has a macabre fascination with murder. Eli, who's just moved next door, is like no one else Oskar's encountered for, and there's a good reason for that. Oskar and Eli are two of the most fascinating characters I've come across in a long time. The cat scenes are disturbing - the moral of the story being not to own eighteen cats. (I'm happy with just one.) The cruelty and violence of the kids is horrifying; forget the innocence you believe children have. An engrossing read that leaves me waiting for the author's second novel to be translated into English.

Vampire stories tend to come in two flavours -- either they're creepy horor stories, or celebrations of goth hotties tortured by their immortality.

But John Ajvide Lindqvist's "Let The Right One In" is neither kind or story. Instead this haunting, atmospheric Swedish movie is a poignant look at a very unique friendship between a young boy and a vampire child. His spare prose has a haunting poetic edge even in the violent scenes, and is littered with moments of pure creepiness and beauty.

A man and a young girl have moved into the apartment next to Oskar's. But he's more concerned with the savage bullies that attack him every single day.

But as he vents his frustrations by stabbing a tree, he sees a ghostly young girl named Eli, who informs him that she can't be his friend. She turns out to be as much of an oddball as Oskar -- especially since she only ventures out at night, smells like death, and is unaffected by the winter cold. But despite her odd greeting, the two strike up an innocent friendship.

At the same time, her servant Hakan is going around town killing young boys for Eli's sake, and trying to blackmail her into sleeping with him in exchange for blood. Oskar realizes that Eli is a bona fide vampire -- and not really a girl -- but doesn't intend to let that get in the way of their puppy love. Yet when Hakan's errands go horribly awry, Oskar finds himself to be the only person Eli can rely on.

Trust me, "Let the Right One In" has no sentimental ideas about children (even vampiric ones) -- they can be more violent than anyone, because they are more vulnerable. The adults are all distant and/or alcoholic, leaving the children to fend for themselves -- which makes the tender, clumsy connection between Eli and Oskar all the more striking.

The plot starts out slow, with Oskar expressing his anger and loneliness in violent fantasies, and Hakan being all creepy and pedophiley as he harvests blood for Eli. The story gradually grows tenser and more murky as the tensions grow more overpowering, leading to a gruesome clash in a cold swimming pool (with shattered glass "over the water like myriad white stars").

While Lindqvist's prose also starts out stark and spare, it becomes more dreamlike and haunting once Eli and Oskar start meeting at night. The words become more poetic ("Her fingers were long and slender as twigs), and even the brutality of Eli feeding off a teenage boy is written beautifully. Simultaneously, Lindqvist pares down the conversations between Hakan and Eli to mere brief exchanges, and thus keeping Eli's true nature a mystery.

And Lindqvist does a brilliant job with the vampiric angle. It's eerie rather than bloody or scary, and he manages to come up with some new twists (Eli's "dead" smell and matted hair). But this book's heart is the bittersweet, strangely innocent romance between Eli and Oskar -- they play with puzzles, laugh on the swings, and listen to each other through the walls.

And their moments of violence -- Oskar's rage and Eli's bloodthirsty feedings -- are only reflections that these children aren't meant to be out in the grimy daylit world. Oskar grows in courage and confidence thanks to Eli, and the lonely otherworldly Eli finds the one person in the world who really cares. Oh yeah, and there's the creepy Hakan, Eli's grotesque "guardian" who tries to starve the young vampire into having sex with him.

"Let the Right One In" is the sort of vampire novel that comes along only rarely, full of violence, darkness, beauty and a haunting wintry world of loneliness. Definitely a must-read.

I love vampire fiction. I usually had to search really hard to find them (till Twilight created this vampire storm). But now I have to try and find good ones, which is far more frustrating.

Unfortunately I watched the movie directed by Tomas Alfredson first. By unfortunately, I mean that I like to read the book first, the movie was NOT a disappointment, I very much enjoyed it. Afterwards, when I was googling this movie to find where I could buy it I noticed the book. The next day I bought it, in two days it was devoured and I cannot praise this book enough.

After enduring love stories with sufficient eye-rolling on my part; this book surprised, shocked, disgusted and delighted me. It was far from a predictable read.

Oskar is a troubled, awkward twelve year old. He's bullied, ignored, strange and longing for a friend. When Eli comes along, the friendship slowly blossoms (it's not BAM, "oh you're hot and we must date because you're undead") it's frightening at first for Oskar when he discovers Eli's (at least one of many) secrets. But, the story isn't just focused on the two of them - though they are the main story - there are several other interesting characters who add to the story. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes horror/sci-fi/urban fantasy and/or vampires.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A different take on vampires
This is a translation of a novel written by a Swedish author. I enjoyed the story very much. The character development was well done and it was not the typical vampire story. Read more

Published 7 months ago by Selena Halasz

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a vampire book for adults!
***CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!***

A while ago, my husband and I watched the movie Let the Right One In, which was based on the book written by John A. Read more

Published 7 months ago by Reading in Winter

4.0 out of 5 stars Favorite new author!
This book is not for everyone. Some of the relationships and situations in the book are uncomfortable to read and will turn many off. Read more

Published 14 months ago by Reads bookman

5.0 out of 5 stars Review by Tea and Tomes ([...])
I received this book as a gift, which thrilled me to no end since I really enjoyed the Swedish movie that was based on this novel. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Ria Bridges

4.0 out of 5 stars Creepy?
I picked this book up after much talk about how creepy and scary it was. I for one can't say I would classify it as horror but what I did find was an excellent read that kept me... Read more

Published 17 months ago by A Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
Let The Right One In is about a boy named Oscar who is bullied at school, who meets a girl named Eli. Read more

Published 17 months ago by Donnie

5.0 out of 5 stars dark, interesting, with grittiness woven together
You'll never find a vampire fiction such as this one. Haunting, atmospheric stories are hard to come by. Especially in this day of age. Read more

Published on April 14 2010 by Joss

5.0 out of 5 stars A good story of adolescence and horror
I avoid most vampire stories, let alone a vampire story with any kind of love, friendship and romance in it. Usually too far fetched or sappy. Read more

Published on July 26 2009 by Douglas Setter

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect antidote to the urban fantasy cliche
I came across this book on a pure fluke, but I'm so glad I did. At first the book starts out like a typical murder mystery. Read more

Published on Jan 7 2009 by Helena Rasmussen

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