Let the Right One In (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

This is definitely a read for those of you who like the gritty, shameless horror found in fiction. I can guarantee that if the film based on the novel had adapted straight from it, with no bits left out, people would have ran screaming from the theatre, or it would have been banned in some countries. There are some disturbing themes within the book that will linger in your mind, and you may find yourself experiencing various emotions trying to make sense of them. I did at least. It is gory, but the kind of gory you find in your own nightmares rather than in any traditional horror film. Lindqvist has managed to capture perfectly the feeling of entrapment experienced during one's own bad dreams and those in reality, especially in the context of victimisation within a school environment. Both the real world and that of which you would expect to stem from myths collide in this novel, and they co- exist disastrously. Insanity is also a major theme of 'Let The Right One In', and I do not believe any of the major characters avoid undergoing some form of it one way or another. It is illustrated vividly throughout the different events and experiences of the characters, and is incredibly believable. In other words, it is exactly how you and I would react if we were in the same situation.
The take on vampirism was fresh, with one or two old fashioned views thrown in for good measure. I could not help but feel pity for both Oskar and Eli, each with their own torments and loneliness. They emapthise with each other, even if in some ways their woes and worries are on different levels. The romance and friendship is very innocent, without an overdose of sexuality to depreciate it. Not over sentimental at all.

Finally, all I can say to people considering reading this novel is that the story has definitive meaning to it, and major themes are well balanced out. Forget any other vampiric story, this one is taken fresh from the pantry of imagination.

Let The Right One In, the English translation of the novel Låt Den Rätte Komma In by John Ajvide Lindqvist, is a vampire novel that has as much to do with the rites of passage one young Swedish boy passes through as it does with the existence of the undead and their feeding practices. Oskar, a 12-year-old boy dealing the problems of verbal and physical bullying and the consequent incontinence he suffers from, is desperately in need of a friend. He takes refuge in his imagined alter ego - an unafraid Oskar who kills his tormentors - and takes out his anger by stabbing trees in the woods near his home. Then, one night, Eli appears, a girl of the same age who he soon discovers to be a 200-year-old vampire. Meanwhile, a series of strange killings are taking place in the neighbourhood.

The narrative cuts between the lives of Oskar and his blossoming romance with Eli, his teenage acquaintance Tommy, and a group of alcoholics and unemployed semi-drifters who are the victims of the attacks.
The story is, without doubt, riveting - but only really takes flight in the latter half. The author spends the first hundred pages establishing a background, which can often feel sluggish, as the constant cut between narrative voices results in a plot which takes far longer to establish than it should. There are strange ticks in the writing - such as Lindqvist's tendency to italicise all his narrators' fragmented thoughts in a way that is almost artistic but more often irritating - and the author frequently strays into territory regarding Eli's past that leaves explanation or elaboration lacking and ultimately seems unnecessary.

The drive that the story maintains after the inital background compensates for the failed attempts at stylistic prowess. The constant plot twists, the developments in character relationships, and the new treatment of the ancient vampire fable keep the reader hooked. Ultimately a great thriller, but not nearly as art-house as the consequent film adaptation. There are moments of genuine beauty, particularly in the introduction and perfectly rendered conclusion of the text, and Lindqvist's writing is never garden-variety, of course, it just falls short of the stylistic beauty it aims for.

Let the right one in caught my attention because a film based on this book did win several awards and is now considered one of the best vampire movies of the past decades. So, before watching the film, I decided to read the book and I must say it took me by surprise.

The story is centered on the 12-year-old Oskar, a lonely kid who finds the perfect companion, a 12 girl who has recently moved next-door and turns out to be a vampire. But this is much more than your typical vampire story. It's a beautiful and disturbing tale describing the love, loneliness and violent reality of its characters. Also, as strange as it may sound, it feels very real and has some creepy moments that really stay in your mind.

I strongly suggest that you read this book and then see the original Swedish film (because there is an American remake on the way).