Let the Right One In

I just published a review at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/682483092

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindquist

Not what I expected at all.

I was worried about the ‘hints of paedophilia’ (umm be warned these aren’t HINTS, they’re full blown portrayals of it) and the first chapter really turned my stomach, but that is the point in these things – to shock.

That aside, ultimately, for me, this was a book about friendship and a unique connection between two ‘people’. It’s certainly a new twist on the classic vampire tale and I really liked it. I’m not sure I can get my head around the zombie vampire but all other details of the legend were really interesting, revived and thought through.

Oskar is a lonely child who is bullied and lives with his single mother. He meets Eli who moves in next door at night-time. They meet and bond over a Rubik’s cube and Morse code. They spend more time together and because of how well-written this book is you see their relationship develop with the little motifs and symbols rather than through what is explicitly said.

The same goes for the blood and gore, I don’t go in for horror books (my imagination is too active) but this doesn’t seem to be blood for the sake of blood, it’s so intelligently written that the violence seems unimportant.

There are lots of different characters and groups of people who are followed through this story and I was worried I’d get a little lost, or bored with one set and just want to get back to the main characters. But the stories all tie together perfectly and the characters are all individual and fairly well-rounded, even the ones we don’t see as much.

I think this is an amazing piece of writing and I would highly recommend it, perhaps not if you’re easily shocked but give it a go, you won’t know otherwise.

Ultimately this is a story of soul mates regardless of any of predetermined ideas we have about things – it is two people connecting.