Let the Old Dreams Die: Stories

Let the Right One In #1.5

by John Ajvide Lindqvist

John Ajvide Lindqvist has been named the heir apparent to Stephen King by fans and critics alike. Now, in Let the Old Dreams Die, Lindqvist delivers his best book to date, a collection of short stories, including sequels to Let the Right One In and Handling the Undead, that will shock and delight his many fans.

Because of the two superb films made of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s vampire masterpiece Let the Right One In, millions of people around the world know the story of Oskar and Eli and of their final escape from Blackeberg at the end of the novel. Now at last, in “Let the Old Dreams Die,” the title story in this absolutely stunning collection, we get a glimpse of what happened next to the pair.

“Let the Old Dreams Die” is not the only stunner in this collection. In "Final Processing," Lindqvist also reveals the next chapter in the lives of the characters he created in Handling the Undead. In fact, every single story in this collection meets the very high standard that Lindqvist fans have come to expect.

Totally transcending genre writing, these are world-class stories from possibly the most impressive horror writer writing today.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Vampires, Swedish Literature, Supernatural

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

John Ajvide Lindqvist (John Erik Ajvide Lindqvist) is a Swedish author who grew up in Blackeberg, the setting for Let the Right One In . Wanting to become something awful and fantastic, he first became a conjurer, and then was a stand-up comedian for twelve years. He has also written for Swedish television.

His Let the Right One In was a bestseller in Sweden and was named Best Novel in Translation 2005 in Norway. He also is the author of Handling the Undead and Harbor .

http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnaj...

Russian profile can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* ...If you love Lindqvist; or really trippy, modern Lovecratian horror stories, then you'll probably like this one...in fact, some understanding of the mythos is necessary to fully appreciate some of these stories, otherwise some cannot be truly appreciated at all.

I'm going to talk about the book as a whole first, before I move on to several incredible stories, mixed in with a few fillers. The majority of stories are very unusual...and quit entertaining! I actually was only interested in the title story, having just finished Let the Right One In, to find out what happened with Eli and Oskar--but I found out that I loved almost every story in this book. The stories showed the vast ability of Lindqvist to write in many different styles. One thing that I found interesting is how often Lindvist refers to a fear of water (falling through the ice), and drowning in his books--not just this one, water appears everywhere in his writing. I recently read that his own father had drowned, and there must be something to that....a working out of his grief/anger...I see that it could be a truly horrid thing t0 right about!....often making it an almost evil place (the short story Eternal/Love most definitely has this element).

As you read this book you will find many Lovecraftian nods. I read The Hounds of Tindalos, the story that is read by the girl in the (very long) short story Tindalos; then also found that that same short story also had much to do with Eternal/love in this book. That story, by Frank Belknap Long, was written by one of H.P. Lovecraft's inner circle--who helped create the mythos, and found it's way into Lovecraft's own stories, such as The Whisperer in Darkness. At the time, he was but one of a group of these authors who helping to form the Lovecraftian mythos. There are a few in here that also have touches of The Rats in the Walls, and angles losing their shape, allowing the hideous evil in....if you love the Lovecraft mythos, you will really understand that one. This book definitely made me want to dive into my complete Lovecraft collection, and his circle of friends that helped form the mythos, because I'm sure I overlooked several elements out of my ignorance. But I like the modern retelling of this great mythos.

There's also a very strange sex scene in the first story, coming from a beautifully twisted outlook....that story, Borders, is by far my favorite,(calling Clive Barker to mind), I also love Village in the Sky, Equinox (hilarious, though I'm not sure it's supposed to be), and Eternal/Love (which isn't a love story at all, really), but it's very Lovecraftian (Especially after reading The Hounds of Tindalos)....different stories seem to appeal to different readers, so I'm sure you'll find your own...

I honestly tried my best not to spoil any of these stories and feel they are safe to read (and get some Lovecraft Tie-ins that I found, among other things, without giving anything pertinent away, but this review gets quite long with all the stories--though I felt those tie-ins were important to get the fullness of the story's meaning)...and you can chose to only read the top part if you like...and come back to find out some of the things I discovered. You are also completely free to think I'm an idiot.

1 Borders: Talk about tarting with a winner!!! What a twisted, brilliant mind! All of the characters in this story are very well written. This is one of the most unusual stories I have ever read. We start with Tina, who has a supernatural "power" that she uses at border crossings. She has the ability--through an amazing gift of scent--to expose smugglers with almost no problem, and has been offered positions all over the world (where she could have become a millionaire), but prefers to stay in her small cottage....near the outdoors. While at her station one day she meets a stranger, Vore, with whom she, unbeknownst to herself at the time, has much in common.... and through talking to him, and approaching her elderly father in a nursing home, she learns much about herself. It is a fascinating tale; one that leaves you gripping the edge of your seat--waiting to see what decisions she will make with this new information. There is an unusual sex scene in this one...not too graphic....but I have no idea where Lindqvist got the idea for this one! She learns an extremely interesting amount about her anatomy (which isn't quite human). It is a strange, mysterious, and somehow sweet story of two beings that are almost the last of their kind. This story will also call to mind Clive Barker. I can't recommend this one enough! 10 out of 5* if it were only possible!

2 The Village In the Sky seems to take on a surreal, Lovecraftian feel as it get's moving. One day, out of the blue, a man living in the building senses something wrong with the angles in his building, and becomes very sick whenever inside. At fist the building seems to be leaning. One of my favorite lines in this book...and there are many...is when the man living in the building asks a kid on the street if he notices it as well. The stranger looks at it for while before replying that yes.He squints at it some more--Yes he does. And as he's starting to leave he stops a moment and says, "It's probabley normal.... " before walking away. But the next day the building is anything but normal, as it know appears bowed. The angles are not right, and that leaves plenty of room for the evil to come in, floor by floor. As the tenant investigates, he becomes aware something is going horribly wrong. The Rats in the Walls come into this one....and as the Lovecraftain creature is finally revealed causing the problems id finally revealed, there's a grotesque ending....5*

3 Equinox; I found this one very different and quite hilarious....the central character snoops, and what she finds one day is very interesting. From here I don't want to share too much, because I did not appreciate knowing what she was going to find (from someone else's review). So... all I'll say is that she is definitely a disturbed woman, and most of the dialogue in this story is in her thoughts....they are funny (if you find rationalizing true insanity funny....and again, the character development is top notch, as I've come to expect from Lindqvist), and there are too many of the humorous thoughts to share, without giving up what she found--and how she responded to it! Then, of course, the story takes a turn, and her behavior costs her and her family. Though it starts odd (and funny to me--maybe I'm odd?...it ends horrifying) ...4.5 out of 5*....mostly for the chuckles....wow, she's pretty cooky! Trippy, fun, crazy!

4 Itsy Bitsy: Yep. It has to do with a bikini....and the paparazzi. Beyond that I don't have much to say....one of the few I didn't care for; as he is such a great writer, I assume the fault lies with me. I probably need to read it again...and hopefully come away with....more. Read it yourself--you may like it more than me. (If you get something great out of it, please send me a message!) And it's on Amazon by itself for free, but unfortunately, it is not characteristic of Lindqvist's ability to write, in my opinion at least...3 generous*

5The substitute: It's interesting. A man meets up with a high school friend who's been institutionalized for many years....and finds out why. I especially loved the ending. Who are we living with all around us? The nameless, silent people that are on our buses, etc. 3/4*

6 Eternal/Love: (This is NOT a romance in case you're wondering) This is one that I found had a bit of both things I mentioned in my opening; drowning and Lovecraft. Sometimes it's best to let our lives come to a natural end ("Sometime's dead is better."....remember that one?) But after a near drowning experience a man thought he had found the key to eternal life. This gets out of hand fast and ends with that wonderful Lovecraftian ending., carrying large elements from The Hounds of Tindalos...where is the purity of life in us...the part that is eternal? I can't go on, but if you are aware of the mythos, you'll love it...5*

7 To Put My Arms Around You, to music: For some reason I found this one "slightly" more interesting than most other readers did. It is obviously one side of a conversation....a girl is there seemingly, and there is only a space ______ where her words would go....this just left the reader with far too many questions. It even occurred to me to wonder if she was there? or alive? It seems he's expecting some guests for whom he has plans.... I think it requires a lot of imagination on our part. Even Lindqvist said he was the only person to like this story. I'll have to read it again to see if anything new stands out to me, It's probably his shortest story in the whole book...2*as of now. Obscure meaning, check...requires thinking and imagination, check. (By the way... the empty spaces reminded me of the Charlie Brown cartoons where the adults had no voices....just kind of a wa wa wa waaa, in those even a child's imagination sufficed--this is a bit different.... Probably this thought took any chill out of this brief story for me.) A story requiring time to think it over isn't necessarily bad....

8 Majken: I found this complete change of pace interesting and fun. The theme seems to be summed up in another Smiths song (he used a few of those in Let the Right one in)....."Shoplifters of the world Unite". Different, for Lindqvist, but very good. 4*

9 Final Processing: Nothing to report (yet) because I'm waiting to read Handling the Undead first, but I've heard it's the best story of the bunch, so it must be pretty amazing.; and I'm definitely coming back for it soon.

10Tindakos: Here he's very Lovecraftian ... The woman in the midst of the horror actually reads The Hounds of Tindalos, she remembers something about the book and realizes that she's living it? No! she fights it. Love the modern Swedish setting for this mythos....BUT.....the major problem with this one is it's way too long...4*

and finally 11 Let the old Dreams Die: For me...a good story, allowing one to guess the outcome of Eli and Oskar, although they are not the main characters. Disappointingly short, but good. I still want e real sequel. 4*

[Το Άθχημο γατί του θενιόρ Γκουαναμίρου · Rating 5 out of 5]

Η πρώτη ιστορία έχει τίτλο “Τα σύνορα”. Η ηρωίδα, η Τίνα, είναι μια 42χρονη γυναίκα που εργάζεται ως τελωνειακός σε κάποιο λιμάνι της Σουηδίας. Έχει την ικανότητα να “μυρίζει” τα λαθραία και γι’ αυτό είναι εξαιρετικά επιτυχημένη στον κλάδο της. Ωστόσο στην προσωπική της ζωή τα πράγματα δεν πάνε και τόσο καλά. Συνυπάρχει με έναν άνδρα, έχοντας δημιουργήσει μαζί του έναν χαλαρό δεσμό που μοιάζει λίγο με αναγκαστική συγκατοίκηση και λίγο με προβληματικό υποκατάστατο σχέσης. Μόνο ο ηλικιωμένος και παράλυτος πατέρας της φαίνεται πως την αγαπάει. Γιατί η Τίνα είναι άσχημη, σχεδόν αποκρουστική για τους ανθρώπους. Στο βιβλίο εξηγεί την αιτία που συμβαίνει αυτό. Σε ένα πρώτο επίπεδο τουλάχιστον αυτό οφείλεται σε ένα τραγικό γεγονός που τη σημάδεψε, όταν ήταν παιδί.

Ώσπου μια μέρα εμφανίζεται στο τελωνείο έναν παράξενος άνδρας. Ο Βόρε. Από εκεί και πέρα αρχίζει το μυστήριο, καθώς η Τίνα αισθάνεται πως αυτός ο άνδρας κρύβει κάτι, αλλά όσο κι αν ψάχνει στις αποσκευές του δεν μπορεί να βρει το παραμικρό. Δυστυχώς υπάρχουν πολλά ακατανόητα σημεία στην ιστορία, που μου δίνουν την αίσθηση πως πρόκειται για μια ενδιαφέρουσα σύλληψη, αλλά εκτελεσμένη με αρκετή προχειρότητα. Σε κάποιο σημείο διακόπτει την τριτοπρόσωπη αφήγηση και δίνει κάποια αποσπάσματα από το προσωπικό ημερολόγιο της Τίνας, τόσο άσχημα δεμένα με τον κορμό του κυρίως κειμένου που πραγματικά μοιάζουν με μπάλωμα.

Ωστόσο εκτίμησα την πρόθεση του συγγραφέα να θίξει θέματα όπως οι μαζικές στειρώσεις ατόμων με αναπηρία που ήταν υποχρεωτικές στη Σουηδία μέχρι τα μέσα του 1970, το ζήτημα του αυτοπροσδιορισμού και της ταυτότητας ενός ατόμου (αυτό υπάρχει ως μοτίβο και στο “Άσε το Κακό να μπει”) ο ορισμός του βιολογικού και κοινωνικού φύλου και η ανάγκη του καθένα να ανήκει κάπου, το δικαίωμα να είναι αποδεκτός και αγαπητός γι’ αυτό που είναι, πέρα και πάνω από τις επιβεβλημένες κοινωνικές νόρμες. Από ένα σημείο και μετά αισθάνθηκα την ανάγκη να παραβλέψω τις συγγραφικές αδυναμίες του, ο Lindqvist δεν είναι στυλίστας, δεν δημιουργεί ένα πρωτότυπο και αυθεντικό λογοτεχνικό ύφος, αλλά έχει πολύ ωραίες ιδέες και τη διάθεση να τις πει. Και το ταλέντο να τις κάνει αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσες, ώστε να διαβαστούν.

Το δεύτερο διήγημα έχει τίτλο “Το χωριό στον λόφο”. Ο ήρωας, ο Τζόελ Άντερσον είναι ένας χωρισμένος μεσήλικας που δεν έχει και πολλά ενδιαφέροντα στη μίζερη ζωή του, πέρα από το χόμπι του, την κατασκευή ενός πλοίου από σπιρτόξυλα, μέσα στο διαμέρισμά του. Όμως φαίνεται πως κάτι δεν πάει καλά, κάτι πέρα από τα συνηθισμένα. Έχει ένα αίσθημα ναυτίας, αισθάνεται ζαλάδα, χάνει την ισορροπία του και σταδιακά αρχίζει να εντοπίζει την αιτία που του συμβαίνει αυτό. Καθώς η ιστορία εξελίσσεται (για να φτάσει σε ένα τέλος όπου η λέξη “κλισέ” βρίσκει τον ακριβέστερο δυνατό ορισμό της) ο ήρωας οδηγείται σε μια φρικιαστική ανακάλυψη. Κατά την άποψή μου τον αυθεντικό τρόμο τον γεννά το άγνωστο. Αν είχε αφήσει την ιστορία να αιωρείται πριν την τελική αποκάλυψη, το μυστήριο θα εξασφάλιζε ένα πιο δυνατό φινάλε. Ωστόσο και εδώ ο συγγραφέας φαίνεται πως δεν μένει μόνο στην επιφάνεια, αλλά προχωρά σε μια παρατήρηση που αφορά την κοινωνία στην οποία ζει. Μιλά για το πόσο οι άνθρωποι, όσο κοντά κι αν ζουν ο ένας στον άλλο, στην πραγματικότητα είναι αποξενωμένοι. Όταν συμβαίνει κάτι παράξενο, αποφεύγουν να το σχολιάσουν. Όταν κάτι τους ανησυχεί προτιμούν να το κρατήσουν μέσα τους. Έτσι αντί να βρεθούν ενωμένοι απέναντι σε έναν κοινό κίνδυνο, καταλήγουν να χάνονται εξαιτίας της σιωπής τους. Είναι μια βαθιά αδιαφορία τόσο για τους συνανθρώπους τους όσο και για τους ίδιους τους εαυτούς τους.

Ο τίτλος του τρίτου διηγήματος είναι “Ισημερία”. Μια τριανταπενάχρονη γυναίκα, η Βερόνικα ζει με την οικογένειά της στη εξοχή. Το επάγγελμά της συνίσταται στο να κατασκευάζει σταυρόλεξα για διάφορα περιοδικά και εφημερίδες και η αγαπημένη της συνήθεια υποδηλώνει (δεν θα πω περί τίνος πρόκειται για να μην κάνω σπόιλερ, αλλά είναι κάτι που θα το χαρακτήριζα ως βίτσιο) κάποιο είδος ψυχικής διαταραχής. Καθώς το διήγημα εκτυλίσσεται σε πρώτο πρόσωπο, αποκλειστικά από την πλευρά της ηρωίδας ο αναγνώστης δεν είναι σε θέση να πει με βεβαιότητα τί συμβαίνει πραγματικά. Την βρήκα ενδιαφέρουσα και συγκινητική, μια σύντομη και μακάβρια σπουδή επάνω στις ενοχές και στο νόημα της ζωής, την ανάγκη των ανθρώπων να ξεφύγουν από την ρουτίνα της καθημερινότητας, τη δυσκολία που βιώνουμε πολλές φορές να εκτιμήσουμε τα όσα έχουμε, όσα θεωρούμε ως δεδομένα, ενώ στην πραγματικότητα αποτελούν το κομμάτι εκείνο που πραγματώνει και νοηματοδοτεί την ύπαρξή μας.

Το τέταρτο διήγημα με τίτλο “Δεν το βλέπω! Δεν υπάρχει!” είναι αδέξιο και εκνευριστικά προβλέψιμο, πατάει πάνω στο μοτίβο των ονείρων που ζωντανεύουν μόνο για να γίνουν στην συνέχεια ο χειρότερος εφιάλτης, αφορά στην ιστορία ενός παπαράτσι που ονειρεύεται να πλουτίσει βγάζοντας φωτογραφίες διασήμων για λογαριασμό των κουτσομπολίστικων ταμπλόιντ. Ο κεντρικός χαρακτήρας δεν αναπτύσσεται ικανοποιητικά, η κλιμάκωση της δράσης καταλήγει σε ένα απογοητευτικό ξεφούσκωμα, μια μετριότητα - μια τυπική creepypasta δεκαπεντάχρονου στο reddit έχει καλύτερο επίπεδο. (σσ. Υπάρχει κανένας άλλος εδώ μέσα που να του αρέσει από καιρού εις καιρόν να ξετρυπώνει καμία καλή creepypasta; Ή είμαι η μόνη με αυτήν την πετριά;)

Το πέμπτο διήγημα αντίθετα με το προηγούμενο είναι υ-π-έ-ρ-ο-χ-ο. Έχει τίτλο “Αντικαταστάτης”. Όχι πως βελτιώνεται η γραφή του Lindqvist, παραμένει εξίσου κακός όπως στις υπόλοιπες ιστορίες. Για να εξηγήσω τί εννοώ όταν λέω κακός με ένα παράδειγμα, σε ένα σημείο προσπαθεί να δώσει την περιγραφή της εξωτερικής εμφάνισης του Μάττε, του κεντρικού προσώπου, γύρω από την αφήγηση του οποίου, ξετυλίγεται η υπόθεση του έργου. Εκεί που ο Stephen King θα είχε γράψει 7½ σελίδες (το άλλο άκρο δηλαδή) o Lindqvist γράφει τρεις μικρές προτάσεις και τα παρατάει για να πει απλά πως έμοιαζε τελικά σαν τον Michael Stipe, τον τραγουδιστή των REM, με τη διαφορά πως είχε λίγο πιο μικρά μάτια και πιο στρογγυλό πιγούνι! Λογοτεχνία σημαίνει χτίζω εικόνες με τις λέξεις και εδώ πέρα φαίνεται ξεκάθαρα πως γράφει έτσι, όχι από άποψη, αλλά γιατί δεν μπορεί να κάνει αλλιώς. Οι περιγραφές δεν είναι λοιπόν το δυνατό του σημείο. Αλλά αυτό δεν μειώνει την αξία και την ομορφιά του συγκεκριμένου διηγήματος.

Κυρίως αυτό συμβαίνει γιατί η προφορικότητα, η αποτύπωση της καθημερινής ομιλίας, συμβάλλει στο χτίσιμο μιας αγωνιώδους ατμόσφαιρας, η οποία κρατά σε εγρήγορση τον αναγνώστη μέχρι την τελευταία λέξη. Όπως συμβαίνει δηλαδή, όταν μιλάμε με κάποιον και μας αφηγείται κάτι πολύ ενδιαφέρον, κερδίζοντας την προσοχή μας. Ο Μάττε λοιπόν, με αφορμή μια σχολική φωτογραφία, συναντά μετά από πολλά χρόνια έναν παλιό του συμμαθητή και του αποκαλύπτει ένα ανατριχιαστικό μυστικό. Αυτό που απογειώνει ωστόσο την υπόθεση είναι ο τρόπος που δένει μέσα στην πλοκή το “The Wall” των Pink Floyd. Δεν πρόκειται για απλές μουσικές αναφορές. Μοιάζει λες και το μουσικό έργο, η φιλοσοφία του και η αισθητική του, να έχουν εμποτίσει τις σελίδες. Θυμάμαι, όταν ήμουν μικρή, κάθε φορά που κοίταζα το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ των Pink Floyd (υπάρχει ακόμα στη δισκοθήκη του πατέρα μου) αισθανόμουν ένα μείγμα φόβου και σαγήνης. Το ίδιο ακριβώς συναίσθημα μου ξύπνησε κι αυτή η ιστορία.

Το έκτο διήγημα είναι μέτριο, το δέσιμο ανάμεσα στην ρεαλιστική ιστορία που αφορά στη σχέση ενός ερωτευμένου ζευγαριού και στα στοιχεία του τρόμου, δεν φαίνεται να λειτουργεί αποτελεσματικά. Ο τίτλος χωρισμένος με την κάθετο στη μέση είναι “Αιώνια/Αγάπη” και στην ουσία θέλει να πει πως ούτε οι άνθρωποι, ούτε ο έρωτας είναι φτιαγμένοι για να κρατάνε για πάντα. Άλλη μια ωραία ιδέα, εκτελεσμένη αδέξια. Ωστόσο υπάρχουν εδώ κι εκεί κάποιες όμορφες σκόρπιες σκηνές, που μέσα στη ναΐφ απλοϊκότητά τους προσθέτουν ενδιαφέρουσες πινελιές μέσα στο κείμενο το οποίο είναι σε γενικές γραμμές επίπεδο και κλισαρισμένο με λογικά χάσματα και ασυνέπειες.

Το έβδομο διήγημα είναι η αιτία που ξεκίνησα να διαβάζω αυτήν τη συλλογή και έχει τίτλο “Άσε τα παλιά όνειρα να πεθάνουν”. Είναι μια συνέχεια του μυθιστορήματος με τίτλο “Άσε το κακό να μπει”. Το οποίο δεν έχω διαβάσει (ούτε και πρόκειται) αλλά έχω δει την ταινία η οποία είναι από τις αγαπημένες μου. Εδώ σε αυτήν την πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία, η οποία δεν έχει στοιχεία τρόμου, αλλά λειτουργεί ως επίλογος στο μυθιστόρημα, δίνονται κάποιες απαντήσει σχετικά με το τί απέγιναν ο Όσκαρ και η Έλι. Βαθύτατα ικανοποιητικό.

Το όγδοο με τίτλο “Να σε κρατάω όσο θα παίζει η μουσική” είναι μικρό και αδιάφορο, πιστεύω πως απλά μπήκε στη συλλογή γιατί χρησιμοποιεί ένα συγγραφικό εύρημα, όπου ένας διάλογος, όταν ο συγγραφέας αφήνει να ακούγεται μόνο ο ένας ομιλητής και σκεπάζει τις απαντήσεις του συνομιλητή με αποσιωπητικά, καταλήγει να γίνεται ένας ιδιότυπος μονόλογος (στον επίλογο ο συγγραφέας δίνει κάποιες εξηγήσεις).

Την τεχνική αυτή χρησιμοποιεί σε κάποια σημεία του επόμενου διηγήματος (το ένατο στη σειρά) με τίτλο “Majken” (σσ: γυναικείο όνομα). Αυτό το διήγημα δεν είναι τρόμου. Είναι ένα πολύ έξυπνο σχόλιο επάνω στη σύγχρονη κοινωνίας της κατανάλωσης, όπου το μέτρο της αξίας των ανθρώπων βασίζεται σε όσα μπορούν να αγοράσουν. Οι υπολοιποι, οι φτωχοί και περιθωριοποιημένοι, υπάρχουν για να στηρίζουν το σύστημα που τους κρατάει στο περιθώριο. Με τη δουλειά τους, με τα κουρελιασμένα τους όνειρα, με τις ματαιωμένες τους ζωές, τις ενοχές και τις τραυματικές τους απώλειες. Σε κάποια σημεία κάνει κάτι απότομες εναλλαγές ανάμεσα στα αφηγηματικά πρόσωπα, που λειτουργούν αποπροσανατολιστικά για τον αναγνώστη, ωστόσο το κείμενο, έχει παλμό και ζωντάνια. Έχοντας μια στερεοτυπική εικόνα για τη Σουηδία, ως κοινωνία ισότητας και ευμάρειας και διαβάζοντας όλα αυτά από έναν Σουηδό, προσγειώθηκα απότομα. Πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ματιά, πολύ τίμια και ειλικρινής.

Μακάρι περισσότεροι σύγχρονοι συγγραφείς να καταπιάνονταν με αυτά τα θέματα. Άσχετα με το λογοτεχνικό είδος που υπηρετεί ο καθένας, τέτοια ζητήματα είναι σημαντικό να προβάλλονται. Όσοι έχουν φωνή να ακουστούν, πρέπει να μιλούν για εκείνους που δεν έχουν. Στα συν και η έμμεση αναφορά στον τραγουδιστή Morrissey σαν easter egg (ο Lindqvist είναι φανατικός θαυμαστής του).

Το δέκατο διήγημα με τίτλο “Χάρτινοι τοίχοι” είναι μια σύντομη ιστορία για ένα πιτσιρίκι, στο οποίο ο πατέρας του φέρνει ένα τεράστιο χαρτόκουτο. Μια τρυφερή ανάμνηση της παιδικής ηλικίας και ταυτόχρονα μια από αυτές τις μικρές αλλόκοτες στιγμές που αργότερα, ως ενήλικες, μπορεί να προσπαθήσουμε (μάταια συνήθως) να εκλογικεύσουμε.
Μήπως είναι ο γιος της Τίνας από το πρώτο διήγημα; Χαχαχαχα!!!


Το ενδέκατο και τελευταίο διήγημα είναι συνέχεια του μυθιστορήματος με τίτλο “Handling the Undead” ποου δημοσιεύτηκε το 2005, ένα χρόνο μετά από την επιτυχία του “Άσε το Κακό να μπει” (σσ. θα μπορούσε να μεταφραστεί ως “Τί θα κάνουμε με τους πεθαμένους”) το οποίο δεν έχω διαβάσει.

Στην αμερικάνικη έκδοση (γιατί η δική μου είναι αυτή που κυκλοφόρησε στην Αγγλία) υπάρχει ένα ��ιήγημα που παραλείπεται εδώ με τίτλο “Τίνταλος” το οποίο από όσο μπόρεσα να μάθω πρέπει να έχει επιρροές από τον Χ. Φ. Λάβκραφτ. Οπότε αν κάποιος ενδιαφέρεται να διαβάσει την συλλογή καλύτερα να προτιμήσει την έκδοση όπου μεταφράστρια είναι η Ebba Segerberg από τις εκδόσεις Thomas Dunne Books (με το κόκκινο εξώφυλλο). Ωστόσο η αγγλική έχει επιπλέον ενσωματωμένο τον πρόλογο της πρώτης σουηδικής έκδοσης του “Άσε το κακό να μπει”, όπου ο συγγραφέας κάνει αναφορά και στις ταινίες. Ο επίλογος είναι γραμμένος από τον Lindqvist το 2005, κι εκεί εκθέτει κάποιες σκέψεις του ��ύρω από τα διηγήματά του. Εξηγεί τις ιδέες που τον οδήγησαν να τα γράψει, τους εναλλακτικούς τίτλους που μπορεί να φωτίσουν καλύτερα το περιεχόμενό τους κα. Παραδέχεται την μεγάλη του αδυναμία: Μια ιδέα μπορεί να είναι τόσο καλή που να μην μπορεί να αποδοθεί στο τέλος με επιτυχία. Έτσι διηγείται εν περιλήψει μια ιστορία που δεν κατάφερε ποτέ να γράψει, διασώζοντάς την έστω σε μια συντομευμένη, ημιτελή εκδοχή της.

Από όσο διάβασα, τα μεταγενέστερα έργα του ξεφεύγουν τελείως, και εμπεριέχουν στοιχεία που πλησιάζουν τον σουρεαλισμό, αλλά διατηρούν τον στοχασμό επάνω στην κοινωνική πραγματικότητα και τις ανθρώπινες σχέσεις. Για την ώρα, αρχές καλοκαιριού 2017, δεν φαίνεται να κυκλοφορεί κάτι δικό του σε ελληνική μετάφραση, καθώς το “Άσε το Κακό να μπει” από τις εκδόσεις Οξύ, σε μετάφραση της Βίκυς Μυλωνοπούλου, είναι εξαντλημένο.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a massive fan of John Ajvide Lindqvist, I have loved all of his books so far and I cannot wait for his next one to be released. ‘Let the Old Dreams Die’ is a collection of stories which are surreal, complex, dark and as always, gives you an insight into the human psyche, where ordinary people experience the extraordinary.

I was particularly looking forward to the stories ‘Let the Old Dreams Die’, where you find out what happened to Oskar and Eli from ‘Let The Right One In’ alongside a story of great love and ‘The Final Processing’, which continues the story of ‘Handling The Undead’, I enjoyed ‘The Final Processing’ more than ‘Let the Old Dreams Die’ , it was more focused on the characters from the original story which I enjoyed, I wanted to know what had happened to Flora, Elvy and Hagar and the ‘reliving’.

All of the stories are individual and interesting, all of the characters are easy to relate to, which made the book even more of a pleasure to read.

An excellent book written by an amazing writer.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will review each story as I read them.

1. Border
What a unique story!!! I'm still not entirely sure what to make of it. It tells the story of Tina, a scarred woman....physically and emotionally....who works as border security. She has a talent for knowing when someone is hiding something. She is very good at her job. Until she meets a strange man, who she's convinced is trying to smuggle something in, but all searches find nothing. There is something about this man that she can't put her finger on. And the more she finds out....leads to more questions....about herself. LOL. This sounds like the write-up for every cheesy romance. But I promise you, it's far from it! (5 stars)

2. Village in the Sky
This is a very interesting story about a regular guy who starts noticing strange things about his apartment building. If you look at the outside, it appears to be tilting. Weird, huh? He is not sure if a little tilting is normal, and should he worry about it or not? He asks his friend over who is an architect, and he confirms his fear. This just keeps getting weirder. Then his girlfriend, who lives on a lower floor seems to have disappeared. He investigates even further...but he will be sorry he did. (5 stars)

3. Equinox
This is a strange story about a woman who likes snooping around other people's houses. She isn't a thief, but she loves snooping around and discovering things about other people's lives. However, she snoops in a house she will wish she hadn't. Have you noticed that people always seem to get in trouble when they get nosy?! Lol (3 stars)

4. Itsy Bitsy
I am a huge fan of John Ajvide Lindqvist and was very excited when I saw this little gem available for free on Amazon. (I'm not sure how long they were doing that promotion, so I'm sorry for anyone that missed it.) What a suprise! Sure, the title made me think "spider" and I thought how cool a story about a spider would be, but I was mistaken....but that wasn't a bad thing. This story is one of those masterpieces that makes you wonder...what's going on? Is it real? Is the guy, Frank, losing his mind? And that is such a great thing, I think. To have a story play w/ your mind like that, to me, is the sign that it's well done. If you're still thinking about it after, it's done it's job! (4 stars)

5. The Substitute
This was a weak story, in my opinion. It's been 22 years since they were schoolmates together, when our main character hears from Matte. Matte just vanished without a word from school. No one at the time knew the reason, but all sorts of rumors floated around. That he killed someone, he finally lost his mind and was institutionalized ...the list went on. Matte contacted him to tell him why he disappeared way back then. But is our main character ready to hear it? The build up for this was very interesting, but when it came to the end and the reason, I was left puzzled. (3 stars)

6. Eternal Love
Talk about confusing! Josef has this near death experience while out boating, but when he comes back he is obsessed with the prospect of living forever. He starts behaving strangely, which worries his pregnant girlfriend, Anna. Finally Anna gets an explanation, but that's where it falls short for me.....and the way there feels like a dozen loose ends at the end of the stories, didn't help. (2 stars)

7. To Put My Arms Around You, to Music
I can't even begin to imagine what this one is about! (1 star)

8. Majken
This is the story about a woman, who starts up a friendship with a woman named Majken. This happens when she has called to complain to the grocery store, the two women bond and decide that they would like to talk again. It seems that Majken is part of a "club" and she wants the main character to be a part of it. When you hear what this "club" does, you will be wondering the same thing that I was...."You've got to be kidding me?" This book of short stories has been very disappointing for the most part, I must say. (1 star)

11. Let The Old Dreams Die
This story takes place after Let The Right One Ends. On the surface it is a wonderful love story between 2 people that met as a result of the investigation into the Bathhouse Murders in Blackeburg several years before. But we get a glimpse in the background of this story of what happened with Eli and Oskar since they left town. Great story! (5 stars)

[Heidi Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book took me a long time to read. Not in a bad way; it's just that Lindqvist's first collection of short stores, while beautifully written (and beautifully translated by Ebba Segerberg), is dense, with the majority of the dozen stories on the long side, some to good and others to not-so-great effect.

Fortunately, there were only two stories I simply didn't care for in Let the Old Dreams Die. One, "To Put My Arms Around You, to Music," Linqvist admits in his amusing afterword, nobody but the author himself likes. (So it's okay that my notes on this story consisted of "I don't get it.") The other, "Itsy-Bitsy," is short and sharp modern morality tale about a paparazzo, but its moral is kind of hamhanded, and it's just not of the emotional complexity I've come to expect from Linqvist and his characters. (Ironically, considering what I just said about long stories, I think those two are the shortest in the book.)

Overall, though, the collection is top-notch, with stories dark, surreal and moving all at once. Favorites include: "The Border," in which a middle-aged woman slowly realizes she's something other than she'd always believed (avoiding spoilers here); "Eternal/Love," about a couple who discover how to manipulate Death; "A Village in the Sky," about an apartment building gone subtly wrong and getting wronger fast; and "Tindalos," a tour-de-force portrait of one woman's anxiety which somehow morphs into a giant monster movie. These last three especially have a cosmic horror vibe that I really loved.

Finally, I'm sure people are wondering about the advertised "sequel" stories to Handling the Undead -- "Final Processing" -- and Let the Right One In -- "Let the Old Dreams Die." So how are they? Harrowing and beautiful, in that order. "Final Processing" brings us up to date on the un-pretty status of the "re-living," and is a pretty grueling read. It's also bordering on novella-length, losing some of its punch along the way. But "Let the Old Dreams Die," which closes the book, is a beautiful love story about a couple who met while working on Oskar's "kidnapping." (She was a cop; he was the station worker who punched Oskar's train ticket the last time he was seen alive. They clicked in the interview room.) The case continues to be an ongoing hobby for the pair, though the trail has long ago gone cold. I won't say any more, but the final page of this story is a little miracle, and a perfect note on which to end. (Except you should also read Lindqvist's afterword, which is funny and self effacing, as well as lending some insight to his madness.)

[Mafalda Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Border - 5*
A Village in the Sky - 4*
Equinox - 4*
Itsy Bitsy - 3*
The Substitute - 3.5*
Eternal/Love - 4.5*
To Put My Arms Around You, to Music - ???
Majken - 5*
Paper Walls - 4.5*
Tindalos - 5*
Let the Old Dreams Die - 5*

*skipped one short story (Final Processing) because is the continuation of Handling the Undead which I haven't read yet.

[Keith Chawgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Ajvide Lindqvist collection of short stories are compiled together from different sources to comprise 'Let The Old Dreams Die'. The stories range from love lost, to updates from his novels which include 'The Harbour', 'Let The Right One In' and 'Handling the Undead' which gives an insight to what happened either to the situation, the towns where the stories took place or to some of the characters. There is also stories included that have nothing to do with anything he has written before.

For the most part, it is very successfully done and everything is very well written. Each story is a little novella and he hasn't cheated in short stories but have a cliffhanger ending which makes the reader think to themselves - er....what was that all about.

It was good to have a catch up with Oskar and Eli and find out how the undead had an effect on the rest of Sweden. I even enjoyed love gone wrong and the strange nordic tales of the unexpected. Each story is very well written and the translation is very well done.

Personally, I am a huge fan of Lindqvist's work but since it is foreign or very nordic, for an English reader and used to the American/English style of writing, I find that often when you finally get into the situation and style of the story, it is then finished and you have to start over again.

Of course this is the fault of me as a reader and not the fault of the author. If you were to read this book in pieces, I think it probably would be more successful. Read one story, think about it, then read a novel and then return and read another story. Each story is very meaty. I felt that the book did lack flow and direction but overall, I throughly enjoyed this collection.

Hopefully this is just an appetiser until his next novel.

[Wayne Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad collection of short stories but I was disappointed,if only because earlier in the year I read 'Let The Right One In' and I was blown away. This collection didn't come close to the quality of the earlier novel.

I thought I would get more insight as to what happened to Oskar and Ellie from 'Let The Right One In', but even though the story 'Let The Old Dreams Die' mentioned them and took place in their original setting, it really wasn't focused on them nor did it end giving any clue to their destiny.

Wouldn't say it was bad but wouldn't say it was good either. Just average.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of weird tales, some of which I liked and some of which I have to admit went over my head. I did not care for the follow-up to Handling the Undead, which brings the story into a new paranormal realm that spoils the down-to-earth feel of the novel (of which it was meant to be a part, but was left out for reasons of length, and I think it was for the best.) However, the title story is very moving and makes for a sweet epilogue to Let the Right One In.

[Džana Doo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even if I love John Ajvide Lindqvist it took a really long time for me to read this book, mainly because my friends told me that it's bad and unnecessary compared to his other work but I have to disagree. Maybe it is because I had low expectations but I really enjoyed reading the novels and it's interesting to see what a writer writes when it's not a "real novel". The pieces that I liked, I REALLY liked, for example Sommarprogram i P1 2006, Elda telefonkataloger, Tindalos and Tjejen. The eerie mood was there in every page and I read the book as soon as I got the chance to do so. However it's true that the quality isn't the best and there were even some stories I just couldn't finish because I didn't think they were interesting at all.

Sadly the epilogue to Let the right one in was one of the stories that didn't quite do it for me. I was so disappointed and it truly felt unnecessary. Although it was nice to read some more about Oskar and Eli even if they weren't the main characters.

Låt de gamla drömmarna dö is, with other words, definitely worth reading according to me.

[Phu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Mình đọc tập truyện ngắn này chủ yếu là muốn đọc ngoại truyện của Let the Right One In .

Chủ yếu các truyện ngắn đều kinh dị theo cách dị thường kiểu Lovecraft và có sự khó hiểu trong đó, có câu chuyện còn liên quan tới nơi đã xảy ra sự kiện của Let the Right One In .
Mình thấy những câu chuyện khá đáng sợ, có lẽ do đã biết về đời tư của John Ajvide nên mình có sự ấn tượng cho tập truyện này. Yếu tố tình yêu của cuốn sách làm mình thích. Còn ngoại truyện của Let the Right One In thì rất ổn.

[Thomas Edmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

In let the Old Dreams Die, Lindqvist provides a set of compelling, twisted, and frightening short stories that I highly recommend. The tales range from unsettling, such as Border and Itsy Bitsy. To outright scary, Equinox. And occasionally deep meaningful and terrifying, Eternal/love.

The majority of the stories are brilliant, Lindqvist has a talent for creating relatable characters in short spaces of time, although I do wonder at his focus on characters being snoops. Often the driving force of the story is the MC searching about where they shouldn't be. Eternal/Love and Equinox stand out as the best tales. I confess I did not realize the story Final Processing was intended as a sequel, and I found the story to be more like a unrefined novel than a self-contained short.

[Brandon Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Lindqvist, but these were just okay. Even the last story, Let The Old Dreams Die, which is a sorta sequel to Let The Right One In, was disappointing. Every story just left me wanting more.

[Justyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindqvist’s first short fiction collection includes twelve stories with follow-ups to his first two novels, Let the Right One In and Handling the Undead. Most of the stories contain a supernatural element, some cosmic horror, and some rely on psychological horror. Either way, Lindqvist writes of a variety of weird occurrences involving relatable characters.

“The Border”
A woman who works for customs encounters a mysterious man and discovers the origins behind her own past. This was a unique story idea with an unexpected ending. 4/5

“A Village in the Sky”
An apartment building begins to lean at a slight angle, and something lies beneath. I enjoyed the pacing and subtlety of this story before the reveal. 4/5

“Equinox”
A woman with a hobby of breaking into houses finds a dead man’s body, and her obsession with it leads to a chilling ending. 4/5

“Itsy Bitsy”
A paparazzo seeks his elusive poolside shot of a celebrity and her lover. This was odd, psychological horror and Lindqvist gives no answers which leads the ending to feel rushed. 3/5

“The Substitute”
A childhood classmate returns to reveal the truth about a substitute teacher. This was a page turner, unique and thought-provoking about life. 4/5

“Eternal/Love”
A tragic story of two lovers facing death and striving for eternal life, Lindqvist writes a unique take on the manifestation of death. 4/5

“To Put My Arms Around You, to Music”
I had no idea what this was about. I assume this was a murderer talking to a dead body. Lindqvist says in the afterwards, he’s the only one who likes this story. 1/5

“Majken”
An old woman with a knack for shoplifting finds a friend on a customer helpline. The unreliable narration appealed to me, until it became a bit strained in the end when the police tried to make sense of the situation. 3/5

“Paper Walls”
A boy and his father get a large box which the boy sleeps in. It didn’t make sense. 1/5

“Final Processing”
I haven’t read Handling the Undead, and I’m sure I would’ve appreciated this sequel more if I had. As a standalone story, it had some interesting characters, but conceptually, the undead and the supernatural elements here didn’t appeal to me and I found the story to drag in its novella length. 2/5

“Tindalos”
A story about a woman pursued by a supernatural entity. The structure was a bit clunky with chunks of telling, but I enjoyed how the supernatural concept weaved in with a realistic character and setting. 4/5

“Let the Old Dreams Die”
The sequel to Let the Right One In is a love story and follows a man’s friendship with a couple—one a police detective who had investigated the murders in the final events of the novel, and Stefan, the train station worker who Oskar talked to in the final scene. Only bits of Oskar and Eli’s fate are dropped throughout the narrative, but their love does give resonance to the characters in this story. “Let the Old Dreams Die” serves more as a post script to Oskar and Eli. The rest is left to the reader’s imagination. 5/5

In the afterword, Lindqvist gives thoughts on stories in the collection and a brief timeline of his writing. Whether or not you’re a fan of these, I like to get some insight into the author’s mind.
As a whole, I enjoyed this collection and how it weaved the supernatural with reality. The stronger stories overshadowed the brief, weaker ones, and will remain in my memory like the closing chapter to Oskar and Eli’s story.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a very good collection of stories. The first two in particular. I love how the author can mix the supernatural with the ordinary and make both creepy.

I prefer my horror to be based on reality, or as close to realism as possible. And these stories have that element.

I would recommend these to any horror fan.


1 - Border (4.5/5)
People are horrible, and this story is another glimpse of the nastiness inside people. The conversation between Jerry and Tina, so sad.
Realistic things seeming a bit weird is what I like in a good, scary book. The level of tension in this one was perfect.

2 - Village on the hill (4.5/5)
Spoilt by the ending otherwise an easy 5/5 story. I felt a bit sick reading this one. The idea of your house feeling like it's suddenly on a slight tilt, which you can't help but notice all of the time. *shudders* That would make me feel so anxious.

3 - Equinox (4/5)
After taking care of an acquaintance's house whilst they were away, the main character discovers a liking of snooping around peoples houses. After breaking into yet another house she discovers something she ultimately wishes she hadn't.
I suspect a few religious undertones to this one.
Not particularly creepy as it was too unrealistic for me. Plus with not having children it didn't really scare or worry me.

4 - Can't see it! It doesn't exist! (3/5)
A very good idea for a story, a creepy concept. It would have been executed better if it was a bit longer, give it chance to build on Frank's life, and his past in particular.

5 - Substitute (3.5/5)
I think I've seen too many anime's where this is pretty common to find this one creepy. An interesting story though.

6 - Eternal /Love (3/5)
I think I missed the idea of this one a bit. I liked the story of the couple, but the horror aspect was a bit missing for me.

7 - Let the old ones die (3.5/5)
I think I had the same idea in my head that the author did as to what happened to Oskar and Eli after Let the Right One In. But it was lovely to find out exactly what became of them.

8 - To hold you while the music plays (2/5)
Just a little filler story, which I'm not sure what it's about. Yeah...

9 - Majken (3/5)
I was expecting something completely different after the first few paragraphs and wasn't expecting much. But I did feel a bit on edge when I worked out what was going to happen just before it did.

10 - Paper walls (4/5)
I'm sure all of us had somewhere we hid when we were young. I used to sit in my cupboard with the door shut and read my book by torch. So this was a bit reminiscent of that.

I've not read the final story yet as I need to read Handling the Undead first.

[Rade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of "Let the Right one In", I thought to give this one a try, especially when I read that the final story in the book would be a sequel to it. Sequel is used very loosely here as it mentions the two main characters from that book, few details about them, their home, police investigation, and few other minor details. However, that story, titled “Let the Old Dreams Die”,is very unique and sad, making it my favorite in this collection.

"Tindalos", "Majken", and “To Put My Arms Around You, to Music”(what the hell was this one about?? It is so cryptic that author admits he is the only one that likes it), were very disappointing. They were a let down because they left so much unanswered. They were building up to something big and then they either lost steam or were so rushed that it left the reader thinking, "Huh? Is that it?" I guess a lot of these stories were looking to give insights into life and the journey we go on every day, but I don't like when stories mix horror elements and make it so it is about life. Just keep it horror and don't introduce too many stupid characters is all I am asking.

I admit that I did not read the “Final Processing” in hopes of reading the book Handling the Undead that came before it. However, most readers here seem to feel that it was "meh" so I don't feel like I missed much.

All the other stories were mediocre but again, lots of questions were unanswered. Not everything needs to be tied up in a bundle but at least give me a satisfactory conclusion. That being said, I can't say I recommend this book but I do think Lindqvist is a very talented author.

[Sharon Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading "Little Star" recently and being rather disappointed with it, I'm so glad I can say that I really enjoyed "Let The Old Dreams Die", right down to the Afterword. I'd say my favourite stories were "Substitute", "Eternal/Love" and the sequel to Handling The Undead, "The Final Processing", but I enjoyed all the stories here although I didn't understand "To hold you while the music plays" until I had re-read it with the (then) knowledge of what it was maybe actually about. And of course "Let The Old Dreams Die" gives us a (kind of) sequel to the wonderful Let The Right One In :)

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jag har ju som ett eget litet projekt en önskan att ta mig igenom John Ajvide Lindqvists alster, i kronologisk ordning om möjligt. Novellsamlingen Låt de gamla drömmarna dö kom ut 2011 så jag är nästan ifatt nu. Samlingen består inte bara av noveller, utan innehåller också lite blandade texter. En del tidigare publicerade, andra inte. Läs mer på min blogg

[Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Que paso con Eli y Oskar después de la masacre de "déjame entrar"? La respuesta está en la historia " let The old dreams die" ( misma que le da título al libro), está historia me dejo con un sentimiento de haber leído un final feliz... y la simpatía por las personas que se quieren tanto, que no soportarían la vida sin el otro.

Mis favoritos además de "Let The old dreams die":
-The border
-Eternal/Love
-Equinox

Creo que estas historias contrastan bastante con las demás y realzan el libro.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good collection of short stories, however I personally believe that there was absolutely no point for John to write a short story deplicting the future of Eli and Oskar. As it was quite clear to me that Eli and Oskar's relationship is radically different from his/her relationship with Hakan.

[Dr. K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A+ marketing for pitching this as "a sequel to let the right one in and other stories" and putting said sequel at the end of the collection. The journey made me feel like I was indeed living deliciously.

Lindqvist is phenomenal at writing about love and human relationships, and chooses unleash that power in horror which makes me very happy.

A lot of the stories were not really my thing: a shoplifters union, a troll, a Lovecraftian demon, a sea creature seeking revenge... Are all backdrops that I typically sidestep as I prefer having my horror grounded in reality. But gosh did I like these. The prose is so beautiful and paints a vivid picture of Swedish life. My favorite stories were the border (the one with airport security and neighbor's baby), let the old dreams die (Stefan and Karin tho), tindalos (our main characters marriage wrecked me tbh), and the one with the leaning apartments as well as the one with the unborn baby and husband who almost drowns.... oh, and the one with the corpse who covered.himself with a blanket (what the hell!!), oh and..

You see where I'm going with this. The only skips in this collection were stories that were only a few pages long and read like a writing exercise. Everything substantial was damn weird and damn good. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Recommended if you loved let the right one In (and if you haven't read it, go change that) and want more paradoxically gentle Swedish horror in your life.

[Sara Saif · Rating 4 out of 5]

I simply HAD to know what happened after Let The Right One In and this collection of stories has more than one that serves as an epilogue. I read the sequel story first which was called Let the Old Dreams Die and was actually the very last story in the book. I loved most of them but didn’t so much the others. The genre is horror, some stories employ that to the fullest and a couple don’t even come close. Almost all have yuck and stuff. I mean, is it a prerequisite? And I’m not talking the blood and gore kinda yuck, but the other sexual one. Out of all these 12 stories, about 10 of them left me with more questions than the ones they answered. The few in the beginning were so good, I was able to move past it and accept the mystique but it didn’t work as well in most cases.

Another thing that I noticed was that all of the stories took place in the same places or close to those places that I recognized their names. I don’t know much about Sweden, actually, I don’t know anything about Sweden. Perhaps, it is a small country or perhaps, this was deliberate. That and the fact that the same names kept popping up in each story led me to believe that all of those events took place in the same world. If vampires exist, so can other things, can’t they? It was mesmerizing as HECK and also confused me a lot as I tried to figure out the timeline between stories. Blackberg and Norrtalje were in almost every story. I caught two Lasses and Gorans and other characters too.

My top three favorite stories were the Border, A Village in the Sky and Let the Old Dreams Die. The top three worst stories were Majken, To Put My Arms Around You, To Music and Paper Walls. The rest were good.

The Border: 4.5/5
It was long and seemed like a mystery thriller until BAM, trolls. Trolls, I tell you. It had less horror, more thrill with equal amounts of yuck that had me like whaaaaaaaaaat? Things take unexpected turns and just when you want to know more, it ends.

A Village in the Sky: 5/5
This story is another sequel/epilogue to Let the Right One In because a) it takes place in Blackberg and b) the vampire incident is mentioned. This was pure, awesome horror and it really added to the mythos of the world John Ajvide Lindqvist has created. Like I said, if vampires can exist, then a GINORMOUS underground octopus that crushes, kills and eats people via toilets isn’t too far fetched.

Equinox: 3/5
There were several things in this I would like to have had some clarity about. The woman in the story clearly had some sort of mental problem. Okay, fine. I could have done with that. But then a dead man started walking and talking and stalking the woman and the man was certainly not a zombie. It was told in such a way that I sometimes thought that the woman was imagining it. She was sick in the head already. Unlike the trolls story where you understand to a certain extent what is happening and you’re able to adapt the supernatural element because it fits into the narrative, the dead man walking thing was not only random but it didn’t even fit. Even in this genre where everything is possible, it felt out of place.

Itsy Bitsy: 2.75/5
A hallucinating (?) photographer is pulled into a swimming pool and killed by a monster(?). Again, there were SO many things I couldn’t be sure about. It was terribly confusing.

The Substitute: 3/5
I enjoyed this and the ending was suitably electrifying but the explanation for why these shells that existed as substitutes for humans existed. I have a love/hate relationship with mystery. I love it but I want answers FAST. They don’t come in this book.

Eternal Love: 3.5/5
This was one of the two or three that satisfied me completely. A near-death experience makes a man obsessed with achieving immortality and cheating death. He succeeds but not the way he wanted.

To Put My Arms Around You, To Music: 1/5
It was too short and too nonsensical. Either the man talking enjoyed torturing people or else. It could have been either one. “I saw a man pierced by a scythe when I was eleven. In through his stomach and out his back. One could think that this would have … sufficed. But he died immediately.” What do you make of that? All 4 pages were basically like these incoherent sentences.

Majken: 2/5
It was a psychological thriller and incredibly boring. I kept waiting for some monster to appear or something like that but it was pretty normal. And it was in Blackberg.

Paper Walls: 1/5
Too short, not enough information. Vague.

Final Processing: 2/5
This was the sequel to another one of the author’s books, one that I haven’t read so I generally had no knowledge of what had transpired before. Even so, I was able to understand what was happening. It was just that I didn’t like it. There was a cringy insta-love, unlikable characters and the fact that it was boring.

Tindalos: 4/5
I loved it! It was a lengthy one and it was fun getting thoroughly into the life of the main character, Vera and what she was facing. Much like the previous ones, the horror/supernatural aspect of the story is there in a very casual manner, the one that says, ‘it is what it is and you cannot ask any questions’. Naturally, I wanted to ask questions but you can enjoy it regardless.

Let the Old Dreams Die: 5/5
The narration itself was boring and it took frustratingly long to get to Oskar and Eli but get to Oskar and Eli it did and man! It was AWESOME.

I’ve officially entered the horror fan club. I don’t expect to start reading it faithfully from now on but I am definitely less hesitant than before.

[Padders · Rating 3 out of 5]

i will keep this short as i don't really like to review books with short stories, plus i am quite ill at the moment and the thought of typing a lengthy reviews makes me feel even more sick than i already do :) in any case this is my first time reading Lindqvist so as you can understand i skipped the story based on the 'aftermath' of the 'let the right one in' just in fear that it might spoil things for me when i do get around to reading the book which I do intend to do, as for the others, some really interesting plots, 'Border' being one of the more bizarre novellas I have read in a while that a long with 'village on the hill' and 'can't see it! doesn't exist' were amongst my favorites to read, the rest.. whilst I can't say I didn't DISLIKE, I was finding hard to take an interest and at points found myself skimming through rather than reading with much interest, although technically Lindqvist's writing is really great and he really created vivid imagery in his stories despite whether I enjoyed them or not so that I cannot fault, it was also a bonus learning about different areas of Sweeden and getting a little insight to the culture and such, so whilst Let the old dreams die, didn't exactly thrill me, it held my attention enough to get through and I can hope that his full novels such as 'let the right one in' (which btw the film is amazing both the original and remake) hold my attention more and I will be able to see Lindqvist go into more detail and see how he develops his characters and such, it was probably not the smartest thing to do reading this book before doing so but hey.......

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't want this collection to end! This collection features delightfully different macabre and supernatural events from trolls to vampires and zombies. Some stories are straightforward yarns others a bit more obscure and demand thinking about! My favourite two in the collection are the first story- Borders about a woman who works as a customs officer who learns something about herself and a suspicious traveller that will change everything... to say more would be to give too much away in the slow reveal of facts and the short story that the collection takes the title from Let the old dreams die. That features events and characters from Let the right one in and finally answers the mystery of the end of that novel, in fact before you tackle these tales it helps to have read Let the rightin because the events of that story feature in a couple of the short stories. I hate to make comparisons but if you are a fan of Stephen King, particularly his short stories and novella, then I have no doubt you will enjoy this collection... now to go back and reread To hold you while the music plays!

[Annalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Lindqvist's Let the Right One In and I'm a fan of both the original and American film adaptations. That is why I was super excited when I saw a giveaway of Let the Old Dreams Die... and even more excited when I won :) I have to add that this rating is based on all the short stories except Final Processing as I have not yet gotten my hands on Handling the Undead. With that being said, as with all books of short stories there are some I enjoyed, some that were strange (in a good way!), and some I just didn't get (To Put My Arms Around You, To Music - According to Lindqvist's afterword, a lot of readers don't get that one- So I'm ok)I enjoyed The Border, Equinox, and Tindalos, because they were strange and kept me wondering where Lindqvist was going with the story. I was saving Let the Old Dreams Die for last because again, that's why I wanted the book. I have to say I was a little disappointed with the direction Lindqvist went with the story. Not to say it was bad, it was a good heart warming little tale- just not what I was expecting.

[Minna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really uneven collection of short stories and novellas from Sweden's own Stephen King. It feels as if this is a filler book in wait for a new novel. The author himself has said that this is something he gave to the publishers so they would get off his case. He gace them stories that he really didn't like or feel were good enough and that feeling shines through in some of the stories.

There is a new audio/mp3-book out that I'm planning to listen to, called Tjärven. I have a good feeling about it. He is reading it himself and he has a really good voice.

This book is really ok and readable. Most of the stories like Tindalos, his Summer radio episode are good and Ajvide-style so he is not losing his touch.

[Annelien · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bunch of very different short stories, two of which revisit the worlds from 'let the right one in' and 'handling the undead'. Each has its own world, explaining short or long. I gladly compare this collection to the likes of Neil Gaiman.

[Beth The Vampire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final Rating - 3 Stars

Border - 2.5 Stars
A very odd little story that went in a different direction that what I first thought. The characterisation was fantastic; Tina, Vore, and Roland, all having their own little quirks and history. It was a story about self discovery more than anything else, which is why there really wasn't much in terms of plot. I'm unfamiliar with the folklore of Sweden, so I don't know if this was somehow related, or whether something was lost in translation, but I just didn't quite understand what Tina was, how that was linked to Vore, why he did what he did, and her...anatomy issues. I did like the idea of Tina being 'shaped' as a child into what humans wanted her to be, which is why she always felt wrong, but she didn't know how to be anything else. This story wasn't really creepy, and I guess it could be categorised as horror...maybe...but it just didn't really hit that spot some of his others works have. Very underwhelming.

Village On The Hill - 3.5 Stars
This was much better! A deep sense of forbidding, paired with strange events, mixed together with some blood and monsters, and I feel like Lindqvist is back on track. Joel lives at the top floor of an apartment block and is spending his time either drinking wine or building a scooner out of matchsticks. Then one day he notices that the building he lives in is listing to one side, and it only gets worse. When he goes to visit his casual girlfriend on the ground floor one night, he makes a very grim discovery, and that something is rising through the building, something so powerful it is pulling the building with it. When Joel discovered the blood, and the mail, I actually think I got tingles down my spine. The story was well written, the pace very well done (excluding the parts where Joel would spend in the pub; not sure what the point of that was), and the last few pages were excellent.

Equinox - 4 Stars
A bored, unsatisfied wife and mother starts breaking into people’s homes for some excitement and to create stories about their better lives. Then one day she walks into a bedroom of a nearby home and finds a dead body; naked, with a knife sticking out of his chest. Instead of calling the authorities or finding out who lives in the home, she keeps the body for herself. She talks to him, cares for him, and finds excitement in coming to visit him every day. That is until he starts talking back. The whole idea of the story was creepy and psychotic, kind of like Stephen King’s Misery in a way, but I didn’t feel that there was any real payoff in the end. The narrative kept on switching between first and second person, which was well done in certain parts, but the switches of voice would be so sudden I had to read back a bit to make sure there was a change and I hadn’t been reading it wrong. This had the Linquvist flair that I would expect from his writing.

Can’t See It! It Doesn’t Exist! - 2 Stars
What an odd name for a story. This piece didn’t really do much for me, and it was quite short (20 pages), but it wasn’t just the length that I disliked, it was the story itself. One thing I do love about Linquvist is his ability to create strange situations for his characters, who are usually odd in their own right, and this is no different here. However, I couldn’t really associate with what was going on, it was difficult to follow at times, and also a little bit predictable. It wasn’t memorable, and didn’t even have the creepiness factor that I would have expected. So maybe it was a good thing it was short.

Substitute - 3 Stars
There was a very foreboding aura about this story, like something hidden just beneath the surface of the water that is slowly coming to the surface. I kept waiting for some kid of revelation, the big reveal in a way, and while the outcome was creepy it just didn’t shock me like I expected it to. Then when I reached the end, all I could ask was why is the protagonist being told this information, why now after all these years. I thought it may be directly related to them, but instead it seemed to not have any correlation. The atmosphere was what saved this story, and even at the end it leaves you questioning whether the world is being taken over my ‘substitutes,’ or these were just ramblings of a corrupt mind.

Eternal/Love - 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this story; it was sweet, sad, and spooky. Josef and Anna are in love, and they mean everything to each other. That is until one night Josef goes out in his boat and never comes back home. He survives, but there is something different. Lying in the river, not anticipating rescue, he feels death. And it's not a shining white light, but a creature that devours you a bit at a time. After his experience, Josef thinks he knows how to possible negotiate with the creature; essentially beating death. Anna is torn between the man she loves, and the child she is carrying. I identified with Anna a lot, and I really felt for her as she watched the man she loved change completely, but stayed with him out of obligation, misguided trust, and the need for a future that she wanted so much. But everything comes with a price, and it is not something they can both come to accept. Again the characters were so well sculpted, and so integral to a story like this, it was an engaging read.

Let The Old Dreams Die - 5 Stars
So this was the story that I was actually reading this collection for. Let The Right One In is one of my favourite books; it is written so beautifully, has a fair share of gore, and haunting characters that have stayed with me years later. But whatever happened to Oskar and Eli? What I loved was that the story was not focused directly on them. However, it is similar in so many ways as it talks about a kind of different love, a love that transcends, and two people who would do anything for one another. It was like seeing the story from the outside, with the protagonist, who I actually don't think was ever named, speaking of his friends Stefan and Karin. Karin was involved with the investigation of Oskar's disappearance, and she has been obsessed with case for the next twenty five years. Here is a lifetime in a few short pages, a mystery that hides a secret about what humans know of their world, and a love that spans forever.This story had such an exquisite sadness to it, and was perfectly written. It's nice to think of Oskar and Eli still out there together, and the life they are sharing. I wonder if Karin and Stefan went to find Oskar and Eli to finally solve the case before the end came, or if they wanted to join them. This is story writing.

To Hold You While The Music Plays - 1 Star
Ummm...okay...that was different. Don't know what else I can really say about it. Three pages of WTF am I reading.

Majken - 3 Stars
There was no supernatural element to this one, which caught me off guard a little. That being said, it wasn’t a bad story or anything, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting given the collection so far. I have based my rating on the characters and how well built they were. Lindqvist does have this ability to create such complete characters in such a small space of time. I also liked the way the story played out, how the narrative changed slightly after it was determined Dolly was actually talking to someone and where she was. I had a few questions after the story was finished, so it didn’t really seem complete in some ways, but the writing was what was engaging

Paper Walls - 2 Stars
This story was pretty short (only five pages), and I didn’t think much of it to be honest. There was little suspense, characterisation, or some semblance of a plot. It all revolved around a child playing with a large box that his father brought home for him. He likes to shut himself away inside, until it is dark, and tries to seemingly isolate himself. Why he would do this, I don’t know, and maybe it’s just something kids do. It just left me feeling nothing really, and following on from the story before it, I needed something to pick the collection up a bit, but it seems to have perhaps peaked.

The Final Processing - 2.5 Stars
I don't really remember much about Lindqvist's novel Handling The Undead, mainly because I found it really disappointing after the brilliance of Let The Right One In. So I didn't really remember much about it, which appeared to be a requirement of this story. From what I can recall, dead bodies were being reanimated and causing people to experience odd sensations, liked being able to sense emotions, but the souls of those people were trapped in these 'zombies.' So this story was essentially about a roadie called Kalle meeting a girl, Flora, and finding out how her gift could help set those souls free. There was some great imagery, for example when death came and turned the dead's souls into butterflies and each strand of hair had a small hook for her to take them away (and yes, death is a she). However, at the same time there was a lot of odd things that happened, and I don't mean in a good way. What was the Visitor doing? What did this have to do with Kalle's father? And maybe it was just a bit too long. Less a short story and more of novella. Nothing's wrong with that, but at the same time if it is going to be that involved, at least give some kind of background.

[Krystelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection. Sure, some are hits and some are misses, but when some of these shone, they were so bright they were blinding. I’m always on the lookout for good, solid horror works and this was a very satisfying find in the midst of a lot of lacking material. The sense of eerie es the author brings is masterful, and I note two of these followed up novels I’ve read (one many, many years ago that I plan to tackle again, and the other about two days back) very well.

I think the strongest material in here, however, were the standalone stories that remained unconnected to anything else. There’s a distinctly Lovecraftian vibe to a lot of these, and they’re very punchy. A particular standout for me was the one was the paparazzo- there’s no real reveal, but there’s just enough to make you feel deeply unsettled. The author frequently writes about the idea of the sentience of death, and it’s uncomfortable co-existence with us as people. I’m very fond of this, and find that it also seems to be a method of trauma processing that he utilises. It’s certainly interesting, and I look forward to going deeper and deeper into his catalogue as I go.

[Joel B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books by John Ajvide Lindqvist and think he deserves the acknowledgment of being similar to Stephen King.

Let the right one in is one my favourite books and I love the Scandinavian elements and lifestyles in his books.

I really enjoyed the the old dreams die due to the Scandinavian feel and the sometimes outrageous plots of each story.

The titular story stands out due to it being a mini sequel to the classic already mentioned let the right one in, although not massively linked to the original it gives the conclusive ending to the original book Lindqvist regretted not doing.

A great book of short stories which I’m not usually a fan of but enjoyed this.

It also made me remember how amazing Lindqvist is, can’t wait to read another book of his!