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I Am Behind You
Four families wake up one morning in their trailer on an ordinary campsite. However, during the night something strange has happened. Everything outside the camping grounds has disappeared, and the world has been transformed into an endless expanse of grass. The sky is blue, but there is no sign of the sun; there are no trees, no flowers, no birds. And every radio plays nothing but the songs of sixties pop icon Peter Himmelstrand.
As the holiday-makers try to come to terms with what has happened, they are forced to confront their deepest fears and secret desires. Past events that each of them has tried to bury rise to the surface and take on terrifying physical forms. Can any of them find a way back to reality?
As the holiday-makers try to come to terms with what has happened, they are forced to confront their deepest fears and secret desires. Past events that each of them has tried to bury rise to the surface and take on terrifying physical forms. Can any of them find a way back to reality?
405 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2014
227 people are currently reading
4597 people want to read
About the author
John Ajvide Lindqvist
73 books4,282 followersJohn 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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 715 reviews
July 6, 2016
The five stages of reading a John Ajvide Lindqvist novel:
1. This is really good!
2. wtf?
3. Man, this is some weird shit.
4. wtf? I mean, really.... W.T.F?
5. Finished, I'm never reading anything this strange again.
(6. Can't get book out of my head. Buy next novel. Rinse and repeat)
I really can't decide if i hated this book or loved it.
1. This is really good!
2. wtf?
3. Man, this is some weird shit.
4. wtf? I mean, really.... W.T.F?
5. Finished, I'm never reading anything this strange again.
(6. Can't get book out of my head. Buy next novel. Rinse and repeat)
I really can't decide if i hated this book or loved it.
March 28, 2019
DNF (28%)
This was very sadly a bust for me, I got this book from NetGalley and was so looking forward to it, unfortunately, I found this impossible to get into.
For myself, I Am Behind You by John Ajvide Lindqvist was confusing, strange and extremely weird. And don't even get me started on being inside the dog's head, I've visited some heads over my many years of literature but think this was the first time I've ever seen things from a canine point of view very wacky indeed.
I also had no clue most of the time about what was occurring, even finding myself skipping to the end (which I never do) to see if it got any clearer further on and to maybe provide a touch of clarity to the perplexing storyline.
It didn't, so I decided to down tools, life's too short for reading books that I am not enjoying.
Here's Hoping this will be a better fit for yourself.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free arc of I Am Behind You. This is my own honest opinion.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
This was very sadly a bust for me, I got this book from NetGalley and was so looking forward to it, unfortunately, I found this impossible to get into.
For myself, I Am Behind You by John Ajvide Lindqvist was confusing, strange and extremely weird. And don't even get me started on being inside the dog's head, I've visited some heads over my many years of literature but think this was the first time I've ever seen things from a canine point of view very wacky indeed.
I also had no clue most of the time about what was occurring, even finding myself skipping to the end (which I never do) to see if it got any clearer further on and to maybe provide a touch of clarity to the perplexing storyline.
It didn't, so I decided to down tools, life's too short for reading books that I am not enjoying.
Here's Hoping this will be a better fit for yourself.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free arc of I Am Behind You. This is my own honest opinion.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
October 18, 2023
A lively campground in Sweden. The smell of barbeque and campfire scents the air. Children's laughter, birds chirping, dogs barking, all the things you would expect hear on a summer vacation. Until one morning when four families wake up to find they have been transported to another place. Or have they?
Above them is a clear blue sky yet no sun can be seen. Around them is the greenest grass you could ever imagine and it is endless in every direction you look. Not a tree, not a road, not a hill, not one thing to discern where they are. Just a vast expanse of green leaving them completely disoriented. Right, left, forward, backward - none of it matters here.
There must be some reason, some explanation as to what they are experiencing.
However they aren't alone. There are others. Who will survive this surreal nightmare? You'll have to read this to find out!
This book had me on it's hook from the very first page. It is perfectly gruesome and I warn you all that it is not for the faint of heart. My mind was constantly trying to figure out what was going on. There are some really vile characters and some that are quite likeable and I think Lindqvist did a great job of balancing them out. Oh, and there was one creepy kid that really gave me the chills. *shivers*
But, there are no clear cut answers as to what happened to them and I feel like I'm still in the dark with the fates of a few of the characters and that made the conclusion a little disappointing. Kind of like when you're out at a restaurant and are savoring a really delicious meal only to bring that last delectable bite to your lips when you discover a hair wrapped around the fork that you are certain is not your own leaving you to question how delicious the meal was all along. That's me right now. 3 stars!
TW - ALL OF THEM. Trust me on this.
Above them is a clear blue sky yet no sun can be seen. Around them is the greenest grass you could ever imagine and it is endless in every direction you look. Not a tree, not a road, not a hill, not one thing to discern where they are. Just a vast expanse of green leaving them completely disoriented. Right, left, forward, backward - none of it matters here.
There must be some reason, some explanation as to what they are experiencing.
However they aren't alone. There are others. Who will survive this surreal nightmare? You'll have to read this to find out!
This book had me on it's hook from the very first page. It is perfectly gruesome and I warn you all that it is not for the faint of heart. My mind was constantly trying to figure out what was going on. There are some really vile characters and some that are quite likeable and I think Lindqvist did a great job of balancing them out. Oh, and there was one creepy kid that really gave me the chills. *shivers*
But, there are no clear cut answers as to what happened to them and I feel like I'm still in the dark with the fates of a few of the characters and that made the conclusion a little disappointing. Kind of like when you're out at a restaurant and are savoring a really delicious meal only to bring that last delectable bite to your lips when you discover a hair wrapped around the fork that you are certain is not your own leaving you to question how delicious the meal was all along. That's me right now. 3 stars!
TW - ALL OF THEM. Trust me on this.
September 12, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Bizarre, bonkers but utterly gripping.
I was a huge fan of Let The Right One In and was curious to see if Lindqvist could pull it off again in this book. For the most part, the answer to that question is an emphatic yes...with a few minor niggles.
The premise isn't an unfamiliar one. Four families find themselves removed from the world as they know it, in an 'endless field', with an eerily blue sky and no sun. Soon, the monsters start to arrive, but strangely passive creatures, which reveal more about the peoples' psyche than anything else.
It is the characters that carry this book, and their reactions to the strange situation; and I was frequently reminded of Stephen King throughout - similar effective observations of human reaction to the bizarre and frightening, combined with the ceaseless desire to survive.
There were moments when I was baffled, and never more so than at the end, which I was completely confused by. This was a slight shame - had the ending been more 'satisfying' it would have been a full, glorious five stars, as I was hooked throughout.
Overall though, very readable and I highly recommend it.
Bizarre, bonkers but utterly gripping.
I was a huge fan of Let The Right One In and was curious to see if Lindqvist could pull it off again in this book. For the most part, the answer to that question is an emphatic yes...with a few minor niggles.
The premise isn't an unfamiliar one. Four families find themselves removed from the world as they know it, in an 'endless field', with an eerily blue sky and no sun. Soon, the monsters start to arrive, but strangely passive creatures, which reveal more about the peoples' psyche than anything else.
It is the characters that carry this book, and their reactions to the strange situation; and I was frequently reminded of Stephen King throughout - similar effective observations of human reaction to the bizarre and frightening, combined with the ceaseless desire to survive.
There were moments when I was baffled, and never more so than at the end, which I was completely confused by. This was a slight shame - had the ending been more 'satisfying' it would have been a full, glorious five stars, as I was hooked throughout.
Overall though, very readable and I highly recommend it.
November 18, 2014
4.5 Stars My favourite Lindqvist since Människohamn.
It took me slightly over a week to finish this book. I've read Crime and Punishment with it's 900 pages in two days. Now, why did it take me so long to read Himmelstrand? It's not because it's that boring, and it's not because Swedish isn't my native language either (though admittedly, I had to re-read some passages). It's much rather because I didn't want to finish it, wanted to keep on reading forever. And also because I had to pause once or twice, as to me, it was the scariest of all of books. Ofcourse, pedophilic zombies, random zombies and vampires are one thing, but this was a whole another thing. A much more cosmic, more universal, much scarier thing to be exact. You have to see it as a whole to realise how scary it actually is because, well, Darth Vader, monstrous Tigers/Elefants and Storm troopers aren't neccessarily the core of all evil, but boy, there were things that exceeded these by far. Especially since it wasn't all splatter and gore, but it was the eeriness and creepiness that made me feel so very uneasy from time to time. And I sometimes, well, just had to take a break. And on top of that, another heartbreakingly beautiful love between a father and his son. But alrighty, time to talk about what actually matters.
Characters ✦✦✦✦✦: .✧✧✧✧
Story ✦✦✦✦✧:
Style ✦✦✦✦✦:
And now I really hope I don't have to wait another four years until the next book.
It took me slightly over a week to finish this book. I've read Crime and Punishment with it's 900 pages in two days. Now, why did it take me so long to read Himmelstrand? It's not because it's that boring, and it's not because Swedish isn't my native language either (though admittedly, I had to re-read some passages). It's much rather because I didn't want to finish it, wanted to keep on reading forever. And also because I had to pause once or twice, as to me, it was the scariest of all of books. Ofcourse, pedophilic zombies, random zombies and vampires are one thing, but this was a whole another thing. A much more cosmic, more universal, much scarier thing to be exact. You have to see it as a whole to realise how scary it actually is because, well, Darth Vader, monstrous Tigers/Elefants and Storm troopers aren't neccessarily the core of all evil, but boy, there were things that exceeded these by far. Especially since it wasn't all splatter and gore, but it was the eeriness and creepiness that made me feel so very uneasy from time to time. And I sometimes, well, just had to take a break. And on top of that, another heartbreakingly beautiful love between a father and his son. But alrighty, time to talk about what actually matters.
Characters ✦✦✦✦✦: .✧✧✧✧
Story ✦✦✦✦✧:
Style ✦✦✦✦✦:
And now I really hope I don't have to wait another four years until the next book.
October 19, 2016
I'm very underwhelmed. The concept is good (though very Stephen King ... but I guess that isn't a bad thing) and it starts out sort of promising, but then ... idk. Throughout the book I kept mixing up the male characters, Stefan with Peter and Olof and Lennart with each other.
That's one problem I had with it: the characters. I did not find them fleshed out and interesting as many others seem to have, I found them very shallow and stereotypical. Like "hmm, what are kids? OH yeah they're small people that like Star Wars and can't spell, well, everything this kid does will relate to Star Wars and the fact that he can't pronounce anything correctly". "Farmers ... yeah, that's a personality trait in its own, they will relate everything to things that happen on the farm". No one had a particularly distinct voice and I kept mixing them up.
Also, they just seem like the same characters I already saw in Lilla Stjärna. Donald and Majvor seemed pretty much exactly like the couple who found Terese. Like, can two character who have been married for a long time have any other kind of relationship than one that's abusive with the woman being kinda stupid and submissive? I liked where Majvor ended the book, but still, nah.
My other problem: the writing. There's no good word for it in English (tillgjort), but I find it somewhat pretentious I guess. Like this is the way Ajvide Lindqvist thinks writing should be done so he does it like that. He uses the word "ty" way too often for something written this century. I mean, when Åke Ohlmarks used it in his translation of Lord of the Rings it was SOMEWHAT motivated, but just barely, in this book it made me cringe every time I saw it.
The plot had its moments, I'll admit that and had I enjoyed the characters or the writing more I think I would have really loved it, but as it is ... no. Especially not with the lack of explanations by the end, because even if things are explained in a later book I will probably not read anything more by this author.
Also, the fucking dog perspective? Cringe cringe cringe.
That's one problem I had with it: the characters. I did not find them fleshed out and interesting as many others seem to have, I found them very shallow and stereotypical. Like "hmm, what are kids? OH yeah they're small people that like Star Wars and can't spell, well, everything this kid does will relate to Star Wars and the fact that he can't pronounce anything correctly". "Farmers ... yeah, that's a personality trait in its own, they will relate everything to things that happen on the farm". No one had a particularly distinct voice and I kept mixing them up.
Also, they just seem like the same characters I already saw in Lilla Stjärna. Donald and Majvor seemed pretty much exactly like the couple who found Terese. Like, can two character who have been married for a long time have any other kind of relationship than one that's abusive with the woman being kinda stupid and submissive? I liked where Majvor ended the book, but still, nah.
My other problem: the writing. There's no good word for it in English (tillgjort), but I find it somewhat pretentious I guess. Like this is the way Ajvide Lindqvist thinks writing should be done so he does it like that. He uses the word "ty" way too often for something written this century. I mean, when Åke Ohlmarks used it in his translation of Lord of the Rings it was SOMEWHAT motivated, but just barely, in this book it made me cringe every time I saw it.
The plot had its moments, I'll admit that and had I enjoyed the characters or the writing more I think I would have really loved it, but as it is ... no. Especially not with the lack of explanations by the end, because even if things are explained in a later book I will probably not read anything more by this author.
Also, the fucking dog perspective? Cringe cringe cringe.
November 24, 2016
A very odd, mind-screwingly creepy book.
I still have no idea what it was really all about. Compelling reading nonetheless. Emil and Benny were the standout characters for me.
I still have no idea what it was really all about. Compelling reading nonetheless. Emil and Benny were the standout characters for me.
August 12, 2019
3.5 stars.
There is a certain specific joy to reading a big fat multi-character horror novel and I AM BEHIND YOU falls firmly in that sweet spot. You can get lost in it in a way it's hard to get lost in other kinds of books.
I found Lindqvist's most popular book, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, underwhelming. (The Swedish film was better, imo, pulling out all the good stuff and getting rid of the bad stuff.) Here we hop from character to character, getting to see the events from different points of view, without too much repetition. Even with 10 characters (12 if you count the animals) it's easy to keep everyone straight and there's a nice throughline of the story, with good juggling to make sure you don't get too much or too little of any one thing/perspective. There's a steady increase of tension with new discoveries/obstacles every so often to keep things moving. And, of course, there's inter-character drama as things get more and more stressful.
Lindqvist's scary stuff is unique and distressing and something you can really picture in your mind's eye, he's quite skilled at it. And the character work here is also very good. You really get a feel for who all these people are, and enough of their backstory to feel fully fleshed out.
It is funny to me how many of the reviews for this book complain about the ending. This is very much a symptom of how horror readers come looking for certain tropes and structures. Horror is a genre with notorious third act/resolution problems, and here we have a book that actually handles it pretty well but it bothers people because they want their bad third act with a little bow that doesn't actually wrap up anything. (Example: Yes, you can say "oh we have explained it, this all happened because this monster wants XYZ," but if you actually say, "but WHY?" almost no horror novel can back it up, it always involves just accepting the supernatural, just not as much as this book does. We could use more practice at it, tbh.) I found the ending perfectly in keeping with the rest of the book, but if you didn't love THE RUINS or other books that don't give you a tidy little bow, this may not be for you. (This book does have a lot in common with THE RUINS structurally, if you liked one you will probably like the other despite their drastically different settings.)
Note: this is very much an example of Straight Man Writing. All the straight men think about sex a lot, basically no one else ever does. (It often seems that no one else except the straight men even care about sex at all, to the point that it feels almost homophobic with one set of characters.) It is not the worst offender, and it's certainly common in the horror genre, but something to keep in mind if such things annoy you (as they do me).
There is a certain specific joy to reading a big fat multi-character horror novel and I AM BEHIND YOU falls firmly in that sweet spot. You can get lost in it in a way it's hard to get lost in other kinds of books.
I found Lindqvist's most popular book, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, underwhelming. (The Swedish film was better, imo, pulling out all the good stuff and getting rid of the bad stuff.) Here we hop from character to character, getting to see the events from different points of view, without too much repetition. Even with 10 characters (12 if you count the animals) it's easy to keep everyone straight and there's a nice throughline of the story, with good juggling to make sure you don't get too much or too little of any one thing/perspective. There's a steady increase of tension with new discoveries/obstacles every so often to keep things moving. And, of course, there's inter-character drama as things get more and more stressful.
Lindqvist's scary stuff is unique and distressing and something you can really picture in your mind's eye, he's quite skilled at it. And the character work here is also very good. You really get a feel for who all these people are, and enough of their backstory to feel fully fleshed out.
It is funny to me how many of the reviews for this book complain about the ending. This is very much a symptom of how horror readers come looking for certain tropes and structures. Horror is a genre with notorious third act/resolution problems, and here we have a book that actually handles it pretty well but it bothers people because they want their bad third act with a little bow that doesn't actually wrap up anything. (Example: Yes, you can say "oh we have explained it, this all happened because this monster wants XYZ," but if you actually say, "but WHY?" almost no horror novel can back it up, it always involves just accepting the supernatural, just not as much as this book does. We could use more practice at it, tbh.) I found the ending perfectly in keeping with the rest of the book, but if you didn't love THE RUINS or other books that don't give you a tidy little bow, this may not be for you. (This book does have a lot in common with THE RUINS structurally, if you liked one you will probably like the other despite their drastically different settings.)
Note: this is very much an example of Straight Man Writing. All the straight men think about sex a lot, basically no one else ever does. (It often seems that no one else except the straight men even care about sex at all, to the point that it feels almost homophobic with one set of characters.) It is not the worst offender, and it's certainly common in the horror genre, but something to keep in mind if such things annoy you (as they do me).
December 28, 2017
Finished reading: September 4th 2017
"The things we take for granted are the things we miss the most when they disappear."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Riverrun in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
February 8, 2018
What a difficult book to rate. It's not often I finish a book eagerly whilst at the same time wonder on every page why the heck am I continuing on with this. In so many ways this is the sort of book I hate. It's almost like an overly long dream sequence. Four couples wake up one morning not where they went to sleep, in an inexplicably odd world that gets increasingly weird. Anything can happen because nothing is real. I really dislike oddities like this. And yet... the characters were really interesting and engaging, particularly the little boy Emil and his parents, and the elderly gay couple, and a brilliant dog called Benny. The evil character was delightfully creepy and well done too. There were some incredibly tense scenes (the acid rain sequence comes to mind). I guess with good writing you can make anything interesting. I've given up on novels with plots that I anticipated liking because they were so badly written, and this I enjoyed getting back to each time despite hating the meandering dreamlike weirdness of it all.
I actually do recommend this book, I'm just finding it hard to rate and review because I don't think I really understood it at all.
I actually do recommend this book, I'm just finding it hard to rate and review because I don't think I really understood it at all.
October 16, 2017
4.5 Stars rounding up.
A rather odd story but enjoyable all the same. Holidaymakers find themselves and their caravans in the middle of nowhere with no sun and no trees. But nowhere has rules, strange, weird and odd rules. It also has other occupants, strange weird and odd occupants. The ending is well strange, weird and odd.
Obviously recommended to those who weird stories and don’t mind some blood and gore on the way.
A rather odd story but enjoyable all the same. Holidaymakers find themselves and their caravans in the middle of nowhere with no sun and no trees. But nowhere has rules, strange, weird and odd rules. It also has other occupants, strange weird and odd occupants. The ending is well strange, weird and odd.
Obviously recommended to those who weird stories and don’t mind some blood and gore on the way.
August 16, 2017
This gripping conceptual horror takes you deep into one of the most macabre and unique imaginations writing in the genre. On family, on children, Lindqvist writes in a way that tears the heart and twists the soul. I Am Behind You turns the world upside down and, disturbing, terrifying and shattering by turns, it will suck you in.
I Am Behind You is the new novel from the very gifted and talented John Ajvide Lindvist (Let the Right One In, Handling the Undead, Little Star and Harbour).
The novel is a mix of thriller, metaphysical and horror combined to provide a very gripping story. When four camper trailers wake up to find that they are in a sort of purgatory, the eight adults, two children, a dog and a cat have to figure out what it all means. This leads to a lot of real human emotions and the story deals with the overall madness that pursues when they are dealt with a real crisis.
This is a richly written novel with a very humanistic cast of characters that are lovingly put to the page. The two farmers who are there for each other through their overt platonic relationship really brings the heart to the proceedings whilst this is counter balanced by Isabella (fashion model) and her less than normal daughter Molly. It seems the rest of the characters flush out the spectrum to bring a kaleidoscope to the overall piece. I found it interesting that the dog had a voice but we never quite sure how the cat really feels about the strange new world that they find themselves.
Lindvist has always taking the classic horror stories and turned them on their head and made something fresh and very modernized whether it is vampire lore with ‘Let the Right One In’ or the werewolf legend in ‘Little Star’, he brings his own unique outlook and style. He writes rich characters in normal settings that have a modernistic approach and have very real modern problems. This is his forte and what really makes the novel spark.
His use of modern and classic pop references gives the novel credence and although it is deeply seated in Swedish culture, it gives an added element of realism. In fact, I have started hunting down some of these references and made a song list that I listened to when I read the novel. It was very interesting to hear and pick up on the customs of their music history.
On the other hand, he never really ties up his stories with a big bow like some modern day authors such as King or Koontz. It is up to the reader to put the pieces together as he only tells you what the characters know and it is up to you to connect the dots. With this magnificent novel, there are no real answers and it seems that most people are finding fault with this. Personally, I think this lends credence to the piece and it reminds me of classic Shirley Jackson where the components are there, it is up to the reader to put it together.
The book is apparently the first of a trilogy and I assume that more answers to the why will be answered in further installments. As we are living in an age where people need stories, films and television to have logical conclusions, it is refreshing to have something that just sits there and gives food for thought.
This is a winner of a novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only problem I really have is that if this is the first of a trilogy and have to wait for the next installment. Mr Lindvist has become a true favorite of mine and I really respect his writing. His novels always give me the element of surprise and this one surely does not disappoint. There are only a few writers where I get really excited about a new novel and he is one of those. Richly written, engaging characters and an over sense of awe is found within these pages and one that I will return to on reflection. A novel that truly enters my subconscious and has definitely given me food for thought. Highly recommended and a must read.
I Am Behind You is the new novel from the very gifted and talented John Ajvide Lindvist (Let the Right One In, Handling the Undead, Little Star and Harbour).
The novel is a mix of thriller, metaphysical and horror combined to provide a very gripping story. When four camper trailers wake up to find that they are in a sort of purgatory, the eight adults, two children, a dog and a cat have to figure out what it all means. This leads to a lot of real human emotions and the story deals with the overall madness that pursues when they are dealt with a real crisis.
This is a richly written novel with a very humanistic cast of characters that are lovingly put to the page. The two farmers who are there for each other through their overt platonic relationship really brings the heart to the proceedings whilst this is counter balanced by Isabella (fashion model) and her less than normal daughter Molly. It seems the rest of the characters flush out the spectrum to bring a kaleidoscope to the overall piece. I found it interesting that the dog had a voice but we never quite sure how the cat really feels about the strange new world that they find themselves.
Lindvist has always taking the classic horror stories and turned them on their head and made something fresh and very modernized whether it is vampire lore with ‘Let the Right One In’ or the werewolf legend in ‘Little Star’, he brings his own unique outlook and style. He writes rich characters in normal settings that have a modernistic approach and have very real modern problems. This is his forte and what really makes the novel spark.
His use of modern and classic pop references gives the novel credence and although it is deeply seated in Swedish culture, it gives an added element of realism. In fact, I have started hunting down some of these references and made a song list that I listened to when I read the novel. It was very interesting to hear and pick up on the customs of their music history.
On the other hand, he never really ties up his stories with a big bow like some modern day authors such as King or Koontz. It is up to the reader to put the pieces together as he only tells you what the characters know and it is up to you to connect the dots. With this magnificent novel, there are no real answers and it seems that most people are finding fault with this. Personally, I think this lends credence to the piece and it reminds me of classic Shirley Jackson where the components are there, it is up to the reader to put it together.
The book is apparently the first of a trilogy and I assume that more answers to the why will be answered in further installments. As we are living in an age where people need stories, films and television to have logical conclusions, it is refreshing to have something that just sits there and gives food for thought.
This is a winner of a novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only problem I really have is that if this is the first of a trilogy and have to wait for the next installment. Mr Lindvist has become a true favorite of mine and I really respect his writing. His novels always give me the element of surprise and this one surely does not disappoint. There are only a few writers where I get really excited about a new novel and he is one of those. Richly written, engaging characters and an over sense of awe is found within these pages and one that I will return to on reflection. A novel that truly enters my subconscious and has definitely given me food for thought. Highly recommended and a must read.
October 10, 2017
John Erik Ajvide Lindqvist is geboren op 2 december 1968 te Blackeberge. Hij is een Zweedse schrijver die vooral het meest bekend is door zijn romans en korte verhalen met horror thema. In 2004 kwam zijn eerste boek uit. Naast boeken schrijven schrijft hij ook scripten voor Zweedse series. Hemelstrand werd juni 2015 gepubliceerd. Het boek is te koop als paperback voor €21,95 en als e-book voor €10,99. Het heeft 430 pagina's.
Het verhaal gaat over vier stellen die op een morgen wakker worden in hun caravan. Het lijkt een ochtend als ervoor. En toch is er iets veranderd. Al snel realiseren ze zich dat ze op de camping zijn waar ze de avond ervoor zijn gaan slapen. En toch ziet het er anders uit. Het gras is verzorgd. Groen, fris, kort gemaaid. Maar er is iets mee. En waarom staan alleen deze vier caravans er? Waarom alleen deze tien mensen? Acht volwassenen en twee kinderen. Een kat en een hond. Wat doen ze precies op dit eindeloze grasveld, onder een strakblauwe hemel? Waar is de zon? Waarom is er geen bereik met de rest van de wereld te krijgen? Wat is dit voor niemandsland? Dit is hoe Hemelstrand begint. En misschien ook wel waar het eindigt...
De omslagfoto is mysterieus. Als ik dan de achterkant lees ben ik erg benieuwd naar dit boek. Helaas kwam ik er heel moeilijk doorheen. Ik heb de regel dat ik het boek uit lees, want het boek kan nog veranderen en de auteur heeft toch zijn best gedaan. Er zijn maar 2 boeken die ik echt niet heb uitgelezen. Op sommige momenten vond ik het wel weer goed en daarna zakte het weer in. Het einde was wel spannend. Ik geef het maar 2 sterren.
Het verhaal gaat over vier stellen die op een morgen wakker worden in hun caravan. Het lijkt een ochtend als ervoor. En toch is er iets veranderd. Al snel realiseren ze zich dat ze op de camping zijn waar ze de avond ervoor zijn gaan slapen. En toch ziet het er anders uit. Het gras is verzorgd. Groen, fris, kort gemaaid. Maar er is iets mee. En waarom staan alleen deze vier caravans er? Waarom alleen deze tien mensen? Acht volwassenen en twee kinderen. Een kat en een hond. Wat doen ze precies op dit eindeloze grasveld, onder een strakblauwe hemel? Waar is de zon? Waarom is er geen bereik met de rest van de wereld te krijgen? Wat is dit voor niemandsland? Dit is hoe Hemelstrand begint. En misschien ook wel waar het eindigt...
De omslagfoto is mysterieus. Als ik dan de achterkant lees ben ik erg benieuwd naar dit boek. Helaas kwam ik er heel moeilijk doorheen. Ik heb de regel dat ik het boek uit lees, want het boek kan nog veranderen en de auteur heeft toch zijn best gedaan. Er zijn maar 2 boeken die ik echt niet heb uitgelezen. Op sommige momenten vond ik het wel weer goed en daarna zakte het weer in. Het einde was wel spannend. Ik geef het maar 2 sterren.
September 29, 2017
Bizarre, creepy, unsettling, enthralling. I'm not entirely sure I understand anything, but I think I liked it.
Getting off to a slow start the first half of the book is almost a character study. The characters are investigating the place they have found themselves, but at the same time, it goes in depth into their personalities and their back stories. Most of them are unpleasant people that have done bad things at one point or another or been through traumatic events. But the dog Benny, the little boy Emil and the farmers Lennart and Olof were all likeable enough to be able to emphasise with them.
The second half it all goes crazy. I'm not going to spoil it by talking about it, but it's surreal, original, deeply unsettling, and I could not put it down. I just want someone now who can explain it all for me.
Don't read this if you need an answer to where they are or how they got there. But if you like making up your own ideas about things, and if you like stories that are odd and scary, then this is for you!
I received a free copy in return for an honest review.
Getting off to a slow start the first half of the book is almost a character study. The characters are investigating the place they have found themselves, but at the same time, it goes in depth into their personalities and their back stories. Most of them are unpleasant people that have done bad things at one point or another or been through traumatic events. But the dog Benny, the little boy Emil and the farmers Lennart and Olof were all likeable enough to be able to emphasise with them.
The second half it all goes crazy. I'm not going to spoil it by talking about it, but it's surreal, original, deeply unsettling, and I could not put it down. I just want someone now who can explain it all for me.
Don't read this if you need an answer to where they are or how they got there. But if you like making up your own ideas about things, and if you like stories that are odd and scary, then this is for you!
I received a free copy in return for an honest review.
August 8, 2020
Four families wake up one morning having been transported from the real world to another world where the rules are made up by the author as the narrative proceeds. The author nowhere in the book makes it perfectly clear what he is up to, but I have a guess.
The object, we the readers believe, are for these four families to either return to our world or make a comfortable home for themselves in their new world. Once this happens, the storyline will reach a point of stability and all that will be left is a few words of denouement perhaps for the author to confirm the stability. The story will finish and become a happy one for all readers once either of these endings occurs.
To keep the ball rolling for 405 pages, to keep the game afoot as it were, all that the author has to do is make it appear that he is taking us towards the object. And he does. For 404.9 pages we learn about these characters, what made them tick in real life, what they still have to work out when real life ends, and their struggles to resolve their issues. To one extent or another, and therein lies the interest of this story, they do. Until they reach the end of trying. Even after death, struggles (depicted here as attempts to resolve outstanding issues) must end some time, as must narratives.
Then the light is turned off. Usually it goes out. But here in a final, five-word, metafictional twist the author turns it off.
Edit: Just found out this book is the first of a trilogy. Why would Lindqvist go back in and turn the light on? Four new families maybe? There were some people who had come to this domain before our four families which Lindqvist barely mentioned at one or two points. Some guy named Eric, I think. I'd read the next book once it's translated. Oh, it has been! It's titled I Always Find You. And its protagonist is named John Lindqvist. Looks like the author is continuing the metafiction games. I'm down for it!
The object, we the readers believe, are for these four families to either return to our world or make a comfortable home for themselves in their new world. Once this happens, the storyline will reach a point of stability and all that will be left is a few words of denouement perhaps for the author to confirm the stability. The story will finish and become a happy one for all readers once either of these endings occurs.
To keep the ball rolling for 405 pages, to keep the game afoot as it were, all that the author has to do is make it appear that he is taking us towards the object. And he does. For 404.9 pages we learn about these characters, what made them tick in real life, what they still have to work out when real life ends, and their struggles to resolve their issues. To one extent or another, and therein lies the interest of this story, they do. Until they reach the end of trying. Even after death, struggles (depicted here as attempts to resolve outstanding issues) must end some time, as must narratives.
Then the light is turned off. Usually it goes out. But here in a final, five-word, metafictional twist the author turns it off.
Edit: Just found out this book is the first of a trilogy. Why would Lindqvist go back in and turn the light on? Four new families maybe? There were some people who had come to this domain before our four families which Lindqvist barely mentioned at one or two points. Some guy named Eric, I think. I'd read the next book once it's translated. Oh, it has been! It's titled I Always Find You. And its protagonist is named John Lindqvist. Looks like the author is continuing the metafiction games. I'm down for it!
August 4, 2020
Nothing the equivalent of a jump scare in this novel, but there is an overwhelming sense of dread that you pick up on from the first page to the last but don't notice on page 23-28.
After a read the last page it took me minutes to put the book down afterwards, mostly because I stuck my hand in a jar of grade school paste for no reason (quarantine, amirite?)
Those of you who like your endings pat, won't like this as it's beautifully and maddeningly vague.
The last sentence is a chiller. Highly recommended.
After a read the last page it took me minutes to put the book down afterwards, mostly because I stuck my hand in a jar of grade school paste for no reason (quarantine, amirite?)
Those of you who like your endings pat, won't like this as it's beautifully and maddeningly vague.
The last sentence is a chiller. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2018
Weird, occasionally gruesome, but mostly a bit tedious and dull. Very disappointing. I wouldn't really recommend the audio narrated by Peter Noble. His narration of female voices was especially grating, unless you think all women speak like pantomime dames. Not Lindqvist's finest hour - I recommend reading Let the Right One In instead.
December 5, 2018
адский сюрреалистический ахуй, но круто
September 8, 2017
What did I just read? It’s surreal, confusing, horrific, disturbing, filled with unpleasant people, with horrific things happening to everyone. Its a totally original horror story. One that will stay with me. Hauntingly grotesque. I want to make everyone read it. Then tell me their interpretation of what the hell just happened.
The true beauty of the book is how well written all the characters are. The dark side of people’s nature is thoroughly explored. All the characters were fleshed out humans, people who made mistakes, had dark thoughts and deeds. They were flawed and Lindqvist takes you right to their darkest secrets and their shame. Most were unpleasant people but a child Emil and dog and cat were quite innocent. Within there is also the warmth of friendship, parenthood, kindness and consideration for others. I did find I was still able to emphasise with most of the characters because of the solid backstories Lindqvist paints for them all, you saw how they were driven to dark deeds and got a deep insight into their heads. You might not like the characters but you can get them and this makes the horrors that happen all the more terrifying and fascinating. Its a book about people, about society, supernatural and darkness.
The first half of the book is mainly spent exploring the characters. However I don’t want to speak too much of the second half of the book for fear of spoiling it for anyone. There are many unpleasant incidents, acid rain, tortured beings, fears brought to life. You never find out why or what is really happening. Why are they even there and how did they get there? I loved the mystery of this but if you like horror neatly tied up with explanations then this is not the book for you. It’s all very surreal and the 2nd half of the book especially is darkly unsettling and scary. I’d really love to see this book turned into a horror film. A seriously creepy horror film that gets under your skin and stays there.
I gave it a solid 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much. I read it slowly as I wanted to enjoy the descriptive writing and fully experience the surreal atmospheric horror. Its a book to put away and read again in the future.
I’d recommend to anyone who likes: horror, surreal atmosphere, weird happenings, exploring the dark-side of people’s nature.
The true beauty of the book is how well written all the characters are. The dark side of people’s nature is thoroughly explored. All the characters were fleshed out humans, people who made mistakes, had dark thoughts and deeds. They were flawed and Lindqvist takes you right to their darkest secrets and their shame. Most were unpleasant people but a child Emil and dog and cat were quite innocent. Within there is also the warmth of friendship, parenthood, kindness and consideration for others. I did find I was still able to emphasise with most of the characters because of the solid backstories Lindqvist paints for them all, you saw how they were driven to dark deeds and got a deep insight into their heads. You might not like the characters but you can get them and this makes the horrors that happen all the more terrifying and fascinating. Its a book about people, about society, supernatural and darkness.
The first half of the book is mainly spent exploring the characters. However I don’t want to speak too much of the second half of the book for fear of spoiling it for anyone. There are many unpleasant incidents, acid rain, tortured beings, fears brought to life. You never find out why or what is really happening. Why are they even there and how did they get there? I loved the mystery of this but if you like horror neatly tied up with explanations then this is not the book for you. It’s all very surreal and the 2nd half of the book especially is darkly unsettling and scary. I’d really love to see this book turned into a horror film. A seriously creepy horror film that gets under your skin and stays there.
I gave it a solid 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much. I read it slowly as I wanted to enjoy the descriptive writing and fully experience the surreal atmospheric horror. Its a book to put away and read again in the future.
I’d recommend to anyone who likes: horror, surreal atmosphere, weird happenings, exploring the dark-side of people’s nature.
November 5, 2017
Excellent! I loved this book/Audiobook, Simon Vance did a great job, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Horror ****
Psychological *****
Mystery *****
Weirdness *****
Darkness ****
Kind of reminded me of Peter Clines's "14" but a bit of a darker story. The mystery factor on a scale of 1-10 is a go.
Highly recommended for fans of Psychological Horror, Mystery, Paranormal/Supernatural goings on, Weird Fiction, Caravans, Animal Love, and yes this book gets the official 'Dark Fiction' seal of approval from myself (And I do set the bar quite high :)
Ahh, Benny the dog and "Cat" and their relentless quest for marking their personal territory, along with their general confusion, steal the show for me. Animal perspectives have always been amusing and entertaining to me, and again - Vance does a great job of acting like a dog.
I loved the writing style, There were quite a few characters, and what I generally tend to find (when things get crowded) Is that I lose track of who is who. Lindqvist does a great job of managing all of the different protagonists, human or otherwise, by carefully and frequently maneuvering between the different perspectives, never leaving anyone out of the picture long enough for you to be scratching your head wondering 'who is who'.
As this is the first of a series, and I can see that there are already two more in the series that have already been released in Sweden, I see absolutely NO REASON that the others should not be translated immediately for my consumption.
This book is a go! 4.5*
(Seriously GR - sort your F$!*&?g scoring system out! It is unfair to the authors, as a more precise rating would... well, er... sort shit out).
Horror ****
Psychological *****
Mystery *****
Weirdness *****
Darkness ****
Kind of reminded me of Peter Clines's "14" but a bit of a darker story. The mystery factor on a scale of 1-10 is a go.
Highly recommended for fans of Psychological Horror, Mystery, Paranormal/Supernatural goings on, Weird Fiction, Caravans, Animal Love, and yes this book gets the official 'Dark Fiction' seal of approval from myself (And I do set the bar quite high :)
Ahh, Benny the dog and "Cat" and their relentless quest for marking their personal territory, along with their general confusion, steal the show for me. Animal perspectives have always been amusing and entertaining to me, and again - Vance does a great job of acting like a dog.
I loved the writing style, There were quite a few characters, and what I generally tend to find (when things get crowded) Is that I lose track of who is who. Lindqvist does a great job of managing all of the different protagonists, human or otherwise, by carefully and frequently maneuvering between the different perspectives, never leaving anyone out of the picture long enough for you to be scratching your head wondering 'who is who'.
As this is the first of a series, and I can see that there are already two more in the series that have already been released in Sweden, I see absolutely NO REASON that the others should not be translated immediately for my consumption.
This book is a go! 4.5*
(Seriously GR - sort your F$!*&?g scoring system out! It is unfair to the authors, as a more precise rating would... well, er... sort shit out).
June 19, 2019
Even though I own this book and the second book in hardcover, I listened to this mostly on audiobook. For some reason I prefer to listen to Ajvide's books rather than read them. Though I was a bit disappointed he didn't narrate it as he's done with many of his other books. Fortunately book two and three will be narrated by him.
It's very standard Ajvide horror. A group of families on a camping wakes up to something unusual. Everything is gone. Camping, the other campers. The sun. But the grass is green and sky is blue. Radio only plays oldies. And then there's the creatures who wants blood. Not gonna say much more because it will spoil the fun. It also, as is standard Ajvide, goes in a circle of being good, interesting, to kinda boring to quite fucked up and graphic and gory. Rinse and repeat in different orders, though use fucked up, graphic and gory a lot. Just like I like it.
Also there is Benny and Maud who goes from mortal enemies to BFF's and it's the purest thing. Also they are a dog and a cat. And yes, one of the POV's is from a dog.
It's very standard Ajvide horror. A group of families on a camping wakes up to something unusual. Everything is gone. Camping, the other campers. The sun. But the grass is green and sky is blue. Radio only plays oldies. And then there's the creatures who wants blood. Not gonna say much more because it will spoil the fun. It also, as is standard Ajvide, goes in a circle of being good, interesting, to kinda boring to quite fucked up and graphic and gory. Rinse and repeat in different orders, though use fucked up, graphic and gory a lot. Just like I like it.
Also there is Benny and Maud who goes from mortal enemies to BFF's and it's the purest thing. Also they are a dog and a cat. And yes, one of the POV's is from a dog.
November 4, 2017
I have no idea what happened here.
I spent the entire book either confused, disgusted, disturbed or anxious.
And I enjoyed it.
I think I really enjoyed it actually.
But I'm not sure.
It confused me utterly, but I don't think I mind.
You'd have to read it to understand this.
The story follows four very different families as they wake up in their caravans one morning and are not where they should be.
In fact, they're not even sure they're still in the same world.
This new world is a strange one.
Where the grass goes on forever, worryingly familiar figures can be seen in the distance, and a dark ominous cloud lurks on the horizon.
Each person has been brought here for a reason.
And the journey to understand why is a disturbing one.
I loved learning about all the characters and how vastly different all of their lives and experiences were.
They were all so interesting, with wildly different and fascinating personalities. They were loveable, hateable, brave, weak, innocent, and evil.
It was a wonderful and intriguing mix of people.
The story itself was incredibly interesting, as well as disturbing and very odd.
I'm not too sure what happened in the end or what it was actually all about, but I really enjoyed the journey through this strange world, and how the story was written.
It kept me gripped right until the very end.
This is a story about human nature and how we act when everything we know is taken away.
And it is truly terrifying.
I spent the entire book either confused, disgusted, disturbed or anxious.
And I enjoyed it.
I think I really enjoyed it actually.
But I'm not sure.
It confused me utterly, but I don't think I mind.
You'd have to read it to understand this.
The story follows four very different families as they wake up in their caravans one morning and are not where they should be.
In fact, they're not even sure they're still in the same world.
This new world is a strange one.
Where the grass goes on forever, worryingly familiar figures can be seen in the distance, and a dark ominous cloud lurks on the horizon.
Each person has been brought here for a reason.
And the journey to understand why is a disturbing one.
I loved learning about all the characters and how vastly different all of their lives and experiences were.
They were all so interesting, with wildly different and fascinating personalities. They were loveable, hateable, brave, weak, innocent, and evil.
It was a wonderful and intriguing mix of people.
The story itself was incredibly interesting, as well as disturbing and very odd.
I'm not too sure what happened in the end or what it was actually all about, but I really enjoyed the journey through this strange world, and how the story was written.
It kept me gripped right until the very end.
This is a story about human nature and how we act when everything we know is taken away.
And it is truly terrifying.
August 15, 2017
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.
This is a psychological horror about a group of people who wake up one morning and find themselves in a very different place to where they fell asleep the night before. It is mostly a story about personal demons, something upsetting from childhood maybe, or something done in the heat of the moment that wound rather be forgotten. It might be a story about actual demons too...
The background stories and development of the characters is fantastic and very detailed. The good, the bad and the downright deplorable. That child is seriously creepy. Even the cat and the dog are given fully fleshed out personalities, the latter of which is one of my favourite characters in the whole book.
Nothing is really explained. You don't exactly find out the who or why or where, but for me that didn't matter. The story has that dream or rather nightmare quality to it, you know, where you wake up in the morning and wonder what you ate the night before to make your mind do that to you? Enjoy this book for what it is, a wonderful, messed up, creepy as heck piece of fiction.
The only downside for me was some of the Swedish detail, which went over my head somewhat, but not enough to spoil the book.
On a final note, this may not be the best book to read if you are planning a caravaning trip any time soon...
This is a psychological horror about a group of people who wake up one morning and find themselves in a very different place to where they fell asleep the night before. It is mostly a story about personal demons, something upsetting from childhood maybe, or something done in the heat of the moment that wound rather be forgotten. It might be a story about actual demons too...
The background stories and development of the characters is fantastic and very detailed. The good, the bad and the downright deplorable. That child is seriously creepy. Even the cat and the dog are given fully fleshed out personalities, the latter of which is one of my favourite characters in the whole book.
Nothing is really explained. You don't exactly find out the who or why or where, but for me that didn't matter. The story has that dream or rather nightmare quality to it, you know, where you wake up in the morning and wonder what you ate the night before to make your mind do that to you? Enjoy this book for what it is, a wonderful, messed up, creepy as heck piece of fiction.
The only downside for me was some of the Swedish detail, which went over my head somewhat, but not enough to spoil the book.
On a final note, this may not be the best book to read if you are planning a caravaning trip any time soon...
August 23, 2017
With his latest novel Himmelstrand, Ajvide Lindqvist gives us his most abstract work yet to date. No book of his has been this open, and that is not just because of the endless field of grass and the eternal blue sky that the characters are trapped in. This is a story about what happens when we humans lose everything we know, when we don't have our everyday safety to lean back on.
It is a character study dressed as a somewhat weird horror story where black tigers with gigantic teeth roam together with both Darth Vader and white figures without faces. Sounds fascinating? Well, it is. Although I maybe would've preferred a few more answers to some of the threads in the end, Ajvide Lindqvist does something brave here when he goes against his earlier kind of work and delivers a more cosmic tale of fear. And as always, what Ajvide Lindqvist does best is write human beings that you care about; whether you love them or loathe them.
It is a character study dressed as a somewhat weird horror story where black tigers with gigantic teeth roam together with both Darth Vader and white figures without faces. Sounds fascinating? Well, it is. Although I maybe would've preferred a few more answers to some of the threads in the end, Ajvide Lindqvist does something brave here when he goes against his earlier kind of work and delivers a more cosmic tale of fear. And as always, what Ajvide Lindqvist does best is write human beings that you care about; whether you love them or loathe them.
November 12, 2019
Forse non il suo libro migliore, e forse un’idea e un impianto di base persino troppo elaborati per quello che voleva dire, ma Lindqvist è e resta una delle penne più oniriche, sincere e inquietanti del nostro tempo.
Questo romanzo ha tanti e diversi livelli di lettura e ti resta dentro: ti costringe a ripensarci, a scovare sensi nascosti e significati profondi.
Le emozioni possono essere vampiri? Posso drenare emotività e risorse? L'amore è l'unica risposta? L'accettazione può portare alla salvezza.
Lindqvist costruisce un fenomenale caleidoscopio nel quale forse resta intrappolato anche lui. L'autore sta facendo un percorso di crescita straordinario aggiungendo qualcosa in più a ogni romanzo che scrive per questo consiglio di leggere, in ordine, tutte le sue opere.
Sono curioso di sapere dove ci porterà la prossima volta.
Questo romanzo ha tanti e diversi livelli di lettura e ti resta dentro: ti costringe a ripensarci, a scovare sensi nascosti e significati profondi.
Le emozioni possono essere vampiri? Posso drenare emotività e risorse? L'amore è l'unica risposta? L'accettazione può portare alla salvezza.
Lindqvist costruisce un fenomenale caleidoscopio nel quale forse resta intrappolato anche lui. L'autore sta facendo un percorso di crescita straordinario aggiungendo qualcosa in più a ogni romanzo che scrive per questo consiglio di leggere, in ordine, tutte le sue opere.
Sono curioso di sapere dove ci porterà la prossima volta.
September 4, 2015
This is most certainly the most bizarre and messed up thriller I have ever read in my entire life. This book is unexplainable and surreal in such a way that it will stick with me until the end of my days. If you like weird, this is your thing!
January 27, 2016
Människor som har det skitjobbigt alternativt är skitjobbiga får uppleva en massa ännu jobbigare saker tillsammans. Blev uttråkad. Gillar vanligtvis både genre och författare.
June 12, 2024
Jag är förvirrad och konfunderad men också äcklad, fylld med hopp och förtvivlan. Vilken jävla åktur.
April 8, 2023
1.5 stars. ‘I am behind you, I always find you, I am the tiger’ So slow and so tedious.
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