Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist/December 2012

[Tressa]

Reading:
Cynthia
Lauren
Suzanne
Jen
T.
Coaxial
V.

[jb]

I really liked this book.

[Suzanne]

Can I read with you? :)

[Tressa]

I've added your name to the list, Suzanne. Glad another one is on board for this great book.

[Jen]

I'd like to join in as well.

[T.]

Can I join in?

Been reading this (again) myself. I still shudder at some of perversion of this story. If you have not read it and just watched the movie, you have missed A LOT of the story. I could go on (and usually do) but I don't know if spoilers are allowed yet.

[Tressa]

I agree. The book fills in so much back story the movie leaves out. Movie is good but the book is better. T., we're reading the author's latest books (Little Star?) in December as a Buddy Read. Hope you can join in there, too.

[Ken B]

The US movie, "Let Me In", was good. But, the Swedish release "Let the Right One In" was a little more true to the book.

The book was great. I see that John Ajvide Lindqvist has a couple of other books out. The zombie book, Handling the Undead, doesn't interest me. But, Harbor looks interesting.

[jb]

I will have to check those out Ken.

[Lauren]

I was in a bookstore a few weeks ago and saw that there was another title for this book. It has the US version of the movie's name. Let Me In. Just in case anyone has trouble finding it with the original name.

[Tressa]

Coaxial, I'll add your name to the Buddy Read for this book.

[Suzanne]

I got the book from the library - a little premature but I wanted to make sure it wasn't borrowed.

I didn't even realize it was a movie. I was thinking of watching it first then reading ..but will it ruin the book for me?? Thanks

[Tressa]

I always prefer to read a book before seeing the movie, because IMO books just tell the better story with all the details and thoughts that are left out of movies, and then I enjoy watching the book I read come to life in the movie. However, I saw the Let the Right One In movie first, but still enjoyed the book. So I don't think it matters in this case.

[Suzanne]

Thanks Tressa. I have to agree with you, I like reading a books first because the books show a lot more detail and gives thoughts to characters that you can't/won't know in movies.

I might watch the movie to get a "preview" of the book :)

[Tressa]

Whichever order you do this in, you'll be entertained.

[jb]

I agree.....books is great first and movies second but really any order would work. I found the book so much more full of details.

[V.]

I love John Ajvide Lindqvist. Can I join in too?

[Tressa]

I'll add you to the list, V.

[Bob]

The Swedish version of the film was much better and the book a very good read I thought. How does this buddy read work? What can I say I'm a bit slow on picking up on things but I do drive fast. Does that count? Not that driving has much to do with buddy reads, unless your reading while driving that is. :)

[Tressa]

In the Buddy Read thread people ask if someone would like to read a book along with them during a certain month, and I create a thread where you can post your thoughts as you're reading. You could all decide to read a certain number of chapters before posting so the story won't get spoiled; or you could decide to do it a different way. I think with They Thirst we read along at kind of the same speed and posted our thoughts on the chapters we had just finished; I thought it was a good discussion.

It keeps you from reading a book alone and making a few comments about it; or waiting until a book you're interested in gets chosen as a monthly group read.

[Suzanne]

I watched the english version of the movie last night. It was okay. Hubby the so-not-into-vampires guy watched it with me and actually liked it. I was really glad they stuck with some of the "normal" vampire lore - night only, needing blood, sunlight turns to ash kinda things.

Now I am really looking forward to the book. One thing I am kinda scared about is the bullying/child abuse. That is one thing I really shy away from and gives me the willies is crimes against children.

[Tressa]

English version pales in comparison to the Swedish version. But enjoy the book. Yes, I have anxiety issues when I know there are bullying scenes in a book or movie. I just cannot stand for people to be picked on.

[Tressa]

Oh, yes, that pay off is worth every painful moment. Tee hee hee.

[Cynthia]

I started reading LTROI today. Looking forward to our upcoming discussions :)

[Tressa]

Haha, Coaxial. You sound like me: Five mins. of running the vacuum to thirty mins. of playing on the Internet. Excuse me...researching on the Internet.

The worst part of the bullying in LTROI is not only the verbal and threatening kind of bullying, but there is actual physical harm done to Oskar. I can't believe the degree that bullies will go to these days.

[Tressa]

I agree that psychological effects of bullying linger far longer than the physical ones, but to watch someone think they have the right to (view spoiler)[cut the face of a another kid with a knife (hide spoiler)] is just hard to wrap my head around. I was always taught that you do not put your hands on another person, especially to cause them harm. The fact that kids do it so easily these days is frightening to me.

Yes, I also agree that the bullying bonds Oskar and Eli together and without it LTROI would be perhaps be just another run-of-the-mill vampire story.

[Suzanne]

Anybody else started yet? I have! It's quite intense -emotion wise so far. I am really enjoying getting to know the characters and the settings.

[Cynthia]

Suzanne wrote: "Anybody else started yet? I have! It's quite intense -emotion wise so far. I am really enjoying getting to know the characters and the settings."

I'm halfway through part 2. Hakan is one sick guy and I feel so sorry for Oskar.

[Suzanne]

okay, I am finished. I really got into the book. I love the character development and the fact that it had a totally different spin on the whole vampire story.

I am glad I watched the english movie first because I got to picture the story line and compare how the matched up (which they did surprisingly well).

I didn't mind the whole bulling thing and sexuality that was throughout the book. I think because of how dark the book was. You got to see into the lives of these boys and how they think/act, you got to see the whole picture and how the whole city was.

I liked the book!

[Cynthia]

Sick mo-fo is a good way to describe Hakan. I'm about halfway through the book now. I know there were several times while reading about Hakan I was thoroughly repulsed and was shouting "You sick bastard!" in my head.

As far as Oskar, he is such a strong kid. I really like characters like him.

[Kilgallen]

This book has been added to my favorites shelf for sure! I loved how dark and truely creepy it was. There were a lot of characters and storylines but they all came together wickedly well in the end.

[Cynthia]

I finished this book last night. I loved when I can get really into a book and it's characters.

[Lauren]

A few things in this book really get to me. I was bullied as a kid and I even went to a private "Christian" school. I can't stand now that I am an adult to watch one child bully another. I've told both my sister-in-laws, my cousins that have kids, and my husband that I will never allow any of my nephews or my own children to be bullied or to bully others. It's truly terrible what it does to a child especially when the adults in their life are supposed to be protecting them and not the bullies. In my case, the teacher that should have done something didn't because the bullies were her son and nephews. She protected them instead of me. I got in trouble on occasion for telling other teachers on them. In fact, I feel like she bullied me and other teachers as well to protect them. I feel as bullied by her as I did by them and still want nothing to do with them.

And as for Hakan.... blech. I don't know the circumstances that got him in with Eli (haven't finished yet... sick toddler, wisdom teeth surgically removed....husband deployed....thank God for my MIL!!), but even though I find him disturbing I can't help but wonder if(view spoiler)[ Eli and he became companions sort of like she and Oskar did. And if that is the case, then I can understand and tiny bit of why he is so attracted to her. Though I do find it incredibly disturbing that he is attracted to her as a child and he doesn't seem to be attracted to any adult women. (hide spoiler)] Not sure if it's really a spoiler or not.... lol

[Tressa]

I'm sorry you were bullied, Lauren. Seems like most kids were at some point in their school years, but some more often and severe than others. I was never physically bullied, but was made to feel like an outcast because I was painfully shy.

Well, since you're not to the point in the book that explains why Hakan is with Eli, I won't spoil anything. Deep down I guess perhaps they are companions, in a twisted way, but not really.

[Jovi]

One of my favourite horror books. Love it :)

[Lauren]

It was horrible, but I have learned from it and I have decided to help others learn from it. I recently had a conversation with my nephew that is in first grade. His mom was there and she was agreeable with me talking to him and telling him about bullying. I didn't go into any specifics (and I won't here) but I was able to tell him in a non-scary non-confrontational way and I was able to help him understand how he can help stop it if he sees it happening to someone else. (I'm not trying to brag. It took a lot of rehearsal and practicing on my part to get it right and not scary.) Though what happened to me was horrible and terrifying and I still have to deal with it daily, I can see some good that has come out of it. And, with the permission of both sister-in-laws and the permission of my cousin and her husband I hope to be able to do this with every child in my family.


I've been able to read more of the book and Hakan is one sick bastard. I still haven't gotten to the explanation of how he and Eli came to be together in this way, but all I can say is I felt a huge sigh of relief and a little bit of triumph when he (view spoiler)[ poured the acid on his face and was caught. I mean, Eli's a damn vampire for goodness sake.... she could definitely be getting her own "food"...but I have come to the conclusion that he enjoys what he does. I don't know, maybe it was the uncontrollable erection and ejaculation that gave that away. He is seriously fucked in the head. (Sorry for the language.) (hide spoiler)]

[Sparkle]

Just saw this thread and thought I'd throw in my two cents.
Very enjoyable read.

Made especially enjoyable due to the fact that my Swedish friend who lives in Sweden read it with me and filled in by adding commentaries on a lot of events and cultural insights.
Who knew I was totally butchering the names with my horrible pronunciation of Swedish? Lol

He also sent me all the candy Oskar stole at the beginning of the book, along with Swedish copy of the book, which did add a lot to the read.

[Lohengrin]

I saw the film (the Swedish original) before reading the book - I read the book because I loved the film so much. There's an epilogue to it, Let the Old Dreams Die, in the short story collection of the same title.