Feb 2019 group read- Let the Right One In

[Juli]

I really wanted to love this book but alas only feel meh about it. In isolation, I loved all things: (view spoiler)[the vampire, the hunting, the blood draining, Oscar's sociopathic daydreams, the bleakness of the suburb, the drunks, the police work, the birth and growth of the new vampires (and their despair for blood), and the brutal conclusion of the story (hide spoiler)]. The characters were complex and well developed. The story was unique. And yet, while reading I just felt off, and not in a good way. I can't put my finger on why but it's like the individual parts did not work together to create an amazing narrative or a gripping, cohesive story. Something was missing but I don't know what.

[Terry]

Graeme wrote: "Graeme catch up to 1/2 way point notes.

..."

I like the notes, Graeme.

I totally agree on note 1.
On note 3, (view spoiler)[ do you think the author was trying to draw some parallels between Oskar and Hakan in that sense? I’ll admit, that thought did come to my mind as I read that. (hide spoiler)]
On note 5, (view spoiler)[ man, it’s hard to know what to feel for Hakan? Sympathy is not very high in the list though. (hide spoiler)]

[Terry]

Ginger wrote: "Just got to Part Three last night!"

That’s the part I’m at as well. (view spoiler)[ So, do you think Oskar is old enough that he should realize something is up with Eli? I guess love let’s you overlook even the strangest of things and actions. (hide spoiler)]

[Ginger]

Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Just got to Part Three last night!"

That’s the part I’m at as well. [spoilers removed]"

I think (view spoiler)[he's got to realize something is different with her. I mean he was looking out the window and wondering how the hell she got in his room. hahaha!
But at this point, her "uniqueness and strangeness" does not outweigh his need for a friend and feeling lonely due to the bullying.
The bullying is hard to read at times. I want to kick those kids asses. (hide spoiler)]

[Terry]

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Just got to Part Three last night!"

That’s the part I’m at as well. [spoilers removed]"..."

True!

[Graeme]

Terry wrote: "On note 5..."

I don't feel any sympathy - I was suggesting a 'permanent,' action for Hakan to take to solve all his problems in one 'hit.'

[Graeme]

Juli wrote: "I really wanted to love this book but alas only feel meh about it. In isolation, I loved all things: [spoilers removed]. The characters were complex and well developed. The story was unique. And ye..."

Just a thought, the core of the story is the relationship between Oskar and Eli. Time spent off that relationship could operate as a distraction, breaking the narrative flow, etc.

I found the sections on Tomas, and his mother and Staffan as filler. That subplot could have been downplayed and tightened the focus of the story.

[Greg]

I agree with you Graeme about the Tommy scenes. They really aren’t necessary at all. I felt the same way about the trip to dads.

[Graeme]

Hi Greg,

It's a classic error.

Un-necessary subplots result in loss of focus on the core thrust of the narrative, and break engagement with the reader.

[Ginger]

Graeme wrote: "I found the sections on Tomas, and his mother and Staffan as filler. That subplot could have been downplayed and tightened the focus of the story"

Totally agree with you on this point Graeme!

[Greg]

I just finished. I still loved it but as this was my 2nd time the ending seemed to fizzle even more than I originally remembered.

Also was a little frustrating the way that a lot of characters had the same or similar names. Tomas is Johnny's bully friend. Tommy is the neighbor who has the subplot with the police man Stefan. Of which I'm sure there were at least 3 people in the novel named Stefan.

[Terry]

I agree about the names, Greg. I’m about 2/3 of the way through now. Not surprisingly, I’m finding the book better than the movies, with the twists to the story that were left out as well as with the characters.

[Amanda]

Could someone please explain to me the ending? Lol I'm very confused about what happened

[Graeme]

58% in. Events around Eli are spiraling into chaos.

[Terry]

Graeme wrote: "58% in. Events around Eli are spiraling into chaos."

Seems they would always be chaos around her!

[Terry]

In the Sunday November 8 (evening) chapter, the part (view spoiler)[ with the cats was hard to read! (hide spoiler)]

[Graeme]

For me this is a 5 star novella, trapped in a 2 star novel. I'm gonna review that way to.

[Graeme]

Finished. Review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Graeme]

Amanda wrote: "Could someone please explain to me the ending? Lol I'm very confused about what happened"

Hi Amanda.

The Ending.

(view spoiler)[At the pool, Eli intervenes in full flying vampire mode and rips Jimmy and Jonny's heads off. And wisks Oscar away to safety.

Later, Oscar is on a train to elsewhere with lots of luggage. He doesn't need help with the luggage as Eli is hiding in the biggest case. Eli will help in when they get where they are going...

Oscar is now Eli's new day person helper.

Oscar now has a friend.

Oscar and Eli are happy... (hide spoiler)]

[Terry]

I finished up today. Overall, I enjoyed it, although I'm somewhat in agreement with what Juli and Graeme said above. (view spoiler)[ Lots of dark, creepy horror was good, but the uncomfortable aspects of Hakan's storyline and the extra parts of Tommy's storyline distracted too much from the overall tale. (hide spoiler)]. Even so, I still liked it enough to rate it 3.5/5.0 and rounded up.

[Terry]

So, one of the interesting aspects I thought about while reading this was (view spoiler)[ what I thought was a connection to Renfield's story from the original Dracula. This felt like a modern day twist on that character's story and the idea that a vampire would need a human helper to survive for the long haul. Somebody to try to cover the tracks. (hide spoiler)]
I also drew a parallel with (view spoiler)[ Frankenstein. The story from the perspective of the monster (and I mean Eli in this case) does seem to humanize him for portions of the tale. I think that's what I enjoyed the most about this story. (hide spoiler)]

[Graeme]

Hi Terry, great points.

Indeed, there is a reflection of Renfield in this story.

[Katy]

I have a copy but I need to finish Shirley Jackson's The Road Through the Wall first, as it's a library book and will need to be returned.

Late to the party!

[Ginger]

Terry wrote: "In the Sunday November 8 (evening) chapter, the part [spoilers removed]"

Holy smokes, that was a crazy part in the book! Agreed Terry.

[Ginger]

Terry wrote: "So, one of the interesting aspects I thought about while reading this was [spoilers removed]
I also drew a parallel with [spoilers removed]"

Both great points! I can see that in both classics.

[Ginger]

Just finished and I have to say that I loved the brutal writing and subjects. It was excellent in so many ways.
I feel though that the pacing, similar names and unneeded chapters of Tommy and the druken crew weren't really needed.
So for that, it lost a bit of rating for me.
But the overall plot of Eli (view spoiler)[trying to survive made me feel for her/him and Oskar's bullying was tough to read. Dark and gritty for sure. (hide spoiler)]
One last thing, I was a bit confused with the chapter in where (view spoiler)[Eli becomes a vampire. I know he gets selected but then is it a vampire that is cutting off his penis? And that's what stops him from developing and also becomes a vampire after that part?
I was really confused by this whole scene when Eli kissed Oskar. (hide spoiler)]
Some one help me untangle this part out in my brain!

[Terry]

I wish I could help untangle that part Ginger, but I was just as confused! It was certainly brutal. I had a hard time with it actually.

[Rachel]

I felt the same way about that part too, I wish there was more explanation about why that ritual had to be done that way.

[Ginger]

Rachel wrote: "I felt the same way about that part too, I wish there was more explanation about why that ritual had to be done that way."

Terry wrote: "I wish I could help untangle that part Ginger, but I was just as confused! It was certainly brutal. I had a hard time with it actually."

Glad I'm not the only one that had issues with that scene! It was hard to read but also hard to understand what the heck was going on.

[Graeme]

I don't think it was a ritual, just a bit of mumbo jumbo by the vampire to help keep the people in line. He'd still drink the blood that is caught in the bowl.

I'm not sure what happened to Eli to make him a vamp, but at some point the vampire must have bitten him, and made him one. (Off scene?)

[Ginger]

Graeme wrote: "I don't think it was a ritual, just a bit of mumbo jumbo by the vampire to help keep the people in line. He'd still drink the blood that is caught in the bowl.
I'm not sure what happened to Eli to..."

It just seemed a bit mumbo jumbo to me too! Glad I'm not the only one. hahaha

[Terry]

I felt guilty hijacking Gingers review, Graeme, so I'm continuing our discussion here. My take on (view spoiler)[ the second brain in the heart was it was more the viral heart, the driving force to feed on blood and infect others. A primal brain, so to speak. I thought the personality stayed with the original brain. But I agree that Eli's motive with Oskar felt different. It didn't feel like love for either of them, though. (hide spoiler)] Interesting to view that a different way, though.

[Graeme]

Solid stuff Terry. My feeling was the 2nd brain had a bit more consciousness to it. But (shrugs shoulders) WDIK?

[Graeme]

I like how the 2nd brain next to the heart validated the 'stake through the heart,' concept as the actual target was the 2nd brain. Kill that and kill the vampire.

[Terry]

I certainly enjoy the conundrum. And, yes, that is a cool validation for the stake. I like trying to ground at least part of what's going on in some science.

[Graeme]

Terry wrote: "I certainly enjoy the conundrum. And, yes, that is a cool validation for the stake. I like trying to ground at least part of what's going on in some science."

(Chortle). Science! Indeed.

[Terry]

Ha, I'm an engineer, so of course I'm looking for the science behind it all...

[Ginger]

Graeme wrote: "I like how the 2nd brain next to the heart validated the 'stake through the heart,' concept as the actual target was the 2nd brain. Kill that and kill the vampire."

I loved that part of the book as well! What an interesting concept!

[Ginger]

Terry wrote: "Ha, I'm an engineer, so of course I'm looking for the science behind it all..."

I'm in civil engineering and surveying Terry! We're both always looking for the science in most stuff. hahaha!
And throw in some math & history for me and now I'm cooking. My brain is in overdrive.

[Ginger]

Terry wrote: "I felt guilty hijacking Gingers review, Graeme, so I'm continuing our discussion here. My take on [spoilers removed] Interesting to view that a different way, though."

Don't feel guilty Terry! You just got me 10 more likes on my review with your dissertation with Graeme. *chuckling* hahaha!

[Graeme]

I'm in Engineering/IT too.

[Terry]

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "Ha, I'm an engineer, so of course I'm looking for the science behind it all..."

I'm in civil engineering and surveying Terry! We're both always looking for the science in most stuff...."

Yes, that 'great minds thinking alike thing', haha!

[Terry]

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I felt guilty hijacking Gingers review, Graeme, so I'm continuing our discussion here. My take on [spoilers removed] Interesting to view that a different way, though."

Don't feel gui..."

Yes, perfect!

[Terry]

Oh, I meant to thank you Graeme about pointing out that there is a sequel to this! I want to track it down now.

[Graeme]

I've only seen it in a collection of short stories - and it's quite expensive to buy.

[Ginger]

I’ll have to keep my eye out for the sequel as well. Thanks for bringing it to my attention as well Graeme!

[Ginger]

Graeme wrote: "I'm in Engineering/IT too."

Ha! Enginerds unite! 👊🤓🤣

[Katy]

Wow! The discussion above is intense.

I'm finally getting started, and I'm really looking forward to understanding what you're talking about. About 15% in.

[Ginger]

Katy wrote: "Wow! The discussion above is intense.

I'm finally getting started, and I'm really looking forward to understanding what you're talking about. About 15% in."

Enjoy Katy!!

[Kel]

After seeing the Swedish film in a film festival, I read this book and would love to contribute in the discussion. It remains one of my favorites. I remind myself when reading any translation that it is a translation, some element will be lost even if just a small bit. That said, I think it is a very good translation.