Let (the Right One/Me) In

[Reepicheep]

I almost threw my book in the garbage today. I was momentarily convinced that's all it is, garbage. So far (I was on page 41) I haven't liked any of the characters. I honestly can't relate to anyone in the book, even the main protagonist. Bullies, panstwetting, budding serial killers, cowardly thieves, glue sniffers and now this actual serial killing nonse. I was thinking, the vampire girl (it hasn't mentioned her name yet) is the only remotely likeable character and I hope she kills everyone else in the book.
Then I reached page 41, the chapter called "Friday October, 23" or what I dubbed "The NAMBLA chapter". Does Lindqvist realise his readers experience vicariously everything he describes? I was appalled and offended in a way no other book had ever come close. Maybe, I thought I was just being a puritanical American. Is this kind of thing commonplace in Sweeden? I couldn't 'watch' the scene unfold in that bathroom stall. I skipped ahead a page and read "Forgive me?" and thought "Oh, God, he did it. He actually spelled out in grim detail this dispicable man recieving oral pleasure from a twelve year old boy." It does beg the question, Why is even brutal killing so acceptable and pallatable in comparrison?
I have a sort of policy about finishing books. I couldn't just abandon it. I would plow through it and maybe it would pay off. I went back and read page 45 with a sort of peeking through my fingers aprehension and I was SO gratefully relieved that in fact Hakan had not gone through with it. Even still he was going to. I think somehow through this experience Lindqvist has garnered my trust as a reader in that he can take you to the very edge of humanities darkest side and not push you over.

[OrphanPip]

Never read the book, thought the movie was pretty good though. Although, by your description the movie sounds much more tame.

[Reepicheep]

The movie's not out here yet. I got the book to tide me over. I was seriously questioning whether I actually wanted to see the movie anymore. I glad to hear they toned it down a little. The book really does make you squirm. The horror is *not* the bloodsucking vampire.

[OrphanPip]

I was talking about the Swedish movie though, not the American adaptation coming out in a few weeks. I'm sure it will be pretty tame too, since it's in wide release.

[Kyriakos]

Was the book written before the movie?

At any rate, after seing a part of Let the right one in, i had no expectation to watch anything interesting. From the part i saw the two main characters were pretty lifeless as well.

[OrphanPip]

Lifeless? I don't know about that, the girl certainly (ha), but the boy is more socially awkward than lifeless. It was one of the better movies I saw last year.

And, yes, the book came out before the movie.

[Gregory Samsa]

The book is wonderful. Specially for me who grow up very close to Blackeberg. I hate that they doing at remake of the very poetic swedish movie.

[Dark Muse]

I just started reading this book on page 76 right now, and so far I am loving it and I am thoroughly engaged in the story. I think that it is marvelously written and I love the bleakness of it, and the prose style I think is quite brilliantly.

It is a skillfully written book and one of the first quality vampire books I have read in a long time, not counting having just finished Dracula last month, I should say one of the first quality contemporary vampire books which have been written in a long time.

[JuniperWoolf]

Apparently, the movie was a lot better than the book. I haven't experienced either of them, but that's what the reviews say. That must stick in the author's craw, eh? Your book is one of the only ones in existence that most people agree deviates from that whole "the book was better than the movie" generality?


the girl certainly (ha)

Badum, TISH!

[Dark Muse]

Apparently, the movie was a lot better than the book. I haven't experienced either of them, but that's what the reviews say. That must stick in the author's craw, eh? Your book is one of the only ones in existence that most people agree deviates from that whole "the book was better than the movie" generality?

I have not finished the book nor watched the movie yet, but in my current reading experince I find it unlikely that the movie will be better than the book.

[JuniperWoolf]

I don't knooow, made a pretty big splash at the Toronto film festival. You've got to watch it and tell us which is better (without giving away any of the plot), then tell me which to read/watch first.

[Dark Muse]

Generally I think that if a person acutally enjoys a book there is little chance they will like the movie better. My instincts tell me those who thought the movie was better did not in fact acutally care much for the book.

[Silas Thorne]

Generally I think that if a person acutally enjoys a book there is little chance they will like the movie better. My instincts tell me those who thought the movie was better did not in fact acutally care much for the book.

Unless the movie is only inspired by the book and travels in an entirely different direction from it.Then I think people could like both of them a great deal. There are plenty of people who like 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' and 'Blade Runner', for example.

[Dark Muse]

Unless the movie is only inspired by the book and travels in an entirely different direction from it.Then I think people could like both of them a great deal. There are plenty of people who like 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' and 'Blade Runner', for example.

I agree that a person could like both, I just think it would be very rare for a person who thoroughly enjoyed the book to state the movie as being better than the book.

That does not mean they are not capable of liking the movie.

The Road for me is a good example of that. I loved both a great deal, and the movie did follow the book tremendously well, but I would not say the movie was better than the book.

[Satan]

While the original Swedish movie stayed largely true to the novel, it's practically impossible to capture all moments, however explicit or tame they may be, in the commercial audio-visual form meant for a wider range of audience with less tolerance for artistic liberties.

I liked both, though I have yet to watch the watered-down version Let Me In.

[kelby_lake]

Why do Hollywood feel the need to remake everything? Are people incapable of reading subtitles?

[Dark Muse]

I have to say that this book almost makes me think of Lolita meets Dracula, it has elements which remind me both and play upon themes which are presented in both books.

Also I am curious about the meaning of the title. I presume that it is meant to be a play upon the old lore in which it was believed that vampires could not enter into a home unless they were invited, which is also used in Dracula, but I wonder as to the use of "the Right One." I wonder what that suggests, perhaps it will be made clear further into the book.

The alternate title "Let Me In" is a direct reference to the old folkloric belief, but "Let the Right One In" suggests something a bit different.

[Gregory Samsa]

Also I am curious about the meaning of the title. I presume that it is meant to be a play upon the old lore in which it was believed that vampires could not enter into a home unless they were invited, which is also used in Dracula, but I wonder as to the use of "the Right One." I wonder what that suggests, perhaps it will be made clear further into the book.

The alternate title "Let Me In" is a direct reference to the old folkloric belief, but "Let the Right One In" suggests something a bit different.

The title refers to the Morrissey song "Let the Right One Slip In". You see why later in the book.

[Dark Muse]

The title refers to the Morrissey song "Let the Right One Slip In". You see why later in the book.

Oh ok interesting.

[OrphanPip]

I read some critics saying the new American version was actually better than the Swedish film, apparently because he took the best parts from the Swedish film and added a little bit. While others felt he just copied the film entirely. Overall though, the reviews have been positive.