Let the Right One In

"Let the Right One In" is essentially a horror book combined with a Scandinavian thriller. And if you've ever read one of those, you know how bleak they can be, with this one no exception. This book is one of the bleakest and, strangely, most realistic vampire stories I've ever come across.

The rules of vampirism that Lindqvist decided on are on the strict side of the spectrum, and he handwaves nothing to make Eli fit better into society, like many other vampire media does in order to tell the story they want to tell. No fake blood substitutes, no constantly cloudy skies, not even the idea of vampires as a different, superior species which is so often used to explain why they're not morally conflicted over drinking blood. In fact, in this story, there are very few vampires because most of them end up killing themselves out of guilt. So, there are no grand vampire parallel societies, and the dietary needs of only one - Eli - turn an entire city up on its head as in a short span of time multiple bodies turn up drained of blood.
Even immortality and superpowers don't really seem to weigh up against the deeply lonely and fearful life this results in for Eli, who is forced to ally herself with a pedophile in order to keep up enough of a facade of normalcy to avoid detection.

It's this bleakness, however, that makes the relationship between Oskar and Eli so touching. They're both lonely, abused, ashamed of their bodies and linked with violence - Eli is violent to survive, Oskar is fascinated by it and fantasizes about killing his bullies. They are outcasts and victims, but not innocent. They both have monstrous elements to them. Yet, despite all the horror that surrounds it, and results from it, the love they have for each other, the acceptance they find with each other, is pure and good. Even if it eventually ends up drawing Oskar into the same lonely life of murder and fugitivism as Eli.

"Let the Right One In" is essentially a horror book combined with a Scandinavian thriller. And if you've ever read one of those, you know how bleak they can be, with this one no exception. This book is one of the bleakest and, strangely, most realistic vampire stories I've ever come across.

The rules of vampirism that Lindqvist decided on are on the strict side of the spectrum, and he handwaves nothing to make Eli fit better into society, like many other vampire media does in order to tell the story they want to tell. No fake blood substitutes, no constantly cloudy skies, not even the idea of vampires as a different, superior species which is so often used to explain why they're not morally conflicted over drinking blood. In fact, in this story, there are very few vampires because most of them end up killing themselves out of guilt. So, there are no grand vampire parallel societies, and the dietary needs of only one - Eli - turn an entire city up on its head as in a short span of time multiple bodies turn up drained of blood.
Even immortality and superpowers don't really seem to weigh up against the deeply lonely and fearful life this results in for Eli, who is forced to ally herself with a pedophile in order to keep up enough of a facade of normalcy to avoid detection.

It's this bleakness, however, that makes the relationship between Oskar and Eli so touching. They're both lonely, abused, ashamed of their bodies and linked with violence - Eli is violent to survive, Oskar is fascinated by it and fantasizes about killing his bullies. They are outcasts and victims, but not innocent. They both have monstrous elements to them. Yet, despite all the horror that surrounds it, and results from it, the love they have for each other, the acceptance they find with each other, is pure and good. Even if it eventually ends up drawing Oskar into the same lonely life of murder and fugitivism as Eli.

Wow, what a ride this book has been. I obviously really enjoyed it, because I simply could not stop reading it but I don't think I would watch either of the movie adaptations. I don't think I would be able to take it.

The story is set in the early 80s in a suburb of Stockholm. The protagonist is Oskar, a 12 year old boy who is bullied at school, incontinent, and above all lonely. His parents are divorced. In his spare time, he fantasizes about being strong enough to act against his bullies, having an unnatural interest in killers. One night he meets a girl from his apartment block on the playground: Eli.

From that point on, a crazy but above all entirely depressing story evolves concerning Eli and those around her. There's Hakan, who lives with her. A pedophile who is serving Eli so that she will let him touch her. There's Lacke, Virginia and friends, a bunch of worn out alcoholics leading a life of poverty and depression that is shook up when one of them disappears. There's Tommy, a teenage delinquent who has to come to terms with it that his mother is going to marry a stern police officer who doesn't have qualms about beating women. So many lives, all of them miserable, and in the middle of it all, the story about the vampire Eli.

If you are easily queasy, this might not be the book for you. I cringed my way through some parts, especially most things involving Hakan, or that terrible scene involving cats. There's lots of blood, violent deaths, but above all, loneliness and depression. This is not only a horror story, this is about the lonely dark places people go to. I felt particularly sad for the rather tragic Lacke. If you enjoy dark stories, this is definitely a good one to read.

Are all Swedish books dark and depressing? A long shot from my Astrid Lindgren-colored youth.