Let the Right One In

Title: Let the Right One In
Original title: Låt Den Rätte Komma In  
Author: John Ajvide Lindqvist
Published: 2007 by Quercus, originally in Swedish in 2004
Genre: Horror
Pages: 519




I've been wanting to read this one for some time now... still, it took me a while to warm up to it, but once I sunk my teeth properly in, once I got to know the characters a little better, I couldn't let go.


It's the beginning of winter in 1981, in a small suburb of Stockholm, Sweden. 12-year old Oskar is bullied at school, has practically no friends, and is all around miserable. Oskar's life starts to turn around when he meets one of the new neighbours: a skinny little girl who seems to be unaware of things like personal hygiene and the fact that it's pretty damn cold outside. Her name is Eli, and she only comes out at night. Ooh!


There's also a rather large cast of other characters who kinda grow on you. It's a horror book so not everyone is going to get a happy ending here, and I was genuinely sorry to see some go. Others, good riddance! There were some extremely creepy and even scary bits, and I loved the whole frigging ride. I'm going to try and see if I can find the movie somewhere...




   She lay completely still like a stone, calm spreading through her body. She had time to formulate one last thought before she sank into rest. Why isn't it hot?
   With the blankets over her face, wrapped in heavy cloth it should be hot and sweaty around her head. The question floated sleepily around a large black room, finally landing on a very simple answer.
   Because I have not been breathing for several minutes.
   And not even now when she was conscious of the fact did she feel any need to. No feeling of suffocation, no lack of oxygen. She didn't need to breathe any more. That was all.