Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Let Me in by John Ajvide Lindqvist

42 reviews

mmefish's review against another edition

Uh no.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Body shaming

caityq's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

This book was recommended to me and not one I would've picked up myself - so I am grateful to have been lead to it. 

It is a fresh, visceral take on a classic theme, and I really enjoyed every moment - even if some were really uncomfortable. 

 
This book was essentially about vampires - but in a way that didn't feel well-trodden. 

First of all, Oskar is one of the main voices of the book and at first you think you know which way the book is going. However, Oskar's initial 'bloodlust' at his bullies doesn't stand up to actual murder. 

He falls for (mostly, he is 12/13 and fickle) Eli, who's gender is pretty flexible. You learn - through psychic kissing which sounds odd to type but really worked in the context of the book - the torture and means through which Eli became not only a vampire, but as they are - without any genitals. 

Through this semi-romantic plot, there's Hakan - an older man who whilst he knows he finds younger boys attractive, thinks he's hit the jackpot with Eli - body of a 12 year old, mine of a 200 year old. When Hakan becomes infected it seems to take differently. Not in his heart - but I believe in his penis (which sounds weird but works in the context of the book, yet again). 

There's a visceral gore - from Oskar's piss-ball to Hakan's vampiric erection - that I really enjoyed, even though it was uncomfortable at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, and Bullying

markedwithanm's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Blood, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Pedophilia, Death, Bullying, Sexual violence, and Rape

kingsamong's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape

vermethys's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Pedophilia

Minor: Rape and Suicide

gringolet's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The gender stuff is. complicated. Mileage may vary on that front. Personally, I enjoyed this book, and while some of the vast array of interwoven story lines are less engaging or emotionally affecting than others, the central relationship between Oskar and Eli really works.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Pedophilia, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Bullying, Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Sexual assault

jbcrue's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug use, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, Animal death, Body horror, Medical content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

samtheoboeguy's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child death, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Blood

elvenpanther's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Lindqvist managed to write this in such a way, that despite being uncomfortable at how twisted much of this novel was, I was throughly engrossed and could not put it down. I enjoyed how he wove the story through the view points of several members of the community and how he tied all of those "individual" narratives together.
This novel was dark, and gritty, and explored so much more than "monster" trope. In a way, it focused on how monstrous people could be. How sometimes it's not what goes bump in the night that you need to fear, but instead your neighbor or your classmate. It explored broken people, broken families and broken children and their struggle to navigate the world when they feel alone.
I didn't really know what to expect when starting this, and yes some parts of the novel made me squirm, but overall I enjoyed it. I had watched the Swedish film adaptation after and I will say I appreciate how much more in depth the book went. It made for a much more complex and visceral narrative than the movie.
*As a warning, the book does strongly contain the topic of pedophilia*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Murder, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Medical trauma

Minor: Animal death

nerdy_yinzer's review against another edition

Extremely explicit descriptions of pedophilia - no thanks. It was on the recommended shelf at Half Price Books and I thought it’d be something akin to a Salem’s Lot kind of scary vampire book…my bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Rape, Violence, Murder, and Pedophilia