Reviews - Let the Right One In

2.5k reviews for:

Let the Right One In

John Ajvide Lindqvist

3.94 AVERAGE

kayprit's review against another edition

3.75

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

jennysides's review against another edition

Graphic depictions of pedophilia and bodily functions detracted from the story which was fairly dull to begin with. Didn’t grab me and didn’t have the stomach to keep going. Surprised that this author has been likened to some of the greats.

petatron's review against another edition

4.0

I couldn't put this down even though at times it was hard to read. The story is heavy and tense. At times I was torn between not wanting to know what happened next and having to know.

anna_amr's review against another edition

1.0

There's a book that has been sitting at the top of my "worst things I've ever read" list for more than a year. Let Me In has officially replaced it.

This book was disturbing. I don’t mind body horror or gore; that wasn’t the issue. In a story about vampires, the focus ended up on graphic depictions of

Spoiler

sexual assault and child exploitation. The pedophilia was sickening.

I don’t care what point the author was trying to make; it crossed a serious line. Not just crossed it… sprinted right past it and never looked back. A few creepy moments don't make up for how gross and uncomfortable the rest of it was.

Just… no.

mmetzdorf's review against another edition

3.0

Started a little boring then got good then it got boring again

neevh's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

peachachu's review against another edition

4.0

A freakish and chilling read. Despite the length, I finished it pretty quickly (but that could also be because I'm quarantined at home with nothing else to do, lol). Normally, books don't spook me out as much as films, but Linqvist is an expert in evoking revulsion and terror entirely within your own mind. He manages to create something new and genuinely creepy within a tired genre. The novel floats between different perspectives, some more interesting than others, but I appreciate how we get a little bit of each person's interiority throughout. Would not recommend for those easily disturbed, but everyone else I would encourage to dive right in.

Next on my quarantine checklist is checking out the movie adaptation!

jonahwhyudothis's review against another edition

creepy as all hell - and not just in a vampiric way but in a sweden is so scummy and almost everyone is shitty kind of way. lindqvist is more than happy to get down to all kinds of nasty details, be it abuse, bullying, bodily functions (or malfunctions). based on the movie I wasn't expecting such a sprawling cast and multiple POVs but it really pays off in the second half of the book. oskar and eli's relationship is wonderfully complex and could be dissected for a long long time. shattering depiction of adolescent isolation and depression.