A review by rally_reviews
Let Him in by William Friend

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

 This book is about a pair of twins who are grieving the tragic death of their mother, Pippa (who was herself a twin and died in the house they still live in) and start talking to an imaginary friend they call, Black Mamba. Black Mamba is a man who can take any form of animal he chooses (yes, his namesake snake is one of those terrifying forms) and only the twins can see him. Their dad alfie, is also still coping with the death and seeks help from his wives sister a psycologist (whose family was involved in a religion they practiced that comes into the story). They both are trying to help themselves and the kids. What I felt this book did well at: It sets a great scene and plays with our perception. Is there an intruder or other-worldly spirit the girls can see, or is it their active imaginations, perhaps as a reaction to their grief? Is the father doing something sinister or merely trying to help his daughters and himself with grief? It creates a fantastic shadow man with fantasy elements that I found really interesting. They were scary and creepy sometimes and other times funny or weird? Is he real? It did a great job at showing how belief and what we show are kids are passed down and effect and can create tramua for later generations and those connected to them. The cons I had on this book: It says it is a new release called "Let him in" but there was a book by the same author last year called "black mamba" that is the exact same story. I really do not mind cause I still got to read the book but confused me at first. I felt there was a little bit of repetitiveness that made the book longer than needed to be but I still wanted to find out answers. I did not like how the psycologist would talk in very simple terms and a kind of kid like thinking and next minute talking in counsler and science terms. I also was a little confused by how they kept giving us tiny bits of clues and story but then an abrupt ending with not much explanation. I guess you decide still what you felt was real or not. Overall, I enjoyed this read. I got invested in the two little girls. I did not feel the romance was good or tense or anything. I felt it was awkward. I did have to know what happened in the end and I did like the little girls and the force in the story.