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A review by lauraborkpower
Let the Right One in by John Ajvide Lindqvist
4.0
This is one fine vampire novel. But it's so much more than that because of the way Lindqvist treats his characters and the way he navigates the narrative. Although there are two central protagonists--Oskar and Eli (and one could make an argument for Håkan as a third)--Lindqvist treats the baker's dozen or so minor characters (and the dozen or so more really minor characters) with just as much care. There are no bad guys; there are no throwaway characters. There are angry children from broken homes trying to hold on to some particle of a remembered happiness, even if it's only a secondhand remembrance; there are boys trying to navigate school and the castes that come with any lunchroom, classroom, field-trip, or after school activity; there are lonely adults seeking out like-minded souls in hopes of making their days and nights less isolated; there is even a squirrel looking for a nut who is a minor (very minor) character for about a page.
But because of the omniscient narrative Lindqvist uses, the reader gets insight into each and every one of the characters and feels at least at bit of sympathy, and sometimes empathy, for each, even if their actions are unfortunate, mistaken, misunderstood, or just plain despicable. And Lindqvist's ability to create this effect ultimately shows that he is both interested in and has the ability to observe, understand, and explain human behavior. So although this is, technically, a vampire novel, it's a great character study and commentary about adolescence, nostalgia, human nature, suburban living, and the ability to do violence.
But because of the omniscient narrative Lindqvist uses, the reader gets insight into each and every one of the characters and feels at least at bit of sympathy, and sometimes empathy, for each, even if their actions are unfortunate, mistaken, misunderstood, or just plain despicable. And Lindqvist's ability to create this effect ultimately shows that he is both interested in and has the ability to observe, understand, and explain human behavior. So although this is, technically, a vampire novel, it's a great character study and commentary about adolescence, nostalgia, human nature, suburban living, and the ability to do violence.