5/5 This is not totally a horror story
  by mummazappa (Perth, Australia)
Synopsis: READ THIS BOOK. (Ok, technically not part of the synopsis but I couldn't wait to say it). Oskar is 12 years old, and lives in an apartment complex in working class suburb Blackeberg, Stockholm. He is tormented by bullies and spends most of his time alone, daydreaming about getting his revenge. A young girl called Eli and her 'father' arrive at the complex, and it isn't long before Eli and Oskar become friends. As time goes on, Eli is shown to be a vampire, and it isn't long before her presence and actions begin to affect Oskar, the inhabitants of the apartment complex, and then the whole community of Blackeberg.

One of the recommendations on the back of the book says something like: 'If you only read one gore filled horror vampire story this year, make it Let the Right One In'. Well, sure, it's got a vampire, it definitely has gore, and there were plenty of moments when I wished it was possible to bury my face in my husband's armpit in terror and read at the same time. But really, this is not a horror story. This is a story about loss and loneliness, about the search for connection between people, and the relativity of goodness and evil. It is one of the most moving stories I have ever read.

This book has been compared to Stephen King's writing, and I can see some similarities, the most obvious is that the humans are the real monsters. The human behaviour includes paedophilia, prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, torture, murder and bullying. At least all Eli is trying to do is live. When you compare the human behaviour to the vampire's behaviour, you have to ask yourself, which is more terrifying?

I can not recommend this book enough, it is the second best book I've read this year. (The first is Tim Winton's Breath).

5/5 Best vampire story since Interview With the Vampire
  by David W. Anderson
I first picked up this book while waiting for the independent Swedish film to finally make it's way to my city. I had heard so many positive reviews (the most since the highly touted Pan's Labyrinth for such a dark foreign film), I couldn't wait to find out for myself and went straight to the bookstore. I certainly was not disappointed. The emotional connection between the two protagonists is both sweet and creepy. Weird enuff to keep you reading for a while. The other storey lines tie in nicely, though, not as interesting at first. By the end, you'll definitely want more of Eli and Oscar.
This book reads more like a drama with horror elements (graphic one's at that) than a true horror story. You will find yourself rooting for the little vampire killer rather than the human victims, and there are a few other moments that some may find emotionally confusing. In my opinion, these are some of the reasons this book is so good. A no boundaries, walk a mile in my shoes before you judge kind of story. This is without a doubt my new favorite vampire tale.

3/5 Puts the "ire" back in vampire
  by B. McEwan (Brooklyn, NY USA)
This is not a book for the faint of heart. No sexy Edward Cullen here. No vamps who are actually nice guys and no good girl heroes either. In fact, this vampire isn't even sexual. The novel is not particularly clear on this point, but I deduce that Eli, the vampire, was once a human boy. Now s/he sometimes appears to be a boy and other times a girl. There is no sex and certainly no love.

Couple this old school vampire with a cast of unappealing human characters: an alienated male teen who is bullied by his equally alienated school mates, a few parents, an adult child molester who is a sort of zombie caretaker to the vampire and a crew of local alcoholic wastrels whose only purpose seems to be as victims for the vampire.

I continued reading this novel til the end, hoping to be surprised at some point by an unexpected twist or turn in either the plot or the physical laws of the traditional vampire universe. Alas, none appeared. Overall, this is a vicious and depressing story full of hopeless people living gray and dull lives. I truly can't imagine what other reviewers see in this book that warrants praise.



4/5 A warm & scary winter read
  by Christopher H. Wright (Burien, WA USA)
"Let the Right One In" is a thriller rich and subtle enough to reread, with characters and moments to treasure, all infused with a darkness both unreal and ringing true. The characterizations are sophisticated and believable, and there are at least a couple of moments of real emotional power that will stick in my memory for a long time.

As a simple vampire thriller, Let the Right One In is tightly constructed and fun to read. More important, though, this is the kind of thriller where the supernatural elements frequently give the reader access to emotions that would be difficult--or boring--to express without the constructs of supernatural horror. If the vampire motif had only been used to create the painfully sweet moment near the end of the novel when Oskar sees into Eli's mind, it would be justified.

It's worth noting that the book is significantly different from the film--both are beautiful, but while the film focuses exclusively on Oskar's experience, and particularly his relationship with Eli, the book covers much more ground (though Oskar and Eli are still the center of things).

2/5 Started well, ended poorly...
  by twilight58 (Illinois, USA)
I started out liking this book, but as I continued reading I liked it less and less. As I reached the end I found I just didn't care what happened and wanted it over--not a sign of a good read. What turned me off was that there were too many characters and too many plot points. And I ended up not caring for any of them. I found most of the characters to be two-dimensional, cookie-cutter stereotypes. Oskar was interesting at first, but he turned out to be as selfish and soulless as most of the other characters. Eli's story could have been interesting, but was underdeveloped. Maybe I just didn't get it, but I found no point to the story. Not recommended.