Let Me In

By: John Ajvide Lindqvist

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

John Ajvide Lindqvist's vampire novel Let Me In was adapted into an award-winning Swedish movie and made into an American film and is now a TV show available to stream on Showtime!

It is autumn 1981 when inconceivable horror comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenager is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last—revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door—a girl who has never seen a Rubik's Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night. . . .Sweeping top honors at film festivals all over the globe, Let Me In has received the same kind of spectacular raves that have been lavished on the book. American and Swedish listeners of vampire fiction will be thrilled!

Following the success in Sweden, this movie was remade in 2010 starring Kodi Smit Mcpheem, Chloe Grace Moretz and Richard Jenkins changing its name from the Swedish Let The Right One In. The story has continued to reach new viewers in a London Musical and John Ajvide Lindqvist's book remains a vampire favorite among its listeners.

©2004 John Ajvide Lindqvist (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Absolutely chilling. This page-turner grabs you from the onset and just won't let go. Vampires at their Anne Ricean best!” —L. A. Banks, author of the Vampire Huntress series

“Readers are familiar with modern Sweden through its distinctive crime fiction. Now John Ajvide Lindqvist is taking a Gothic look at the country's dark side. Henning Mankell's gloomy police procedurals were the first to become international bestsellers in the middle 1990s and spearheaded an explosion, but the latest publishing phenomenon to come out of Sweden seems to be plumping for a different genre. John Ajvide Lindqvist has become an overnight cult figure.” —The Age (Australian)

“It is easy to compare Lindqvist to Clive Barker or Neil Gaiman. When you reach the last page, you are left with the wonderful tingling sensation that only comes with a brand-new love affair or a really great book.” —Dagens Næringsliv (Norway)

Wow

I don't normally go for this genre of book, but this is definitely one to make an exception for. Other than Steven Kings Salem's Lot this is the only vampire story I have listened to. Be prepared for a very dark & twisted story. The way the author sets up a scene always leaves you wanting to find out what happens next. Combine that with Steven Paceys' amazing narrative skills and the only word that fits is, wow.

The only criticism I really have is the end. I would have liked a bit more detail about what happens with the main characters. Not much, really just another 3-5 pages would have wrapped things up nicely. I guess that is also the mark of a great book though. You never really want it to end, no matter how it ends.

Disturbing yet a slice of life at the same time

3.75 star

The story centers around a beautiful relationship between two wide eyed children Owen and Eli. Their uniqueness and acceptance of each other in whole was breathtaking. I relished there time together as if the rest of the world didn't exist. Eli's character was the embodiment of loneliness. While Owen felt alone as well not belonging to the world around. Eli's Yin to Owen's Yang is the best way to describe it.

Perfect for a cold fall read. Very graphic and atmospheric. To me the multiple pov's was unnecessary though and possibly the worst part of the story. Sometimes reading like Dracula. Unloading a pile of useless vampire information or details that should be obvious.

Be aware Let the Right One In has many trigger warnings. It is difficult to get past the child abuse. Bulling is also high on the list. It didn't go into to much detail in which I am grateful but still disturbing stuff.

This was a very long story that slowing reveals itself. I thought Steven Pacey narration was a nice addition to the story. But really the curiosity of the children, Eli's background, and the slow burn love and trust filled my heart. Owen learns to love a monster and Eli doesn't have to be alone.

Weak story, strong writing

The prose here is often breathtaking, but the plot is relatively dull and meandering. Totally worth reading for the quality of writing, but the story itself feels a bit empty -- developing characters that often seem to go nowhere.

I'll give it a fourth star just for the inventive wordplay and solid narration, but the storytelling falls flat.

Vampires do not sparkle

Let me In was dark, gritty and filled with disturbing scenes. At times I found the violence and sexual content unsettling. In fact, more than once I considered putting it down. The narration and talented writing kept me listening. I was rewarded as shock gave way to a suspenseful, unsettling horror story that slowly pulled me in until there was no escape. Vampires do not sparkle.

Fans of Joe Hill and Stephen King’s darker works will find the tale riveting. The characters are complex and the story well-plotted as threads slowly drive you towards the unknown. Beware of the dark.

Oskar is a 12-year old latch-key boy who is bullied at school. His parents are divorced. His father is an alcoholic and Oskar lives with his overprotective mum. Oskar daydreams about hurting the bullies and his thoughts are vivid and disturbing. He is lonely and befriends Eli, a one-hundred and twenty year old vampire girl who is forever twelve. She is taken care of by a pedophile who becomes enraged and jealous of the friendship between Eli and Oskar. This causes things to spiral out of control and sends the reader down a dark hole.

Like King and Hill, John Ajvide Lindqvist shares a macabre, horrifying tale that reminds us sometimes the monsters aren’t the things that go bump in the night but the humans who claim to fear them.

Steven Pacey narrated Let Me In, and he captured not only the atmospheric tones of story but the emotions and desperation of the characters.

Wow.

I am not usually a fan of the horror genre but I loved this book. Lindqvist is brilliant; I love the way he really takes his time on characters and on detail. If I have ONE quibble it's that I wanted to know more about the fate of a couple of the characters in the end. I guess that means I'd love a sequel! So deftly written a book could hardly have a better narrator, either. This book is really a winning combination and will stay with me for a very long time. I loved it.

Mixed emotions and a fantastic performance

I went into this story expecting a creepy vampire and instead got a deeply sympathetic portrayal. The connection you make with the vampire, her friend, and the victims will leave you conflicted over how to feel, who do you want to be okay in the end? couple this with an amazing one man portrayal with distict voices for each character and you have a near perfect story.

I'd seen the movie first so I thought I had it dwn

What made the experience of listening to Let Me In the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the story greatly. It was very unique & it's back story was so strange & delightful at the same time. The gender issue changing in just 1 sentence was extreme & razor-sharp! I savored this book all the way to the end. I'd seen the movie first so I thought I had the skinny on the story, WRONG! This book proves that the movies always seem to leave out the "good stuff" in the background.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Let Me In?

When the little girl realizes 'He' wants to approach the issue in another manner.

Have you listened to any of Steven Pacey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you could rename Let Me In, what would you call it?

Who are you?

It is and yet isn't everything you expect.

Truly well written. It's both a love story and a story of overcoming and yet it is a Gothic horror novel full of fear inducing deeds. It's a very dark novel that at times gets you to feel dread and yet you can't easily stop listening to it. It's simple really the book asks you once to let it in and then you simply let it infect you.

Disappointed

Narrator did alright with what he was given, but didn't or couldn't make the characters all that interesting to listen to. I mainly blame the author for writing such boring irrelevant characters I couldn't care less about. I wanted this book after seeing the movie but now I just feel the movie was all I needed. Usually when the book finally gets interesting it cuts away to some annoying character bringing up their pov that ruins the flow, but whenever something pedophilic happens it goes into gruesome detail. Overall though it was okay, just wish it stuck more to the main character and less on the numerous background characters that slow the story.

Let the Right Title In!!!! The writer deserves it!

Okay, I'm not gonna harp on the point too much but the title of this book is Let the Right One In,,,,it's important for two reasons... One , because it's simply too great a work to begin the translation by messing up the god damned title right off the bat! The second reason is that the title (unlike too many other pieces of mediocre trash masquerading as "horror" ) has significance. This isn't a reference to some wolf with a preference for pork, it's about loneliness, and banishment, and all the awful things that can happen to us as children and how sometimes it can all be made better by simply finding someone else who you can share these things with. and it certainly doesn't hurt if that person also just happens to have the power to scare the shit outs any bullies who have been bothering you!
I could not have cared less when the American version of the film changed the title because I expect that from the movie industry and besides the only reason they remade the movie was because American audiences won't read subtitles... but this IS A BOOK... And what does it say about the translationin if you can't even get the f@##ing title right!!??
Here's the Problem:the title is actually taken from a Morrissey song named Let the Right One Slip In (For anyone who read the book before the American movie adaptation you know because Lindqvuist made a point of putting the lyrics right in the beginning of the book and regardless of your feelings about 80's British Alternative music there is importance and a reason that Lyndqvuist chose it. Now, I am not going to pretend to know exactly why that is but I'm guessing that the author was counting on the fact that those who were familiar with the band and the song would. And furthermore ,if you're at all familiar with any fans of Morrissey and The Smiths you know that they tend to all "get each other" in a way that the rest of the world doesn't seem to "get them". And when their not busy being sad I'm guessing they even pride themselves on it. And that's really the point isn't it? The title is like a secret message to Lindqvuists readers and fans saying "Hey,this isn't just a scary story about a young teen who just happens to also be a vampire (a word by the way that doesn't even appear in the book as far as I can remember) it's about how people treat each other and how we learn how to treat people often by how people treat us when we're children. And some other really scary sick shit thank God because there's already The Perks of Being a Wallflower and personally I prefer the sick evil shit! (Although the funny part is ...The Perks seems much more likely to be inspired by Morrissey than this book but ..oh well!)
As for the book? not to be missed by any fan of horror! (Or fan of Morrissey I'd imagine IDK I liked the book a lot more than the song) .Unrelenting in its willingness to examine what really frightens us ! There are many monsters in this book. Vampires aren't one of them. I hate regurgitating this trite quip of the professional American critic but "It's an instant classic!" I woulda come up with something a bit more original but I'm tired and never meant to even get this far! Oh,,,and the narration is excellent also! Have fun.