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.

Worth 2 Credits, but only costs 1

Much better than either the foriegn or English movie could ever be. The characters truly come to life. Awesome spin on the whole vampire thing. I've been a horror/suspense reader since the mid 70s and this one moves to the top of the list. Just can't describe too many of the great attributes of the book without being a spoiler for those who have yet to experience this great book. If you like this genre, JUST GET IT!!!

A Swedish vampire story worthy of King

This Swedish vampire story is very much a literary descendant of Stephen King. It's a human drama with a variety of people in the gritty middle and lower class margins, working out their issues, often with drugs, sex, and violence, but to this the author adds a supernatural ingredient, and which means the violence will eventually be amped up to the climactic bloodbath you know is coming.

The author begins by describing the neighborhood in which the story is set — a completely nondescript Swedish suburb notable for the fact that it was built only a couple of decades ago in what was once bare forest, which means it has no history and nothing of note to make the place interesting. They don't even have churches,

Oskar, the lonely child of an overprotective single mother, is the stereotypical chubby, nerdy bully-bait who gets picked on at school and spends his lonely life head down, scuttling from class to home, hoping if he rolls over and shows his belly quickly enough, his tormentors won't hurt him too badly.

We see this a lot in Stephen King stories, from It to Carrie. The outcast kid who gets hooked up to something dark and scary and unleashes hell on his persecutors is a staple of horror fiction. The reason this trope is so appealing to so many horror fans is probably obvious, but because it is such a well-worn trope, and because Stephen King pretty owns it, it's hard for me to warm up to persecuted little runts like Oskar, who I always find myself wishing would stick up for themselves before the vampire comes along.

But Lindqvist has King's talent for making characters who are more than just roles in a vampire story. Eli, the little girl vampire who befriends Oskar, is not a supernatural horror, just a confused immortal who doesn't really know much more about her origins than she says. She is very convincing as a creature that is at once very old and weary and jaded, and yet still the twelve-year-old she appears to be inside. The friendship she develops with Oskar, over a Rubik's cube, is one of two kids engaging in silly, juvenile confidences and games, and yet, as Oskar observes perceptively, for Eli much of it is trying on a new role she is unfamiliar with, from behind a mask of many years of experience and exposure to a grim, dark life that Oskar can't even imagine.

Let the Right One In does not add much to vampire lore, and that's for the better, as Lindqvist isn't trying to reinvent vampires here. Eli is what she is (except later in the book, we do learn that she is both more and less than she appears). And as Oskar's friendship with her develops, so does his confidence, leading to him standing up to the bullies who've been picking on him, leading to a series of increasingly violent confrontations that predictably lead to Eli eventually getting involved, and we know that's not going to be pretty.

This is a violent book, as befits a vampire tale. It also has lots of visceral grossness, bodily fluids, and pedophilia. It's for genuine horror fans and makes my short list of good vampire stories. I could also observe that it is as much a story about childhood friendship, bullying, the emptiness of modern life, and the existential horror of adolescence, as it is about vampires. But basically it's about a vampire making friends with a bullied kid, and people dying gorily.

Best Audiobook Narration I've heard yet.

The only reason I listen to audiobooks is because it's very convenient at work. For books that I really want to enjoy, I read them myself because I find the narrations very distracting (usually because I find them so different from my internal voices). I've listened to many audiobooks at this point, and most of them have plenty of praise for their narrator, but I have never really thought any of them were great. However, in this case I feel absolutely compelled to leave a review praising the performance. Steven Pacey really understands and gets into the characters. Absolutely the best I've heard, bar none.

As far as the story itself goes, it does drag a little at the end, and the ending itself is a bit anticlimactic. But overall a good, dark, vampire story - quite different from the US and Swedish films.

Very Horrifying

A dark and at times disturbing vampire story. The reader’s performance and story’s pacing were very engaging. The pedophilia and sexual violence in the story are beyond grotesque. I would not recommend the book to anyone that doesn’t think they can handle those aspects of the story.

thumbs up

story was very good with some pretty dark content, but the narration did it for me....superb job.

Outstanding

So relatable as to me it not a story of a vampire but one of kids that features a vampire when we first start feeling for the opposite sex. Those first kiss or kisses in the cool Autumn that you recall and dream of come that time of year, being alone with them as all else is out of consciousness truly and even memories in their presence are of them. When Love that first and only true first time inhabits you and all the things we thought were magic in the world hadn't all had the curtain pulled back. I could go on and on but please have no doubt this story is also tenacious and could have been any of us that were considered awkward... if only Eli could have been there.

Good but a little disjointed

The American movie version was sort of better. It took some of the basic story features from the book and changed them to fit a more linear story line. This book is good book, with a good reading performance. It is a little odd that it is a Swedish story but each and every character had a British accent. Overall I would give it a grade of B. Worth a read if you like this genre or either of the movies made from it.

Horrifying

Much darker and creepier than the two movie versions (Swedish & American movies). Very bold!