rmnedder's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a gorgeous, deeply nauseating book. The shifting perspectives never felt overwhelming or odd; it helped stitch together this really complicated story. The complicated friendship/puppy love/something deeper between Eli and Oskar was really gorgeous to read on the page. This is actually one of the only vampire stories I've ever read that doesn't romanticize vampirism (and don't get me wrong, I do love that); it's not something sensual or erotic, it's a deeply isolating burden. It's seen as and treated like the curse it really is, which is a really refreshing take on vampirism. I only wish it moved faster - the events of the book take place over the course of a matter of days, but with how much happens and how dense it gets, it does drag a little.

To this day, one of my favorite vampire stories. I watched the film when I was younger and still navigating who I was, and Eli's "I am not a boy, I am not a girl, I am nothing" speech has always struck something in me. I'm glad I finally got to know the full story.

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roqlobster's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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novellearts's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

When I started reading this book, I began it under the impression that this was the inspiration for the movie Let Me In (2010). I then realized (after some research online) that [book:Let the Right One In|62107410] is actually the original and [book:Let Me In|7911377] is a rewritten version of this story.

For those of you that might be experiencing some of the same confusion that I was. [book:Let the Right One In|62107410] is a much darker version of the story and does not directly correspond to the movie Let Me In (2010), but instead corresponds to Let the Right One In (2008). I have only read this version and not yet the rewritten one, but from what I learned online, the rewritten story will probably be suited more towards sensitive audiences. Some of the triggers that I picked up on in [book:Let the Right One In|62107410] are:

• Pedophilia
• Blood
• Sexual assault
• Rape
• Violence
• Child abuse/death
• Animal death
• Stalking

<b>*This is not a complete list.*</b> And be aware, that there are very descriptive scenes from the POV of a character that is engaging in pedophilia. If this is something that you can't overlook, I think the other version of this story (from what I learned online) [book:Let Me In|7911377], might be more suited to you.

All of this being said, it was still a very well-written and enjoyable horror/vampire story but please beware of the content to decide which version is best for you.

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a_violentfemme's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-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? No

4.75

I enjoyed this much more than I expected. It is certainly a slow burn but I couldn't put it down. I didn't rate a 5 as there were some jumps in the writing and on occasion I found myself a bit lost as to where things were taking place or the what period of time had passed. Overall the feeling throughout the book is bleak and there is something about the ending that made me feel cold. I felt similarities to Salem's Lot but I enjoyed this more. 

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salalamander's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.75


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unpetitchat's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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kimhawk's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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rinbee's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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suneaters's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book is honestly kinda depressing. It felt like a lot of the bad things that happen are for shock value and add nothing to the story. Did we need Eli’s caretaker Hakan to be a pedophile? Just so we don’t, what, feel bad when he dies horribly? He’s already killing kids! It was so bizarre. And if we really do need it, why do we need his gross side quest assaulting some poor kid with no teeth in the bathroom? Just horrendous stuff. 

There were too many storylines that ultimately go nowhere (the drunks and Virginia especially and Tommy’s POV bits) and mean nothing. The story could’ve been condensed down to only Oskar and Eli. 

Speaking of, did we also need all the weirdness of Eli being stuck pretending to be a little girl to entice grown men to do things for him? And the castration flashback?
It seemed so…gratuitous. 

I wasn’t chilled by this book, just saddened and disgusted. Eli and Oskar’s relationship was very cute and really holds the book together, but there wasn’t really a great story here that makes wading through the muck worth it. 

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lperkins11's review against another edition

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It got too disturbing...the scenes with Hakan, especially the sexual assault scene was just too much and honestly shouldn't have been in there. Don't know why people think this is such a great book.

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