Book Review: "Let the Right One In"

There's no shortage of vampire fiction out there these days, as evidenced by the Sookie Stackhouse and Twilight series, to name just two examples. So popular are these two that they have been adapted for television (HBO's "True Blood") and film (2008's "Twilight" blockbuster).

It seems most of the vamp series are centered not so much around the fact that these supernaturals are blood-thirsty killers. Instead it's sexy stuff. The gorgeous immortal is torn by his desire for his beloved. He is consumed by love, while he wishes to consume his love. I suppose if you are attracting a guy who's been around a while, then it's a huge boost to the old ego.

But for me the sexy thing gets old. Lust, blood, desire, hunger. Yes, it's all titillating. Any passion can be. But when you think about it, vampires take the carnivore thing a step too far. Something taboo can be erotic, but what if it's deadly? Where does the line get drawn.

"Let The Right One In," Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel, steps soundly out of that comfort zone. It's a dark, chilling vampire novel (also made into a film in Sweden and, word is, being remade in Hollywood).

Early on we meet Oskar, a preteen outcast who is bullied brutally at school. Oskar cowers at the hands of his tormentors, but he is riveted by news reports of murders. He grows even more fascinated when the killings come close to home. The reader is left to wonder, would we see Oskar in the headlines one day as a mass murderer? He certainly knows he has a strange hobby in keeping a journal of newspaper clippings of these gruesome events.

Oskar meets the new neighbor girl one night, an odd child around his age, who only comes out after dark. She some strange tendencies such as solving a Rubik's cube easily (it is 1981), and she never wears a coat. He at first dislikes her, her strangeness, the rotting smell that surrounds her, but soon grows to like her, to want to talk to her. Oskar doesn't have any friends really, and yet this dark boy and this strange girl bond.

In the meantime there are some grisly things happening around town. A man has bled a young child dry. A neighborhood drunk vanishes, which only concerns a couple of drinking buddies. The community is atwitter, fearful for their safety, their children's safety, eyeing anyone who looks suspicious to them.

Soon, a potential break in the case: A man has tried to grab a youth at the local gymnasium, but things go awry. Before he can get caught and identified, he pours acid over his head. The result, a hideous monstrosity who lies half-blind, mute and mangled in a hospital bed.

Oskar's relationship with Eli deepens. He likes this odd girl who won't go out in the daylight, who must be invited in, who flashes a fierce, monstrous grimace when Oskar cuts his hand in front of her. He's fearful of her, and yet, he feels strongly for her. Eli is always at the back of his mind. Thus, he returns to her, despite each retreat made out of fear.

The book is dark, set in one of Sweden's bitterest winters. It's populated with dreary characters. No one stands out as a truly good person. In fact, most are deeply flawed, disturbing. Some are the sickest of perverts. Some are drunks. Some are drunk on power. Some are high on tormenting others. Some are just plain high.

But the ambiguity is part of the allure. The infinite shades of gray make it worth reading and indulging in. Following these bleak characters over the course of the novel is somehow satisfying, and Lindqvist throws in a few good surprises along the way.

It's a wonderful take on the vampire genre: Smart, chilling, with classic and folkloric elements. It's a good book to - pardon the pun - sink one's teeth into.

Where to buy "Let The Right One In": www.amazon.com, www.borders.com, www.barnesandnoble.com