Let the Right One in by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Probably the most over- represented figure in horror fiction is the suave and sophisticated vampire, and once you have read one you have read them all; not so with John Ajvide Lindqvist’s attempt, which breathes new life into a stale cliché. ‘Let the Right One in’ is not just a horror tale, though it is horrific at times, it is more a dark fairy tale, dealing with themes of alienation, abuse and neglect.

Set in the 1980’s Sweden, the story follows troubled young Oskar, who when we are first introduced is collecting newspaper clippings of atrocities, and role-playing violent fantasies as a way to deal with schoolyard bullying. The fairy tale feel is further enhanced by the snow-deadened estate he lives on; the blocks of flats taking the place of dark crumbling towers.

His sad little world is one day turned upside –down with the arrival of Eli, who moves in next door, melting the snow of young Oskar’s heart, and introducing him to feelings other than anger. Though Eli is no simple love interest that is part of the role the character serves in a sort of damaged, dysfunctional way.

Both characters, regardless of their flaws, bring pathos and a lost sadness that is timeless, and speaks to everyone on some level, especially given the current focus of the media on child abuse in its many forms and consequences. If a victim’s ongoing pain can last a lifetime, what if the abuser curses the victim with immortality? Forced addiction, co-dependency and enabling; concepts and words not usually found in a traditional vampire novel, bring the genre horribly up to date with horrors less tangible than giant bats and werewolves.

All in all, a fresh take on an old tale, that blurs the lines between monster and victim.