Offers a Fresh Twist to the Bloodsucker Genre

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (Thomas Dunne, 2007, 480pp.)

Vampires cannot enter a victim’s home unless they are invited—so the myths tell us. Poor, bullied Oskar finds this true enough after he discovers that his next door neighbor is really a creature of the night. Set in 1980s Sweden, this international bestseller tends to drag a bit in places, but nonetheless adds a fresh twist to the bloodsucker genre. Using vampiric lore as a metaphor for learning how to “let the right one” into your heart, Lindqvist explores how life takes its toll on people living in a lonesome, alienating society. Originally published in Sweden in 2004 and basis for the 2008 Swedish film Låt den rätte komma in.