From Book to Film: Let the Right One In

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

St. Martin's Griffin, 2008 (English translated version)
Horror; 480 pgs


I like horror novels now and then. I prefer the psychological variety to the blood and gore type novels. I confess to finding the gory ones a bit ridiculous and so find more humor in them than a sense of fear.

Most of the novels I read that involve vampires don't really count as horror. I suppose some of the dark urban fantasy novels I read could fall into that category to some degree. When I first began reading Let the Right One In, I wasn't really sure what I was in for. It has that definite suspense/thriller feel to it. There's a mystery too. The horror of the novel crept up on me and by the end, there was no question what type of book Lindqvist has written.

Usually I have no problem keeping characters straight, but I was a tad confused at first with the way the novel jumps around, especially at the beginning. I'm still not sure I figured out who everyone was, but that didn't hurt my enjoyment of the novel.

Oskar is a 13 year old boy living in the suburb of Blackeberg. He has a fascination murderers, often dreaming of being a killer himself. It's no wonder really, given he's the victim of bullies at school who wants nothing more than to hurt those who hurt him. Oskar has no friends and leads a lonely existence. Until, that is, he meets Eli, his twelve year old neighbor who seems just as much an outcast as he is. Eli is not your typical 12 year old. There is something odd about Eli, which Oskar senses right away, and yet he can't put his finger on it.

The town they live in is in high alert because of the recent death of a boy in a neighboring suburb. It appears to be the work of a serial killer, and when another body, this time of an older man, the police are sure they are right. Other strange things begin to occur as well, raising suspicion and adding confusion. Only a couple begin to wonder if they have a vampire in their midst. After all, vampires aren't real, are they?

Let the Right One In is very dark and not for the faint of heart. It isn't the violence, although it can be violent at times, which makes it so. The pedophilia will turn just about anyone's stomach. It isn't glamorized and it certainly has its part in the story--but, well, it's impossible not to feel disgusted by it all the same. There is also a scene involving cats which isn't at all pretty. I skimmed over that part quickly, something I don't often do, but it was just too disturbing for my sensibilities.

The novel was never without suspense and there was always that underlying creepiness. I liked the first half of the novel more than I did the second but thought it was good overall. I think that had a lot to do with a shift in focus--the novel being more suspense/thriller in the first half and becoming more definitely horror in the second half.

After reading the book, I wasn't so sure I wanted to see the movie after all. But I couldn't resist. And I probably should have. The movie was okay. Set in Sweden, the landscape was breathtaking--all that snow--just how I pictured it as I read the book. The book is on the long side and the movie, just under 2 hours long, wasn't nearly enough time to cover everything in the novel, which was to be expected. And I wasn't too surprised that some of the themes running through the book were completely left out of the film. Those types of things don't generally bother me. I can easily enjoy movies and books in their separate mediums, even while making comparisons.

I did find the movie lacking though. It didn't hold the same suspense I felt while reading the book or that constant feeling of creepiness. I do have to give credit though to the fact that the relationship between Oskar and Eli was very well played--two lonely souls coming together in friendship. The movie really brought home the bond the two had formed.

I am not sure I will be watching the American version (I saw an ad for it the other day). I think the running title is Let Me In. It doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Let the Right One In, if you ask me. And, well, I'm not a big horror movie fan.

Let the Right One In
Drama, Thriller/Horror, Mystery - 2008 (Norway) (rated R)
Directed by Tomas Aldredson
Written by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Source: Book provided by the LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program. Movie rented through Netflix by myself.

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© 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey (& a Giveaway)

"So cold," he murmured. "Once she was warm and breathing."

It was what he could never quite get his mind around--not just how complex life was, but why it was so easy for life to leave a person once so complex. [excerpt from Wife of the Gods]


Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
Random House, 2009 (ARE)
Crime Fiction; 319 pgs


When I first saw mention of Kwei Quartey’s Wife of the Gods, I knew I had to read it. I can’t resist a crime fiction novel, especially one set in a country other than my own. I get to learn about another country and culture while at the same time settling in with the comfort of the familiar format of a mystery.

Kwei Quartey’s protagonist, Darko Dawson is the kind of detective I would want investigating my murder. He has a dogged determination and a strong sense of right and wrong—at least where others are concerned. Righteous is the word that comes to mind, but not in an arrogant or overbearing way. Darko is anything but perfect though. He has a weakness for marijuana and a bit of a temper which lands him in plenty of trouble.

The novel is set in the beautiful country of Ghana. Quartey paints a portrait of a complex society, one that straddles the old traditions and the new. In a community where witchcraft is feared and superstitions are commonplace, science is still trying to find a foothold. Detective Inspector Darko Dawson is a modern man. He trusts in science and facts to solve his cases. When he is assigned to Ketanu, a small out of the way community, to aid in the murder investigation of a volunteer AIDS worker, he comes face to face with the very superstitions he disdains.

The Chief Inspector of Ketanu has his eyes set on a particular young man as his suspect, but Darko isn’t convinced. He sets out on his own investigation, determined to solve the murder.

Darko’s mother disappeared after a visit to Ketanu over twenty years before while visiting her sister who lived in the town. Perhaps he can look into her disappearance while there as well. It’s a long shot after so many years, but he at least wants to give it a try.

I have seen this book compared to Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and I have to disagree. Smith’s series is not much of a crime fiction series at all—and if you go into those books expecting a mystery, you may well be disappointed. With Quartey’s book, on the other hand, a mystery is exactly what you get. It’s also a bit darker in some respects, than Smith’s series.

There was so much I liked about this series, including the various interesting characters, the flashbacks into Darko’s past and the unfolding of the mystery of his mother’s disappearance as well as the murder of that young volunteer. There was a moment early on in the book when I thought one story thread might get lost in other, but fortunately that did not happen.

Another aspect that especially caught my attention was the health department and volunteers like the murdered woman who struggle to reach a population of people who are very entrenched in the old ways. The misinformation and superstitions surrounding AIDS is frightening. Add to that the issue of fetish priests and the practice of families marrying off their teenage daughters to them in hopes of turning around bad luck or getting rid of a curse. Quartey offers both sides of these issues to some extent, but it is clear which side Darko falls on.

Wife of the Gods is a promising start for a new series. There are many characters, including Armah, Darko’s inspiration and mentor, that I hope I can visit again. And I do hope I haven’t seen the last of Elizabeth Mensah. She’s an admirable and strong woman. Kwei Quartey is definitely an author to watch.


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge, New Authors Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge

To learn more about the author, Kwei Quartey, and his book, visit his website. Visit TLC Book Tours for a list of Kwei Quartey's tour stops!


Interested in winning a copy of Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey? Here's how you can enter the drawing for a chance to win:

• Leave a comment along with an e-mail address where I can contact you if it is not easily accessible on your blog or profile page.
• To be entered, you MUST answer the following question: Who is one of your favorite fictional detectives?
  
• Open to anyone with a valid mailing address.
  
• Deadline to enter is August 22nd at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be notified by e-mail.

Many thanks to author Kwei Quartey and TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. Review copy provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program (via the publisher) and giveaway copy provided by the publisher.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.

Review: The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff & An Interview with the Author

In the year since I renounced my Mormon faith, and set out to tell the nation the truth about American polygamy, many people have wondered why I ever agreed to become a plural wife. [First Sentence]


The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Random House, 2008
Fiction; 514 pgs


Religion is a subject that fascinates me in general, in particular the historical evolution of various faiths. When I first heard about David Ebershoff's The 19th Wife, I knew I would read it. Although a work of fiction, the historical background of the book is probably what drew me to it the most. I had expected the personal stories that emerged from the novel, but I had not expected such an expansive history lesson too. In his acknowledgments, the author reminds readers that his book is a work of fiction. The novel is well researched, and while the author did take liberties in weaving together his story, many of the details are accurate as recorded through history. I especially love it when a novel inspires me to do further research on my own about a particular topic, and this one certainly did.

The novel is divided into two stories. There is the story of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of the well-known Brigham Young, Prophet of the Church of Latter Day Saints. The novel takes us through her life, beginning before her birth, with her parents’ adoption to the Mormon faith and their eventual meeting and marriage. Ann Eliza was a strong minded woman who took her faith seriously. She was, however, opposed to polygamy, an institution that Prophet Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supported in his later years. Through her parents' experiences and her own, she knew the turmoil that polygamy could cause. She would later take up the mantle opposing the practice of plural marriages, leaving behind nearly everything she knew and held dear, including her faith. Ann Eliza was a hero to some, and to others a spiteful and vengeful ex-wife. Regardless, her story is one that played a part in the passage of stronger anti-bigamy laws. The LDS Church itself underwent major changes, barring the practice as well.

The switch in practice and doctrine led to a splintering of the Church. Small groups of people who supported and believed that the practice of plural marriages was divined by God, broke off from the LDS Church, forming their own groups. Polygamy still exists today. This leads to Jordan Scott's story. He is a lost boy, abandoned by his mother on the side of the road when he was 14 years old by orders of the Prophet. He grew up in an isolated Utah community. His mother was the 19th wife of a well-respected man in the community of Mesadale. Now an adult and living in California, Jordan is sure he will never see his mother again.

However, when word reaches Jordan that his mother has been arrested for his father's murder, Jordan decides to return to the place he despises the most. He packs his bags, jumps in his van, joined by his faithful companion, Elecktra, and heads to Utah. He is not sure what he will do, but after meeting with his mother and talking with her attorney, he decides to look into the murder himself. To do this, Jordan must face his past.

The two stories run parallel throughout the book, hints of connection appearing here and there. The author brings the stories together in a creative and unexpected way. The format of the book reminded me a little of The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, written in narrative, book excerpts, articles, letters and even a Wikipedia entry. In interviews, the author has stated that he wanted to allow the voices of the varying experiences and opinions to be heard on the subject of polygamy—and it worked, although the case against it is perhaps the strongest of all.

I would be hard pressed to tell you which of the two stories I was most taken with. In the beginning, I was most drawn to Jordan's story. He was a castaway who had not only endured a difficult childhood, but also had been forced to grow up too quickly. I have read and heard horror stories of real life children thrust into Jordan's situation, excommunicated by their religious leaders and left to fend for themselves. My heart went out to Jordan and for Johnny, a boy Jordan befriends along the way.

And yet, Ann Eliza's story also captivated me, especially once she took center stage in her own story. In the novel, she comes across as a strong woman who certainly had her weaknesses, but she also knew her own mind. I admire her courage in standing up for what she believed. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like for her, to let go of the life and faith that made up her world--the only one she had ever known.

Jordan and Ann Eliza were just two of the amazing characters in The 19th Wife. The novel was full of interesting characters, each of them complex. I only wish I had more time to spend with some of the more minor ones. Jordan’s mother was one such character, a 19th wife who is facing charges of murder. Despite her circumstances, she stands resolute in her faith. Then there was Tom, excommunicated from the LDS church because of his homosexuality, and Kelly Dee, a college student at Brigham Young University, whose heart is not only in the right place, but is someone who is actually doing something to right the wrongs of the past.

There is so much to this book; so much I would like to say. While the subject of polygamy is perhaps the overreaching subject of the novel, it is the personal stories which truly make this novel what it is. I highly recommend David Ebershoff’s The 19th Wife.

To learn more about Ann Eliza Young, check out her two autobiographies: Wife No. 19 (1875) and Life in Mormon Bondage (1908).

Rating: (Very Good +)

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Author David Ebershoff was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about his book.

Literary Feline: What inspired you to write The 19th Wife?

David Ebershoff: Seven years ago I was speaking to a professor of 19th century women’s history. We were having a wide-ranging conversation, and she was telling me all these wonderful stories about 19th century American women. Then she mentioned Ann Eliza Young, who was once widely known as the 19th Wife. The 19th Wife? What a strange number in front of the word wife. And so I asked, Who was the 19th Wife? And then I began to wonder, What was it like to be the 19th Wife? And with those questions in mind I began writing this novel.

LF: I like how you linked the past narrative with the present. Can you talk a little about why you decided to follow two storylines through the book instead of telling only the historical tale?

DE: Once I started researching Ann Eliza’s life, I realized I was also researching a larger story: the history of polygamy in the United States. But that history didn’t end in 1890, when the Mormon Church changed its position on polygamy. Since then, American polygamy has had a whole second act. Polygamists today, of course, are not Mormons. (And Mormons today do not practice polygamy.) But the story continues, and I wanted to write a novel that would perhaps give a reader a sense of the entire complicated history of plural marriage in the United States.

LF: What sort of research did you do for The 19th Wife?

DE: Ann Eliza Young left an abundance of materials about herself. She wrote two memoirs, she lectured widely, she testified to Congress, and for a few years the newspapers followed her nearly everywhere. So I had access to all of that. In addition, I read many biographies about people from this time, as well as diaries, memoirs, letters, and many newspaper accounts. I also traveled to nearly all the places in the book in order to render the various settings. And I spent a few months studying the Mormon faith, reading the Book of Mormon and the other texts, attending Sunday services, and speaking with many people about their faith.

LF: One of the issues that especially touched me was that of the lost boys. How big of a problem is it today and do you have any suggestions about how it could be handled?

DE: In the past ten to twenty years, I would estimate this has happened to a few hundred boys and young men. It’s heartbreaking for many reasons, but especially because they are expelled by the people they love the most, their family. In the past several years organizations have popped up to help kids and women leave polygamous communities and families. Many people wonder what should be done about polygamy, if anything at all. No one wants to infringe on the religious freedom of others, but it’s hard not to wonder about the children in these families. It’s hard not ask, What is best for them? And, What would I want if that were me? THE 19TH WIFE doesn’t reach any final conclusions about polygamy; instead it raises the issue from many points of view and lets the reader form his or her own opinions.

LF: Are there any questions that you have not been asked that you wish someone would ask? If so, how would you answer?

DE: Many people have asked about Jordan’s dog, Elektra, who is inspired by my own dog, Elektra. She’s even received fan mail (and it’s all going to her head and she was already an egomaniac). But no one has asked about Tom’s dog, Joey. He too is inspired by a real dog, Joey Brownstein, a sweet, handsome, loving Golden who passed away in 2006. We miss him.

LF: What was the first story you ever put to paper about?

DE: About being fifteen, pimply, and twisted with angst. It was impenetrable.

LF: Are you reading anything at the moment?

DE: I just re-read THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE for the seminar I’m teaching this fall on historical fiction. If you haven’t read it since grade school, do yourself a favor. I’m now re-reading Joyce Carol Oates’s BLACK WATER (also for school). It’s a short, terrifying masterpiece that will give you nightmares. And I’m reading a fantastic new novel by Pearl Abraham that will come out in early 2010. It’s loosely inspired by the story of the American Taliban. She’s fiercely intelligent and she has written a great, great book that I know many people will love and discuss.

Many thanks to David Ebershoff for taking the time to answer my questions. I also want to thank the author and TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.

I am giving away a copy of The 19th Wife. If you would like to enter the giveaway, be sure and leave a comment telling me why you want to read this book. Please include your e-mail address in your comment. The deadline to enter is November 7th at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

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Check out the author's website for more information about his books. Also, you can read and listen to the author answer questions about his work at the following places:
Q&A with the author
Listen to David's interview with Scott Simon on NPR Weekend Edition
Listen to David's interview on Wisconsin Public Radio
Listen to David's interview on Radio Curious


David Ebershoff’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Wednesday, Oct. 15th: Maw Books
Friday, Oct. 17th: Reading, ‘Riting, and Retirement
Monday, Oct. 20th: She Is Too Fond Of Books (An Interview with the Author)
Tuesday, Oct. 21st: Age 30 - A Year in Books
Thursday, Oct. 23rd: A High and Hidden Place
Monday, Oct. 27th: It’s All About Books (and a Guest Post)
Thursday, Oct. 30th: Books on the Brain
Monday, Nov. 3rd: The Cottage Nest
Tuesday, Nov. 4th: B&B ex libris
Wednesday, Nov. 5th: Anniegirl1138
Thursday, Nov. 6th: The Tome Traveller
Friday, Nov. 7th: Educating Petunia
Monday, Nov. 10th: The Literate Housewife
Wednesday, Nov. 12th: Diary of an Eccentric
Friday, Nov. 14th: Book Chase


Other Blog Reviews of The 19th Wife:
Caribousmom
Medieval Bookworm
Presenting Lenore
A Reading Life
She Reads and Reads
A Writer's Pen

The Arthurian Omen by G.G Vandagriff

First Sentence: Brother Gruffyd’s old heart trembled with excitement.


The Arthurian Omen by G.G. Vandagriff
Shadow Mountain, 2008
Crime Fiction (S/T); 322 pgs

When I first entered my name for a chance to read and review The Arthurian Omen through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program, I had certain expectations for this book. As the reviews began to trickle in, I did my best not to pay too close attention, but at the same time it was hard not to pick up on some of the criticism. I then took a closer look at the back of the book. “In the tradition of Mary Higgins Clark . . .” the back cover reads. Ah ha! I suddenly understood. It isn’t recommended that a reader believe author and book comparisons that may be mentioned in blurbs or elsewhere on the back of or inside a book. I learned my lesson in that regard awhile ago. It has been a long time since I picked up a novel by Mrs. Clark, but I do think of her books fondly. She was one of my favorite “comfort” authors for many years and while maybe not the best written, they certainly were quick and entertaining. Taking all that in when I finally settled in to read G.G. Vandagriff’s novel, I had a better grasp of what I was getting myself into, and I truly think I was better for it.

Maren and her sister Rachael have been estranged for a number of years, and so it came as quite a surprise when Rachael, a Celtic scholar, telephones Maren to ask Maren's assistance in locating a sacred fifth century manuscript relating to the history and legend of King Arthur. Maren is looking forward to reconnecting with her sister and desperately wants to get away from her failing marriage. The man she married on the rebound after the suspicious death of her first husband is not the man she thought he was.

Upon her arrival in Oxford, Maren learns that her sister, Rachael, has been murdered, and Maren is sure it must be over the Arthurian manuscript. What follows is a fast paced adventure from Oxford, England to Northern Wales as Maren, accompanied by Chief Inspector Llewellyn and Sergeant Cole of Scotland Yard, begins the search for the manuscript and a killer. She is not alone in wanting to get her hands on the manuscript, and those on the same trail prove to be much more unscrupulous and deadly.

Maren comes across as reckless at times, jumping into situations feet first. She seems to be a woman who attracts trouble while the men around her cannot help but adore her. G.G. Vandagriff does a good job of keeping the characters a little off center so as to keep the mystery at bay from her main character, even if not this reader. There are plenty of twists and turns as the many plot threads begin to come together.

If you are expecting a novel that is rich in Arthurian or Celtic history and of a more scholarly nature, The Arthurian Omen is probably not what you are looking for. The writing is simple, at times repetitious and stating the obvious, but it does make for a quick read. This really isn’t the type of book that can be taken too seriously. It’s purely for fun and entertainment. I had a good time racing through the pages alongside Maren and her traveling companions.

Rating: (Good)

Be sure and stop by G.G Vandagriff's website for more information.

Read what others had to say about this book:
Back to Books (Nicola)
Tip of the Iceberg (Terri B.)

The Murder Notebook by Jonathan Santlofer

First Sentence: Dust flecked with blood, shards of debris and bone, smoke so thick he can’t breathe or see or maybe he’s gone blind; the noise, horrific a moment ago, leveling out to a dull thump, thump, thump in his eardrums until it dissolves into an absence of sound as if the world had exploded and he is the lone survivor.


The Murder Notebook by Jonathan Santlofer
William Morrow, 2008 (ARE)
Crime Fiction (MYS); 390 pgs

I seem to be unable to read Jonathan Santlofer’s books in order. It is my own fault, of course. Fortunately, The Murder Notebook, the second book featuring police sketch artist, Nate Rodriguez, stands well on its own. Having read Colorblind by the same author several years ago, I had kept meaning to read something else by him, however, the time was never right. When this novel was offered on Library Thing’s Early Reviewer Program, how could I resist the opportunity? From the start, I could tell I was in for a wild ride.

Asked to help reconstruct the face of a murder victim that had been burned in an effort to cover up a murder, Nate Rodriguez could not be more eager to put his forensic anthropology skills to the test. However, the recent unsolved murder of a college student has the New York Police Department in a noose that is growing tighter and tighter as the media and public demand resolution. Nate, having assisted the homicide unit in solving a major case not too long ago, is pulled into the current investigation. Both he and his girlfriend, Terri Russo, the leader of the task force to catch the murderer, are reluctant about working together at first, but as events unfold, the two prove to be well matched.

With another man brutally murdered, the stakes grow even higher. The pieces of the puzzle do not seem to fit. With the threat of the FBI getting involved, Terri knows she must search out the answers and fast. The victims seem to have nothing in common and when their killers begin dying as well, the puzzle only grows more complicated.

Nate Rodriguez is settling into himself. He is struggling with guilt and the role he believes he played in his father’s death. He is on the outside, never quite fitting in with the other homicide cops. Nate is stubborn, a characteristic which plays into the fact that he does not give up easily, especially when walls are thrown up to thwart his efforts. Terri Russo has worked hard to earn her position as lead of the task force. She knows her position is precarious in a male dominated field. She takes her lumps and does the best she knows how.

Both characters are complex, and the author appears to have taken great care in making them as authentic as possible. The attention to detail and the descriptions of facial expressions give away the author’s artistic nature. In addition, the artwork throughout the book adds an extra dimension to the novel as a whole as well as to Nate’s character, some of the sketches helping the story along more than others.

Jonathan Santlofer creates an edgy and thought provoking novel. While at times it seems unbelievable, the story is not so far off reality as we may want to believe. The author combines careful research with and an entertaining fictional story. The Murder Notebook lived up to my expectations. It definitely was one wild ride.

Rating: (Good)

Visit the author's website for more information about Jonathan Santlofer and his books.