Things you didn't like about the book

[Dutchie]

There was a moment in the book that it focused so much on all the subplots that you would almost forget that Oskar was what it was all about.

[cory]

I think the most topic discussed on this site is Eli Gender and how she sees her/himself. From my point of view Eli dose not want to be viewed as anything. Eli says that shes nothing. Not a boy, a girl, old, young, etc. Eli simply "is". The movie made Eli a androgynous vampire that leaned more female. While in the book Eli was noted for his/her beauty and flawless features. Oskar is the only one who sees Eli as female while everyone else in the book cant tell. Only that she is a small child. On a side note most boys that are very good looking with feminine features(Round cheeks, Big eyes, small lips, dimples etc)befour they hit puberty will look female. With Eli's pink top and small frame he thought female.

However when you look at Eli's personality in the book and how Eli reacts to things, and situations Eli reads "Boy" big time. In there first meeting when Oskar calls Eli stupid, Eli stops walks right up to Oskar and ask coldly "What did you say"? A girl would not do that. lol When there playing in the basement Eli dosent want to be the princess but the monster. There game feels like what to best pals would do. When Eli sees the cut on Oskars face Eli tells him to fight back and if need be will help. A girl would not give this advice. But a boy surely would. And when Eli gets upset shes wrestles with Oskar like a boy would. I remember reading the book thinking befour it was reviled that Eli was a boy how aggressive "she" was. But brushed it off by "her" being a vampire. When it was reviled that she was a he it was a minor shock to me but made sense. I think people want Eli to be a girl because of the actress amazing acting in Let the right one in. But the book is very strait forward on what Eli is and how Eli sees her/himself.

[ofelia]

When there playing in the basement Eli dosent want to be the princess but the monster. There game feels like what to best pals would do. When Eli sees the cut on Oskars face Eli tells him to fight back and if need be will help. A girl would not give this advice. But a boy surely would. And when Eli gets upset shes wrestles with Oskar like a boy would. I remember reading the book thinking befour it was reviled that Eli was a boy how aggressive "she" was. But brushed it off by "her" being a vampire. When it was reviled that she was a he it was a minor shock to me but made sense. I think people want Eli to be a girl because of the actress amazing acting in Let the right one in. But the book is very strait forward on what Eli is and how Eli sees her/himself.

Yeah, to me the swordfighting and the wrestling were signs that this is a boy and not a girl. I was actually pretty sure that Eli was a boy before it was revealed, and I hadn't seen the movie. When I think back on being twelve it's not something I would have done as a girl, even if it was someone I liked a lot. I think for Oskar this part is complicated because he thinks of Eli as a girl and it feels sort of dangerous/thrilling for a girl to act like that, but Eli doesn't think about it and just plays around. In a way having a friend who sometimes seems like a boy and sometimes like a girl is probably the best kind of friend Oskar could have. (does that make sense?)
It didn't bother me at all that that was in the book, I really liked it ; what bothers me is when people respond badly to the fact that Eli shows Oskar he used to be a boy. But those kind of people are mostly on IMDB and not here...

[SJackson57]

Maybe I live in different universal, but Eli behavior is the same for girl or boy at that age. I remember running and playing games with girl and boy at the age. I see Eli as street kid , who giving Oskar advice on his problems and when Oskar hesitate she said I will would help you.
Tommy see Eli as girl in the when she goes to get blood. The big question is when Oskar asked Eli her name why didn’t he say Elias. The wrestling between Eli and Oskar is what kids and some adults do, because they do not have the verbal skills. The adults are the ones we reading about in the newspapers are see on the local news.

[metoo]

.. The big question is when Oskar asked Eli her name why didn’t he say Elias. ...

Eli obviously called himself Eli; Håkan used that name, too.

[Zeb]

The only part which didnt sit easy with me was the pedophilia part which was uncomfortable reading.However,for such a taboo subject it was handled in a mature way and was an intergral part of Hakkans story so im glad it was left in.

I still think the book is absolute perfection and have read it twice.

[Jameron]

The only part which didnt sit easy with me was the pedophilia part which was uncomfortable reading.However,for such a taboo subject it was handled in a mature way and was an intergral part of Hakkans story so im glad it was left in.

I still think the book is absolute perfection and have read it twice.

I agree that the paedophilia was the hardest part of the book, but like you say it was written brilliantly. Who would have thought one could feel sorry for a paedophile?

Welcome to the site, and may your infection stay strong.

.

[cory]

A couple of things I wanted to point out. I forgot to mention in the book how Eli holds Oskar from behind. Befour I married my lovely wife I did date alot of girls in high school. And they all loved to be held from behind. Either while standing or in bed. Its a dominate position, and felt it spoke volumes to Elis former gender being a boy. As for Tommy thinking Eli was a girl was not a surprise because Eli was noted when he was human and later a vampire for his perfect smooth face and soft features. Wearing a bright yellow summer dress would seal the deal in him looking completely female. But again when you look at what Eli does and not what he looks like Eli reads BOY. Oskar was a little surprised by how deep Elis voice was. Only because he thought Eli was a girl. Haken attraction to Eli would not have been so deep and lustful if he didnt view Eli as a boy. Befour Haken was about to get a blow job he compared the boys inferiority to Eli.

I think its just hard for some people to see Eli as a boy because of the amazing job of the actress in the movie. But when you take the book at face value its clear on what he used to be. But we also have to take into account that Eli is also a vampire. So we dont know how that would effect ones personality. Whats so interesting about the character is how Eli dosent worry about what he is. Only that he wants to live and be happy. And dosent see what he does(killing people)as murder any more then how a Lion would justify how it feeds.

[Aisu]

I finished reading the book last week, and all I can really say is:

1. I wish there was less Tommy. Way, way less Tommy. He ended up only really making a difference in the plot at the end (and even then it wasn't a huge difference) so whyyy did I have to suffer through his boring story while chanting "We want Eli and Oskar!"?

2. Håkan's, uh, sexuality issues... I admit I skipped a few pages here and there when the sexuality got too graphic (which was very often in his storyline, ick). SO glad they kept that out of the movie. xD (We saw enough of him!)

Everything else I pretty much loved.

[Ash]

I've been thinking of something to say in this thread for some time, but I'm not having much luck if the premise is the novel would be somehow better if certain things had been excluded or altered.
If we view writing to be a form of art, similar to painting, sculpture, music etc., then it needs to be accepted as it stands, perceived warts and all. The whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
So I tend to stand back and view artworks as a whole rather than picking out discrete elements that please me or otherwise.
Possibly why we have never made new arms for the Venus de Milo, or another nose for the Great Sphinx.
If we start suggesting, "it would be better if..." with other's artwork it would not be the same thing anymore.
We should be more objective and holistic, which is of course impossible because we all love this novel and its characters so much.
Mr Bean knew what ...... it should look like....