Things you didn't like about the book

[cx1138]

Actually there is very little I don’t like about the book, only a couple things. One, it wasn’t long enough, two, just me being nit picky which I apologize for in advance. I will explain:

Within the past month I have done 3 things. I saw LTROI for the first time after doing an internet search for the best horror films. I checked it out from the library and after watching it twice I had to have my own copy. I think I've seen it 10 or 12 times so far. Second I watched the remake once and didn't care for it at all. Third I read the book and just finished it yesterday. Parts are different from the movie, in a way. I love the book and think it’s an instant classic. It may be too weird for some in places but it's very original and is well written and gets my emotions and imagination running wild and makes me feel love. That never happens in books I read. Who could ask more than that from a book? I look at it and the movie as more of a love story than horror and I love both.

But there were a couple things about the book I didn’t really care for. I didn't like that the ending was so short. It cut straight to the train scene. I would have liked to read more about Oskar finding Eli and how they made it to the train. I didn't mind the back stories with Virginia and the rest, I liked it. But at the end we have a lot of pages with the planned revenge in the bathroom (I won't give away spoilers) and then the story ended abruptly in a page or two. I felted cheated because I wanted to read more about Oskar and Eli escaping together. Ok I admit that's selfish on my part not wanting the book to end, I guess I fell in love with them and wanted to share more of their journey.

Another thing I didn't care for, though I accept it is when JAL used the word "he" when he referred to Eli towards the end. I know what Eli used to be, but I think Eli wants to be a girl now which is why she chose the dress to wear. I think Eli feels more feminine than male, again because of the dress and the way she lets her hair grow like a girl. People see her as a girl. She could easily have dressed like a boy and acted like one, but Eli acts like a girl and maybe wants to be a girl even though, at times, she feels like she is nothing. So I think I would not have used the word "he" when referring to Eli, but I am not a writer so I don't totally understand his genius. I actually I reread the passages and substituted in my mind the word she instead of he. I hope I’m not wrong in doing that.

I will always picture Eli as a girl because when I saw the movie it gave me no clue so in my mind Eli will always be a girl. In fact I had no idea about the "surgery" and Eli's past gender until I read it in this forum a couple weeks ago. I was hoping it was wrong but it was confirmed when I read the book.
So actually I guess I have only one real complaint, the book wasn’t long enough. Wait, one more complaint, it took 3 years before I saw the movie and became infected. You all are way ahead of me.

[metoo]

In reply to cx1138:

Eli's gender has been discussed a lot here, and apparently many people agree with you, since they keep referring to Eli as 'she'. I don't, most of all because it in my view turns the love story into a much more conventional boy-mets-girl tale, which isn't as thought provoking and interesting, I think.

Regarding what gender Eli wants to be, I think that is an open question. JAL has said he wanted Eli to be genderless, and I think Eli basically is. Eli isn't fussy about his own gender, and certainly not about his appearance. My view on the choice of the dress is that Eli wanted to take the least valuable garment, which happened to be Oskar's mother's dress:

"Är det okej? Jag tog den som såg mest sliten ut."
"Is it okay? I took the one that looked the most worn." (my translation)

All of Oskar's clothes would be newer, since he was a growing child, requiring a new wardrobe every year.

[mackousko]

Eli´s gender

No need to argue about this. If you´ve chosen to see ELI as a girl it´s OK. I do see Eli as "he" in the book but as "she" in the movie.

[gary13136]

I think that what initially "knocked me for a loop" was the discovery that Eli wasn't a girl, although I never did take their relationship as being gay. But after imagining what it would be like to have no sexual identity, I developed a lot more sympathy for Eli. I think what really turned off people the most was the pedophilia angle, which was mercifully downplayed in the movie.

One interesting thing I learned was the publisher initially refused to accept the book; believing it to be too gross. So JAL had to rewrite part of it to make it acceptable for publication. If this is true, then one can only wonder how gross it was. It's plenty gross as it exists now.

[drakkar]

It annoys me a bit that the access to literature of this level also involves some horror stuff - I am not true horror fan.

[gattoparde59]

Too much Tommy. The scene in the cemetary was touching, but I could have done with less of a Tommy subplot.

It annoys me a bit that the access to literature of this level also involves some horror stuff - I am not true horror fan.

I agree. It seems some things were included just because this is a horror story.

[Nightrider]

Too much Tommy....

You beat me to it....Way, way, way too much Tommy.

[metoo]

I like the Tommy subplot, both as such and as a part of the novel. It helps painting the broader picture of Blackeberg of 1981. That several subplots are interwoven also helps to give an impression that time passes.

[TigerEyes]

1) I don't think Tommy's story was fascinating enough for me to be interested until the end. As for Virginia, well i understand the whole purpose of her storyline but was getting slightly less interesting. I guess it's the sub stories that i didn't like because it wasn't as fascinating as with Eli and Oskar.

2) Not enough Eli and Oskar. It seems that the sub-stories have taken much space in the book and making Oskar and Eli seem like they're just glimpses. But that's just me.

3) pedophilia. I get violent shivers reading Hakan's storyline. I don't need to go into details, we all already know why pedophilia is such a ugly thing.

Strange, you would think i would have not liked the book, but i do. I very much still love the story. I would say that if it wasn't forEli and Oskar, the book might not have the attention.

As for the topic you guys are talking about, Eli's gender, i agree that John's intent was to makeEli Genderless which is why he had the castration scene. I know that Eli is a boy and i always refer him as 'he' because he is originally a boy. I may be wrong, but i don't think little 12 year olds are fussy about wearing clothes, much like girl ones. Also, he just had to find clothes that are least valuable. He wasn't looking for girls clothes, just least valuable clothes (like the garbage in the basement) and Eli never seem to focus on his gender. It never bothered me that Eli was a boy and likes Oskar, in fact it makes the story all the more interesting. Had it been a boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, i would have been less interested.

[varamiglite]

I didn't like the Tommy sub-plot, it just seemed forced and unnecessary. I can appreciate its purpose but it breaks away from the story too much. He isn't interwoven into the main characters enough to be someone I care about.

I also didn't see the point in zombie Hakan. He was the embodiment of all things gross and (to me) he served more as a comic relief character than a scary one.I believe he was only created to break up some of the seriousness of the novel and fill a few pages with this silly monster walking around town with a...well you know if you read it.

The pedophilia parts bothered me too but it helped explain Eli and Hakan's relationship, or lack thereof. It gives more depth than just saying he's a guy she pays to get blood for her. I wish it didn't have to be so graphic when it was brought up but we should all know that LTROI doesn't handle subtlety too well. In that world it's either share every bloody detail or don't mention it at all.