quick question

[metoo]

I think it may be a bit of an overstatement to say that Eli did not know what love is. I say this because of the relationship with her mother. I tend to think that somewhere along the way, Eli half-chose, half-deluded herself into thinking that love, for her, was never going to exceed the kind of give and take that she had with Hakan. Despite that, she retained the capacity to experience a more genuine form of love if she could only find the right person.

I think I agree to this. And in the dialogue with Håkan, Eli seems to be aware of what rather sparse kind of love he is able to muster for Håkan:
E: "Jag älskar dig" (I love you.)
H: "Det gör du inte alls det." (You do not.)
E: "Jo. På sätt och vis." (Yes. In a way.)

[Jameron]

I like the part where Oskar is walking back from the 'lovers kiosk' and he suddenly realises why he had been feeling weird. He realises that he hasn't been keeping an eye out for people that could hurt him. I love that he notices that he is changing, and we all know it's because of Eli.

I also love how Tomas incorporated the careful wariness Oskar had in the book, by making him look through the glass in the doors before going outside. Checking for bad people becomes second nature to the bullied.

.

[OutsideLookingIn]

Page 446 in my copy:


"Eli turned his face to Oskar's, said:
'I...'
Closed his mouth. Then pressed a kiss on Oskar's lips.
For a few seconds Oskar saw through Eli's eyes. And what he saw was... himself. Only much better, more handsome, stronger than what he thought of himself. Seen with love.
For a few seconds."

[Jameron]

Page 446 in my copy:


"Eli turned his face to Oskar's, said:
'I...'
Closed his mouth. Then pressed a kiss on Oskar's lips.
For a few seconds Oskar saw through Eli's eyes. And what he saw was... himself. Only much better, more handsome, stronger than what he thought of himself. Seen with love.
For a few seconds."

+1

That is an awesome quote

.

[OutsideLookingIn]

Another one of my favorite parts comes much earlier...

Page 124 in my copy:


"In the covered entrance leading to the courtyard Eli stopped and looked at her window. It was dark. She stopped with her arms wrapped around her body and looked at the ground.
'Oskar?...'
He did it. Her whole body was asking for it and from somewhere he got the courage to do it. He hugged her. For a terrifying second he thought he had done the wrong thing, her body was stiff, locked. He was about to let go when she relaxed into his embrace. The knot loosened she coaxed her arms out, put them around his back and leaned trembling against him.
She leaned her head against his shoulder and they stood like that. Her breath against his shoulder. They held each other without saying anything. Oskar closed his eyes and knew: this was big. Light from the outside lamp filtered in through his closed eyelids and created a red membrane in front of his eyes. The biggest."

IMO this is where Eli starts to fall for Oskar. In this moment she feels the the first moment of genuine, selfless affection toward her in years.