Sometimes a first time novelist can be overly wordy and make a disjointed narrative. It's part of the learning process for writers after all. However, You Let Me In suffers from none of that!
This is an absolutely fantastic folk horror novel that leaves the reader wanting more after the final page is turned. Because, in this book, we examine the world of Farie folks. But they are not like Tinkerbell. They live in the shadows between our world and and other worlds. And they might not be necessarily evil but there's certainly a price to pay when you're chosen by them to be let in.
This is the position our protagonist is in. For as long as she can remember, her Fairie familiar has been her one and only true friend. In exchange for this friendship and his guidance, he feeds from her willingly.
She's always been a troubled child and she is always looked upon with scorn and disgust. This includes her family. Her mother is overbearing and cruel and her older sister is the "perfect" daughter that can do no wrong. Her brother is sullen and quiet but will play an important role in this book.
The thing I love most about this book is the question we face as we read; is she an unreliable narrator? During her life, she's been accused of a couple of murders which she blames on this Fairie world and the creatures that inhabit it. But her friend, and long time therapist, doesn't believe her. He thinks she's suffered sexual and mental abuse at the hands of her parents and believes this Fairie world is her coping mechanism.
This book is mind bending because throughout the first person narrative, we as the reader are never really sure if her or her therapist are correct. The author leaves it up for us to decide and, truly, there's enough evidence for both to be true! So, who to believe? I'll also leave that for you to determine but I absolutely loved that about this novel.
Either she's mentally ill to the point of being a danger to others or this other world is real and nobody else will believe her.
This book is written in the form of a long letter meant to be read by her niece and nephew after her death. Reading it is part of the conditions of her will. I also love that because we know she's passed away and she's trying to set the story straight about her life but, again, can she be believed?
This is an amazing book and you can pick up your copy by clicking here.
For my full review, check out my Horror Reads YouTube channel here!
Dave from Horror Reads
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