So what about the other stories?

For discussion of John Ajvide Lindqvist's short story collection Låt de gamla drömmarna dö
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CyberGhostface
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by CyberGhostface » Fri Nov 15, 2013 4:58 am

Just finished it today. TBH my reaction was mixed; some I liked, others were so-so. The story about the shoplifters lost me at the end as did Tindalos, I'm not sure if I just wasn't paying enough attention or if I read it too fast? Likewise with 'The Final Handling' although in that case I haven't read HTU since the initial US release and I remember it only a little so that may have accounted for it.

"Eternal/Love" I actually thought was pretty good, especially with the ending. The "Substitute" story was very creepy as was the one about the dead body on the bed (forgot the title). Also loved seeing Oskar and Eli again (of course) if only briefly.
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Alaska
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by Alaska » Tue Feb 24, 2015 9:03 pm

I was thinking about that story with thesubstitute human teacher today. The one with the Pink Floyd song. What was it called again? I have the book, but it's upstairs in my bedroom, and I'm too lazy to get it, haha. It's been years since I read it, but that was definitely the story that stuck with me most. There are certain elements that just stick with you, like the fact that she had no ears and her voice was on a Pink Floyd record. I thought it was haunting. Just the right amount of creepy and weird I like. One of my favourite horror stories I've ever read.

But then I was absolutely grossed out with the one about the dead body. I thought that was horrible, I'm sorry to say it. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with Lindqvists writing. He's obviously a genius and a creative mind and I admire him, but some of the things he writes are too depressing/disturbing/horrific for me. I couldn't finish Handling The Undead. I literally threw it away after reading a particular scene. The times he gets it right though, like with the one about the teacher, it's amazing.

Alaska
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by Alaska » Tue Aug 11, 2015 10:29 pm

I was talking, of course, about 'Substitute'. I reread it after I posted that. Great story. Definitely my favourite from that book.

Brian
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by Brian » Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:26 pm

Hey !
It's great that this forum exists ;-D
So far I've only read the first couple of stories, chronologically.
(I mention that, because some people started with 'LTODD' itself).
Anyhoo, 'The Border' was tremendous, but when I found out that it's being filmed
I feared that it might be the stand out tale, and approached 'A Village In The Sky'
with trepidation, but it's powerful too.
So far, it's one of the best books I've read, in any genre.
Keep those comments coming :-)
Brian.

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dongregg
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by dongregg » Thu Aug 20, 2015 7:45 pm

Welcome to We The Infected, Brian. It's good to read your posts about LTODD and the film. I look forward to more of your comments as you work through the other stories in LTODD.
“For drama to deepen, we must see the loneliness of the monster and the cunning of the innocent.”

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seigezunt
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by seigezunt » Wed Oct 14, 2015 7:30 pm

Just started reading this. Finished "The Border" and liked it. I could see David Cronenburg doing a film version.
"She can fly, she has amazing and horrifying powers, she isn’t exactly a boy or a girl, she can’t come inside unless she’s invited ... and she loves him. That’s enough."

--Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com


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seigezunt
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by seigezunt » Thu Oct 15, 2015 7:25 pm

Okay, reading along.

"A Village in the Sky": Liked very much, especially for the LTROI reference. Didn't go where I expected.

"Equinox": That was okay. I liked the handling of the protagonist, but the ending felt abrupt and scattered IMO.

"Itsy Bitsy": I have to confess, that as a former longtime journalist (and sometime photographer) I found the first half incredibly suspenseful, probably much moreso than other readers. So when the story takes a turn, my interest dipped a bit. I'm finding myself asking too much, "is this a monster with a recognizable mythos that I should know? Or a new one?" Okay.

"The Substitute": again, left a little wanting by the "payoff," but made up for it by having a very chilling commentary on our world.
"She can fly, she has amazing and horrifying powers, she isn’t exactly a boy or a girl, she can’t come inside unless she’s invited ... and she loves him. That’s enough."

--Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com


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seigezunt
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by seigezunt » Thu Oct 15, 2015 7:28 pm

Wait, "The Border" is being filmed? Link?
"She can fly, she has amazing and horrifying powers, she isn’t exactly a boy or a girl, she can’t come inside unless she’s invited ... and she loves him. That’s enough."

--Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com


My LTROI Pinterest Board

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seigezunt
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by seigezunt » Mon Oct 19, 2015 7:07 pm

seigezunt wrote:Wait, "The Border" is being filmed? Link?
Never mind, I found it. Interesting choice for a movie.

Continuing with my thoughts on the stories...

I have to preface with one note: I've been reading this collection as an e-book, and I have been "reading" it at times using software on my phone which reads e-books and other files aloud. You will see why I mention this in a second.

"Eternal/Love" - I had a hard time getting into this, but I liked the ending. I had to go back and re-read a little of it. I have a hard time with stories that try to animate forces of nature or concepts like time or death. This story reminded me a little of Stephen King's The Langoliers, at least in regard to making a thing out of a thing that you don't think of as a thing. :-) But I liked what JAL does with it in the end. Nasty. Though one question: would he really have been there forever? Couldn't the nearest shark eat him, as that would not count as drowning?

"To Put My Arms Around You, to Music: - I was determined to like this in spite of the almost universally accepted opinion that this is ... eh.

Here's the problem: my e-reading software sometimes glosses over story titles, so I was about a quarter of the way into "Majken" before I realized that a new story had started. So it read like a confused prologue to "Majken." So I went back and read it again ... and I'm afraid I couldn't make out what was going on. But by then I was halfway through a much more compelling story. I will have to give it another crack when I'm done. I couldn't make hide nor hair out of it.

"Majken" - Funny, this is the one I could see being made into a movie, out of all the ones I've read so far. I kept picturing Angelica Huston as Majken and the film being some sort of elderly Swedish "Thelma and Louise." I really enjoyed this one, possibly the best so far. It kept me thinking. I started rooting for the "gang," and I got to thinking, would it be that way if they were teens? Is this maybe something JAL was driving at? That we can forgive nihilism in the elderly? I just liked this one because it had me guessing and thinking the most so far, and not distracted as much by the question "what kind of monster is this?" or "Do I know the rules of this monster?"

I've already read "Let the Old Dreams Die," and I'm going to skip "The Final Processing" until I have read "Handling the Undead," so that leaves two stories....
"She can fly, she has amazing and horrifying powers, she isn’t exactly a boy or a girl, she can’t come inside unless she’s invited ... and she loves him. That’s enough."

--Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com


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StefL
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Re: So what about the other stories?

Post by StefL » Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:08 pm

seigezunt wrote:Though one question: would he really have been there forever? Couldn't the nearest shark eat him, as that would not count as drowning?
Alas, no sharks in the Baltic Sea. Your occasional pike but I doubt it would eat someone actually alive :D
seigezunt wrote:"Majken" - Funny, this is the one I could see being made into a movie, out of all the ones I've read so far.
It's actually already been filmed by a Swedish TV network, I think it was TV4. I missed it when it was televised though (I only found out much later) and haven't been able to find neither the film itself or much information about it aside from it having been made.
seigezunt wrote:I've already read "Let the Old Dreams Die," and I'm going to skip "The Final Processing" until I have read "Handling the Undead," so that leaves two stories....
Good choice - The Final Processing is really Handling the Undead part II so they're one entity, and a good one :)

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