The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

For discussion of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel Låt den rätte komma in
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artredfield1999
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by artredfield1999 » Thu Dec 17, 2020 7:33 am

Very interesting, thanks for sharing this, some of the elements surprised me, like a shapeshifting Eli, It reminded me of the novelization of the movie Predator (1987).

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Siggdalos
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by Siggdalos » Sat Dec 19, 2020 12:37 am

Another minor thing I didn't mention in the OP: JAL's initial idea for the Rubik's Cube was that Oskar would bring it with him to Eli's apartment (meaning it would've come into play much later in the story), leave it on a table before falling asleep, and wake up the next morning to find it solved. In that sense, the film's use of the cube is actually closer to John's original idea than the novel is, since film-Oskar finds the solved cube sitting on the jungle gym in the morning between his second and third encounter with Eli, whereas book-Eli brings the solved cube with him to show to Oskar at their third encounter. I generally prefer the book over the film, but in this case I think the film's version is more elegant.
De höll om varandra i tystnad. Oskar blundade och visste: detta var det största. Ljuset från lyktan i portvalvet trängde svagt in genom hans slutna ögonlock, la en hinna av rött för hans ögon. Det största.

Redlips
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by Redlips » Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:41 am

Considerate siggdalos: You have done JAL's English- speaking readers a great service with your fascinating efforts! So numerous the roads that he may have taken for his book. Many, many, blessings this Holiday season upon your household.
I am sorry I was so long replying; I just read your post-I have not been online as I was struggling with an illness of terrible magnitude that happily, I've beaten into submission, once again!
Again, thank you, and you and all our lovely community stay safe!

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dongregg
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by dongregg » Thu Dec 24, 2020 8:11 am

I agree, Redlips. Also, keep up your furious battle.
“For drama to deepen, we must see the loneliness of the monster and the cunning of the innocent.”

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Siggdalos
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by Siggdalos » Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:27 pm

Redlips wrote:
Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:41 am
Considerate siggdalos: You have done JAL's English- speaking readers a great service with your fascinating efforts! So numerous the roads that he may have taken for his book. Many, many, blessings this Holiday season upon your household.
I am sorry I was so long replying; I just read your post-I have not been online as I was struggling with an illness of terrible magnitude that happily, I've beaten into submission, once again!
Again, thank you, and you and all our lovely community stay safe!
:wub:

In my reread, I noticed another likely case of Tommy standing in for Gunnar: the scene where he tells Oskar about how the cancer woman in Ängby didn't have any smoke in her lungs. That and the aforementioned scene with Robban and Lasse were the only obvious cases I noticed, though.

Another thing, relating to the August 5 note I mentioned in the OP. Here's more of its text, for context (emphasis mine):
I've gotten stuck, been sitting here staring for an hour, am writing this just to organize my thoughts a little. It's about finding the right words, the simple gestures that bridge great distances. Maybe it has to be about the fact that Oskar on some level is Eli. The kiss and its effect is of course an excellent way of creating such an identification in a purely practical way.

An idea. That Eli, on Oskar's request if he can't do something, when they're talking about transformation. That Eli then transforms his face into Oskar's. Oskar leans forward and kisses. Maybe insert an earlier part where Oskar presses his lips against his mirror image. After Eli has transformed his face into Oskar's they both go to stand in front of the mirror, as well. Mention something about the fact that Eli has a reflection.
The bolded part seems to have been reworked into the passage in the Thursday November 12 chapter where Oskar is idly pretending to be Eli and kisses his mirror image.
De höll om varandra i tystnad. Oskar blundade och visste: detta var det största. Ljuset från lyktan i portvalvet trängde svagt in genom hans slutna ögonlock, la en hinna av rött för hans ögon. Det största.

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CyberGhostface
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by CyberGhostface » Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:11 am

A lot of interesting ideas here. I wonder if they will ever be included as deleted scenes or if they’re lost (I.e. Stephen King has shared a number of deleted scenes from Salem’s Lot like a chapter where a character was devoured by rats that the publisher made him change).

The idea of a ‘heroic’ kid going after Eli sounds the most interesting. (If anyone’s played The Last of Us Part II, the dynamic sounds similar to a storyline there.) I also love the idea of there being multiple vampire kids running around because of Eli.

In regards to the ending with Eli being in the hole... what happened next?

Is there any chance you could tell us what Lindqvist said about Little Star if there’s anything similar in terms of major changes?

I am a bit saddened that there’s no English translation release planned... even an ebook would be nice.
No banaaaanas?

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Siggdalos
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by Siggdalos » Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:45 pm

CyberGhostface wrote:
Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:11 am
In regards to the ending with Eli being in the hole... what happened next?
That was envisioned as an earlier scene, not as the ending. (I probably could have worded that better in the OP.) JAL always planned for the bathhouse massacre to be the ending. The hole scene isn't elaborated on much; the notes and current-JAL only describe what the initial idea was and not what would subsequently happen, but I'm guessing it must have involved the then-unnamed main character and/or vampire managing to escape in some way. From the way it's worded, it seems like it was only an idea that existed on the conceptual stage and not a scene that JAL ever actually tried to write.
CyberGhostface wrote:
Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:11 am
Is there any chance you could tell us what Lindqvist said about Little Star if there’s anything similar in terms of major changes?
I'm not as interested in doing a summary of the Little Star notes since it's one of the JAL books I personally like the least, and the notes for it don't contain as many drastic development changes. With that said, I know that many others really like LS and there are definitely things from the LS chapter that people would find interesting, so I can look into putting together a post about it (probably as a separate thread in the Little Star subforum, so as not to derail this thread).
De höll om varandra i tystnad. Oskar blundade och visste: detta var det största. Ljuset från lyktan i portvalvet trängde svagt in genom hans slutna ögonlock, la en hinna av rött för hans ögon. Det största.

Redlips
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by Redlips » Sun Jan 03, 2021 10:40 pm

dongregg wrote:
Thu Dec 24, 2020 8:11 am
I agree, Redlips. Also, keep up your furious battle.
This morning, I awoke, my heart pounding, and hacking up blood and filth from my lungs again. Now, several troublesome hours later, I'm having tea, raising my cup in your honor, and writing this. That's the way my day is today; I am thankful for another lovely afternoon. I am gifted with profound resilience, willpower, and strength.
I am grateful and I have been blessed!
I will continue to fight as no other can, as I have these many, many long years.
Perhaps, you see why I am attracted to the dark things, and, equally, why I see light in them. But I am old, and that which is old, continues to grow older. Life begets living, Life is bold, and tenacious, though living may be ever so fragile and timorous!
(Oh, dear! Could that be a potential Eli line?")
I do not fear death.
I do not fear life.
I DO NOT FEAR!
Thank you for your consideration of this one blessings rare and sweet be upon you this glorious new year, kindly and encouraging dongregg!

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dongregg
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by dongregg » Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:47 pm

:wub: :wub: :wub:
“For drama to deepen, we must see the loneliness of the monster and the cunning of the innocent.”

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CyberGhostface
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Re: The development of LTROI (from Fail Again, Fail Better)

Post by CyberGhostface » Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:27 am

Siggdalos wrote:
Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:45 pm
I’m not as interested in doing a summary of the Little Star notes since it's one of the JAL books I personally like the least, and the notes for it don't contain as many drastic development changes. With that said, I know that many others really like LS and there are definitely things from the LS chapter that people would find interesting, so I can look into putting together a post about it (probably as a separate thread in the Little Star subforum, so as not to derail this thread).
Okay thank you and thanks for making this thread, it was very interesting.
No banaaaanas?

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