Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - In Every Generation

I was introduced to Buffy the Vampire Slayer by a friend in college. I think we watched everything that was available to that point and I enjoyed it but I didn't continue watching after graduation so I missed the last few seasons. So that's my Buffy background.

I liked this book. It was really nice to see Oz again, he'd been one of my favorite characters from the original series.

It's sweet but also a little sad that I think he's still got a crush on Willow.

I like the new slayer, Frankie, and the new Scooby gang. Willow was also a favorite, so I'm happy that she's a part of the story. It'll be an interesting dynamic with actively involved parents who are also sort of members of the Scooby gang.

She's clearly being set up for a possible return to the dark side, which is a concern, but I can also see why it's necessary, plot-wise. She sort of represents the same problem Buffy Summers does, if she's the most powerful witch currently living (or the main slayer) then either of them could kill the big bad and Frankie and the new gang could only be sidekicks and not so much main characters so there has to be a reason she can't just use overpowering magic and solve the problem. So presumably there will come a point it's decided she can't use her magic without posing a threat herself.

I'm not sure how you solve the problem of Buffy and the other slayers. They can't stay missing forever and if they come back, they become the focus, or at least, Buffy does. But there are at least a few books for the mystery to remain before it needs to get properly addressed or become really irritating.

I'm ambivalent about Grimloch. The parallels with Angel are enough that Blake smartly has Willow make them explicit and he was always my least favorite character. As long as it doesn't become an overwrought love triangle (I think with Vi) then fine.

Jake's sweet, and obviously has a crush on her, but Frankie may see him as too much like a sibling for that to go anywhere.

I really like Hailey and Sigmund and I love the idea that he tutors people who then become unsuitable food sources.

I was a fan of Faith and I really hope she's not actually dead.

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bedtimesandbooks's review

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adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jenny_librarian's review against another edition

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adventurous funny tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No

4.0

It's not peak Buffy, and I'm not sure who exactly this book is supposed to be for, but it was entertaining.

What bothers me with YA Buffy books these days is that they're not for newbies. You have to be a Buffy fan to understand the plot and implications. But the main core fanbase is millennials, all of whom are way past teen years, so writing a YA novel (not that adults can't enjoy YA, but it's made mainly for teens) feels a bit weird when there could be adult novels instead.

And talking about implications, there were a few details that made me cringe, as I'm sure any big fan would. There are small discrepancies that wouldn't jut out to a newbie - but as I stated earlier, this is very much a book for those who already know the show well - that made me go on a rant to myself.

The book itself started well. It was interesting to dive into another slayer's life and discover new characters still connected to the originals. Not sure Spike, Willow and Oz are the best trio to go off from, but I'll accept it. I'll even accept Jake as a poor Xander replacement (although can we PLEASE stop with the dog jokes? None of those were funny and Oz never displayed dog traits so... yeah...) and the cringy romance developing between Hailey and Sigmund.

I wish Drusilla had been the big bad. I know, I know. Been there, done that. But I feel like she would've given it something that - the watered-down version of - the Countess didn't.

It may seem harsh, but you can't just write any old story in the Buffyverse and make it pass to hardcore fans. If you were a casual viewer of the show, you might enjoy it as a continuation (disregarding all the comics, but that's fine cause I never really took an interest in them anyways) and the beginning of a new generation of Scoobies.

My last critic, because I CANNOT ignore that one, is the bi-erasure. Willow isn't gay, she's bisexual. In 2022, we shouldn't have to keep saying it and I find it hella disappointing that this book participated in the bi-erasure she's been victim of since s4.

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