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threebluesocks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This book slaps, I absolutely loved it. The vampires here are so gross and creepy in the best way possible, and I'm excited to get the next book and get into the Old Vampire Lore (I hope!). The storytelling style takes a bit to get used to since it frequently shifts character POVs, introduces characters just to kill them off in the same section, and doesn't really have chapter breaks, but I found that this style really worked for the story being told and wasn't too difficult to get used to. I really liked all the main characters (Gus is my favorite!), and some of the side characters really grew on me even in the short time I knew them. It's fun to read a vampire book that really leans into the horror of the concept and still uses updated technology to enhance the concept. Honestly, I'd give this book the full 5 stars just for the shear enjoyment I had while reading the whole thing, but I do have to take some off for the fact that I was always just a little bit confused about who the characters were, what time it was, where we were, and how strong these vampires really are. Near the end, the vampire slaying does get a bit ridiculous, but I refuse to let this bother me since I actually think every story could be enhanced by handing out some cool swords, and this book actually just proved me right. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys supernatural horror, likes to think about the bureaucracy of horror concepts, and doesn't mind a little silliness. (...some of the disease talk in this book really does hit different after covid though...)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Medical trauma, and Suicide
Minor: Antisemitism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Genocide, and Racism
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