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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Trigger Warning:
This book was a dumpster fire. I say this as someone who enjoyed the first book and the TV adaptation, problematic as some parts were. But /this/ book felt like the first was meant to be a stand-alone success, but it gained popularity, the publisher demanded more, and Charlaine Harris was left scrambling to develop a coherent plot in time.
- There are two plots, one in Dallas and one in Bon Temps, and they do not overlap in any way. These conflicts should have been two different books.
- There seems to be a /very/ flimsy theme about how we all have our natures and our cravings, and we can vilify an action or an addiction but not a /whole/ person, so long as that person feels remorse and strives for moderation. But the people who are lumped together as dangerous are: murderers, pedophiles, rapists, religious zealots, and queer folk... Being LGBTQ is not synonymous with being a threat to others, and it is precisely this fundamental failing of representation or understanding which leads to hate crimes and corrupt legal misrepresentation in reality.
- A new adversary, The Fellowship of the Sun, is introduced, and /would have been/ a welcome addition to the series. A religious order which feels that vampires are a threat to humanity, and sets their sites on converting vampires from their natures to being more human, or else offers vampires a chance to repent before "meeting God" in the holy death of facing the sun, would have been a /great/ vehicle for exploring the persecution and misunderstanding of LGBTQ. And Sookie, who is both a God-loving Christian, and a Bill-loving vampire defender, would have been the greatest narrator for wading through the hate inherent in the debate, and finding what positives could bridge both sides... /Instead/, within a few pages of introducing The Fellowship, they are reduced to cartoonish mafia villains who have access to an entire underground bunker full of weapons, and a proclivity for rape and murder... Which Bill responds to with rape and murder... So much for either side.
- The misrepresentation of relationships continues to be problematic. I had my reservations about the first book, but Sookie was a delightful, insightful, strong narrator, so her missteps in her first-ever sexual relationship seemed like a learning curve we were /supposed/ to doubt, and /supposed/ to wish better for her... But this book makes it clear that Charlaine Harris is just another vampire-romance author who doesn't understand kinks, consent, and basic relationship guidelines. A person who has been assaulted and battered twice in this book, should expect sympathy and medical attention, but instead receives ogling stares at her bruised breasts. A person who enjoys rough, spontaneous sex can have a conversation with their partner and - if both parties feel comfortable - make that a part of their routine; but a home invader who uses their superior strength to demand sex from a person is /rape/. A person who compliments their partner's appearance or wardrobe, and buys them apparel to compliment their body, is attentive and trying to speak a love language. A person who criticizes their partner's appearance or wardrobe, rips through their partner's clothing and then buys replacements as an excuse for their violence, and solicits sex even when their partner is injured/asleep/feeling-generally-gross-from-being-both-injured-and-unbathed/says "No!", is abuse/rape. A person who enjoys group, sexual meet-ups between consenting partners is valid, and nobody's business but the partners involved. An orgy without consent or safe words is gang rape. A couple who enjoys BDSM, specifically dominant-sub relationships or blood-letting is someone's kink somewhere, and nobody's business but the partners, but firm consent and safe words are definitely necessary prerequisites. A person whose kink is BDSM who attacks non-consenting strangers is an assailant, possibly a psycho; the fictional misrepresentation ought to have been punished, and the majority of BDSM enthusiasts in reality would /not/ be turned on by harming someone who was not equally enthusiastic about the situation.
In summary, this book fails its plot, its themes, its characters, and its basic premise as a kinky romance novel. Dumpster. Fire.
This book was a dumpster fire. I say this as someone who enjoyed the first book and the TV adaptation, problematic as some parts were. But /this/ book felt like the first was meant to be a stand-alone success, but it gained popularity, the publisher demanded more, and Charlaine Harris was left scrambling to develop a coherent plot in time.
- There are two plots, one in Dallas and one in Bon Temps, and they do not overlap in any way. These conflicts should have been two different books.
- There seems to be a /very/ flimsy theme about how we all have our natures and our cravings, and we can vilify an action or an addiction but not a /whole/ person, so long as that person feels remorse and strives for moderation. But the people who are lumped together as dangerous are: murderers, pedophiles, rapists, religious zealots, and queer folk... Being LGBTQ is not synonymous with being a threat to others, and it is precisely this fundamental failing of representation or understanding which leads to hate crimes and corrupt legal misrepresentation in reality.
- A new adversary, The Fellowship of the Sun, is introduced, and /would have been/ a welcome addition to the series. A religious order which feels that vampires are a threat to humanity, and sets their sites on converting vampires from their natures to being more human, or else offers vampires a chance to repent before "meeting God" in the holy death of facing the sun, would have been a /great/ vehicle for exploring the persecution and misunderstanding of LGBTQ. And Sookie, who is both a God-loving Christian, and a Bill-loving vampire defender, would have been the greatest narrator for wading through the hate inherent in the debate, and finding what positives could bridge both sides... /Instead/, within a few pages of introducing The Fellowship, they are reduced to cartoonish mafia villains who have access to an entire underground bunker full of weapons, and a proclivity for rape and murder... Which Bill responds to with rape and murder... So much for either side.
- The misrepresentation of relationships continues to be problematic. I had my reservations about the first book, but Sookie was a delightful, insightful, strong narrator, so her missteps in her first-ever sexual relationship seemed like a learning curve we were /supposed/ to doubt, and /supposed/ to wish better for her... But this book makes it clear that Charlaine Harris is just another vampire-romance author who doesn't understand kinks, consent, and basic relationship guidelines. A person who has been assaulted and battered twice in this book, should expect sympathy and medical attention, but instead receives ogling stares at her bruised breasts. A person who enjoys rough, spontaneous sex can have a conversation with their partner and - if both parties feel comfortable - make that a part of their routine; but a home invader who uses their superior strength to demand sex from a person is /rape/. A person who compliments their partner's appearance or wardrobe, and buys them apparel to compliment their body, is attentive and trying to speak a love language. A person who criticizes their partner's appearance or wardrobe, rips through their partner's clothing and then buys replacements as an excuse for their violence, and solicits sex even when their partner is injured/asleep/feeling-generally-gross-from-being-both-injured-and-unbathed/says "No!", is abuse/rape. A person who enjoys group, sexual meet-ups between consenting partners is valid, and nobody's business but the partners involved. An orgy without consent or safe words is gang rape. A couple who enjoys BDSM, specifically dominant-sub relationships or blood-letting is someone's kink somewhere, and nobody's business but the partners, but firm consent and safe words are definitely necessary prerequisites. A person whose kink is BDSM who attacks non-consenting strangers is an assailant, possibly a psycho; the fictional misrepresentation ought to have been punished, and the majority of BDSM enthusiasts in reality would /not/ be turned on by harming someone who was not equally enthusiastic about the situation.
In summary, this book fails its plot, its themes, its characters, and its basic premise as a kinky romance novel. Dumpster. Fire.
this one had a cooler plot than the first, but got a little lost toward the end. plus, there wasn't nearly enough sex in this one, and when there was sex it was timeskipped pretty quickly. hoping this trend doesn't continue..
2,5 what the bloody hell did I just read stars
What was that? I don't really know. First part of the book was mneh, then I found myself (or, well, Sookie) on a really weird orgy. A lot of shit happens. The end.
Wait, what?
By now, I think I only like Eric and Sam. Eh.
What was that? I don't really know. First part of the book was mneh, then I found myself (or, well, Sookie) on a really weird orgy. A lot of shit happens. The end.
Wait, what?
By now, I think I only like Eric and Sam. Eh.
This series just keeps getting better. I'm in love with the world Harris creates and Living Dead in Dallas does not disappoint. There are even more supernatural characters and the plot is pretty non-stop with elements from several different genres.
I enjoyed this book a lot better than the first one as there was more action in it. The Fellowship of the Sun is a group that I would never want to cross but I am so excited that there may be more appearances from them in later books. This book has given the reader another insight into Bill's past which is so twisted but extremely interesting. I cannot wait to read the third book now!
#1 Dead Until Dark ★★★.5
#2 Living Dead in Dallas ★★★★
#3 Club Dead ★★★★★
“Angelic Sookie, vision of love and beauty, I am prostrate that the wicked evil maenad violated your smooth and voluptuous body, in an attempt to deliver a message to me.”
Let me just take back anything negative or lackluster I ever said about Eric Northman in my life, because wow, I have joined the fan club and I am happy to be here, folks.
This installment was SO MUCH BETTER than the first one, I don’t even have words to describe it! The plot’s much more interesting (and set at a better pace), the characters are more varied and fun, we get to meet new faces and learn a little more about some mysterious beings from the first book (again, enter Eric Northman), and Sookie comes into her own a little more as the feisty little firecracker she’s capable of being.
I don’t know why this still wasn’t quite a 5-star read for me—maybe because Bill’s in it too much, and he’s grown to bore me tremendously—but it was such a vast improvement that I can’t wait to pick up the third installment and see if it continues this upward trend.
okay okay okaayyy..sooo..i loved it??whaat?the book was basically the only storyline i liked from Season 2 of True Blood which honestly makes sense.Tara's story was just trash.we didn't care...i know it sounds like i'm a True Blood fan but i watched the first 3season like 5 months ago and only liked season 1.that is kinda the reason i want to read Book 1.apparently it's pretty similar to Season 1.yes,i know i should read the books in order but book 1 is 9euros and 2-9 are 3euros each.i'll buy Book 1 in like 5months.Christmas is right around the corner.leave me alone
i got carried away.back to the review.Sookie isn't THAT boring in the books.i kinda liked her.i'm shooked.kinda glad Tara isn't really in it because she was only interesting in Season 1.i still don't care about Bill.what is so interesting and attractive about him?don't even get me started with my favorite character Lafayette...
i don't think i will ever get all the books but i will read up to book 9.are vampire books into having 13sequels?same with Vampire Diaries.yes im still trying to finish it.i started that shit back in 2011?and im still in book 10.i just can't find book 11 in bookstores....what even is this review
i got carried away.back to the review.Sookie isn't THAT boring in the books.i kinda liked her.i'm shooked.kinda glad Tara isn't really in it because she was only interesting in Season 1.i still don't care about Bill.what is so interesting and attractive about him?don't even get me started with my favorite character Lafayette...
i don't think i will ever get all the books but i will read up to book 9.are vampire books into having 13sequels?same with Vampire Diaries.yes im still trying to finish it.i started that shit back in 2011?and im still in book 10.i just can't find book 11 in bookstores....what even is this review
Louisiana waitress and telepath Sookie Stackhouse is no stranger to the wonderfully weird world of vampires and shapeshifters. When a group of vampires from Texas request that Sookie use her special ability to locate a missing comrade, she and Bill travel to Dallas to investigate.
If you'll recall from my review of book one, Dead and Loving It, part of the appeal of the Sookie series is the setting. Small town Louisiana was drawn so perfectly in book one that naturally, Living Dead in Dallas is put to a slight disadvantage by moving the setting across state lines. Now, I'm a Texas girl - "born and bred," so to speak - but I did notice a lack of the Southern charm that I loved so much in Dead and Loving It.
Despite the change in setting (to the detriment of the of the story, in my honest opinion,) I really did enjoy reading Living Dead in Dallas. Sookie is my kind of girl - delightfully kooky, and "self-educated by genre fiction." Following her story is a true pleasure. It is incredibly easy to become lost in Sookie's world. I can't wait to see where Charlaine Harris will lead us next.
If you'll recall from my review of book one, Dead and Loving It, part of the appeal of the Sookie series is the setting. Small town Louisiana was drawn so perfectly in book one that naturally, Living Dead in Dallas is put to a slight disadvantage by moving the setting across state lines. Now, I'm a Texas girl - "born and bred," so to speak - but I did notice a lack of the Southern charm that I loved so much in Dead and Loving It.
Despite the change in setting (to the detriment of the of the story, in my honest opinion,) I really did enjoy reading Living Dead in Dallas. Sookie is my kind of girl - delightfully kooky, and "self-educated by genre fiction." Following her story is a true pleasure. It is incredibly easy to become lost in Sookie's world. I can't wait to see where Charlaine Harris will lead us next.