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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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:
No
The plot of this one feels a bit all over the place in the first half of the book but it's still a good read if you're reading it as part of the series. Lots of unexpected twists and turns, secrets of the characters pasts revealed and an ending that you will not expect.
3/5 stars just for the ending since I've adored Damon since 1992 - but other than than a painful read. I wish I hadn't bothered with the new trilogy and stayed with the original 4. Ignorance is bliss.
I have really enjoyed reading this series, and I am sad to see it come to an end. Well, it is at least for me as I do not plan to continue reading the series without L.J. Smith writing it. Anyways I had been wanting to read this, but it came out near the same time as some other big releases like City of Fallen Angels, Where She Went, and Stay, so I did not get it right away. Then my wonderful sister bought it for me for my birthday! I am still not sure where I stand with this book. I have a hard time deciding whether I like or dislike this series simply because I adore the characters so much that I can sometimes overlook the plot.
No matter if it is show or book Damon is always my favorite. He is equally amusing and cynical. At the same time you can still see that he has a heart deep down. The relationship between him and Elena is what has kept me reading this series. This book did not disappoint with that. The two of them had some fantastic scenes together that made the book worth the read, in my opinion. Some of the other characters, however, fell a little flat in this book. The biggest one I had an issue with was Stefan, perhaps it is because of how brilliantly he is written on the television show or the fantastic job Paul Wesley does with the character. In the book, I just could not like him at all. He simply grated on my nerves. He seemed rather selfish and passive, and he did not feel like a real character to me. Meredith was also not at her best here, but that was a minor bit. Bonnie and Matt, however, both experienced nice growth as characters. I must also note that I absolutely adore Mrs. Flowers!
The story of this book is something else. I had big issues with Nightfall, and some of these are still present here. I found the entire kitsune plotline confusing, very creepy, and I really just did not like it at all. Compared to the original part of the series, the story in this later trilogy is just such a letdown. I loved the story of Klaus and Katherine, of the brothers’ beginnings, but this just was not my cup of tea. Plus the ending of this book made me want to throw my book. A major character dies, and although it is a brilliant death scene, I did not like it. There is some resolution with that, but it just made me frustrated.
Overall, I will say I was disappointed. I do not think that this trilogy lives up to the original books, and, surprisingly, I think that this is one series where I really like the adaptation better. The TV series is one of my all-time favorite shows, and I think that they have take a good story and L.J. Smith’s wonderful characters and greatly improved upon them. Although I do still wish that Meredith might have been included. Midnight was worth the read for me, just because of Damon, and especially his scenes with Elena, but I am not sure I would recommend it.
No matter if it is show or book Damon is always my favorite. He is equally amusing and cynical. At the same time you can still see that he has a heart deep down. The relationship between him and Elena is what has kept me reading this series. This book did not disappoint with that. The two of them had some fantastic scenes together that made the book worth the read, in my opinion. Some of the other characters, however, fell a little flat in this book. The biggest one I had an issue with was Stefan, perhaps it is because of how brilliantly he is written on the television show or the fantastic job Paul Wesley does with the character. In the book, I just could not like him at all. He simply grated on my nerves. He seemed rather selfish and passive, and he did not feel like a real character to me. Meredith was also not at her best here, but that was a minor bit. Bonnie and Matt, however, both experienced nice growth as characters. I must also note that I absolutely adore Mrs. Flowers!
The story of this book is something else. I had big issues with Nightfall, and some of these are still present here. I found the entire kitsune plotline confusing, very creepy, and I really just did not like it at all. Compared to the original part of the series, the story in this later trilogy is just such a letdown. I loved the story of Klaus and Katherine, of the brothers’ beginnings, but this just was not my cup of tea. Plus the ending of this book made me want to throw my book. A major character dies, and although it is a brilliant death scene, I did not like it. There is some resolution with that, but it just made me frustrated.
Overall, I will say I was disappointed. I do not think that this trilogy lives up to the original books, and, surprisingly, I think that this is one series where I really like the adaptation better. The TV series is one of my all-time favorite shows, and I think that they have take a good story and L.J. Smith’s wonderful characters and greatly improved upon them. Although I do still wish that Meredith might have been included. Midnight was worth the read for me, just because of Damon, and especially his scenes with Elena, but I am not sure I would recommend it.
I don't even know why I keep reading these anymore... Maybe I'll read the next one because you know, it's the last one I have.
Probably the best of the series. And maybe the last I'll read now that the rest have been taken over. Then again, maybe the writing improves. This one had a typo on the final page (waiting/wiating). REALLY?
Anyhow, this one was pretty good. I loved the parts with just Bonnie and Damon in the Dark Dimension, I could have read an entire book just about that. I could have done with less Meredith and Matt and their mushy gushy realization of their friendship at the end. A good touch with Damon's death, though evidently the dead don't stay dead in the Vampire Diaries, that would give it too much integrity.
Despite the overuse of golden hair and the word lapis lazuli (has someone done a word count for the whole series yet?), the vocabulary seemed slightly improved.
Still nowhere near my favourite series but something made me read this far so LJ Smith gets some good credit for that!
Anyhow, this one was pretty good. I loved the parts with just Bonnie and Damon in the Dark Dimension, I could have read an entire book just about that. I could have done with less Meredith and Matt and their mushy gushy realization of their friendship at the end. A good touch with Damon's death, though evidently the dead don't stay dead in the Vampire Diaries, that would give it too much integrity.
Despite the overuse of golden hair and the word lapis lazuli (has someone done a word count for the whole series yet?), the vocabulary seemed slightly improved.
Still nowhere near my favourite series but something made me read this far so LJ Smith gets some good credit for that!
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
