Scan barcode
A review by raypuffle
Bloody Fool for Love by William Ritter
4.0
This book really grew on me. Spike is my favourite character and I was really excited about the prospect of reading a prequel from his perspective. I think the author did a really great job encapsulating Spike's voice. The fact that his entire motivation in this story was to make Drusilla happy is very on brand, a fool for love indeed. I was on the fence about Drusilla's voice at first. It's very hard to get her distinct moony madness just right. It wasn't quite perfect but her actions were still true to her character. I also enjoyed Darla's side story. It was fun getting to see a different side of Darla. I could probably read a whole book about badass spy Darla.
I especially loved all the little Easter eggs from the original series. I loved getting to see a Chaos demon in action and hey if his slime smells like intoxicating coconut who can really blame Drusilla for straying. I loved, loved getting to see the origin of Ms Edith, that may actually be my favourite part from this book. I loved the literary references to both Dracula and Mary Shelley. I loved getting to hear Darla's feminist critique of Dracula and I hardcore relate to the young author Spike meets feeling of complete inadequacy comparing herself to Mary Shelley. I love Mary Shelley. I am here for the Mary Shelley references.
My main critique of the novel comes down to the YA tone. I know it's a YA novel but the violence and mayhem you would expect from William the Bloody is really lacking in this book. I've read YA books that have been able to lean into the horror without going to far on the adult side but this book is not one them. Early on we have Spike acting melancholy because he can't afford to buy Drusilla a present. The Spike I know would not be concerned with money. The spike I know would be stealing and murdering anyone who got in their way. Speaking of murdering the lack of vampire violence in the first half of the book is mind boggling. We have the convenient plot device of this vampire council forbidding killing people, really? They are vampires this is what they do. Also you cannot convincingly tell me that Spike, a relatively new vampire coming off just killing a vampire slayer, someone with very poor impulse control would adhere to not killing anyone because a council told him not to. This is not probable.
Lack of violence aside in the first half the second half really made up for the first. I love the actual heist and the kooky hijinks that ensue during the heist. It all felt very Scooby-Doo and very Buffy. The action in the second half was great. I really enjoyed the fight scene with the werewolf and I especially enjoyed seeing Drusilla in all her mad psychic glory. The action really ended with a bang and was completely satisfying. The quirky little reveals of people popping out of the rubble was also very Buffylike in tone.
Overall I enjoyed the story. I did have my issues but in the end the positives outweighed the negatives for me. I'm not sure how much a non-Buffy fan would enjoy reading this as my love and nostalgia for Spike and Dru is what really sold the book for me.
Rounding up from like a 3.5 because how much I enjoyed the end.
I especially loved all the little Easter eggs from the original series. I loved getting to see a Chaos demon in action and hey if his slime smells like intoxicating coconut who can really blame Drusilla for straying. I loved, loved getting to see the origin of Ms Edith, that may actually be my favourite part from this book. I loved the literary references to both Dracula and Mary Shelley. I loved getting to hear Darla's feminist critique of Dracula and I hardcore relate to the young author Spike meets feeling of complete inadequacy comparing herself to Mary Shelley. I love Mary Shelley. I am here for the Mary Shelley references.
My main critique of the novel comes down to the YA tone. I know it's a YA novel but the violence and mayhem you would expect from William the Bloody is really lacking in this book. I've read YA books that have been able to lean into the horror without going to far on the adult side but this book is not one them. Early on we have Spike acting melancholy because he can't afford to buy Drusilla a present. The Spike I know would not be concerned with money. The spike I know would be stealing and murdering anyone who got in their way. Speaking of murdering the lack of vampire violence in the first half of the book is mind boggling. We have the convenient plot device of this vampire council forbidding killing people, really? They are vampires this is what they do. Also you cannot convincingly tell me that Spike, a relatively new vampire coming off just killing a vampire slayer, someone with very poor impulse control would adhere to not killing anyone because a council told him not to. This is not probable.
Lack of violence aside in the first half the second half really made up for the first. I love the actual heist and the kooky hijinks that ensue during the heist. It all felt very Scooby-Doo and very Buffy. The action in the second half was great. I really enjoyed the fight scene with the werewolf and I especially enjoyed seeing Drusilla in all her mad psychic glory. The action really ended with a bang and was completely satisfying. The quirky little reveals of people popping out of the rubble was also very Buffylike in tone.
Overall I enjoyed the story. I did have my issues but in the end the positives outweighed the negatives for me. I'm not sure how much a non-Buffy fan would enjoy reading this as my love and nostalgia for Spike and Dru is what really sold the book for me.
Rounding up from like a 3.5 because how much I enjoyed the end.