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winterwaltz32 's review for:
House Rules
by Chloe Neill
When the Chicagoland Vampires series first started out, I was really into it. I was running to the bookstore for the next book only hours after finishing the previous. I was chomping through them at an average rate of two per day.
But I have to admit that House Rules fell far short of my expectations and hopes. Chloe Neill's series has been losing some essential aspect that made it so desirable to begin with. Is it the dialogue between characters? The lack of growth exhibited by Merit? Her insufferable martyred attitude and internal pep talks?
It's all of these things and more.
During House Rules I couldn't help but be continuously made aware of how terribly it was written. Neill rarely adds any new characters and when she does they emerge very flat and static - it's like they exist only as an audience in which Merit can wow with her phenomenal abilities. At least twice in the book a character "nodded" or "shrugged" while on the phone with Merit....since when is it possible to see someone on the other end of a phone nod?
But I find the biggest affront to the genre is the lack of consistently in Neill's writing. At times her vampires are all powerful super heroes who can jump several stories, buckle concrete, fight like martial arts masters for hours and portray the endurance to run miles upon miles at vision blinding speeds. Then, when it suits her, suddenly all of the world's rules change and the vampires are little better than human. Except Merit of course. She remains all powerful all the time with no weaknesses or personality to speak of.
By far the ending was the biggest disappoint and the most poorly written conclusion I've read in awhile. I know more Merit books are due to come out but I'm afraid I can only stomach so much before I must say adieu to the series. I know the time has come for this series because I was looking foreword to finishing the book and only sheer will and a strong completionist streak kept me reading.
But I have to admit that House Rules fell far short of my expectations and hopes. Chloe Neill's series has been losing some essential aspect that made it so desirable to begin with. Is it the dialogue between characters? The lack of growth exhibited by Merit? Her insufferable martyred attitude and internal pep talks?
It's all of these things and more.
During House Rules I couldn't help but be continuously made aware of how terribly it was written. Neill rarely adds any new characters and when she does they emerge very flat and static - it's like they exist only as an audience in which Merit can wow with her phenomenal abilities. At least twice in the book a character "nodded" or "shrugged" while on the phone with Merit....since when is it possible to see someone on the other end of a phone nod?
But I find the biggest affront to the genre is the lack of consistently in Neill's writing. At times her vampires are all powerful super heroes who can jump several stories, buckle concrete, fight like martial arts masters for hours and portray the endurance to run miles upon miles at vision blinding speeds. Then, when it suits her, suddenly all of the world's rules change and the vampires are little better than human. Except Merit of course. She remains all powerful all the time with no weaknesses or personality to speak of.
By far the ending was the biggest disappoint and the most poorly written conclusion I've read in awhile. I know more Merit books are due to come out but I'm afraid I can only stomach so much before I must say adieu to the series. I know the time has come for this series because I was looking foreword to finishing the book and only sheer will and a strong completionist streak kept me reading.