
Review:
Finally! For once reviews about how dark a novel was didn’t disappoint me. This novel was deliciously gritty, which was just what I was looking for. Even though, in real life, I would never want a romance like these characters had, I totally enjoyed it in light of their characters and situation. It was dark, rough, and gritty, just like them.
Really though, what sucked me into this book was that this author can write! He really knows how to paint a picture, to place you right there. He knows just what details to point out and how to point them out–the perfect use of show-don’t-tell. The writing was so amazing at setting the mood and so perfectly matched with the characters. It’s rare to find writing that is so well done that every single word sucks you deeper into the recesses of the characters minds and the mood of the whole situation. It was written in third person (which, admittedly, is my preference), but I could absolutely hear their voices coming through, especially Adrian’s–everything about him from the gruffness, to the violence, to the cleanliness, to the fear that his diagnosis of sociopathy might be right. All the characters felt real, but he came through exceptionally well.
And speaking of Adrian, even though he wasn’t the most likeable person, I found myself liking him as a character for his sheer rawness. I mean, how often do you hear a protagonist, or any character for that matter, respond to the paranormal craziness thrust upon them with: “Don’t put this shit on me! I’m not your savior. I’m not anyone’s savior.” Or, “You know who you are, I know who you are, and neither of us is happy about it. I’ll get a new apartment on the north east side, and you can find someone else’s life to fuck up.” It was refreshing! He was selfish, short-tempered, and unapologetically his messed up self, and I couldn’t help but love him for it because it made for a fascinating read.
Generally I like my vampires less vicious and more romantic, but the writing was so good that I lost myself in the story and really enjoyed it.
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