My Rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Vampire
Publication Date: September 2013
Quick Synopsis
Following a explosion of the romantic Vampire image in popular culture an unexpected outbreak of real vampirism has forced Vampires into 'coming out of the coffin'. In the U.S it is illegal to be a Vampire and the government has created restricted Vampire reserves called 'Coldtowns' in an attempt to contain the outbreak. People who are infected with the Vampire virus are required by law to take themselves to these Coldtowns before they ‘Go Cold’ along side those who are stuck there and those who come by choice. But once you are in you can never leave.
Review
Holly Black has taken an interesting spin on traditional Vampire law and mixed in a few features of your classic post-apocalypse zombie plot. A vampire bite carries a toxin that causes the victims body to slowly shut down and crave blood. The thing I found the most interesting about this take on Vampirism is that if the victim can fight the cravings of a long enough time they can kick the toxin and recover to be a normal human again, but if they give in and consume the smallest mount of human blood they turn.
The possibility for recovery is what gives this story so much power. The main character Tana copes with crazy situation after crazy situation by telling herself that she can panic later. Tana doesn't set out to be a hero, she doesn't even think of herself as a strong person but we quickly learn that she is. She's fiercely loyal and doesn't expect someone else to come and save her. She knows if she wants to survive she will need to save herself.
Holly Black does not write her female protagonists as helpless damsels in distress. She also doesn't constrain herself to gendered stereotypes. This novel was incredibly enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone who likes the vampire genre or witty fun read.
No comments:
Post a Comment