DemonessTenebrae

 

“I remember when Chicago burned,” Amelie said. “And London. And Rome. The world doesn’t end, Claire. In the morning, the survivors start to build again. It’s the way of things. The human way.”

 

 

 

Plot.

 

Like I said, a mess. We have three fractions readying for the upcoming war. The pro-Bishop, pro-Amelie and anti-vampire fraction. Of course there are always the neutral fools who usually die first.

 

Everyone is scattered around town protecting either the Founder buildings or the buildings necessary for the normal operation of Morganville like the local power plant.

 

People are scared, divided, old grudges arise, bad habits surface and no one is safe. Except for the campus and the students who are miraculously still unharmed. Imagine that. When all hell breaks loose and the anarchy rules.

 

Claire and her housemates as well as her friends are all assigned on different missions. Everything is still holding together until the vampires are starting to disappear and Amelie and Oliver are out of reach.

 

Not to mention, there is a huge storm underway with a tornado warning.

 

 

Review.

 

This time around, the storyline didn't enchant me. The story was scattered all over, there were many inconsistencies and a whole lot of doing nothing.

 

Most of the book is simply waiting. Waiting for anything and everything. It definitely didn't live up to its prequels status.

 

The characters are still the same (except for the Hannah as the new addition). First they split up in tears like they are all going to die then nothing really happens to them and they reunite and talk about feelings.

 

The best part of the book is without question - humor. Even in the stupidest, tiresome scenes, humor was the only light-bringing forward-pushing thing.

 

„...Hope you like the underwear you have on; I didn’t go through your drawers.”
“Afraid it might get you all turned on?” Shane asked from over her shoulder. “Please say yes.” He grabbed a pair of his own jeans from the pile. “And please stay out of my closet.”
Eve gave him the finger. “If you’re worried about me finding your porn stash, old news, man. Also, you have really boring taste.” She grabbed a blanket from the couch and nodded toward the corner. “No privacy anywhere in this house tonight.

 

 

Eve dropped the blanket and smiled poison-sweet at Shane.
“Your turn, leather boy,” she said. “Don’t worry. I won’t accidentally embarrass you.”
No, she’d embarrass him completely on purpose, and Shane knew it, from the glare he threw her.

 

Also, one more thing that cheered me up is constant doubt in which character is good/bad and how many turncoats are present. With the rhetorical question: "Is Myrnin sane?".

There were a couple of embarrassing / funny / uncomfortable situations present where you kinda squint as in did-he-really-just or no-he-didn't with a wicked smile on your face.

 

“Time to go,” Michael said. He hugged Eve hard, and had to peel her off at the end. “Don’t trust Oliver.”
“Yeah, like you had to tell me that,” Eve said. Her voice was shaking again. “Michael—”
“I love you,” he said, and kissed her, fast and hard. “I’ll see you soon.”
...
Eve stood there with her kiss-smudged lips parted, looking stunned and astonished. When she regained the power of speech, she said, “Did he just say—?”
“Yes,” Claire said, smiling. “Yes, he did.”
“Whoa. Guess I’d better stay alive, then.”

 

He nodded to them, took her hands, and looked into her eyes. (Shane)
Say it, she thought. (Claire)
But he didn’t. He just kissed her hands, turned, and walked away, dragging her red, bleeding heart with him—metaphorically, anyway.
“I love you,” she whispered. She’d said it before, but he’d hung up the phone before she’d gotten it out. Then she’d said it in the hospital, but he’d been doped up on painkillers. And he didn’t hear her now, as he walked away from her.

 

And then Shane finally confesses:

 

“In this whole screwed-up town, you’re the only thing that’s always been right to me,” he whispered. “I love you, Claire.” She saw something that might have been just a flash of panic go across his expression, but then he steadied again. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I do. I love you.”

 

 

Remarks stayed the same.

 

1. Claire I'm sixteen almost seventeen and not a child routine...

 

“Um—could you stop calling me that?” Claire asked. Amelie’s icy eyes fixed on her in almost-human puzzlement. “Child, I mean? I’m not a child.”

 

You’re what, about fifteen?”
“Almost seventeen.” Claire thought she needed a T-shirt that said it for her; it would be a great time-saver—that, or some kind of button.

 

 

2. Nope, Shane and Claire still didn't do it.

 

“Please stay,” she said. “Shane—”
He shook his head. “If I stay, things are going to happen. You know it, and I know it, and we just can’t do this. I know things are falling apart, but—” He hitched in a deep, painful breath. “No.

 

 

My undying love stayed with Eve and Myrnin.

 

1. Eve. - the queen of Morganville (as far as I'm concerned)

 

“You okay?” Eve asked her. Claire nodded, still gasping. “Yeah, I know. Terror Aerobics. Just wait until they get it at the gym. It’ll be bigger than Pilates.”

 

“That’s my girl. Locks,” Eve said. “Also, seat belts, please. We may be making some sudden stops along the way. Don’t want anybody saying hello to Mr. Windshield at speed.”

 

“Yeah? Well I can’t,” Eve said. She glared at Monica, who glared right back. “Claire, you have to stop picking up strays. You don’t know where they’ve been.”

 

2. Myrnin. - the most interesting man in Morganville (yummy)

 

Before Oliver could answer, Myrnin pushed through the crowd in the table-and-chairs area of Common Grounds and walked toward them. He seemed normal again, or as normal as Myrnin ever got, anyway. He’d begged, borrowed, or outright stolen a long, black velvet coat, and under it he was still wearing the poofy white Pierrot pants from his costume, dark boots, and no shirt. Long, black, glossy hair and decadently shining eyes.
Oliver took in the outfit, and raised a brow. “You look like you escaped from a Victorian brothel,” he said. “One that... specialized.”

 

“What about Myrnin?"
Eve swallowed, almost choked, and Michael patted her kindly on the back. She beamed at him. "Myrnin? Oh yeah. He did a Batman and took off into the night. What is with that guy, Claire? If he was a superhero, he'd be Bipolar Man.”

 

 

 

The growing fear.

I'm concerned about the Series. It seems to me like the main focus is Claire and her role in the vampire society and in a vampire struggle for power. But she doesn't really know anything and that isn't changing. Everyone who matters is keeping her out of the loop while she has her life on the line all the time and taps in the dark.

Also, when it comes to an actual battle or a confrontation it disappoints me. Amelie either runs away, hides or is staked when she is supposed to be badass. I haven't seen anything Amelie badass so far. So I am supposed to believe that she is an almost-all-powerful-queen only based on the word of the author. Can't do that. Either make her so or make her a chicken and be done with it. Oliver is ten times more powerful based on the story so far. If you are making a Series where you aren't afraid using sex or blood scenes than you can show us some power proof too.