Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to her herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome---and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. he's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life....
But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of---big surprise---murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next....
Review:Charlaine Harris' first Sookie Stackhouse novel is a strong start to an outstanding series. If you've watched True Blood on HBO but haven't read the series, I would definitely recommend reading the books. They are very different from True Blood, but just as good.
Dead Until Dark is a murder mystery with romance, friendship, and family relationships all in the mix. I like the setting of Louisiana, it's a good mix of reality and fantasy.
As is common with the first novel in a series, this book introduces a lot of characters and gives us a lot of background information. It doesn't move as fast as the other Sookie Stackhouse books, but is still a quick read. If you read this book and don't find it to be very gripping or compelling, give Living Dead in Dallas, the second Sookie book, a try. Like so many others, this series gets better with every book.
I've read all of Charlaine Harris' books, including the Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard series, and find the Sookie novels to be her best work. I just don't like her other heroines as much as I like Sookie.
Just one gripe:
Why did Sookie's parents name her Sookie and give her brother the normal name of Jason? Sookie is a weird name!
The Best Thing About This Book:
Sookie is a strong character who knows herself. She stands up for herself and knows what she wants. That makes her endearing, in my opinion.
No
Score:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Setting/Imagery: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Ending: 5/5
Total Score: 22/25
Also Recommended:
Sookie Stackhouse
Would men like this series?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think so. Sookie is very matter-of-fact with her feelings so there's not a lot of gushiness like there is in Twilight. There is a lot more action in this series also.
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