I have to admit that this is technically a re-read as I read most of this novel about 5ish years ago just as the TV show was getting started. Now I'm the kind of person who can't read a series at the same as it being on TV or in the cinemas. There has to be, for me, some distance from getting the story from one medium and getting the story from another. I know that the TV show hasn't officially ended, but after how bad the last two seasons were for me, I am personally done with True Blood and so I can get on to reading the Sookie Stackhouse series!
The plot begins with Sookie Stackhouse who is a waitress in a little American town called Bon Temps. Only Sookie isn't just a waitress because Sookie is telepathic. In this universe vampires are very real and have 'come out of the coffin' two years prior to the beginning of the story. I have to admit that I know very little about Black history in the American south, but this story does appear to be very reminiscent of the race prejudices and racial barriers that have existed in this part of the world and from what the text itself suggests, still do.
The novel is interesting because it really does not fit into genre classifications. It is simultaneously a paranormal romance, murder mystery, fantasy, vampire novel. Moreover, whilst reading the novel I never felt as though any of those strands were out of place or jarring. You do get the sense as the story continues that there are bigger themes to come as the series continues, for instance the lore of vampires, Sookie's affliction and Sam's origins. Having said that, the primary issue in this story, the unveiling of Gran's murderer is resolved satisfactorily at the end of the book.
The romance between Bill and Sookie was an interesting comment on interracial relationships, but in other ways very typical of the romance genre, in that it was very intense and quite sudden. I don't know what it was about these two, but I just never found myself rooting for them in the way that I would expect myself to when reading a romance novel. I wasn't invested in their relationship at all and despite the explicit declarations Sookie makes about missing Bill I just don't believe that she ever did. (Though it never appeared to me that she missed her Gran either.) On top of this, Bill struck me as a very unconvincing romantic hero. I know that superficially he seems to tick all the boxes. Broody and enigmatic? Check. Worldly and protective? Check. Handsome and sexually talented? Check. He has the makings of a desirable hero, but I just didn't want him. I was even trying to picture Stephen Moyer for most of the book! It just didn't click for me.
Another problem I had with the plot is the way in which Sookie's abuse as a child was dealt with. I didn't understand the point in it being there. I am by no means suggesting that the sexual abuse of children has no place. I'm sure that it could have been a very worthy addition to Sookie's character and a worthwhile exploration of the impact upon it's survivors. It could have even added to the commentary that is going on discussing who are more monstrous: vampires or humans? It could have done all of those things and yet it didn't. It was quashed as suddenly as it was introduced. It may be that it gets brought up in later novels in the series and gets dealt with there, but I am a firm believer that if you can't do such an important topic justice then just don't do it.
One of the issues that I think Harris dealt with incredibly well was the violence against women theme. All of the murderer's victims were women, all of the murderer's intended victims were raped and chosen because of their consentual sexual relationships with vampires. This is the story line that kept my interest throughout this novel. The judgement that is bestowed upon these women by the people in their community was interesting because it mirrored to a lesser degree the feelings of Renee himself and meant that almost everyone was a suspect. Sookie, through her telepathic talent, encounters many of the people that she has grown up with thinking that the women deserved to be murdered because of their dealings with vampires, because of their 'blue collar', low-skilled jobs. It was interesting that a comment was being made on the value of women, both because they were women, but also because of their working-class status. This story line adds another layer to the exploration of prejudice that this novel seems focused on. I was very pleased that the murderer received his comeuppance at the end of the book and that the victims of his misogynistic hatred were given at least some justice. In the next book I would like to see more of what happens to Rene.
Overall, this book though the language was quite simple and easy-going surpassed my expectations with it's hard-hitting themes. I will definitely go on to read the next book in the series and am looking forward to seeing more differences between True Blood and the books that the TV show originated from. I have to say that I did miss the presence of Tara in the novel, who appeared in HBO's televised version of the stories. I also missed the more comedic side to Jason's character, but I hope that both these things will make an appearance in later Sookie novels.
Rating: ★★★
One of the issues that I think Harris dealt with incredibly well was the violence against women theme. All of the murderer's victims were women, all of the murderer's intended victims were raped and chosen because of their consentual sexual relationships with vampires. This is the story line that kept my interest throughout this novel. The judgement that is bestowed upon these women by the people in their community was interesting because it mirrored to a lesser degree the feelings of Renee himself and meant that almost everyone was a suspect. Sookie, through her telepathic talent, encounters many of the people that she has grown up with thinking that the women deserved to be murdered because of their dealings with vampires, because of their 'blue collar', low-skilled jobs. It was interesting that a comment was being made on the value of women, both because they were women, but also because of their working-class status. This story line adds another layer to the exploration of prejudice that this novel seems focused on. I was very pleased that the murderer received his comeuppance at the end of the book and that the victims of his misogynistic hatred were given at least some justice. In the next book I would like to see more of what happens to Rene.
Overall, this book though the language was quite simple and easy-going surpassed my expectations with it's hard-hitting themes. I will definitely go on to read the next book in the series and am looking forward to seeing more differences between True Blood and the books that the TV show originated from. I have to say that I did miss the presence of Tara in the novel, who appeared in HBO's televised version of the stories. I also missed the more comedic side to Jason's character, but I hope that both these things will make an appearance in later Sookie novels.
Rating: ★★★
Next in series: Living Dead in Dallas
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