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596 of 663 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A disappointing outing for Sookie fans, and what is with the continuity errors?, May 8, 2009
Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries was such a fun and creatively written series for a while. But the humor and wit that characterized the first four or five books seems to have completely run out by this ninth book, leaving with the reader a disconnected palette of characters, and a hectic pace in which the author seems to have been determined to get in every minor character at the expense of any clarity or reflection by the major characters.
The characters, including Sookie herself, seem to be in a fog in this book, and to be speaking out of character. Even big scary vampire Eric, always one of the most fun to read, just seems off. (Spoiler: he is willing to discuss his painful personal history out in the open in a public place, his bar???) Tossed off personal revelations are never absorbed by the characters and never revisited. The pace of the book is such that it is actually counterproductive in terms of feeling any empathy for the central characters.
Readers should be forewarned about the tremendous violence in the book. (Spoiler: Are the multiple deaths of pregnant women just a heavy-handed device signaling lost promise or hope? Maybe they are the stunted hopes for this book?)
The dragging issue of suitor resolution and the lack of development, if not regression, of Sookie's character on the issue of relationships is disappointing. As a reader who has followed the series for some time, I'm virtually at the point where I no longer care who she ends up with. Not a good place for an author to be finding herself with her readers. Does she really intend to make her readers NOT care about her heroine or give the impression that her heroine is incapable of evolving?
The number of continuity errors for a book with this sales base is truly astonishing. From the fact that Eric no longer remembers that Sookie was never paid for her work in book 7, to the fact that Sookie doesn't remember her grandfather and great-uncle were twins, to the fact that Claude and Claudine's deceased sister was Claudia and not Claudette, to the fact that Chow and not Clancy killed Hallow the witch's representative back in book 4, to the fact that Eric says he `remembers' but seems to have forgotten what he remembers at a rather delicate moment. The writing, continuity wise, or even factwise, seems not to have been proofread at all!
The book reads like a rough draft and has a sense of disconnectedness that is disheartening in comparison to others in the series. Was the goal just to get this one knocked out before the new season of True Blood? Did the publisher and editor think the series fans wouldn't notice? It reads, frankly, like a sellout. And as a reader of the series, I'm seriously hoping this isn't the next Anita Blake series in terms of steady deterioration of quality and content. This book makes me wonder. The editor seems to have done Ms. Harris a great injustice by letting it go out in such disconnected form and with so many continuity errors.
Let's hope that Book 10 gets Sookie Stackhouse back on course.
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85 of 90 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I waited months for this?, May 13, 2009
Before I begin my review of Charlaine Harris's newest book, let me say that I have been a huge fan of her series. I began reading the series in the summer of 2008, and I've enjoyed each one, though I didn't become really captivated by the series until I read LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS. I've reread the series several times, and though I felt some books were better than others, there wasn't a dud among them. Until now. So . . . were my expectations too high? In retrospect, I believe so. Is that my fault? Not entirely. Harris had created a consistently strong series, and then--for me--she just failed to deliver a cohesive, compelling, and satisfying book with DEAD AND GONE. I think that in trying to please everyone, she actually failed to please a significant number of her readers, especially those who were the most invested in her characters.
*** SPOILERS ***
As an Eric fan, one of the things I was most looking forward to was seeing progress in his relationship with Sookie. I never expected hearts and flowers and love and devotion. Hardly. But neither did I expect horniness and [...] and lust and denial, either. True, there were a few tender, intimate moments, but they were so overshadowed by Sookie's denial, that I really couldn't enjoy them. Nevertheless, I loved Eric in this book. He wasn't always the familiar character from previous books (the uncertainty I could understand, but the cheesiness?), but he was still mostly Eric. What I didn't care for so much was Sookie and Eric together. Why? Because I just didn't like Sookie at times. And it's a frustrating experience when you can no longer relate to (or even like) your narrator; it's annoying and tedious. For example, there were so many signs in FROM DEAD TO WORSE that Sookie was beginning to understand the blood bond. In DEAD AND GONE? All gone. Total regression--and as others have pointed out--total fog. It seemed to me that almost every positive thought of Eric generated a thought about the blood bond, and it got old really fast. One of my friends mentioned something that I loved so much that I felt like repeating it: For the most part, Sookie couldn't even work up enough emotion with Eric to get angry--and there were definitely a few times when she should have been angry--and why is that? Because if she had gotten angry, she might have actually demanded some answers and they might have worked some things out. But, no--their relationship is obviously going to be dragged out for books . . . down byways . . . through the briars and the brambles and the bushes. I don't think I have the patience for it anymore.
So, what about the rest of the book? I'm a detail-oriented person, so continuity errors make me cringe. Do I blame Charlaine? Noooooookay, just a little. Do I blame her editor and continuity person? Absolutely. Many of the continuity errors have already been pointed out, so I won't list them all here. Suffice it to say . . . they were a real distraction for me and showed the lack of care that went into this book. I don't know if it was intentional or another problem with continuity, but there were times when certain individuals acted out of character, and it definitely added to the "off" feel of the book. As for the plot . . . aside from several plot holes, there were just too many things happening in DEAD AND GONE, some of which served no purpose in this book and would have been better left for the next one. Instead we get so many things going on that nothing is given sufficient time. Aside from the rather convoluted and contrived mystery, two of the biggest plot points of the book--the Were's Great Reveal and the fairy war--would have been enough for this book. But no--we also get the FBI and the FOTS--so that there isn't time for a few of the plots to fully develop. The fairy war was especially disappointing since we didn't even get to see a lot of it, particularly the death of a favorite character. The pointlessness of the war just added to the sense of frustration I felt with this book. And with so many plot points left unresolved, we are left hanging for another year to see how some of these loose threads are woven back in.
But there were some parts that I enjoyed. Bill had a few moments to shine . . . and got the best line in the book. As I said before, Eric was great, although lacking a bit of his normal joie de vivre. I loved that we finally got a glimpse of his background, grim though it was. Diantha returned in full Technicolor glory and Bubba was back, although not particularly helpful. And there were a few humorous moments in spite of the overall darker tone.
Several months ago, I read Harris's comment that this book was going to be occasionally grim, but I didn't fully comprehend her statement. I didn't find this book merely grim; rather, I found parts of it to be deeply depressing and one part totally excruciating. And even though I have been able to understand Harris's underlying themes (where possible--as in real life, sometimes things are just senseless), is it wrong to wish there had been some light to balance the dark? Charlaine has said that she will try to make the next book lighter. I wish she had tried to do that with this book, as well.
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339 of 376 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Beyond Disappointing...I feel so let down, I think I'm depressed, May 6, 2009
I wanted to give the book atleast three stars bc i love the series so much, but I have to agree with the majority of the negative reviews on this one and say,"what happened?". The last book, from dead to worse, was so detailed and long, it was wonderful! I felt like I was reading a short hand version, or an extremely edited down piece that had to fit into a certain number of words. If CH had kept the same story line for this book and just given us the plot detail and character depth evidenced in the last book, this book would have been simply phenomenal! As a fan, I find that not only disappointing, but extremely frustrating.
ARGH!***BEWARE***THERE BE SPOILERS HERE**********************************
OK, so the two stars were basically for giving us atleast SOME progression with the whole Eric/Sookie relationship, although it still basically went NOWHERE. So he tricks her into what is basically a vampire form of marriage and she barely reacts - she had more of a hissy fit when he yelled at her for dancing with barry bellhop in rhodes! She blames her lack of anger on her blood bond, but she also states that she hasn't seen him for months and that should lessen a little over time...it just seemed weird. And as neat as that story line is, it wasn't even addressed or reacted to by anyone (except sam, but barely). I mean, come on! I don't know why it matters though, bc I figure in the next book she will find something to be mad at him for and he will be on the outs like bill, quinn, and everyone else she get's involved with - I just feel like the whole Eric thing has been building up over so many books that there should be more time devoted to finally developing that before it get's ruined for further plot development - we've been "teased" enough. Give us something more than a few scenes!
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this book, for me, was sookie's lack of initiative in seeking supe support and protection for herself! Especially after the last book ended recapping her strong favor with the vamps and weres! It was ridiculous that she knew she was being targeted to be killed (or worse), actually ends up killing a fairy sent to kill her, and she takes days to ask for any real assistance or call in her supe markers with the vamps or Alcide. When she finally does ask for help, it's lame coverage that falls through and she doesn't ask for back up? The coverage doesn't tell their bosses that they have left her unprotected? She doesn't want to worry her friends, who could help her, or at the very least be warned that being around sookie can be dangerous,so she doesn't tell them? She doesn't tell her brother that he is also a potential target, until after that fairies approach him?!
And why does Eric leave her bed, knowing the issue of her safety is unresolved? Yeah, he suggested maybe she stay at his place, but the whole issue of her safey is sidetracked by "what are you looking for in this relationship", vs. "hey, killer fairies are out to get my lover whom i've just officially claimed in the supe community, even tried to murder her today, and I'm out the door with a 'see ya soon'?" That doesn't seem at all like Eric. Mister, possessive vampire guy who always sends Bubba over the moment he has ANY concerns?! I mean really he had Pam DATE Sookie's roommate Amelia, just to get Pam even closer to protect Sookie, but he leaves her completely unprotected after knowing a fairy tried to KILL her?? Why would he leave w/o having her safety arranged for? Why the heck hasn't Niall arranged safety for her from the beginning, or even after the first attempt on her life? Why doesn't Claudine, who shows up when sookie falls asleep at the wheel of a car, show up when faries are trying to kill her? What the heck? And why, in God's name, would you be out running errands when you need a body gaurd bc killer fairies are out to assassinate you - do you really need to go to the post office that badly? Come on!
Also, the violence. Torture? Killing pregnant women? That added nothing to the story and was simply disturbing and unecessary. The characters she killed off - why? And more detail was given to sookie's reaction to octavia leaving than to the second pregnant woman's murder, which was just completely a waste - what a loss of a great character under such horrible circumstances.
And then, to top it all off, the whole amazing world of fae is just closed down in the end anyway, after all that - what a waste of plot and characters. I'm hoping that's not the case, and more will be done with it in the next book? Honestly, I would have loved it if Sookie had called in her marks almost immediately and all her supe friends & fairy family took the threat serioulsy, but were simply smacked down by how ruthless the fairies were, resulting in Eric becomming uber protective and rallying all the supes to work and fight together against the faires as a common threat to their common bond, our gal sookie! Yeah!! Atleast there would have been more action and the character deaths would have felt justified!
Quinn is in one scene and then is gone for the rest of the book - why bother? Heck, how bout if he had found out that Sookie was in trouble and insisted on staying to gaurd her regardless of Eric - the guy's a weretiger and a pit fighter trying to prove himself! That would have been kinda cool, and interesting from a love triangle point of view too!
We were told Hunter was in this book - what, one mention in a phone call? And then sookie just assumes the kid's not a target bc she THINKS Niall doesn't know about him? Give the kid's dad a warning, something, "get the kid away for awhile, be careful, look out for bad guys, stock up on lemon juice" - something!
Ok, obviously I found this book frustrating and I think my review has turned into more of a cathartic threapeutic venting session than a commentary. I'm not giving up on sookie, just hoping this is an anomaly, and hoping for more of CH's great writing in the future (please). Although, if the book continues to average 4 out of 5 stars (geez, are we reading the same book here people?), I can't believe that would give the author any incentive to give us better in the future! Why put more work into something when the readers are 4/5 happy with less?
This is such a wonderful series, I'd hate for it to deterioate!
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by Charlaine Harris
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