Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Reviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Supernatural/Mystery
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in the small Louisianna town of Bon Temps. Her life is fairly normal except for one thing – she’s a telepath and can read the thoughts of others. This makes life difficult for Sookie, so when a vampire walks into the bar she works in and she can’t hear a single thing he’s thinking, she feels relief. Vampires have “come out of the coffin” all over the world and Sookie is to drawn Bill (the vampire) for both his mental quietude and his exotic nature. However, as Sookie and Bill fall for each other, humans are getting murdered in Bon Temps and it appears that vampires are to blame. Is Bill’s appearance in Bon Temps a coincidence, or are he and his vampire friends killing humans and jeopardizing the lives of vampires who want to live mainstream lives?
My Review: I am a little late to the Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood party, but better late than never. I had a lot of fun reading this book. Charlaine Harris might not be the best, most literary writer, but this book was entertaining and presents a thought provoking alternative world. What would we all do if vampires and other supernatural beasties were real? Would we welcome them into mundane human life or push them away? I think Sookie and Bill (and eventually Eric) are fun characters. I enjoy them as individuals and I enjoy their romance. This book as a whole is surprisingly nuanced and overall good enough for me to keep going with the series. I’m currently on book 6 and plan on finishing them all.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Fun, Sexy, Toothy
Give This a Try if You Like… Bram Stoker’s Dracula, deadpan humor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!