Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana--except for her "disability." She can read minds. But when Bill Compton walks into her life, she can't hear a word he's thinking--and then then one of her co-workers is killed.
Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea...
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Right upfront, let me explain to you that this review will be ever so slightly biased. For those of you that (somehow) don't know, the Sookie Stackhouse novels are the basis for HBO's show True Blood. That being said, I started reading this book having already seen the first season of True Blood (which is an adaptation of this book). Actually I'd seen it twice, so...I pretty much knew the major plot points and twists.
On top of going into this already knowing the end, I also went in having read some of the disapproval Sookie Stackhouse fans had toward the way the first book had been adapted. That being said, I'll get started on my review.
To begin with, the book's a really good read. Usually, when I've seen the movie/TV show before reading the book, the book tends to drag for me, because I go in expecting a certain pace. That was not the case here. In fact, if it was dragging because of me seeing True Blood, then I can only imagine how much faster I could have read this book. I flew through this book like it was nothing (my copy clocks in at 312 pages). It was a phenomenal read. Better than some other vampire books that I've read recently (*cough*Twilight*cough*).
As for a book/True Blood comparison, I definitely view the book as being a whole other entity. The show strayed from the book enough that I'm curious to see how things pan out in the books. A certain character, who shall remain nameless, survives the book. They do not survive the show. I'm very curious to see whether or not he/she reappear in subsequent books (don't say anything, for those that have read the books and know which character I'm talking about).
At this point, I would usually start listing off what didn't work for me in the book. I'm surprised to say that I've got nothing. I seriously liked everything about this book. The entire time I was reading, there wasn't a single instance where I wished something had been written differently. It was perfect. I loved the writing. I loved the characters. I wouldn't change a single thing. I loved it.
I think you can figure out my botton line, but I'll say it anyway. I definitely...DEFINITELY...recommend this book.
~Missy
I read the first seven of these books in seven days, so I'm with you about the quick read part.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the books and the show are completely seperate entities. I have to say, though, that I've been avoiding True Blood this season because I feel like it's going to mess up the books for me. Yeah. They're THAT good. I hope you enjoy Living Dead in Dallas. It's one of the funniest books I've ever read. Especially one particular part. You'll know it when you read it, believe me.