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Vampires: Die, Already!

by - February 2nd, 2011


Ohhh, I don’t really mean that. But I have to admit that the vampire fad has stayed around a lot longer than one would have expected. A few more years and the Twilight movies and their spinoffs will have run out – then it will be time to take note of the vampire’s true staying power. In the meantime, you fang-fans can still enjoy derivative works – and as long as they aren’t sparkly, often I can enjoy them too.

In the surprising swelter of the late Aussie summer I have picked up a new release to read: Nocturne, by Syrie James. I have heard of her before: she writes fiction spin-offs of well-known classics (namely The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen; Dracula, My Love; The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte). In hindsight, I am wondering whether I may have written her off as ‘not worth it’ too soon. And yes, it may seem strange to some, but the novel’s environment – set in wint’ry-white Colorado, USA – was a welcome change from the sweltering heat outside.

I don’t think I am spoiling anything by giving away that it is a vampire/ human love story. This story is unusual though, in that it features only two characters: the vampire and the human female, stuck in a mountain retreat after the woman’s car runs off the road driving back from a ski-slope wedding.

I try hard not to be judgmental with these types of reads – as I say, Chick Lit is good if it’s cohesive and interesting (humour always helps), and doesn’t purport to be something it’s not. Pleasantly, I was lulled into the lovey-dovey-ness of the story and didn’t have time to worry about it not being a ‘literary’ read. I found myself (surprisingly) attracted to the dashing, secretive Michael, and Nicole wasn’t too bad as far as heroines go: she displays sass, wit and snarly fightbacks when the situation calls for it.

Nocturne is a bubble-bath of a novel – a frothy, fun, cozy piece which doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it is, and for that reason I’d recommend it as a quick, enjoyable read. There is a slight annoyance about the female protagonist’s obsession with a certain fictional author, and a little too many (repetitive) references to the “red-gold hair” she displays, but aside from that, I don’t have any qualms with this sweet brand of vampire fairytale. If your Valentine’s Day dancecard on February 14th isn’t filled,  I suspect you won’t mind so much with this read on your lap, nestled in your favourite overstuffed chair.

***

Disclosure: Received for review.

Year of Publication: 2011.

Number of Pages: 224.

Book Challenges: None.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 at 7:06 am and is filed under Aimee Burton, Book Reviews - Fiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

3 Responses to “Vampires: Die, Already!”

  1. Amanda Says:
    February 2nd, 2011 at 7:42 am

    As the mother of two vampire obssessed girls, I can’t tell you how over the whole vampire thing I am. Still, as a genre, it has had a surprisingly long run for it’s money.

  2. Ross Says:
    February 2nd, 2011 at 7:47 pm

    Vampires as dark nasties, I’m OK with. They even feature in my current novel in progress. It’s the whole paranormal-romance-vampires-are-super-sexy-while-tearing-your-throat-out thing that I am soooo over. I get that many of that sort of thing turning up for review it simply isn’t funny. Fortunately I have a couple of others who don’t mind reading vampire slut fiction that I can toss them at.

  3. Aimee Burton Says:
    February 7th, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Amanda: Agreed. In every aspect.

    Ross: Strong words! But also agreed. Still though, I wouldn’t mind the classic Vampire Lestat tearing out my throat! That sort of vampire-sexy agrees with me!