(I love the pearls with the bite marks – very appropriate for this book)
March 27, 2007
Paperback, 336 Pages
Hyperion Books
Young Adult
This Young Adult book has a very interesting concept and twist to a vampire story. It is hard to talk about this book without giving away minor spoilers, but I try to keep them teeny tiny.
Melissa De La Cruz vampires have been around since the beginning of time, and their soul is immortal, they just take on a new shell, or body every 100 years or so. When focused and with some practice, the new shell can recollect it’s previous memories. Currently in present day there are approximately 400 vampires. They have known each other since the beginning of time.
Schylur Van Allen is a fifteen yr old who goes to the very prestigious Duchenese school in New York City. Although her family has fallen on hard times, her father is dead, her mother has been in a coma since she was an infant, her family name is still one that allows her to go to this school and she is cared after by her grandmother. Schyluer and her best friends Oliver and Dylan fall under the more artsy crowd. In the popular crowd are Mimi and her twin brother Jack, who happen to be vampires. The two crowds do not mix and animosity ensues.
Schluyer discovers she is, or is about to turn, into a vampire after discovering an intricate pattern of blue veins on her arms. Since all vampires have to attend secret meetings to learn how to deal with what they are becoming, the two social groups are forced to interact.
Oliver definitely has a thing for Schylur although Schylur either pretends not to notice his romantic intent, or just doesn’t see it. Jack has a very complicated relationship with his twin due to their centuries of previous memories, and the extent of their relationship is not quite explained (again, don’t want to go into spoiler area, but they are some freaky twins). Jack is also attracted to Schylur and a delightful little love triangle is set up.
When one of her friends turns up dead, the excuse of a drug overdose seems too easy. When Jack tells her she was a vampire, and there was no way she could have been killed by something human, they realize something sinister is out there, and now they must discover what it is before harm can come to anyone else.
What I really enjoyed about this book was the concept of Melissa De La Cruz’s vampires. The vampire species has never been human, they were created as vampires at the beginning of time. She also weaves in the story of the Roanoke colony that mysteriously disappears at the time Plymouth is being settled. The vampires helped settle Plymouth and the disappearance of the Roanoke colony is woven into the present day murder mystery plot. It lends an eerie feel to the book and makes it quite unique.
I also love the fact that all of the vampires can recollect memories from the past. Mimi and Jack can remember 200 years ago dancing, but as different humans. In this book she only gives brief glimpses into the past, like a flash. I would love to have her go into more depth, it is really fascinating to think the current person was in a different body a hundred years previously and may have had a different relationship to you. Your parents are not really your parents, they just act as your parents this current 100 years.
I love fashion and Melissa De La Cruz goes into a lot of detail on the clothing and accessories everyone is wearing. This is a very fast read, yet smart. There is no neatly wrapped up ending in this book,which is refreshing, but now I really want to read the next in the series.
Rating: 3 Stars
Series includes:
Blue Bloods – March 27, 2007
Masquerade – July 1, 2008
Revelations – July 21, 2009
Van Alen Legacy – October 6, 2009
Melissa De La Cruz Website.
Sounds good, now I can't wait to start reading the book. So glad the library had the first one…I only hope they will get the rest too
Sounds like this could be an interesting read Mandi thank you!!
BTW are you as antsy as I am waiting for this months KMM newsletter?
Blodeuedd – I have the second on wish list at PBS, but I might just breakdown and buy it
Amanda – Is it sad that was one of the first things I thought of this morning?? Come on email!!! :)
What kind of a name is Schylur? Please tell me she has a nickname.
This sounds like it could be a fun book. I've looked at it in the bookstore a few times but wasn't sure if good enough to buy in hardcover or not.
Heidenkind: I sorry to tell you that she does not have a nick name :S
I really enjoy this series ^^ Like the concept, as you, and the new book is totally going to kick ass!
This is a book that I've thought about read time and time again. Liked your review, definitely piqued my interest in it again. Thanks!
I agree with the post above and I will find more information from google.