leanmrgreen's review against another edition
4.0
I have to admit, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I picked it up, craving something a bit campy. It that sense it deliver. What else it delivered was a renewed fascination with this dead president.
I know this is a work of fiction. It's also a work a fiction that is based on Lincoln's life. It made me wonder how much tragedy he had gone through (nix the vampires), and how he managed to still live day to day.
I'll also admit that I don't know much about the man's life, but after reading this book I'll be looking into the real life of Abraham Lincoln. And a book that gets me to think and want to learn more about something or someone, is a good book in my eyes.
I know this is a work of fiction. It's also a work a fiction that is based on Lincoln's life. It made me wonder how much tragedy he had gone through (nix the vampires), and how he managed to still live day to day.
I'll also admit that I don't know much about the man's life, but after reading this book I'll be looking into the real life of Abraham Lincoln. And a book that gets me to think and want to learn more about something or someone, is a good book in my eyes.
locke_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
asimon1799's review against another edition
4.0
Started off slow but got better once the vampire hunting started
halberdbooks's review against another edition
4.0
One must not mythologize a human being. Even the great, towering icons of the past were human, and humanity will inevitably fail and disappoint. Abraham Lincoln is such a figure, both towering in achievement and complicated in legacy. To mythologize such a man is to do him and the world a disservice, and it would do well to every teacher of history to remember that we must not remove someone's humanity in the service of a simple narrative.
But if we're going to do that anyway, why not write a bitchin' action comedy where he slaughters the undead?
I first read this in 2015 and I found it surprisingly charming. It's breezy and fun, and the action scenes are appropriately over the top. Reading it again, I am struck with how well it weaves both established fact and popular myth with its dark comedic fantasy. I know more today about Abraham Lincoln than I ever did before, and that knowledge greatly adds to my enjoyment of this book.
The rest of the things I've learned over the years have tempered my enthusiasm a bit. The second half of the book is nowhere near as kinetic as the first, and by the third act it certainly begins to drag. The simplification of the historical narrative and the gratuitous gore of the fantasy also begin to trouble me a bit.
As I reflect on this novel in 2022, I see just how indicative of its time it was. 2010 was a year that loved quirky gimmicks, new angles on established stories, a renewed fondness for the trappings of northwoods masculinity, and a delight in absurdly cartoonish violence. It was a tipping point in many ways. I myself have grown a great deal since 2010, and I have striven to examine and unlearn unconscious biases and troubling ideas that I had parroted without thinking. And when I first read this in 2015, I was similarly entrenched in a dark and difficult situation that I have worked forever since to grow from.
But for all its faults, I can't help but love this book. Its photoshopped illustrations only ever detract from the story. Its framing device often doesn't work. But its first page takes hilariously square aim at the idiotic first page of The Da Vinci code, and with every subsequent page it delivers new reasons to delight.
But if we're going to do that anyway, why not write a bitchin' action comedy where he slaughters the undead?
I first read this in 2015 and I found it surprisingly charming. It's breezy and fun, and the action scenes are appropriately over the top. Reading it again, I am struck with how well it weaves both established fact and popular myth with its dark comedic fantasy. I know more today about Abraham Lincoln than I ever did before, and that knowledge greatly adds to my enjoyment of this book.
The rest of the things I've learned over the years have tempered my enthusiasm a bit. The second half of the book is nowhere near as kinetic as the first, and by the third act it certainly begins to drag. The simplification of the historical narrative and the gratuitous gore of the fantasy also begin to trouble me a bit.
As I reflect on this novel in 2022, I see just how indicative of its time it was. 2010 was a year that loved quirky gimmicks, new angles on established stories, a renewed fondness for the trappings of northwoods masculinity, and a delight in absurdly cartoonish violence. It was a tipping point in many ways. I myself have grown a great deal since 2010, and I have striven to examine and unlearn unconscious biases and troubling ideas that I had parroted without thinking. And when I first read this in 2015, I was similarly entrenched in a dark and difficult situation that I have worked forever since to grow from.
But for all its faults, I can't help but love this book. Its photoshopped illustrations only ever detract from the story. Its framing device often doesn't work. But its first page takes hilariously square aim at the idiotic first page of The Da Vinci code, and with every subsequent page it delivers new reasons to delight.
nina_jalhae's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book more than I thought I would. I thought Grahame cleverly incorporated facts (Abraham's loss of hearing in one ear) into his vampire tale. I wish more friends would read this so I can discuss it with someone!
hotsake's review against another edition
3.0
This was a perfectly good, reasonably entertaining read, a solid 3 stars.
As pretty much anyone could've guessed there was no way this book could live up to its title.
As pretty much anyone could've guessed there was no way this book could live up to its title.
gnightsally's review against another edition
2.0
"!!!!!!Spoilers!!!!
The story that Seth spins is an interesting one but he leaves the characters kind of flat. Which is sad because we are talking about Lincoln. The fact that Lincoln would be so singular against vampires and never grow to want to learn them personally seemed wrong. The fact that Mary was kept out of the dark about vampires seems a missed opportunity. The nightmares were a re-occurring annoyance. I hope the movie to be better.
The story that Seth spins is an interesting one but he leaves the characters kind of flat. Which is sad because we are talking about Lincoln. The fact that Lincoln would be so singular against vampires and never grow to want to learn them personally seemed wrong. The fact that Mary was kept out of the dark about vampires seems a missed opportunity. The nightmares were a re-occurring annoyance. I hope the movie to be better.
jackyobrien6's review against another edition
4.0
I watched the movie first, and read the book once I heard it was based on it. The movie is very different, with different action and a main villainous vampire. That doesn't stop me from enjoying both separately.
I loved that the movie had awesome kill scenes, slow-mos and action. I was concerned how those would be translated to a novel. Well my answer was, I need not worry, since they weren't in there. The book focuses on Abe fighting the vampires with politics, and trying to dismantle corruptness in the government. I loved that they mentioned that vampires wanted to keep slavery (in both book and movie), so they can feast without fear of repercussion. The book goes further and talks about a lot of government officials that are in the pockets of vampires, who turn a blind eye as long as it benefits them.
I also loved that the book actually discussed Booth and his story, as the movie just showed Abe driving off to the theater at the end. As the novel ends, Henri leaves us on a cliffhanger! "Some men are too interesting to die" Does that mean what I think it means?
I'm only giving it a 3.5 (rounding up), because it focused a lot on the politics and made it a little dry. I enjoyed that it was written as if reporting from his journals (like a nonfiction), but it also distracted from the action.
I'll be reading the next one, regardless if Abe is in it, and it makes me now want to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
I loved that the movie had awesome kill scenes, slow-mos and action. I was concerned how those would be translated to a novel. Well my answer was, I need not worry, since they weren't in there. The book focuses on Abe fighting the vampires with politics, and trying to dismantle corruptness in the government. I loved that they mentioned that vampires wanted to keep slavery (in both book and movie), so they can feast without fear of repercussion. The book goes further and talks about a lot of government officials that are in the pockets of vampires, who turn a blind eye as long as it benefits them.
I also loved that the book actually discussed Booth and his story, as the movie just showed Abe driving off to the theater at the end. As the novel ends, Henri leaves us on a cliffhanger! "Some men are too interesting to die" Does that mean what I think it means?
I'm only giving it a 3.5 (rounding up), because it focused a lot on the politics and made it a little dry. I enjoyed that it was written as if reporting from his journals (like a nonfiction), but it also distracted from the action.
I'll be reading the next one, regardless if Abe is in it, and it makes me now want to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
yanghx92's review against another edition
4.0
I like how vampires are obviously BS but this whole book was written in such a way that I almost second guessed myself for a moment. An interesting and captivating read, I have never sped through a book so quickly.
theverbalthing's review against another edition
3.0
I think the ending could have been stronger (and a little less cliched?) but overall I liked the story and the pacing.