Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Dead Until Dark

A fun romp, especially if you’ve seen the show. Don’t expect deep mystery or heavy emotions and you’ll likely be satisfied with this. First-person narrative isn’t usually my bag, but it worked, and made some of the cringier and uncomfortable terminology or biases showing through a little easier to accept, since it was filtered through a character’s mind. Perhaps this was intentional, perhaps it was happy accident - it was written in 2001, after all. My biggest beef with it was some of the dynamics between Sookie and Jason - siblings just don’t call each other “bro” and “sis” where I’m from. Maybe it’s different in the South!

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taraisaducky's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I already knew I loved this series as a show. I was pleasantly surprised to fine the show was very true to the book aside from being set a few years later. (With one Elvis shaped exception) I really enjoyed the tone and pace and the author’s style. I actually listened to this on audiobook and the reader was fab.

Not precisely a spoiler, but I was a little surprised Tara isn’t in it at all. I’m hoping she will be in the next book in the series.

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lauraleafromthelibrary's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

“The death of a pet is naturally not in the same category as the death of a family member, I chided myself, but it didn’t seem to affect my misery.” (230)

Why True Blood (the tv show) is better than the Sookie Stackhouse book series (book one comparison):

Tara — why the fuck is Tara not in book one??? Her friendship with Sookie is one of the best parts of this whole series. There is no Sookie without Tara.
Lafayette — he has like 2 or 3 lines in this whole first book? I’m so confused. Again, one of the best side characters in the show and desperately missed in this first book.
Jason — is so misogynistic and cruel towards Sookie in this book. True Blood Jason loves his sister and actually likes spending time with her. I don’t know why he’s such an asshole in this book — way better on screen.
Racism — this book is overtly racist and doesn’t even try to incorporate any inclusivity; True Blood does a much better version of this Deep South confederate story. I did not feel comfortable with the disgusting lack of race equality in this book. Charlaine Harris is a white woman, I understand that — but ANY attempt by her to include Black Americans in this story was completely ignored (other than Lafayette’s quick appearance).

AND — I have been lucky enough to own a dog for many years, and sadly been there for his death. Anyone that tells me I didn’t mourn him like he was a family member is wrong. He stole a piece of my heart and I will always remember him. Smh. *Sookie when her cat dies*

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martamae77's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

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embla_v's review against another edition

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dark mysterious

3.0

Jag gillade boken och den var väldigt underhållande. Jag kommer 100% fortsätta läsa serien.

Boken handlar om Sookie som jobbar som servitris på en bar. En dag kommer Bill in i baren men Bill är inte vem som helst han är vampyr. Vampyrer lever nämligen offentligt bland människor. Men fler och fler kvinnor börjar hittas döda och Sookie verkar vara på mördaren radar.

En underhållande romans mellan en människa och en vampyr. Kan definitivt rekommendera serien.

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