kirstiecat's review against another edition
3.0
This is barely a 3...I want to support local authors and so when I saw this at Quimbys, I gave it the random passage test where I turn to a few places at different points in the book and stop arbitrarily to read to figure out if I would like the book. The first place I turned to was a great discussion about how The Who were a legendary rock band and why they were the best live band. The second passage was about theremins. I figured I had to read this book...plus, it had gotten a few 5 stars on Goodreads.
BUT...I think I had the odd luck of turning to two of the best passages in the whole book to be honest. Well, I liked some of the feelings of a graphic novel without the drawings. I liked the setting of Chicago as its where I call home but so much of this felt a little adolescent and even sometimes gratuitous. It's a fun book and it's amusing but I would have been much happier if there was less about werewolves and more about The Who.
Now, listen if you're really into erotic lesbian werewolves, this book is your jam. Seriously, pick it up straight away. I think my problem is I liked one of the characters who was killed/eaten more than the eater/werewolf. I found the idea of these performance artists, poets, blah totally full of artifice and I couldn't stand the main character who was written like a chick who just didn't get what the boys were discussing half the time which I REALLY RESENT. Hey, D.T. Neal, if you ever read this, I'm a lady who can understand and contribute a heck of a lot in music conversations even if they involve boys **rolls eyes**. Too stereotypical or what men seem to think is reality. I did like her record choices for her killings, thought. Those were a nice touch-a little American Psycho with relatively less gratuitous gore.
In the end, I think I also got very annoyed with the immaturity of it..it's a snap shot in time, of a city and a subculture for sure, but the idea of getting famous via blogs and youtube..well, if you've just turned into a werewolf, I'm pretty sure you'd have other problems than keeping up to date and impressing people on your blog. I don't know that for certain, though.
Oh well.
Memorable Quotes:
pg. 1 "Pop culture is an infection"
pg. 11 "Watch myself vanish in a sarcophagus of mirrors. If everything was reflecting everything else, then there'd be no ME. Nothing inside. God, if only I had the money for the projects in my head. Or access to a junkyard."
pg. 137 "You don't like werewolves?"
"They're so lame," she said. "1981 called, they want their monster back."
pg. 244-245 "There are fates worse than death, Samantha. Kitsch is one of them. The Spanish Anarchists had a saying during their civil war against the fascists-'Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.'-I respect that sentiment. Fascism is political kitsch; I think the Spanish Republicans understood that, even into their graves. The Falange had a saying too: 'Long Live Death!" Fitting, really"
BUT...I think I had the odd luck of turning to two of the best passages in the whole book to be honest. Well, I liked some of the feelings of a graphic novel without the drawings. I liked the setting of Chicago as its where I call home but so much of this felt a little adolescent and even sometimes gratuitous. It's a fun book and it's amusing but I would have been much happier if there was less about werewolves and more about The Who.
Now, listen if you're really into erotic lesbian werewolves, this book is your jam. Seriously, pick it up straight away. I think my problem is I liked one of the characters who was killed/eaten more than the eater/werewolf. I found the idea of these performance artists, poets, blah totally full of artifice and I couldn't stand the main character who was written like a chick who just didn't get what the boys were discussing half the time which I REALLY RESENT. Hey, D.T. Neal, if you ever read this, I'm a lady who can understand and contribute a heck of a lot in music conversations even if they involve boys **rolls eyes**. Too stereotypical or what men seem to think is reality. I did like her record choices for her killings, thought. Those were a nice touch-a little American Psycho with relatively less gratuitous gore.
In the end, I think I also got very annoyed with the immaturity of it..it's a snap shot in time, of a city and a subculture for sure, but the idea of getting famous via blogs and youtube..well, if you've just turned into a werewolf, I'm pretty sure you'd have other problems than keeping up to date and impressing people on your blog. I don't know that for certain, though.
Oh well.
Memorable Quotes:
pg. 1 "Pop culture is an infection"
pg. 11 "Watch myself vanish in a sarcophagus of mirrors. If everything was reflecting everything else, then there'd be no ME. Nothing inside. God, if only I had the money for the projects in my head. Or access to a junkyard."
pg. 137 "You don't like werewolves?"
"They're so lame," she said. "1981 called, they want their monster back."
pg. 244-245 "There are fates worse than death, Samantha. Kitsch is one of them. The Spanish Anarchists had a saying during their civil war against the fascists-'Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.'-I respect that sentiment. Fascism is political kitsch; I think the Spanish Republicans understood that, even into their graves. The Falange had a saying too: 'Long Live Death!" Fitting, really"
cathy1969's review
4.0
I was a little nervous going into this book as I have not read this genre in quite awhile, but I really ended up enjoying it. It was smartly written and actually made me a little nervous at times. I truly learned things about werewolves that I never knew and in an entertaining way. I look forward to reading future books from this author.
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