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A review by laviskrg
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
4.0
Yeah...I liked it. And this review is dedicated to Kat Kennedy, because she convinced me to give this series a chance, a decision I do not regret one bit.
I'll start off with stating that I was quite hesitant to begin the "Fever" series because in most of the negative reviews that I had read as research, the common element was always the same: the nature of the protagonist. Many people have gone on hate rants about MacKayla Lane, describing her as a shallow, unintelligent protagonist, obsessed with the colour pink and with fashion and girly stuff like that. This did, initially, put me off because I prefer serious, deeper protagonists, but I don't really read this genre except one book every few years, so I did not make a fuss about it. But I have read Karen Marie Moning's works in the past and have truly enjoyed them, albeit for the escapist fantasies that they were. I don't see this as essential literature, as classic works of art, but I do see it as an enjoyable turn of pages. My frustration with the "Fever" series has been growing and growing, and in the end, I felt kind of left out for not at least having an opinion of my own. After Kat told me about them, I decided wtf. As if I hadn't paid for worse books before.
I finished the first book, "Darkfever" last night( for someone who has always been afraid of the dark, I don't know how wise it is to read this series after dark, but oh well, work + school => read whenever you can), and I can honestly state that this book was excellent in terms of story, characters, suspense, horror and world building. The next two books are awaiting my attention on my desk, but I feel like I need to address some of the criticism that has kept me so foolishly at bay.
People have said that Mac sucks. I fucking love her. Yeah, sure, she is a self-proclaimed Barbie, a Southern Belle with a taste for the easy, stress-less life. So what? Personally, I like reading a book and seeing some elements with which I can identify, but I find it incredibly sad and pathetic for a woman to want to read about HERSELF. Yeah, sure, I hate pink and want more from life, but so what? Mac works for the story, she is fun to read about and, most importantly, she is flawed. Through her human and worldly flaws, she expresses the most important thing about humanity and life: nothing is perfect. Life sucks a great deal sometimes, humans are imperfect creatures who are capable of nonsense and selfishness, but also of kindness, courage, determination. We all take life for granted until that one day when all goes to shit and we are torn apart from those we love, from those who support us. Not all must face such horrors, it is true, but one way or another, we all must wake up and face the truth of life, the hard work of existence. If we are lucky enough, we do not have to face death and illness.
Mac entertains me greatly. I like the music she listens to, the fact that she DOES listen to music, and, honestly, although I could care less in general about a character's fashion choices, I like that this character gives a crap about her appearance. Not when it comes to clothes, but when it comes to her physical appearance. I like that she is beautiful and that she knows she is beautiful. What the hell happened to assertive, powerful women who do not spend every waking second worrying about how ugly and plain they are. No! Fuck that! No woman should ever think herself ugly and I am happy that beside all the pathetic, vomit-inducing examples of Bella-spawned little bitches, there are strong representations of our genre out there. I love the fact that even though her life is ruined, that she is plunged into hell, she does not become a recluse, a wreck, a martyr.
Barrons...where do I begin. He is my favourite character, and I swear it is not because of his undeniable hotness, agitating attitude and intriguing mystery. This is the character I most identify with. I love his style. I am not defending his often crappy behaviour, messed-up adoration of never sharing anything, but I so adore all the scenes he is in. He is not a boring goody two-shoes who, despite being a world-class warrior, murderer, rapist, ravager of cities and planets, immediately turns into the universe's softest puppy when coming across the female love interest. So I am definitely looking forward to him in the oncoming books.
The romance. People have constantly bitched about this not being romantic from the first effing page. Really? Because that is what we need, right? Sappy, heartless romances, possibly starting on page 2 (because one page is already TOO much character development, right? BAH!), based on absolutely nothing except hotness. This is such a disgusting and shallow perspective. Don't get me wrong. There is a genre for this kind of love story and I have absolutely nothing against it. But if that is all you read, or if that is all you expect in a book, I seriously pity you. Love is a part of life, and therefore, it should be in all stories, but it should NOT be the main focus, purpose, excuse. Ok? Therefore, I enjoy the tension, the banter, and the hate. Two completely different people, actual polar opposites cannot be expected to instantly adore each other. I could live with them not ending up together for the sake of it alone. I want to see how they work, how they function, and how Mac deals with Barron's weirdness.
The background. Are you kidding me? Ireland? Just one of my favourite countries. Fae? Yes, the kind that can totally tear you to shreds, rape you, eat you, in whatever order they see fit, which to me is a big win! Beauty does not equal kindness and I prefer paranormal that can and WILL hurt you. Call me a masochist, but this is realism speaking. Mythology is not just make believe that can be then misused and raped by stupid authors with no desire to research. Sure it can be interpreted and added as a twist, but one must realize that each people's mythology contains the stories, heroes, loves and fears of that people. Fears, as in bad things. I am addressing this because I read a review once, accusing the "Fever" series that it is full of monsters, bla bla bla. Not everyone enjoys horror and monster fiction, it is true, but the book clearly states the nature of the world in which our protagonist is thrust. It is not pretty, nor is it meant to be. Why must one expect nothing but joys and glitter? Horror is not only fictional. Life can be truly horrifying at times.
The suspense and general atmosphere...I turn off the light in my room by flinging a water bottle at the switch (so I don't have to leave the protective aura of my blanket) if I read this book before bed. Also, I have recently become an astute observer of the lighting system in my city. The street illumination is not as trust-worthy as I might prefer...Nuff said!
Have I covered everything? Probably not. The main idea is that I adored the first book and I am sure the rest will raise up to its quality. The only reason why I gave it four stars is that sometimes, the writing style is too simplistic for my taste. Yes, I am a snob. This might not be the book's fault, necessarily, but I like looong, descriptive sentences used in dialogue as well. The books are also slightly short for my taste, but the advantage of getting into a series after it is over is obvious: I can read it all like one big book with 5 different, awesome covers! Hah! But I would probably have suffered greatly if I had been forced to wait for each book. I have no other complaints. I hope the dialogue improves in complexity, but as I said, this is solely a personal preference.
Thank you, Kat, for convincing me to start this immensely enjoyable series. Fast-paced, intense, funny and it has great characters. It deserves to be in your trident of awesome!
I'll start off with stating that I was quite hesitant to begin the "Fever" series because in most of the negative reviews that I had read as research, the common element was always the same: the nature of the protagonist. Many people have gone on hate rants about MacKayla Lane, describing her as a shallow, unintelligent protagonist, obsessed with the colour pink and with fashion and girly stuff like that. This did, initially, put me off because I prefer serious, deeper protagonists, but I don't really read this genre except one book every few years, so I did not make a fuss about it. But I have read Karen Marie Moning's works in the past and have truly enjoyed them, albeit for the escapist fantasies that they were. I don't see this as essential literature, as classic works of art, but I do see it as an enjoyable turn of pages. My frustration with the "Fever" series has been growing and growing, and in the end, I felt kind of left out for not at least having an opinion of my own. After Kat told me about them, I decided wtf. As if I hadn't paid for worse books before.
I finished the first book, "Darkfever" last night( for someone who has always been afraid of the dark, I don't know how wise it is to read this series after dark, but oh well, work + school => read whenever you can), and I can honestly state that this book was excellent in terms of story, characters, suspense, horror and world building. The next two books are awaiting my attention on my desk, but I feel like I need to address some of the criticism that has kept me so foolishly at bay.
People have said that Mac sucks. I fucking love her. Yeah, sure, she is a self-proclaimed Barbie, a Southern Belle with a taste for the easy, stress-less life. So what? Personally, I like reading a book and seeing some elements with which I can identify, but I find it incredibly sad and pathetic for a woman to want to read about HERSELF. Yeah, sure, I hate pink and want more from life, but so what? Mac works for the story, she is fun to read about and, most importantly, she is flawed. Through her human and worldly flaws, she expresses the most important thing about humanity and life: nothing is perfect. Life sucks a great deal sometimes, humans are imperfect creatures who are capable of nonsense and selfishness, but also of kindness, courage, determination. We all take life for granted until that one day when all goes to shit and we are torn apart from those we love, from those who support us. Not all must face such horrors, it is true, but one way or another, we all must wake up and face the truth of life, the hard work of existence. If we are lucky enough, we do not have to face death and illness.
Mac entertains me greatly. I like the music she listens to, the fact that she DOES listen to music, and, honestly, although I could care less in general about a character's fashion choices, I like that this character gives a crap about her appearance. Not when it comes to clothes, but when it comes to her physical appearance. I like that she is beautiful and that she knows she is beautiful. What the hell happened to assertive, powerful women who do not spend every waking second worrying about how ugly and plain they are. No! Fuck that! No woman should ever think herself ugly and I am happy that beside all the pathetic, vomit-inducing examples of Bella-spawned little bitches, there are strong representations of our genre out there. I love the fact that even though her life is ruined, that she is plunged into hell, she does not become a recluse, a wreck, a martyr.
Barrons...where do I begin. He is my favourite character, and I swear it is not because of his undeniable hotness, agitating attitude and intriguing mystery. This is the character I most identify with. I love his style. I am not defending his often crappy behaviour, messed-up adoration of never sharing anything, but I so adore all the scenes he is in. He is not a boring goody two-shoes who, despite being a world-class warrior, murderer, rapist, ravager of cities and planets, immediately turns into the universe's softest puppy when coming across the female love interest. So I am definitely looking forward to him in the oncoming books.
The romance. People have constantly bitched about this not being romantic from the first effing page. Really? Because that is what we need, right? Sappy, heartless romances, possibly starting on page 2 (because one page is already TOO much character development, right? BAH!), based on absolutely nothing except hotness. This is such a disgusting and shallow perspective. Don't get me wrong. There is a genre for this kind of love story and I have absolutely nothing against it. But if that is all you read, or if that is all you expect in a book, I seriously pity you. Love is a part of life, and therefore, it should be in all stories, but it should NOT be the main focus, purpose, excuse. Ok? Therefore, I enjoy the tension, the banter, and the hate. Two completely different people, actual polar opposites cannot be expected to instantly adore each other. I could live with them not ending up together for the sake of it alone. I want to see how they work, how they function, and how Mac deals with Barron's weirdness.
The background. Are you kidding me? Ireland? Just one of my favourite countries. Fae? Yes, the kind that can totally tear you to shreds, rape you, eat you, in whatever order they see fit, which to me is a big win! Beauty does not equal kindness and I prefer paranormal that can and WILL hurt you. Call me a masochist, but this is realism speaking. Mythology is not just make believe that can be then misused and raped by stupid authors with no desire to research. Sure it can be interpreted and added as a twist, but one must realize that each people's mythology contains the stories, heroes, loves and fears of that people. Fears, as in bad things. I am addressing this because I read a review once, accusing the "Fever" series that it is full of monsters, bla bla bla. Not everyone enjoys horror and monster fiction, it is true, but the book clearly states the nature of the world in which our protagonist is thrust. It is not pretty, nor is it meant to be. Why must one expect nothing but joys and glitter? Horror is not only fictional. Life can be truly horrifying at times.
The suspense and general atmosphere...I turn off the light in my room by flinging a water bottle at the switch (so I don't have to leave the protective aura of my blanket) if I read this book before bed. Also, I have recently become an astute observer of the lighting system in my city. The street illumination is not as trust-worthy as I might prefer...Nuff said!
Have I covered everything? Probably not. The main idea is that I adored the first book and I am sure the rest will raise up to its quality. The only reason why I gave it four stars is that sometimes, the writing style is too simplistic for my taste. Yes, I am a snob. This might not be the book's fault, necessarily, but I like looong, descriptive sentences used in dialogue as well. The books are also slightly short for my taste, but the advantage of getting into a series after it is over is obvious: I can read it all like one big book with 5 different, awesome covers! Hah! But I would probably have suffered greatly if I had been forced to wait for each book. I have no other complaints. I hope the dialogue improves in complexity, but as I said, this is solely a personal preference.
Thank you, Kat, for convincing me to start this immensely enjoyable series. Fast-paced, intense, funny and it has great characters. It deserves to be in your trident of awesome!