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Anita's story has been the focus of frequent Tuesday Teaser's and Friday 56's. Even a few stand alone posts, I think.
With the final page of Dance Macabre read (for the second time), I find myself reflecting back on this series. According to various reviews and comments, it seems Anita is either loved or hated by the readers - but it is an evolutionary relationship.
Ms. Hamilton starts out gentle and suggestive in Guilty Pleasures. The sexual undertone ebbs and flows in a haunting dance with a slight dark and violent undercurrent. The pressure grows with each book as emotional webs are woven, tangled & cut.
By the time you have progressed to Incubus Dreams the sex and violence has become a giant crashing tsunami, flowing over the reader over and over again, stealing your breath until you are left stranded parched on the beach with 2 stark pages of epilogue.
Incubus Dreams and Dance Macabre both were crazy rides for me. By this point in the series I am emotionally invested in the characters. I would have enjoyed these books more if they were each divided into 2 and written at a slightly slower pace.
Warning: Emotional outburst aheadOne paragraph to wrap up INCONSEQUENTIAL loose ends and summarize past events is cool for an epilogue. But 2 pages with brief summaries of important events?! I want to read the story, dammit, not make it up in my head. *deep breath, in, out, in, out*
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE this series. It just frustrates me sometimes. I mean, geez, I freakin' dream about Nathanial and Jason! Um, yeah... let's keep that on the DL, huh?
READING ORDER
5) Bloody Bones
8) Blue Moon
11) Cerulean Sins
12) Incubus Dreams
13) Micah
14) Danse Macabre
~~ current bookmark ~~
15) The Harlequin
16) Blood Noir
17) Skin Trade
Side Notes: May or may not be influenced by my first read through the ENTIRE series to date (Guilty Pleasures - Skin Trade)
• Anita's learning curve makes me grind my teeth at night.
• Feels way more like a thriller with graphic sex and violence and less like a drama with integral supporting characters and emotions.
2 comments:
If I recall correctly, you're right in the area where I thought about giving up on Anita, but like you was too invested in the characters. I liked the last two books much better.
Patti - I've got the next book in my bag but feel like I need to catch my breath before I start it! I'm nothing if not stubborn and will fight my way to the end. :)
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Thanks so much for delving into my head. It's scary in here sometimes, so it is nice to have company! Don't step on the zephyr...