Review: unusual take on vampires
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 12, 2013
3.5 stars rounded up to 4I love the set up of the story. Vampires are now called drinkers and they are highly regulated through hospitals, blood centers, and a police force specialized in handling rogue drinkers, or Class X drinkers. Laurence is part of this police force and is bitten by a Class X on the job. In order to readjust and get his job back, he needs the psychiatrist, Ira, to give him a Class A rating, meaning he can handle high stress situations. They are interested in each other and when their professional relationship as doctor and patient is over, they plan to go on dates. Unluckily, Ira disappears without a trace.Laurence is struggling with his new status as drinker and trying not to be depressed. He's very easy to sympathize with. His whole life changed when he got bitten and now he has to see a psych, which no one wants to do. Nevertheless, he has a strong, healthy mentality and a let's-get-it-over-with personality. He's calm and optimistic, which balances with Ira's over-analyzing personality.One thing that confused me is the dress code, and by relation, the time period. The dress style for the main characters and the side characters are described in detail. It seems like some kind of Victorian style is preferred, however, they live in an age where hospitals can analyze blood protein levels and do brain scans.When Ira gets kidnapped, that's the start of a thrilling mystery. Laurence gets thrown in with Ira in a locked room with kidnappers that's planning torture them. Combined with a morbid back story, I can't stop reading or tear my eyes away from the pages. Although one thing that can be clearer is the reason behind the murders, but that doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.Ira and Laurence are not totally in love with each other yet but they have a budding relationship. Their ordeal together builds trust and lays a good foundation for future friendship or love. The author really succeeds in writing a vampire story that's different and describes the world in detail. I definitely recommends this book to vampire fans and someone who likes a little bit of thriller in their books.*review copy received in exchange for an honest review*