I've looked forward to Dead in the Family
, anxiously awaited it's release. And now that I've read it, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with it. No, not just a bit disappointed - I'm a lot disappointed.This was supposed to be Eric and Sookie finally together, where they are really together. The real Eric, not a cursed Eric. There should have been fireworks, but there weren't. Eric and Sookie were (I hate to say this) kind of boring together.
As for the plot... there wasn't really a big plot. There were lots of little plots running around, but no major plot line to tie everything together.
Another problem, and this isn't so much Charlaine Harris' fault as it is the writers of True Blood... but we've now got one set of characters in the TV show and another in the book. Tara is completely different (to put it mildly). And Sam's family history is completely different. Eric's maker is different. There's a lot more, but those things jarred me out of the book as I was reading it.
Dead in the Family felt like we are being set up for the next book. It didn't feel like a book all on it's own. So much that was unresolved from Dead and Gone is still unresolved.
I'm giving Dead in the Family
a 6 of 10. I'm tempted to lower the series to a 9 of 10, but I will keep it at a 10 of 10 for now. If the next book is of the same caliber and quality as this one though, the series will probably drop to an 8 of 10.Book Rating: Dead in the Family: 6 of 10
Series Rating: Sookie Stackhouse / Southern Vampire: 10 of 10
And now for a spoilerish talk. I don't think Sookie and Eric are going to have a HEA. Not unless Sookie is going to be turned, and I don't see that happening, for some reason. I think Sookie's HEA (should the series ever end) is more likely to be Sam. They've been good friends for so long, and he's always there for her, no matter who she's dating or what is happening. My opinion is that the reason the Sookie/Eric dynamic was so boring is because we aren't supposed to like them together. Or that's what I'm trying to convince myself, because after all of the fireworks to get them together, this was a great big dud. (Select the spoiler text to view it.)
- Dead Until Dark
- Living Dead in Dallas&
- Club Dead
- Dead to the World
- Dead as a Doornail
- Definitely Dead
- All Together Dead
- From Dead to Worse
- Dead and Gone
- Dead in the family
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Ms Harris's continuity from book to book has also been going down hill. I suspect the author just has too much on her plate, what with two series, the HBO stuff, and publishers who just want to get the next book OUT already, to do justice to her books and characters. As a reader, I am insulted; as a purchaser, I'll be visiting the library.
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