*****SPOILERS*****
*****SPOILERS*****
*****SPOILERS*****
Sookie is back in Bon Temps;
slowly coming to terms with the terrible events of the last book. She would
like to be getting close and cuddly with Quinn, but he disappeared off the map
a few weeks earlier. Amelia (the most annoying witch that has ever been created
in the whole entire world of fiction) is still unfortunately living…with Sookie
and Bob the cat. She is also sort of dating Pam which leads to all sorts of
wonderful possibilities that Pam would kill her in a violent, painful and
gruesome fashion. Alas, these come to nowt. While visiting; Amelia’s
far-less-annoying-and-possibly-evil father informs Sookie that she is an aunt.
Instead of pining for Quinn, she resolves to get in touch with Hadley’s
ex-husband, Remy and her child.
Rather unexpectedly; Sookie
is asked to step in as a bridesmaid for Andy Bellefleur’s wedding after an
unexpected illness. She would fit the dress, but wasn’t close enough to either
to warrant an actual invitation. No matter how close to the supernatural world
she becomes, it seems that her abilities will always make her an outsider in
Bon Temps.
Eric arranges to take her
out; then dumps her with a stranger at a posh restaurant. Turns out he’s
Sookie’s great-grandfather, Niall! After longing for children for many years;
her beloved grandmother Adele had an affair with a half fairy, resulting in who
children (one who fathered Sookie; the other who brought Hadley into the
world). Though her grandfather is dead, his full blood fairy father isn’t. Niall is the person
responsible for sending Claudine (who turns out to a cousin) to keep Sookie
safe. Though he claims to love her and want a relationship; it’s worth noting
that he has NO INTEREST whatsoever in Jason. Hmmm, power will out huh?
Sookie is dragged into yet
another Shreveport werewolf conflict after several of the female pack members
are killed. After Katrina; turns out that it wasn’t just vampires displaced
with no where to go. Homeless weres have turned their sights to Shreveport due
to the conflicted pack – killing weaker but valuable members to set Alcide
against Packmaster Furnan and vice versa, hoping they would wipe each other out
before realising the external source. Amelia does another ectoplasmic
reconstruction but it doesn’t actual reveal anything of interest. (Given that
every time she appears someone makes reference to her being a wonderful witch;
she rarely ever does anything useful. Grumble mumble) It’s Sookie who uses her abilities to
identify one of the culprits. After a brief and brutal war with the invaders; Alcide
emerges as the new pack leader. All hail the king…and all that.
Eric is having a strange
effect on Sookie. Through their blood bond, she now feels his emotions, vaguely
knows his location and craves him – feeling happiest when he is near her. This
is driving her crazy. She’s convinced that it’s only the blood making her react
thus, though is aware that she still has feelings for him from when he stayed
with her as an amnesiac in book 4.
With Queen Sophie-Anne at
her weakest, the King of Nevada (Felipe de Castro) begins a bloody campaign to
take control of Louisiana and Arkansas. Sophie-Anne is killed, along with all
her sheriffs and many of her vampiric children and supporters. Except for Eric,
naturally.
Aside from being one of the
primary characters in the series; he is responsible for the largest track of
land in Sophie Anne’s kingdom, is older than most, has forged good working
relationships with the local supernatural’s, is blood bonded to a telepath and
has proven to negotiate the modern world efficiently.
Eric had left Fangtasia to see to Sookie’s safety
– so was well out of the way when the fighting began there. Pam continues to
demonstrate her role as the second-in-command every vampire would want –
protecting all inside Fangtasia and taking out as many of the invading King’s
men as possible. Arriving at Sookie’s house, Felipe’s first in command (Victor)
offers Eric (and Bill who showed up to assist Sookie should she need it) the
option of surrender. Eric will retain his area, sheriff status and all
‘beneath’ him will be allowed to live – including Sookie. Eric considers for a
moment then sensibly decides not to continue demonstrating loyalty to a
deceased monarch and accepts the terms presented.
He takes Sookie into her bedroom once he knows that they are definitely
safe and takes a moment to adjust to his new status. There, the memories of
their time together come flooding back. He can’t believe how contented he had
been with Sookie.
With the King, to Sookie’s
surprise, is Quinn. His mother many years before had been brutally raped and as
a result lost some of her faculties. As a were-tiger she is particularly
dangerous when in an unstable state. A few months earlier she had escaped from
her (were-aware) care home. In order to find and rescue her, Quinn had become
the prisoner of the King. Sookie totally understands that his family will
always come first for him – as it should – and gently breaks off their
relationship.
Onto the ‘b’ strand – Jason
and Crystal had married a few books ago after discovering that she was
pregnant. As her brother’s representative, Jason chooses that Sookie should be
the one to deliver punishment when it is found that the pregnant were-panther
had been unfaithful. She is forced to break the claw (hand in human form) of
her friend Calvin Harris. Disgusted with Crystal, the whole Hotshot community
but most especially with Jason, Sookie realises that she needs to break ties
with him for a bit.
As for the ‘z’ story. Amelia
turns Bob back into a person with the help of her mentor, Octavia. He’s pretty
pissed at her. Octavia could have done it sooner but wanted to continue to hang
out with Sookie and Amelia. As punishment for her deception, Amelia invites Octavia to live with
them. Sookie feels totally manipulated but Amelia doesn’t have the attention span
or ability to stop gazing at her own navel for long enough to notice or care.
At work, Sam stages an
intervention with Eric, hoping to restore Sookie to her usual sunny disposition
– absent since Jason used her so callously. Eric – still not sure where he
stands with her – only seems to wind her up further. Then King Felipe shows up
and Sookie is delighted to escape the pair of them. Her connection with Eric kicks in as she drives away, resulting in waves of panic she realises are coming from Eric so
reluctantly she returns to Merlottes. Almost by accident, Sookie saves Eric and
the King from one of Sophie Anne’s most devoted and murderous offspring. The
King expresses eloquently that he now owes her one.
Niall – determined to prove
his usefulness to Sookie has tracked down Hadley’s ex. She visits, hoping to extend
her small family circle and realises that she is not the only member of her
family to possess telepathy. She promises Remy that she will be there for her young nephew Hunter, happily chatting to her mentally.
*****
Parts of this book were
really well done. The whole insider/outsider was quite well explored. Sookie is
welcomed with nearly open arms to all those communities that aren’t actually
her own. Her presence in Bon Temp is no longer as strained as in earlier books,
but she isn’t seen as one of ‘them’ either. Meanwhile, her interactions with
those communities in Hotshot and Shreveport are making her more and more aware
that she doesn’t ‘belong’ there either.
I’m glad that Quinn is out
of the picture though I literally winced when his mother and sister showed up
to ask her why she’d broken up with him. Ouch. I’m also pleased that Eric and Sookie
have decided to give their whole thing a proper shot (collective well D'oh woman!). Bill on the other hand –
showing up to announce that he loves her and dumped the girlfriend he’s been
rubbing her nose in. Grr. Just annoys.
But nothing is as bad as
Amelia. WHY IS SHE HERE!!!! Please let her get lost in the next book. Please!!
Score 5/10
