The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires, Book 2)
by Rachel Caine
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Book Summary Information
Author: Rachel CaineBrand: Dutton
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-04-03
ISBN: 0451220897
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: NAL Jam
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780451220899
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires, Book 2)
Book Review: A Huge Turn for the Worse
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought the first 3 books in this series on a friends on suggestion. I was happy I did because the first book ends in a cliffhanger and the second book picks right up. In the first book, I thought the series was off to a great start but this book takes a turn for the worse.
First the good - the continued development of Michael, Eve, and the vampire Amelee were all good. The introduction of new characters like Sam, Gramma, and the "neutral cops" added some interest. I wanted to learn more about what made the "trap door vampire" so different and hope we get to meet and learn more in future books. The book is action packed and fast moving. And that is about all the praise I can give.
Now for the bad - the story is full of contradictions and plot holes. Not small plot holes but those big enough to drive a truck through. The development of both Shane and Claire is almost non-existent and when it is there, it is horrible. And while not an issue for me, I would warn that this book has detailed account of sexual molestation and attempted gang rape...definitely not appropriate for younger teens.
I sure you want some specifics so this is my SPOILER warning:
- Shane has been plotting with his father to take out vampires so when in trouble in the first book he calls for re-enforcements. His father shows up with 2 other guys but through out the book there are atleast 7 other bikers. If Shane called for help, why would his father hide or leave over half the help?
- Michael has powers and through those powers, he and Shane easil threw a vampire and countless police officers out of the house in the first book. Shane's dad shows up with two bikers and in the first few pages beat Shane and kill Michael without even breaking a sweat.
- Michael can't leave the confines of the house because of the power of the house (the same powers that keeps vampires out without being invited in - they just bounce off the threshold) but when he is killed his body is carried outside for further disfiguring. Seems strange but then when he re-appears in the house it makes no sense since he would be outside of the house's power.
- Mayor Morrell was included on a trial jury against Shane - he is human but they claim that all trials are held by the victims (in this case a vampire) peers
- If the mayor was just a witness, how can he make a deal to release Shane in exchange for them saving Monica?
- In the beginning of the book, a biker locks himself in a room with Eve and Claire to rape them. Shane goes to get his dad but his dad needed to keep the biker's happy and did nothing. Later when the bikers kidnap Monica. He stops one of the bikers from touching Monica. Now Claire and Eve did nothing to him or his bikers but Monica burned down his house killing his daughter which led to the death of his wife. Why would he intervene with Monica but not Claire?
- Shane has been in town 6 months looking for hiding spots and tunnels. In that time, he was able to find a hideout where Amelee's people couldn't find him and tunnels that would allow Shane, his dad, and the bikers to escape from a building surrounded by vampires, who are hundreds of years old, designed the entire town, and yet they didn't know about the tunnels
- Claire is under the protection from the oldest vampire (meaning the leader of the vampires), one of the neutral cops even says that attacking her means death, but Oliver attacks Claire in broad daylight in front of many other vampires, cops, and humans to try to force her pledge allegiance to him and nothing happens to him
- Where was Amelee and her vampires when the vampires are circling the hospital to catch vampire killers? It makes no sense that she wouldn't be there or send her people to help
- If Amelee's current protection is worthless - which was proven by Oliver's attack and Amelee's own letter at the end of the book; why in the world would signing a contract to be a slave to her mean more protection for her?
I am sure there are many more examples but I wanted to get to my two biggest issues with the book:
- Monica kidnaps Claire (again) and is physically torturing her when the bikers carjack the vehicle kidnapping Claire and Monica. They tell Claire they will take a blowtorch to Monica if the mayor doesn't release Shane. Now just to recap, so far Monica has threatened Claire nearly daily, beat her multiple times, threw her down the stairs, burned down Shane's house killing his siter, cut Eve, set her house on fire, was going to burn Claire alive, set her house on fire, kidnapped her three times, tortured her, tried to get her gang raped, etc. Yet Claire never even considered not trying to help Monica. This doesn't further develop Claire. Real development would have an internal struggle with the decision but ultimately decide no one deserves that (like Eve did). This just make Claire look pathetic like she deserves this abuse and is under the mindset that somehow they can all be friends.
- Second horrible move in the book revolved around Ian. Now Ian could have been an interesting character. It doesn't feel realistic that no one on campus is on Claire's side...Maybe a crush that could develop a love triangle and an ally even if he is behind the scenes out of fear would have been interesting but the author went another direction which I can respect. He is a bad guy. He drugs her drink and leads her to a room where he and 3 friends are preparing to gang rape her. After Sam saves her, the bikers attack the party and Claire, Eve, and the 4 gang rapists hide in a closet. While they are scared, Claire holds Ian's hand out of fear. I am not kidding. The author decides that just a few minutes after being nearly gang raped it would be a good idea to have Claire holding hands with one of her attackers! When the coast is clear and they all exit the closet, a guy who groped both Eve and Claire before asks if they are going to report them, Claire again decides not to. This isn't taking the high road. The high road is making sure people are accountable for their actions. This strips Claire of being a human being who might actually be upset by the idea she was nearly gang raped and tries to make her an all forgiving Christ-like character. Just as the author tries to make Claire all forgiving for Monica's brutality.
I might even be able to overlook the plot holes in the blockbuster action movie kind of way that as long as it entertains, who cares? But I can't overlook the horrible character development of Claire and the author's lack of sensitivity and understanding of what a tramatic experience rape, even attempted rape, can be. Sugar coating it does no one any good. Bad book, horrible character development, poor understanding of real world problems by the author.
Summary of The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires, Book 2)
Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.
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