Reviews
This had a very strong climax but I found the general plot significantly less compelling than the first novel. I also docked points for the demonization of voodoo and some other odd and disappointing narrative decisions.
Nadia Lee has written a relevant article on the propensity of white people to demonise 'Louisiana Voodoo' that seems replicated in this novel, which I encourage reading. Link: https://brizomagazine.com/2020/06/15/the-appropriation-of-magic-how-white-people-demonised-voodoo/
I love all things Anita Blake, and reading this book again after years, reminds me why I started the series in the first place. On to the next!
***NOTE: review posted after re-read, August 2018*** This was sort of alright, though not my fave by any means — little too much blood and gore for my personal taste, and there are zombies, which I detest. Anita is as insufferable as ever, and her constant detailing her weapon choice and her terrible outfit choices is quite annoying. That said, the story is kind of interesting, with perhaps more of a horror component than some other books in the series; and I suppose it has the function of introducing us to several characters we’ll be meeting again in later books, as well as introducing us to more of Anita’s powers — a sort of intro/set-up book, if you will. The audiobook was alright — interesting to have the sound effects and suspenseful music, but the audio seemed to be poorly edited or glitch at times. I’ll keep going on my re-read/listen, but this book isn’t really the kind that would make me want to, normally. 2 1/2 STARS
Book 2 of the Anita Blake series. It starts off in a similar fashion to the first, with Anita on the job as an animator who raises the dead. Her other(somewhat) job is as a supernatural expert on supernatural crimes. She is called into the scene of a very grisly murder. Her thoughts on suspects takes her to a vaudun practitioner who might shed some more light on this mystery. In other news in Anita's life, the new master vampire of the city, Jean Claude(whom Anita knows) is requesting after her, despite her making it clear she doesn't want anything to do with him.
Anita is attacked and her suspicions are all but confirmed after yet another attack by this rougue killer zombie. Once again, the last several chapters are rather tense and Anita must fight her way to save her life.
Apart from the extremely annoying bit, this one was much better than the first book. Quite spooky, too
