When I originally heard of the Vampire Academy series, I wasn’t that thrilled about it. I did honestly think that it was just another vampire series. I then came across the film, and watched it on a whim, because I couldn’t find anything else to watch. How glad I am that I did.
I really liked this series. It was an entirely new world to get engrossed in, and I love being able to disappear into a different world. There was an awful lot of detail that Richelle Mead created, and I think it was done really effectively. The characters were endearing and varied, and the story was fast-paced and intriguing. Sadly, what let the series down was that the latter half just didn’t seem to be as carefully planned out as the first half. The first half had me riveted, excited, and eager to read it. When making my way through the second half I often found myself disappointed. The ending, although good, was not great. There were too many loose ends, and some of the characters were dropped too easily from their stories in order to wrap things up quickly. I wish these elements of the series had been different. However, I cannot take away from Mead just how much I loved these books. The story, the characters, the entire dhampir world; all were wonderful
Rose Hathaway is a dhampir – half human, half vampire. She attends St. Vladimir’s Academy, where she trains every day to become a guardian to the moroi. Moroi are vampires. Good vampires, who are just as alive as humans. Dhampirs protect the moroi from evil vampires – the strigoi.
Rose’s best friend Lissa is a royal moroi, and with that territory comes consistent danger. Attending St. Vladimir’s, and training with her intense mentor Dimitri, Rose attempts to protect Lissa from the danger she faces, leading to an interesting and often tragic life for them both.
*spoiler alert*
The Concept
I obviously knew about the world Mead had created before I opened the books, having seen the film. This helped a lot; I'm sure I would have found it a lot more difficult had I been reading about it for the first time.
For what it's worth, I think the ideas are all great. Having a mortal vampire is a really interesting idea, and also a very clever one. People love vampire fiction, but it's inevitable that vampires in the human world cannot work (especially romantically - hello Buffy the Vampire Slayer) without major sacrifices. Having a thread of mortal vampires alongside the immortal, evil ones was, in my opinion, an inspiration. The moroi have a lot of normal vampire traits. They need blood to survive, they struggle when out in the sun for long periods of time, and they're nocturnal. But they're mortal.
Of course, in order to keep the danger and darkness in the world, they are balanced by the strigoi. Evil vampires who kill to survive, creating their own kind in the process. These are far more like the typical vampire we might imagine from other stories - and they definitely don't sparkle.
Far more interesting for me is the dhampir. I'd love to know how Richelle Mead came up with the idea to create royal lines among the moroi, therefore creating a purpose for the dhampirs. Dhampirs, I should say, have moroi blood (the first dhampir was caused by a half-moroi, half-human mix). So what we have is a world with four different creatures: strigoi, moroi, dhampirs, and humans. And there we have a whole new world to explore.
Rose Hathaway is hardly an original character. A fiery, determined, hot-headed and passionate individual who throws herself into danger to protect those she loves. Just look at other young adult fiction and you'll see the same thing (although it's worth noting that Rose existed before the likes of Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior). What makes Rose unique is the fact that she isn't human. To the naked eye, she is, but she has certain qualities that make her different. And not just her - Dimitri, Mason and Eddie are other notable dhampirs. She has a duty to guard the moroi - in this case, her best friend Lissa is included - and this gives her an interesting edge. She belongs to a world where it is her job to protect people. It also just so happens to provide the convenient need for her to have a mentor while at school. Enter Dimitri. But we'll get to that later.
The other interesting part of this world is the addition of magic. Moroi specialise in one of five elemental magics: earth, air, fire, water, or (unknown at the beginning of the series) spirit. It's the easiest thing in the world to insert extra magic into a fantasy story, so this didn't faze me in the slightest. It also gave us the opportunity to view Lissa's movements through Rose's eyes via their psychic bond. A very clever move by the author, as it allows us to have two different perspectives to the story while still only having one narrator. This was a great idea, as some stories become a bit stale during those chapters that are devoid of action. It also eliminates the need to have to have continuous conversations between Rose and Lissa about what just happened. We already know, because Rose saw it. The magic these moroi carry is very useful, and it does add far more interest to the story than we would have otherwise. Spirit in particular is intriguing, as it ends up being key to a lot of the major plot points. Victor Dashkov's abduction of Lissa at the end of the first book; the resurrection of Dimitri by Lissa, and Adrian's ability to talk to Rose in her dreams (which, as above, is a very convenient way for the story to progress).
I thought the whole world was very clever. It plays on so many well-known stereotypes, and embellishes them so they seem brand new. Some of the most interesting elements of the story are actually very convenient, and were probably inserted originally to help the narrative progress until Mead realised how much potential she had introduced to the plot. I don't tend to be a fan of vampire fiction, but I fell unexpectedly into this world and found myself in love with it.
The Film
As I mentioned above, I came across the film before the books. I'd heard of the books, of course, but I was never really that into vampire fiction. Twilight and The Vampire Diaries had never really appealed to me either, although I will admit that I've only ever watched their on-screen counterparts.
I started watching the film out of a lack of anything else to watch, if I'm totally honest. I even started watching it once, then turned it off because it didn't grip me in the first five minutes. Thankfully, I persevered. And I loved it. I'm not going to pretend that it's an outstanding piece of film, and had I read the books first I think I would have hated the film adaptation a little bit. However, having caught the film first, Vampire Academy got better and better the more I immersed myself in its world.
It's just so watchable. It's got drama, it's got humour, and it's got a wide range of interesting and endearing characters. There's a couple of romantic angles scattered through, and there's the parallel of teen life there to take the edge off the darkness.
Zoey Deutch, I should add, was a huge part of why I enjoyed this film. I will confess that I love a strong female lead, and she really brought Rose to life on screen. The plot was credible and it was fast-paced throughout. Although, even before reading the books, I could tell that a lot of the finer details were probably being side-tracked for the greater good of the major plot points. Disappointing, but understandable - it's hard to get it all in there and done in a satisfying way. Generally, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it, which was more than I ever expected! Enough to encourage me to buy all the books (sorry bank account), and get into them as soon as possible.
Which brings us here...
The Books
Let's just put this firmly out there from the beginning: these books aren't exactly going to win any literature awards. They are, however, very worth the read, if you let yourself just enjoy them. I know, a bit hypocritical coming from someone who takes pleasure in reviewing every book they read. But on this occasion, I put down the notepad and just read them. And I really liked them. I do love young adult fiction, especially when it has a dystopian or fantasy edge, so it probably follows that I wasn't going to hate this series, but they were just so easy to read. The writing style was fluid yet somehow full of Rose's passion and aggression. The teen drama of St. Vladimir's school was counterbalanced by the very dark themes of grief and sacrifice. The plot was carefully constructed to make for a deeply dramatic, yet somehow simultaneously light-hearted, story.
The Plot and Structure
Book 1: Vampire Academy
The first book in the series starts with the reader being dropped right in the middle of the action. Well, start as you mean to go on, hey? This was quite interesting actually. Normally with dystopian and fantasy fiction, the reader is given a build-up so that they aren't confused. I actually quite liked this deviation from the norm. Perhaps I would have preferred a slower start if I hadn't watched the film first, but as it stands, I liked that the action started immediately.
It's hard to establish a new world in the confines of one book, but this was a very decent effort. There was a lot of relevant detail and content to get in there, from the nature of the school to the reality of the moroi world; from Lissa's use of spirit to her bond with Rose. I think this made the pace of the book feel a lot quicker than it really was. This was great, as it kept me gripped, but it also meant that it seemed rushed. I don't honestly believe the story was rushed in this first book, but that's the danger of a rapid plot.
Rose's close relationship with Lissa is apparent immediately, and her growing feelings for Dimitri are emphasised just enough. There wasn't a massive amount of romantic progress for the pair in this book, but with another five books to follow, I think the balance was there. Any more progression and the relationship would have grown stale; any less, and there wouldn't have been enough for the reader to get invested in. Victor and Natalie were also interesting features. I'm not sure I would have foreseen the ending in the books (sadly I did in the film - I've obviously watched too many Poirot films). I thought it was a good move, and I'm glad Victor returned in the later books. It would have been a shame to lose his character after only one part of the story, and it would have made the whole series of events seem unnecessary. Thankfully, he shows up again later to make his part in the plot far more worthwhile. Poor Natalie, though.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first book. It set a really good foundation for the others, and I think all the fundamental parts of a good young adult series were there. Solidly so, in fact. The plot was well structured and interesting, and the characters were varied and likeable. Some of the minor characters were fairly forgettable, but on the whole, I thought the book was great.
It's hard to establish a new world in the confines of one book, but this was a very decent effort. There was a lot of relevant detail and content to get in there, from the nature of the school to the reality of the moroi world; from Lissa's use of spirit to her bond with Rose. I think this made the pace of the book feel a lot quicker than it really was. This was great, as it kept me gripped, but it also meant that it seemed rushed. I don't honestly believe the story was rushed in this first book, but that's the danger of a rapid plot.
Rose's close relationship with Lissa is apparent immediately, and her growing feelings for Dimitri are emphasised just enough. There wasn't a massive amount of romantic progress for the pair in this book, but with another five books to follow, I think the balance was there. Any more progression and the relationship would have grown stale; any less, and there wouldn't have been enough for the reader to get invested in. Victor and Natalie were also interesting features. I'm not sure I would have foreseen the ending in the books (sadly I did in the film - I've obviously watched too many Poirot films). I thought it was a good move, and I'm glad Victor returned in the later books. It would have been a shame to lose his character after only one part of the story, and it would have made the whole series of events seem unnecessary. Thankfully, he shows up again later to make his part in the plot far more worthwhile. Poor Natalie, though.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first book. It set a really good foundation for the others, and I think all the fundamental parts of a good young adult series were there. Solidly so, in fact. The plot was well structured and interesting, and the characters were varied and likeable. Some of the minor characters were fairly forgettable, but on the whole, I thought the book was great.
Book 2: Frostbite
If I thought the first book flew by, that was nothing to Frostbite. This one seemed to get more into the nitty gritty, and those extra details made it that much more intriguing to read. At the time, I thought that the focuses on Rose's romantic life and the school drama meant that this book had less substance. On reflection, I can see how wrong I was.
The climax of this second book, and the consequences thereafter, show a real progression in the storyline, and in Rose's character's need to mature. It was nice to see the characters in a new environment, and even better that there was a logical explanation why they were there. The battle against the strigoi and Mason's unfortunate death mark the moment when Rose becomes a guardian. Although she isn't to graduate yet, this is the defining moment in Rose's career as a guardian, and it's actually very poignant. Mason's death broke my heart, but I do know that it was necessary. Rose had to lose someone close to her, and preferably someone innocent, for her to progress as a character.
Anyway. I'll try not to get too carried away with the ending, and consider the rest of the book as well. I liked that the characters went to the lodge for a while. Again, it took them away from the repetition of St. Vladimir's. Better still, it really established Adrian as an important character. I didn't want to like Adrian, but I loved him immediately. Cool and sassy, but with a gooey heart - from the moment we met him I was looking forward to seeing more of him!
The climax of this second book, and the consequences thereafter, show a real progression in the storyline, and in Rose's character's need to mature. It was nice to see the characters in a new environment, and even better that there was a logical explanation why they were there. The battle against the strigoi and Mason's unfortunate death mark the moment when Rose becomes a guardian. Although she isn't to graduate yet, this is the defining moment in Rose's career as a guardian, and it's actually very poignant. Mason's death broke my heart, but I do know that it was necessary. Rose had to lose someone close to her, and preferably someone innocent, for her to progress as a character.
Anyway. I'll try not to get too carried away with the ending, and consider the rest of the book as well. I liked that the characters went to the lodge for a while. Again, it took them away from the repetition of St. Vladimir's. Better still, it really established Adrian as an important character. I didn't want to like Adrian, but I loved him immediately. Cool and sassy, but with a gooey heart - from the moment we met him I was looking forward to seeing more of him!
Rose's relationship with her mum was also interesting, and developed well as the book progressed. It's hard to establish a new character in a second or third book, and Mead did so with both Adrian and Janine.
I personally found this book to be more enjoyable than the first. It had a lot more depth to the plot, and the relationships between the characters progressed steadily. Yet what I really thought made this book more significant was the difference between the beginning and the end, especially for Rose's character. By the last chapter, she isn't just a reckless teenager anymore. She is physically stronger yes, but she is also mentally and emotionally maturing. Other guardians are showing respect for what she has done, and can do, and this is a real turning point for our heroine.
Book 3: Shadow Kiss
This one was a weird one. The third book in a series generally means you're coming to the end of the story, but this is right in the middle. The end of the first act, if you like. To be really honest, when there are this many books in a series, all of them seem to blur into one big book, and I can't really differentiate them (think Mortal Instruments).
That being said, there were a lot of elements of this book that I actually really liked. I liked the idea of them trailing moroi. It's such a simple idea, yet it provides a lot of action and interesting dialogue. I also found that a lot of depth came from the shadow kissed bond; Rose seeing ghosts was an interesting addition to the story. It was like having a little mystery amidst the wider plot, where we tried to work out what was happening to her.
I also felt that we were finally at a point here there was a good number of characters sustained in the stories. Granted, some of them could have a little more depth, but I finally felt like there was a realistic level of personalities bobbing around. Eddie is given more of a story; Adrian is given more depth when we see how much he cares for Rose; and the Queen targeting Lissa about University gives us more of an idea of which direction the series is moving in. Lissa's importance is cemented from this point. It's actually quite nice to see that it isn't the protagonist who is considered the important one. Rose is merely the guardian, albeit a good one, and we see over and over again that other characters are prepared to disregard her. It's Lissa who matters in this world. It creates more dimensions to the book; we root for Rose as our heroine, but we also appreciate the greater importance of Lissa to the moroi world.
That being said, there were a lot of elements of this book that I actually really liked. I liked the idea of them trailing moroi. It's such a simple idea, yet it provides a lot of action and interesting dialogue. I also found that a lot of depth came from the shadow kissed bond; Rose seeing ghosts was an interesting addition to the story. It was like having a little mystery amidst the wider plot, where we tried to work out what was happening to her.
I also felt that we were finally at a point here there was a good number of characters sustained in the stories. Granted, some of them could have a little more depth, but I finally felt like there was a realistic level of personalities bobbing around. Eddie is given more of a story; Adrian is given more depth when we see how much he cares for Rose; and the Queen targeting Lissa about University gives us more of an idea of which direction the series is moving in. Lissa's importance is cemented from this point. It's actually quite nice to see that it isn't the protagonist who is considered the important one. Rose is merely the guardian, albeit a good one, and we see over and over again that other characters are prepared to disregard her. It's Lissa who matters in this world. It creates more dimensions to the book; we root for Rose as our heroine, but we also appreciate the greater importance of Lissa to the moroi world.
And so we arrive at the ending to Shadow Kiss. It was heart-breaking, obviously. I'd ask anyone who had followed Rose and Dimitri up until this point not to feel emotional about Dimitri being turned strigoi. The reader finally has the satisfaction of them giving into their feelings for one another, and then he is torn away. This is the part where I admit that I knew the ultimate ending for Rose's romantic life, so I knew that Dimitri would come back somehow. Yet I think it says something that this didn't lessen my sadness when reading these scenes. I felt Rose's pain, and I think the last few chapters of this book were written absolutely beautifully. I was intrigued to see what direction the next book would go in now that Rose's world was completely different to what we had come to know.
Book 4: Blood Promise
This was definitely my least favourite book in the series. It really felt like a filler book. I could see that some of the events and characters were designed to be very relevant, but the whole thing felt a bit flat. Rose meeting Dimitri's family, and her communications with spirit user Oksana, could all have been really significant. I know what Mead was trying to do, but I don't think it worked at all. It's a shame, because the idea behind it all was great, and I wish it had been executed more successfully. As it stands, it seems like the plot was based around a lot of minor details. Rose didn't see Dimitri's family again in the series (and there were even no references to them after his revival), so why did they feature so heavily? Why was Avery at all necessary to this plot, except to avoid total irrelevance for Lissa's character?
It's such a shame, because I think this could have been so much better. Rose's reunion with Dimitri, and her struggles against his strigoi alter-ego, could have been so much more significant. If I'm to sum up the plot: Rose searches for Dimitri, finds him, attempts to kill him, then escapes him. Everything else in terms of plot is of little or no importance.
I did still enjoy the book, but it was mainly because I was already so invested in the characters than because it was a great book. For me, Blood Promise is definitely the weakest book in the entire series. If the plot couldn't be written effectively, the book should never have been included in the series at all. Or rather, it should have been condensed and altered, and included instead at the end of Shadow Kiss, or at the beginning of Spirit Bound.
I did still enjoy the book, but it was mainly because I was already so invested in the characters than because it was a great book. For me, Blood Promise is definitely the weakest book in the entire series. If the plot couldn't be written effectively, the book should never have been included in the series at all. Or rather, it should have been condensed and altered, and included instead at the end of Shadow Kiss, or at the beginning of Spirit Bound.
Book 5: Spirit Bound
This book was a vast improvement on Blood Promise. Rose is back at St. Vladamir's where she belongs, and we have the support of lots of established characters to keep the narrative alive. Adrian is growing more adorable by the second, and the plot feels like it's back on track after it's brief hiatus.
But then we have the mission to break Victor Dashkov out of prison. Hmm. Seriously? It's not necessarily the worst plot idea I've heard, but again, it wasn't executed to enough of a high standard. It felt rushed, and this meant it wasn't really believable. The whole setup of Robert Dashkov being an important spirit user - now that is believable. The way Rose chooses to reach out to Victor? Fine. The way it's done? Meh. It's a great shame, because this is another plot that could have been great, but instead just feels like a big disappointment.
This being said, I really enjoyed the second half of this book. I can almost pinpoint the moment when I started to gain back my interest. Dimitri was back (major emotional changes for Rose!), and it felt like Vampire Academy was back after a plot crisis. I wasn't expecting the death of Queen Tatiana at all, and so it was a great twist for me when Rose was accused. What it also did was set up the main idea: Lissa getting her rightful spot on the council. I finally felt like the series was back on track. Books 4 and 5 were random, and really quite a pain. Yet the end of Spirit Bound left me hopeful that there would be a fantastic final book to end the series.
But then we have the mission to break Victor Dashkov out of prison. Hmm. Seriously? It's not necessarily the worst plot idea I've heard, but again, it wasn't executed to enough of a high standard. It felt rushed, and this meant it wasn't really believable. The whole setup of Robert Dashkov being an important spirit user - now that is believable. The way Rose chooses to reach out to Victor? Fine. The way it's done? Meh. It's a great shame, because this is another plot that could have been great, but instead just feels like a big disappointment.
This being said, I really enjoyed the second half of this book. I can almost pinpoint the moment when I started to gain back my interest. Dimitri was back (major emotional changes for Rose!), and it felt like Vampire Academy was back after a plot crisis. I wasn't expecting the death of Queen Tatiana at all, and so it was a great twist for me when Rose was accused. What it also did was set up the main idea: Lissa getting her rightful spot on the council. I finally felt like the series was back on track. Books 4 and 5 were random, and really quite a pain. Yet the end of Spirit Bound left me hopeful that there would be a fantastic final book to end the series.
Book 6: Last Sacrifice
The beginning of Last Sacrifice really excited me! I surprised myself, because honestly, I had expected to be disappointed after the previous two books. I quite liked the idea of Rose being broken out of prison. The set up for it was good and it all made sense. I also found it really intriguing to find out how everything was going to unfold; this book was far more engaging than the previous two! Although I will say that the monarch tests seemed very like The Hunger Games. I'm not complaining in the slightest, but I didn't think they were particularly original.
I'm also particularly glad that something was finally made of Sonya Karp. I'd been waiting a long time for that to happen, and I'd long feared that nothing was going to come of her.
I'm also particularly glad that something was finally made of Sonya Karp. I'd been waiting a long time for that to happen, and I'd long feared that nothing was going to come of her.
I was, however, mainly glad that we'd finally arrived at the point of the whole series. Lissa was en route to gaining her rightful voice. It was also quite reassuring that Jill was the long lost family member. I would have been incredibly frustrated if a new character had been introduced so late in the game, and it actually made Jill feel less irrelevant than she originally had. Yet I was a bit unsure by the need for Jill and Lissa being so hostile at the end of the book. I understand that they would be cautious, but brrr!
I was pleased to see Rose and Dimitri work their way back together throughout the course of Last Sacrifice. I love the character of Adrian, but Rose and Dimitri were right together. I especially liked Sonya's nudge when explaining to Rose that her aura around Adrian wasn't as powerful as with Dimitri. If Rose and Dimitri hadn't ended up together it would have been wrong. But did Adrian have to get such poor closure? He'd spent five books growing higher and higher in the reader's estimation, just to be brought down a notch by being petty to Rose right at the very end. I mean, quite right too, but he should never have been put in that situation.
What I did think was fantastic was the revelation that Tasha was Tatiana's real killer. I will confess - I did not see that coming. Very, very clever. To be totally honest I hadn't even given a second thought to who the real killer might me. I figured it would be a royal moroi, but one that was less controversial to the reader. I didn't see it coming and yet it now seems so obvious! Her framing of Rose to tear her away from Dimitri included, I thought it was perfectly done.
And I think that's my biggest problem with this book. After Rose was shot (which, as a sidenote, was beautifully written), it all felt like a huge rush to get to the end. All of a sudden, that was it. Characters were left hanging, plot holes remained, and there were just too many loose ends. What happened to Robert Dashkov? Or Sydney? Or Oksana, and Dimitri's family? The entire series should have been planned better so that events and characters reached natural conclusions. It's such a shame in my eyes, because there was so much potential there to be so much better. Tighten up the plot holes, consider carefully what the ending needs to be for each character, and construct your plot around it. I wish Mead could go back and write a slightly different ending; one that caters to everyone and not just our heroine.
The Series
As I've already said, I fell in love with this series immediately. But I can't say that I loved it all. What I think I need to do is review the series in two separate halves. The first three books, then the latter three, because I think there is a noticeable and remarkable change in the middle.
The first three were amazing. I loved them. Granted, they weren't perfect by any means, but they hit the mark in all major areas. The plots were great; they were well structured, and each individual book had a natural direction it was headed in. The story was also very interesting, which was helped by dynamic and likeable characters. Rose was the perfect heroine: strong, yet vulnerable. Dimitri was a wonderfully caring, passionate and aloof romantic interest. Lissa was kind, gracious and elegant. You wanted to follow them because they all complemented each other nicely. When Lissa was abducted by Victor, you rooted for Rose to find her and bring her home. When Rose killed her first strigoi and watched Mason die, you sympathised with the pain she must be going through. When Dimitri died, you grieved for him. It helps that these books were beautifully structured and written, but the essence of the books in particular was what made them so wonderful.
Then we arrive at the latter three books. These definitely didn't feel as natural. In fact, quite the reverse. They felt forced. I first thought that maybe Blood Promise should have been removed from the series. It didn't really go anywhere, and I didn't think it would be much missed. Then I thought that perhaps it and Spirit Bound could have been condensed down and combined. Now I'm wondering why Dimitri was turned at all. It was a very powerful moment, and I can see exactly why Mead wanted it to happen. But if it doesn't really go anywhere then what's the point? It actually causes more harm to the overall structure than good. A lot of the plot holes would never have occurred, and the characters would have had more space to build up to their closure.
The first three were amazing. I loved them. Granted, they weren't perfect by any means, but they hit the mark in all major areas. The plots were great; they were well structured, and each individual book had a natural direction it was headed in. The story was also very interesting, which was helped by dynamic and likeable characters. Rose was the perfect heroine: strong, yet vulnerable. Dimitri was a wonderfully caring, passionate and aloof romantic interest. Lissa was kind, gracious and elegant. You wanted to follow them because they all complemented each other nicely. When Lissa was abducted by Victor, you rooted for Rose to find her and bring her home. When Rose killed her first strigoi and watched Mason die, you sympathised with the pain she must be going through. When Dimitri died, you grieved for him. It helps that these books were beautifully structured and written, but the essence of the books in particular was what made them so wonderful.
Then we arrive at the latter three books. These definitely didn't feel as natural. In fact, quite the reverse. They felt forced. I first thought that maybe Blood Promise should have been removed from the series. It didn't really go anywhere, and I didn't think it would be much missed. Then I thought that perhaps it and Spirit Bound could have been condensed down and combined. Now I'm wondering why Dimitri was turned at all. It was a very powerful moment, and I can see exactly why Mead wanted it to happen. But if it doesn't really go anywhere then what's the point? It actually causes more harm to the overall structure than good. A lot of the plot holes would never have occurred, and the characters would have had more space to build up to their closure.
However, having said this, I actually quite liked the story in the later books. I just think it was executed poorly. With some more careful thought about where the plot and the characters were going to end up, it could have been amazing. It just all needed a lot of tightening up. I wish the final three books had maintained the standard of the first three. With some incredible characters though, I still loved this world.
The Major Characters
I've already talked about the characters quite a lot, but I think they deserve some special attention, away from my lengthy discussions about the plot.
Rose
Our wonderful heroine. Strong, powerful, fierce and hella sassy. But also emotional, vulnerable and caring. She also recognises that she has flaws, and she regularly acknowledges them. I thought Rose's character had an impressive amount of development throughout the series. We get certain nods to it from some of Dimitri's comments about how she is growing and maturing, but to me it's much more than that. At the end of Frostbite, she kills her first strigoi and feels keenly the hardships of being a guardian. Not to mention her witnessing Mason's death. Soon after, she loses Dimitri, which breaks her heart all over again, and she makes the difficult decision to fulfil her promise to him and go after his evil alter-ego. She then finds him, kills him (or so she thinks), and then discovers hope that she can restore him - a hope that becomes reality. She is framed and imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit, and she takes a bullet to top it off. This girl has been through it over and over again. She sacrifices her own mental sanity to keep Lissa away from spirit darkness, and she goes out of her way to protect her friends. I love her. I absolutely love her. She truly deserved her happy ending, and I'm glad she got it.
She's also the perfect narrator. I, for one, loved her sassy commentary and dry humour. Rose is the kind of heroine you want to follow for six books.
She's also the perfect narrator. I, for one, loved her sassy commentary and dry humour. Rose is the kind of heroine you want to follow for six books.
Dimitri
And if there's another character who went through the wars, it's Dimitri. I don't think there was ever any doubt that he would end up with Rose, but hey, there wouldn't be a story if it was easy. Dimitri complements Rose perfectly. His calming nature soothes Rose's fire, and the scenes with Dimitri in are arguably the most interesting. Knowing his fate to become strigoi, I picked up on his foreshadowing of it, when he calls his feelings for Rose "forbidden love". Cliché, but always effective.
I don't think there is ever a point in the series where I dislike Dimitri. He makes some decisions that I'm a bit dubious about, perhaps, but I always see the logic in his decisions. I'm not sure if it was really necessary from a plot perspective for him to have turned strigoi for a short time, but I do think it added even more depth to his character. His guilt and despair on being restored show the sheer humanity of him. He's Mr. Logic, always doing what is right. It's nice to see that Rose brings out his impulsive side once in a while.
I don't think there is ever a point in the series where I dislike Dimitri. He makes some decisions that I'm a bit dubious about, perhaps, but I always see the logic in his decisions. I'm not sure if it was really necessary from a plot perspective for him to have turned strigoi for a short time, but I do think it added even more depth to his character. His guilt and despair on being restored show the sheer humanity of him. He's Mr. Logic, always doing what is right. It's nice to see that Rose brings out his impulsive side once in a while.
Lissa
What can I say about Lissa? She's the nicest person in the series, and I'm sure nobody would even debate that sentiment. I find her mildly whiny and annoying at times, but she's so genuinely goodhearted that I can overlook that minor fact. In her defence, that was my feeling in the beginning, but she grows out of that whiny behaviour steadily throughout the series. Christian calms her, and I like that they're total opposites. They're sweet. Sickening as well, yes. But sweet.
I wish that we had got to the point of Lissa's council position a lot quicker in the series. It would have made for a lot more interesting political drama in the moroi court. I do also think that the idea of her long lost sister came stupidly out of nowhere, but that's not Lissa's fault. She shows her level-headed nature again and again, and this emphasises so clearly that she deserves to be regarded among her royal peers. I love Rose, but it's clear that Mead made the right decision in separating the two friends and putting Lissa in the position to rise in standing. When the book ends, all is as it should be.
It's also significant that Lissa is the primary spirit user in the series. Her naturally caring and kind nature make it an easy fit that she would be able to heal. Her bond with Rose is perfectly balanced, and this made the friendship far more interesting than I think it would have been otherwise. I fear that without this bond, Lissa may have been a little boring. Perhaps that's unfair, but I'm glad Mead had the foresight to use this bond so carefully nevertheless.
I wish that we had got to the point of Lissa's council position a lot quicker in the series. It would have made for a lot more interesting political drama in the moroi court. I do also think that the idea of her long lost sister came stupidly out of nowhere, but that's not Lissa's fault. She shows her level-headed nature again and again, and this emphasises so clearly that she deserves to be regarded among her royal peers. I love Rose, but it's clear that Mead made the right decision in separating the two friends and putting Lissa in the position to rise in standing. When the book ends, all is as it should be.
It's also significant that Lissa is the primary spirit user in the series. Her naturally caring and kind nature make it an easy fit that she would be able to heal. Her bond with Rose is perfectly balanced, and this made the friendship far more interesting than I think it would have been otherwise. I fear that without this bond, Lissa may have been a little boring. Perhaps that's unfair, but I'm glad Mead had the foresight to use this bond so carefully nevertheless.
Adrian
What a fantastic (and much needed) character. As soon as Adrian entered this story, I loved him. I didn't want to like him, but he's just great. I do like Dimitri more, and I think Dimitri is the better match for Rose, but Adrian provided some much needed spice to the mix. There needed to be some banter from somewhere, and Christian and Rose couldn't keep the sass levels up all by themselves. If not for Adrian, Rose would have been one of only a few dark characters against the light of the academy.
I find it very interesting that Adrian self-medicated to help with the side effects of spirit. It gives him a bad boy edge, but it also, more importantly, shows his vulnerability. Adrian deserved so much better at the end. We all knew he would never end up with Rose, but he deserved more than just the token angry conversation at the end of the series, never to be seen again. It does him a disservice to imply that that's all he needs or deserves. He needed closure, he needed direction, and he needed more than just a broken heart. Of all my criticisms of the series, this has to be the one that disappointed me the most.
I find it very interesting that Adrian self-medicated to help with the side effects of spirit. It gives him a bad boy edge, but it also, more importantly, shows his vulnerability. Adrian deserved so much better at the end. We all knew he would never end up with Rose, but he deserved more than just the token angry conversation at the end of the series, never to be seen again. It does him a disservice to imply that that's all he needs or deserves. He needed closure, he needed direction, and he needed more than just a broken heart. Of all my criticisms of the series, this has to be the one that disappointed me the most.
The Minor Characters
There are simply too many characters for me to write about them all in depth, but I'll share with you some comments that I wrote down about some of the other characters through the course of the series. Humorous, but also fair.
Christian: What a wonderful sasspot.
Mason: I love him. He deserved so much more.
Eddie: Cute. Rose needs another dhampir friend.
Janine: Intriguing back story. Glad to see some development in her over the course of the series, in particular in regards to how she views Rose.
Abe: Sassy as hell and I love him.
Sydney: Is she going to be more than just a filler character? I like her spunkiness. But what happened to her in the end? [It turns out she was just a filler character, conveniently turning up whenever someone was needed to bail Rose out. It's a real shame.]
Avery: Predictable. Unnecessary. What's with all the filler characters?
Oksana and Dimitri's family: So interesting. I would love to know more. But bye I guess.
Robert and Victor Dashkov: Kinda glad Victor died, but that all got hushed up nicely didn't it? Never to be thought of again apparently. What about Robert?
Sonya and Mikhail: I liked Mikhail. He was so gentle. I'm glad Sonya came back; she was pretty great in all her scenes. I hope they made it work.
Tasha: Curveball! Can't believe I didn't see that coming. I never really liked her, and now I like her even less. Get your hands off Dimitri, murderer.
Mason: I love him. He deserved so much more.
Eddie: Cute. Rose needs another dhampir friend.
Janine: Intriguing back story. Glad to see some development in her over the course of the series, in particular in regards to how she views Rose.
Abe: Sassy as hell and I love him.
Sydney: Is she going to be more than just a filler character? I like her spunkiness. But what happened to her in the end? [It turns out she was just a filler character, conveniently turning up whenever someone was needed to bail Rose out. It's a real shame.]
Avery: Predictable. Unnecessary. What's with all the filler characters?
Oksana and Dimitri's family: So interesting. I would love to know more. But bye I guess.
Robert and Victor Dashkov: Kinda glad Victor died, but that all got hushed up nicely didn't it? Never to be thought of again apparently. What about Robert?
Sonya and Mikhail: I liked Mikhail. He was so gentle. I'm glad Sonya came back; she was pretty great in all her scenes. I hope they made it work.
Tasha: Curveball! Can't believe I didn't see that coming. I never really liked her, and now I like her even less. Get your hands off Dimitri, murderer.
The Verdict
Overall, I really did love this series. I usually don't rate vampire fiction, but I fell in love with this unique world almost immediately. Although not a perfect adaptation, I'm grateful to the film for leading me to these books.
The concept of the dhampir guardians fascinated me, but Rose was the thing that really sold me this story. Her fiery, passionate and strong character made for the perfect heroine, and I thoroughly enjoyed her sassy narration throughout. She kept me interested, and without her I don't think the series would have been half as exciting.
There were some definite plot issues, particularly towards the end, and they really did put a bit of a damper on my reception of the books as a whole. However, I still loved them. They're imperfect, yes, but on reflection I feel like the spiky structure perfectly represents this world. It perfectly represents our messy heroine as she struggles to keep her loved ones safe against the odds. The haphazard storyline, the random plot progressions - they aren't neat in the slightest. But I think that kind of sums up the world you enter when you read these books. They're definitely not perfect; but they're pretty damn good.
No comments:
Post a Comment