The Immortal Rules
Julie Kagawa
Harlequin Teen
April 24th 2012
Young Adult | Fantasy | Dystopian
Vampire
In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.
My interest in another vampire novel was lack luster at most. Julie
carved out a firm spot in my book radar with her Iron Fey series. I
would probably try just about anything Julie writes so I jumped on board
for this book. I don't feel like Julie steered me wrong. This book was a
good deal larger and there were a few moments that it seemed to drag. I
wouldn't go as far as to call it the equal of its predecessors. It is
hard to compare them since their main characters are so essentially
different. Our male lead is no predator and a very deeply rooted
optimist and all around good guy. Sure he is attractive but the good guy
front isn't as enticing as its counterpart. Our female lead takes on
disturbed predator and tortured soul. This combination is harder to sell.
Allie is a character that demands your attention from the start. This is certainly the farthest place from a just world. Allie cares for others even when the world screams take care of yourself. She is so very good and irrevocably cursed for her trouble. At the end of the day no matter what fantasies the day holds she is a monster. This is one girl that does not bend to all her misfortune. She is strong and always ready to face anything. Her future looks dark and grim, yet I see some small spark of light in the distance. We will have to hold out for a bit but it should be worth it. Allie has a very fierce desire to live which makes her easy to relate to. I found it very believable when she made her choice to risk becoming vampire rather than submit to the dark. I suppose her big weakness would be a firm belief in the loyalty of her friends. She gets some hard core denial going. Allie is determined to be unique and retain her humanity and its remaining shreds. If she is going to be so remarkable she is going to have to forge a tough road. One of my favorite things is her ability to cry tears. The undead have no souls or feelings. So for her to cry tears of blood is really noteworthy. I find that profoundly sad. Though if I crossed paths with a crying vampire I would be more chilled and afraid than sad. She feels this so deeply that it's almost as if her heart actually bleeds.
There were times I felt the book was poking fun at the holes in the vampire lore. It made me laugh. The book is the result of a union of paranormal and dystopian. I enjoyed viewing vampires through this lens. The people in this book are desperate. I am wondering if the plague is really the next hot thing. It seems to be popping up all over. In this book the plague brings vampires and humans into close proximity. It creates a world that leaves the humans in a precarious position. The entire situation is a lost cause and a black hole for hope. Especially the romantic duo being a pairing of two ill suited opposites. All of their moments are stolen and deliciously forbidden. There are great emotional moments when Allie really shows us just what fireworks she is made of. I really loved reading this book. It was a marvelous ride from start to finish and I can't wait to see where we will go next. I definitely recommend this book but I don't think it will revive vampires as a genre. Think more of it as a fabulous and worthy standalone when it comes to vampires.
Allie is a character that demands your attention from the start. This is certainly the farthest place from a just world. Allie cares for others even when the world screams take care of yourself. She is so very good and irrevocably cursed for her trouble. At the end of the day no matter what fantasies the day holds she is a monster. This is one girl that does not bend to all her misfortune. She is strong and always ready to face anything. Her future looks dark and grim, yet I see some small spark of light in the distance. We will have to hold out for a bit but it should be worth it. Allie has a very fierce desire to live which makes her easy to relate to. I found it very believable when she made her choice to risk becoming vampire rather than submit to the dark. I suppose her big weakness would be a firm belief in the loyalty of her friends. She gets some hard core denial going. Allie is determined to be unique and retain her humanity and its remaining shreds. If she is going to be so remarkable she is going to have to forge a tough road. One of my favorite things is her ability to cry tears. The undead have no souls or feelings. So for her to cry tears of blood is really noteworthy. I find that profoundly sad. Though if I crossed paths with a crying vampire I would be more chilled and afraid than sad. She feels this so deeply that it's almost as if her heart actually bleeds.
There were times I felt the book was poking fun at the holes in the vampire lore. It made me laugh. The book is the result of a union of paranormal and dystopian. I enjoyed viewing vampires through this lens. The people in this book are desperate. I am wondering if the plague is really the next hot thing. It seems to be popping up all over. In this book the plague brings vampires and humans into close proximity. It creates a world that leaves the humans in a precarious position. The entire situation is a lost cause and a black hole for hope. Especially the romantic duo being a pairing of two ill suited opposites. All of their moments are stolen and deliciously forbidden. There are great emotional moments when Allie really shows us just what fireworks she is made of. I really loved reading this book. It was a marvelous ride from start to finish and I can't wait to see where we will go next. I definitely recommend this book but I don't think it will revive vampires as a genre. Think more of it as a fabulous and worthy standalone when it comes to vampires.
