Lifeblood - Verdict

[kalinara]

So it's time to talk about Lifeblood as a whole book, and whether or not it gets a passing grade.

And the answer, unsurprisingly, is yes.

Lifeblood continues everything I loved about Bloodlist, while being a general improvement in execution. The only possible thing I could wish for is more Shoe Coldfield. But it makes sense that he's only mentioned, as this is far more Jack's book than Escott's.

I do hope we see him again soon, though.

So let's discuss plot:

Poor Jack. He starts off the book in a pretty decent place. Sure, he's a vampire, but he's adjusting to it and beginning to learn to use it. He has a boyfriend friend and partner, a job (of sorts), a very accepting girlfriend. And he's realizing that it's time to move on with his life, enjoy what he has, and let go of what he's lost.

And unfortunately, by letting go, he ends up setting off a whole damn avalanche of horror. And I love it. It's intense, fast paced, and with very few unnecessary beats. I think maybe we could have lost one or two of the Braxton encounters, as those did get a little repetitive, but on the other hand, the repetition did serve to set up a nice sense of over-confidence. Braxton was never really a threat, but he worked very well as a distraction from what was really going on.

So let's talk about characters:

Jack is, of course, our lead. A knight in slightly sour armor. He's civil and chivalrous. The sort to still feel guilty pangs over using mind control on someone who tried to kill him. He's the sort to help an old lady cross the street, and holy hell does that end up used against him. And as I said in my last review, I really do wish that we'd gotten a bit more by way of an epilogue or immediate aftermath. Jack's been pushed to a brink here, brutally stripped of his civility and chivalry to the point of savagery. Before this book, Jack was a man who could say that he's never beaten his rage out on a helpless man, or held a woman's head underwater before allowing someone else to shoot her dead. Now he can't say that.

Can Jack come back from this? I suspect so. And not just because this book is the second in a twelve book series, but I would have liked some decompression. Some comfort.

Escott has more of a backup role in this book. He ends up conveniently off page for most of the big dramatic moments, like the trip to Ohio, the meeting with Braxton, the meeting with Malcolm, Gaylen's request, and the horrific night at the studio and its aftermath. That said, when he is present, he's amazing. And no one can say he doesn't make a phenomenal rescue cavalry, with some truly lovely caretaking. I suppose his arrival to save Jack was a bit deus ex machina, but then I was caught up enough in the moment that I didn't mind at all. I was just very very glad to see him.

Bobbi, on the other hand, gets a much more prominent role than she had in Bloodlist, not in the least because she's there at the beginning. I like that she's very clearly established to have a life outside of Jack. She's got her job, she's got her friends. She's got her activities and her ambitions. She'd have a full life even if Jack wasn't there. But she's definitely glad to have him there. Also, she's a fucking badass.

And special hat tip to the villains. Bloodlist was a fun story, but because of the nature of the mystery, we didn't get to really appreciate the villains. Lebredo was the most formidable, but he was only really present for the last chapter. Morelli and Paco, while dangerous, are never really a real threat to Jack-as-a-vampire.

Gaylen Dumont, on the other hand, is both present and formidable. Actually, she's fucking terrifying, even as a fragile old woman. Especially as a fragile old woman. I completely believe that vampire Maureen would have fled this human woman five years before, in order to protect herself and her love. I believe Jack may well have nightmares about her brutality and violation for a long time.

My only complaint about the villains is that I felt like Norma was just kind of there. When Escott gave us Gaylen's backstory, a big deal was made about the partnership between the women. Malcolm was a Johnny-come-lately. But we see far more of the Gaylen-Malcolm dynamic than with Norma. Norma is just there to terrorize Bobbi in the background.

I don't, however, begrudge Bobbi her triumph.

Finally there's Maureen:

One of the most interesting aspects of this book is how everything is rooted in the past. But not necessarily JACK's past, but rather Maureen's. Braxton, the vampire hunter, a victim of Maureen's carelessness. He becomes obsessed with her and starts hunting her in order to break free. Now he's focused on Jack, and plaguing Jack through his own past: namely his family.

And then, of course, there's Gaylen. The sister Maureen feared and imprisoned, but didn't kill. We think that Gaylen is why Maureen left, in order to protect Jack from being put in Bobbi's position. Admittedly, as tough as Jack had been as a mortal, I doubt he would have been nearly so effective at rescuing himself. So it does track. Unfortunately, it didn't protect Jack forever.

Lifeblood, therefore, is a book about Maureen almost more than it is about Jack.

Which raises the question then: Where is Maureen now?

Maybe we'll find out one day.