Bookflog: Danse Macabre

[pandorasblog]

[Made this a couple of days ago, but only now getting round to posting it.]

So I'm reading the sample chapters and noting stuff down as I go along.


Chapter One
Have to laugh at the bit where Ronnie hints that once Anita was just JC's blood-whore, and now she's just his whore. That whole you're-sleeping-with-all-those-men aspect of their conversation seems like a swipe at LKH's detractors, with Ronnie taking the accusatory role more recently filled by the fans. Because, like the fans, Ronnie is sooooo wrong to say those dreadful things!

Anita's/LKH's stance on abortion doesn't bother me the way it has some. I've never really been bothered by the conflicts between Anita's past beliefs and present behaviour still being part of her make-up, because to me that seems natural. I know from experience what it's like to leave a lifelong religion and begin to behave in ways contrary to it, and I found that it's amazing how some of the old beliefs doggedly hang on despite whatever new context you might choose to live in.

Also, Anita (like her series, and, I would venture, the author) is still in the transitional phase. And in that phase it is possible to develop hybridised beliefs to compensate for the fact that you're neither wholly free of your old ways, or wholly settled into the new ones. Hence Anita's pro-choice-meets-pro-life feelings. If anything, what she says strikes me as being more progressive than Anita is often given credit for, amounting to: 'this is what I believe, but I'm not going to hold others to it, because I can't say how I'd feel in their situations.'

Anita 'putting on a show' with Nate: annoying. I know lycanthropes have this otherworldly physical energy about them, but would it kill her not to give into it just once, especially when it's obviously going to tip the balance with Ronnie. She decided to make out with Nate because she'd already given Micah attention, pointedly ignoring the consequences. It feels like the sort of obvious conflict Anita (who has learned to be less confrontational in monster stand-offs) ought to be able to avoid a bit more, leaving me to conclude that LKH pushed this to happen so she'd have reason for the problems with Ronnie to worsen. But it doesn't ring true that after all this time Anita would actually be making backward steps in relating to her friends/men.

Chapter Two
Oh. So that's what LKH was trying to force to happen: Ronnie spilled about the baby. So the author has a good reason, but she still picked a bad way of going about it.

It's good to see Nate flexing his muscles a bit and not just being a victim - the way he turns around the exchange with Ronnie is neat.

Chapter Three
"His perfectly straight black hair managed to fall decoratively over his brown eyes" - OF COURSE IT DID. HAIR IN THESE BOOKS NO LONGER OBEYS FORCES OF NATURE OR NARRATIVE PRECEDENCE. HAIRSTYLES MATTER MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF. Sorry. Had to get that off my chest. Nate's ankle-length hair was already enough.

"I didn't like the smile. It seemed to demand things from me that I wasn't willing to give to Graham. Didn't I have enough men in my life and my bed without adding anyone else? I thought so, but Graham didn't. " - Damn. What people have said elsewhere in this community is dead right: she really can't go near a man without there being attraction in one direction or the other. It feels somehow sexist that Anita ultimately relates to all men, even minor characters, through their sexual interest in her/vice versa. If a male lead in a similar book acted this way it'd be seen as old-fashioned and misogynistic.

As for Anita apparantly never meeting a man who doesn't fancy her, that seems not only hubristic but absurd - do none of them prefer blondes? Tall girls? Fat girls? Green-eyed girls? Asian girls? Quiet girls? Girls who tote guitars rather than guns? People are such individuals with such a range of favoured 'types', yet somehow every man in the tri-state area zooms in on Anita. Sure, there is a certain primal level on which people may be more attracted to someone who's unavailable, but then considering the frequency with which Anita adds to her harem I wouldn't think that would be such a big factor. If anything, people seem to see her as perpetually, potentially-available-in-the-near-future, which is a pretty sad way for a person, fictional or otherwise, to be viewed.

"Let's hear it for morals, or at least some semblance of standards." - Erm, yes. Let's.

Graham: why do I get the horrible feeling that this tension will lead to attempted rape of Anita, or murder of Nate?

The pomme de sang contest: well, it's certainly a novel idea...


Overall I'm reserving judgment on this book. There are obviously things that make me wince, but it won't be possible to say much more until we get to read the whole thing and can figure out if it has a plot or not.

Comments

[dwg.livejournal.com]

This book looks cracktastic in the worst possible way.

Pregnancy issues, Ronnie issues (OMG SO JELLUS! "I've hit triple digits!" *wtf?*), Graham issues - and probably more about Requiem, though Wicked and Truth will have disappeared into the background until the shit goes down!

I'm kinda looking forward to meeting the other Masters of the City. They'll probably fall into the same categories of all other characters - one will see Anita as a threat and an oozing hobag and get shouted down for pointing this out, one will be one over by her charm, there'll be some very bad backstabbing to try and see how OMG POWAHFOOL she is, some marks might try to be laid, psychic visitations that must be sex-fu'd away!

And none of the visiting Masters will get more than half a paragraph to explain who they are and what their favourite chocolate is!

I'd champion one for a Corruptor, just to freak the hell out of Jason and set up conflict, but that's probably not going to happen. They'll all be Belle Morte's ilk.

Those that survive the weekend will leave St Louis being impressed and perhaps bitchy.

And I predict that the dance company that all this is about? Yeah, it'll probably get mentioned in the epilogue. "The dance company put on sellout performances and was invited back to town next year." And that's it.

Girls who tote guitars rather than guns?

Or, El Mariachi! Guns IN the guitar case! *dies* Oh, that'd be awesome beyond words.

[pandorasblog]

That sounds horribly likely to be true. See, LKH? See how your fans can now predict your every move?

Also... why did we never find out anything more about that uber-scary ancient 'Mother' vampire who Anita tapped into in some sort of weird vision thing? I admit that what with her 'oldest vampire' and 'sleepy' schtick she sounds like a rip-off of Akasha, but I'm still curious. Cos, you know, if anybody is likely to be able to off Anita...

[dwg.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* She's probably totally forgotten that she's even ripped off Akasha.

Or, Mommy Dearest will turn up, Anita will sex-fu her to death and will suddenly take her place as the Queen of Everything EVAH!!! *cough*

[tsula.livejournal.com]

speaking of Mommy Dearest... I so want to meet Judith... after the books of angst and hype I'm so dreaming happy evil dreams of a Joan Crawford knock-off.

"No more wire hangers in this house EVER!"

it'd be awesome.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

See, now that's a spinoff book I'd read.

TITLE: *something sufficiently angsty and emo, but not as puntastic as Jim Butcher*

BLURB: Anita Blake's most harrowing adventure yet!

I'm used to dealing with bad things: vampires, shapeshifters, crime scenes. But none of that could have prepared me for this.

My stepmother, Judith, the Nordic Ice Princess, has asked me home for Thanksgiving. And to bring the men in my life with me.

It's bad enough my family found out that I was dating Jean-Claude, master of St Louis, from a television broadcast before I was ready to tell them. And they knew about Richard, but not that he was a werewolf or just how badly our relationship ended and reignited - but how do I tell them about the rest?

I'm the one the vampires call the Executioner, but it's days like these I wish my reputation wasn't so damned scary to the monsters.

*insert wanky quotes of praise HERE!*

[tsula.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and ooh, then her step-sisters, uh... Andrea? could tag team Anita what with the petty sniping and the "More Aryan than thou!" -ness, and all. And enough laughably bad wangst to make your eyes bleed.

Judith'll LOVE Richard, ask her why she doesn't stick with Richard. Richard, Richard, Richard. He'll use that to his vantage to win back her monogamy, despite never having it in the first place. More wangst ensues.

Micah asks, "What about me?"... Judith mutters something about being allergic to cats, before she drugs him with vodka and tuna and locks him in the closet. Then distracts Nathaniel with Comet and the floors and bathrooms that need a-scrubbin'.

Like I said, awesome!

Best. Villian. EVER!

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile, her father is in the other room, clutching a class of whiskey and just looking at Jean-Claude, who is lounging like he's waiting for the paparazzi to leap out and snap photos at him despite being a pair of shoulder pads and some sparkly eyeshadow away from Adam Ant.

The clock ticks loudly in the background.

Anita's father shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "So...you're...a vampire? How's that working out for you?"

[tsula.livejournal.com]

so nice to know I'm not the only that feels that way about JC's wardrobe.

the story practically writes itself.

Jason'll be upstairs playing video games with Josh. At some point Jason'll turn to Josh and say, "You're family is seriously fucked up. You know that, right?"

Josh: "Why do you think I've locked myself in here?"

[dwg.livejournal.com]

AHH HA HA!

We so need to write this.

[tsula.livejournal.com]

yes, yes!

ooh I smell dinner!

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's scary that I can channel the spirit of LKH, and easily at that.

But while I am a crazy writer, I at least know I'm not that crazy.

[pandorasblog]

Yeah, it really did sound authentic! :X

[http://users.livejournal.com/belladonna_/]

What *I* want is for Judith to be introduced and for it to be wildly apparent that Judith never had a problem with Anita, ever, and that it was just Anita's giant fucking chip on her shoulder + "you're not my real mommy" syndrome that's responsible for her bad relationship.

Like, I want Judith to have learned Spanish or something so she could be a part of Anita's heritage. And be all, like, sporting an "I'm a proud mother of a Mexican-American!" bumper sticker or something.

Of course, this will never happen to AnitaSue.

I was re-reading The Killing Dance when this idea jumped out at me. She describes how she thought her mother was the most beautiful woman in the world but when her father re-married, he married a tall blond woman, and why didn't he marry another short, dark Mexican woman if he didn't OMG LIEK HATE MEXICANS? Uh, okay, because you know. People only ever date people who look alike. Right? Right?

And then she monologues about how one time someone asked Judith if Anita were adopted and Judith responded that Anita was her husband's daughter from his first marriage. Um, what's wrong with that? Isn't it true?

It's the chip, I'm telling you, man.

[vanity-lost.livejournal.com]

*headdesk* If Anita made a constant big deal about "You're not my mommy!" you'd think she'd have been happy to be referred to as 'the kid from the first marriage.'

I think your idea about Judith would fit entirely. She probably is really nice and tried, but Anita just didn't get it and didn't want to. Or they were both awkward and it just got out of hand. Maybe it would help if someone could have figured out whether Josh and Andria are halves or steps...

If Judith really hated her, she could have shipped her off to boarding school. referred to her as "the maid's child." Forced her to do all the house and yard work.

Honestly, I pity Judith. Imagine marrying a guy who has this cute little brunette daughter... who hates you with the passion of a thousand suns and can make dead people pop up and walk around. Eek. It could make one a little nervous.

[tsula.livejournal.com]

That's how I've always figured Judith to be... and Anita is just rocking out to Placebo's "Teen Angst" in her undies cuz it's so her super-secret theme song.

[pandorasblog]

Never thought of that, but it makes sense. If Anita's dad is so 'nita-hating because he didn't marry a woman who liked like an adult version of her, if anything, Anita seems just a little prejudiced against Nordic types. I mean, it's a natural thing for her to be suspicious of a mummy-substitute at that early age, but that she hasn't evolved emotionally (even a more sophisticated and reasoned hatred of her stepmum would be more worth hearing about) is... strange. It's like LKH wanted to use that to make us like Anita more because she's the underdog; Reader/Character Bonding 101.

And so maybe it's a deliberte one, but still it seems like a huge oversight that the meet-the-family thing hasn't been done in the books before. Hell, we've even met Richard's family!

[http://users.livejournal.com/belladonna_/]

Oh god. The day we get a "How you doin'?" from the Mother of All Vampires is the day I forsake ABVH. :)

[sweetpirate.livejournal.com]

the dance company that all this is about

Danse Macbre is actually the name of the club that JC opened in The Killing Dance. It's where Anita almsot got bumped off oh darn in the women's bathroom, because she didn't think the assassin could be a woman. The club also has dummies hanging from the ceiling.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I know that the club is the Danse Macabre, but the whole thing int he preview chapters reveals that there's a big fancy-to-do about the first mostly vampire dance company that's come to town (and JC is like their patron saint) and some other master vampires have come to the party to...rock out to ballet, or something.

Also, the front cover is all about a chick getting ballet shoes used as her bondage - but then, ever since the pulp horror art covers were scrapped, no cover of an AB:VH book ever reflected the contents.

[sweetpirate.livejournal.com]

Oops. :P
My bad. That's because I couldn't get past the "OMG I might be pregnant, and DIETY only knows who the father is! Shh...don't tell any of the men who might have fathered it!" part. Really, there's only so much highschool type angst I can read.


Although I do say it's in bad taste to have two things named the same within a series, with the exact same spelling. Even if it was...eight? books ago.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I know, it gets confusing. I always get Bloody Bones and Burnt Offerings mixed up because they both start with B. Laughing Corpse and Lunatic Cafe not so much.

And so help me, I can't refer to the books by number, that just screws me right up. I have to sit there and list off the books and count as I go along. *facepalm*

[bleedtoblue.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to have a lot of sympathy for Judith. And I'm starting to root for the bad guys to get Anita (in the kill her way.) I think Edward should decide it's gone far enough and the only way to save Anita is to shoot her. I'd like Edward far far better.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Not to mention, Anita's siblings. They'd probably be under pressure not to turn out like she did.

"Remember kids, if you're going to date a vampire, please tell us first - okay? I don't want to read all about it in the newspapers or see it on the television. It's not too much for you to pick up a phone and call us."

[http://users.livejournal.com/belladonna_/]

For serious! See my comment above. :)

[randomsome1.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of Jean Auel's character Ayla - in the latest book, every man that looked at her wanted to do her. Even if they didn't like her (there were four characters in the entire book that disliked her, I believe), they still wanted to do her. It made me sad. :(

[hamster-nemesis.livejournal.com]

"I'm reminded of Jean Auel's character Ayla..."
Gah! I read book one and loved it. Book two was a slight disappointment. Book three - it never got finished. Why the heroine always has to end up a Mary Sue?

[randomsome1.livejournal.com]

I blame the authors. Book 3 was annoying, book 4 the same (evil spirits are the things that make them fight once, omg!), book 5 was completely unreadable.