Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse Series, book 1)

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book was very entertaining - no wonder it's been made into an HBO series! Sookie Stackhouse is an entertaining main character who has her quirks, being telepathic and having a interest in vampires being the most defining of her character.


Sookie's telepathy is a hindrance in her love life, because as she points out hearing someone think about your butt being big puts a damper on a romantic moment. Being able to hear what everyone is thinking at all times also impacts her ability to concentrate in school. This leads her into a career as a waitress in a local bar in her hometown, Bon Temps, a small town near New Orleans. Which is how she meets Bill, the local vampire trying to assimilate into society by drinking synthetic blood.


Perhaps because Bill is technically dead, Sookie can't hear his thoughts. This makes him an ideal companion, and added to his romantic appeal. Of course, there are plenty of drawbacks for a human in a the world of the undead, which makes the book even more interesting.


If I had one criticism though, it's that the characters lacked some depth. Maybe this is intentional, so that there will be some mystery that we can find out further along in the series. I found it difficult to sympathize with Sookie when she worried Bill might be hurt, or that her brother would be framed for the murders of local girls. The book was exciting and held my attention, but I have the next two books Sookie Stackhouse series on my nightstand, and yet I'm still debating over what book I'll pick up next.



Dead Until Dark in 6 words or less: Love bites - dead boyfriends are trouble.

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