Review: Anna Dressed
in Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Horror, Romance
Recommend To: People
who don’t mind terror, impossible romance lovers
Now, I’ve never really read much horror. In my mind, horror
really has no place with the world of teen romance, and sparkly vampires, and
dragons and faerie princesses. Uh, was I wrong? YES. So, so, so, wrong! This
book is probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. The chilling
details and descriptions that actually, yes really,
kept me up at night just pulled me in. I was reading this during the
Superbowl. Yeah. That’s how much I couldn’t put it down.
The Plot: Unbelievable. A ghost hunter who falls in love
with one of his own intended victims. Plus a “thing” that eats people, running
rampant through the town? Best thing ever. The summary on the back page was
accurate and yet so much more. It describes the book as a boy meets girl, girl
is dead and kills people type of story. Yes. A million times yes. The terror
you feel as Cas combats these horrible things is real. Everything you’ve ever
heard go bump in the multiplied by ten is this book. It is plain spooky. The
plotline twists through bizarre voodoo and the athame (a ceremonial dagger
people, look it up) gave me the willies.
And yet, overall there was humor in this story. I laughed out loud even
at the parts where I was hiding in my fantasy closet with a pretend blanket
pulled over my head. You should read it for the plot alone really. But there is
so much more to this story.
The Characters: Ahh. Each was written in so much depth. Each
was so perfectly flawed (oxymoron, I know). Cas the hero, he was just such a
great main character. Following his father’s footsteps doing good in the world.
Forever alone, dragging his poor mother with him. Thomas and Carmel, the
sidekicks, (well Carmel was slightly annoying but what book doesn’t have
irritating people?) Morfran, the cranky grandpa figure who specializes in
voodoo. Tybalt (I love the Shakespeare names by the way) the cat who sniffs out
bad guys (I want one). And of course, love interest Anna Korlov. Damsel in
distress she is not. She is a cursed, ravaged demon who transforms from a
sprightly 16 year old into pure terror complete with hair that circles around
her head, eyes that turn blacker than night, blood that turns black, and a
dress dripping blood down her legs. Fantasy closet here I come. All were very
caring, even Anna once you get past all the murders, and each had a very
special role to play. Cas couldn’t have asked for a better team.
The Romance: So some might say, what a weird story? Where is
the blathering idiot of a girl meeting the same old supernatural arrogant
swine? How can a ghost hunter fall in love with the very ghost he’s hunting? Oh
don’t forget, she killed 27 people. Don’t be ridiculous. This is a very classic
case of forbidden love. Puh-leeze. Nobody can resist such a haunting love
story. It’s beautiful and sad, and it’s impossible not to love Cas and Anna. Oh
and Thomas and Carmel make a lovely addition of to the side. I was rooting for
them too.
The Style: Again, I was experimenting with horror and I have
to say I loved it. I guess I am a fan of extreme danger, and dead things, and
well…undead things that I really wished stay dead. Not for people who scare
easily and who can’t stand gruesome descriptions full of the gory uncensored violence.
It was definitely plain grisly at some points. Proceed with caution. I know
some people who would be deterred by the entire genre.
But overall, if you have never read horror, this is the book
to jump in with. Scary, thrilling, melancholy, poignant, humorous and dark. All
great words to describe this read. I am so glad I picked it up and you will be
too.
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