Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4)

by Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse is back! The mind-reading, vampire-dating, small-town cocktail waitress from small-town Louisiana returns in her fourth Southern Vampire Mystery. Life is never simple for Sookie Stackhouse, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that she always tries to do the right thing. Maybe that's why, when she comes across a semi-naked vampire on the road home from work, she doesn't just drive on by, even though she knows it almost certainly means trouble. Turns out the vampire hasn't a clue as to who he is. But Sookie does. It's Eric, still as scary and sexy - and dead - as the day she first met him. But now that he has amnesia, Eric is sweet, vulnerable, and in need of Sookie's help - because whoever took his memory now wants his life. Sookie's investigation into why leads straight into a dangerous battle among witches, vampires and werewolves. But the greater danger could be to Sookie's heart - because the kinder, gentler Eric is very difficult to resist ...

• ISBN10: 0786548487
• ISBN13: 9780786548484
• Publish Date: 3 August 2004 (first published 1 May 2004)
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Out of Print: 11 April 2013
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Ace Books
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[liz089]

Reread 2019.
This one still stays my favorite because of Eric XD Can't help it haha. Also some plottwists I did not remember, I'm very happy I'm rereading this series, really enjoying it :D




This is my favorite part of the series. Eric is my favorite, and in this part he plays a big rol.

[angelarenea9]

This review is full of spoilers.
This review is posted on my blog

This is book 4 in the Sookie Stackhouse books, and I thought that it was about to par with the third book, and quite a lot better than the first two. I guess I'll take this moment to mention, in case you haven't seen my reviews of the first 3 books that before I decided to read this series, I watched all 6 of the currently aired seasons of True Blood, so my opinion of this book is obviously not what it would have been had I read the books first.

The book begins with Sookie at a new year's eve party where Sookie makes the sad, but circumstantially impressive resolution not to 'get beat up' this year, even if this means spending less time with Bill. I was actually really proud of Sookie for this, and in the long term (books 1-4) the author way she handled Sookie and Bill's relationship. I admit that in the first few books I assumed that this was another whisk-me-away, I-am-nothing-without-you stories where, the treatment of the leading lady by her love interest makes me cringe at it's presentation as a beautiful story. This does not seem to be the case though, because this book (as far as the relationship aspect of it) read to me like a healing, moving on story. I particularly liked the scene in which Sookie morns the loss of her 'one partner status' because I think that it is something that a lot of people don't think about until they, or someone they know are put in the situation. She had fallen in love with Bill, and slept with him, and I think she believed that they would end up getting married (pending legal changes) and that was that. I liked the very real pause she had when she slept with Eric, and the little internal debate about her own self image, because I know quite a few people who have had one of those moments.

Even though I enjoyed Sookie being with someone other than Bill, I'm not sure that I liked it being a memory wiped Eric. Somehow it felt a little bit shady her starting up a sexual relationship with someone who had no idea who he, or anyone else was (but I guess it's a little bit less shady because he obviously wanted to have sex with her before, during, and after his memory was wiped...).

I actually was able to enjoy the mystery aspect of Jason's sorry line, even though I already watched the show, because I guess it just didn't click with me where he was because of the differences throughout the show I just assumed it was different. I was a little disappointed in the way that his captivity ended though, because Jason running through the wood shouting about werepanthers was one of my favorite parts of the entire show, but I have hopes that it might happen in the next book.

I continue to be disappointed because of the lack of sub plots in the books, because as far as the series went I felt like Sookie and Bill's collective story lines (and to be honest, their separate ones) were the weak link.

I think that this book was better than the previous three, at least partially because it seemed to be structured better, with a more easily followed plot. Reading this book felt a lot more natural, and less like wading through muddy water that the previous three. I feel confident that I could have enjoyed this book without the crutch of the show to help me figure out where I was at some points.

I would still recommend this book to people who enjoyed the Vampire Diaries series and Beautiful Creatures, but I think that this one would appeal to a wider range of people (if they could get past books 1-3, or they didn't mind reading books out of order).

Review Originally posted at Miss Book Reviews.

On to the fourth book already!

Dead to the World was an easy read. This book featured Eric more prominently after he gains amnesia caused by a curse that a witches coven has placed on him.

There are just so many supernatural beings in Sookies world! Vampires, Maenads, Werewolves, Were-creatures (Including but not limited to were-owl’s, were-lynx’s, and were-panthers) and now we’re introduced to witches and fairy’s. A fairy named Claudine make’s an appearance claiming that she is drawn to Bon Temps because there has been a lot of unusual supernatural activity lately. I like to wonder what’s not possible in the world of Sookie Stackhouse.

Sookie has made it clear to Bill that their relationship is pretty much over because she can’t handle the way that he continuously hurts her. Bill doesn’t like this but respects her wishes. For most of the book he is absent because he has been ordered to go to Peru to continue researching for his vampire database this does cause Sookie to feel lonely since it is really her first time being completely alone, even her first time having an ex-boyfriend.

Eric isn’t cocky in this book which I admit is refreshing, this is because when he loses his memory he also loses everything that he is meaning his personality. How could someone be the same after having lost all of their memories that shaped them to be who they are? I loved that Charlaine Harris captured this. This appeals to Sookie because he is much nicer and she can actually stand being around him as a person.

I liked Eric in this book but at the same time I didn’t like him as much as I liked the arrogant, strong minded, I-don’t-give-a-flying-#@*& Eric. I think this has to do more with the ‘bad boy’ factor… Oddly enough I’m still on the Alcide band wagon at the moment even though he’s not on the cards right now. Ironically Alcide is not a bad boy and I prefer him that way. There’s just so many attractive qualities about Alcide. Sookie has so many men that she’s attracted to, I’m only on the fourth book so I’m trying to figure out how many she will have by the tenth book haha.

Jason was in this storyline more than he has been in any of the other books so far so that was nice to get to see Sookie actually communicate with her brother.

I found I really enjoyed this book, I liked it a lot more than the last one; it just held my interest more than the last book. And Eric is sexy. So very sexy. When it comes to Eric I do have to admit I picture Alexander Skarsgård, who plays Eric in True Blood.

Overall I can’t wait to read the next Sookie Stackhouse book! Everytime I finish one of these books I’m just dying to pick up the next one. Thinking about getting all the way to the last book in the series makes me feel extremely sad. I wish it wouldn’t happen! Luckily for me I’ve still got more than a few books to get through till that happens.

Miss J
x

Another book in the Sookie series. This one was good and fun to read. I like Eric and I always enjoy reading his parts.

[Kim Deister]

Each book is better than the last! I am really loving these books!

[inlibrisveritas]

I'm in love with Harris' writing style, it's fluid in a odd sort of way. Which is a refreshing break from the straightforward styles of other authors. I really enjoyed this book since Eric is my favorite character and I blazed right through it so I could see how it all turned out. I'm glad I started off my year with this book, definitely a way for me to want to start reading like a maniac again.

[Eve1972]

This may have been my fave of the series so far!

[Hixxup]

This was is my favorite out of the series. I loved the passion between Sookie and Eric, that you wouldn't have been able to see if he didn't get amnesia. I was quite glad that Bill was out of the picture in this book, it was a nice break from the old dud.

[ibeforem]

I think I enjoyed this book a little more than the last couple because I’ve watched the True Blood HBO series and now have a voice and picture in my head for different characters. Also, there’s very little Bill in this book, which suits me fine because in this series, I’m more of a were/shifter fan — Alcide or Sam, anyone? Instead, we get a lot of Eric, though in a form we’ve never seen before. I enjoyed Sookie testing out her independence a bit, even if she’s not entirely happy with some of the choices she makes. I liked how there are some events that happen here that will definitely change Sookie’s future — I can’t wait to see where the story’s going!