Car mechanic and sometime shapeshifter Mercy Thompson has learned, the hard way, why her race was almost exterminated. When European vampires immigrated to North America, they found Mercy's people had a hidden talent - for vampire slaying. Unfortunately for Mercy, the queen of the local vampire seethe has discovered her true identity. She's also furious when she learns Mercy has crossed her and killed one of her vampires. Mercy may be protected from direct reprisals by the werewolf pack (and her interesting relationship with its Alpha), but that just means Marsilia will come after Mercy some other way. So Mercy had better prepare to watch her back.
Briggs characterization and incorporation of both wolf behavior and mythology make her work an automatic keeper for me. In this book I particularly liked the way she started off this book with a paraphrasing of the ending from the last one. It helped anchor me more quickly in what was taking place.
I like that Mercy is a strong character, but with weaknesses that ring true. Very three-dimensional. Not just Mercy, but all of the primary characters.
The only thing I think was kind of glossed over was Chad's reactions to his mother's fate and some idea of what happened to him and his father afterward, but perhaps--as with this book--that will be touched on in later volumes.
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
5 July, 2009:
Finished reading
-
5 July, 2009:
Reviewed