 Spoiler Free Review |
| Review Date: June 3, 2008 |
| Reviewer: The Huntress of Gotham, San Diego, CA USA |
In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though--especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.
For any of you who were frustrated or disappointed with Midnight Alley, Book Three, you're in for a treat with Feast of Fools. Feast of Fools takes all that we learned or thought we learned from Midnight Alley and puts it all together in a very entertaining package. I could not put Feast of Fools down, and there aren't a lot of books that I've read lately that I can say that about.
There is a level of tension in the Morganville books that keeps you on the edge of your seat, even in the background scenes you're waiting for the other shoe to drop. And it always does. Rachel Caine abuses her characters like a pro, and she doesn't shirk because these are YA books. Claire and her friends go through hell just trying to survive in Morganville.
Her characters are young, Claire is about to turn seventeen, but she is no Mary Sue. She's smarter than the average bear, but it's not rubbed into the readers face. Claire's roommates make up the rest of the main characters in the series, and they are pretty normal, or as normal as they can be after growing up in a town run by vampires. But above it all, each book stresses how important friendship is to these characters. You know without a doubt that they are willing to die for each other.
My only complaint is the cliffhanger endings in the series. I need to remind myself that Morganville reads like a TV series not like a movie. There really is no self contained storyline in each book, just a long arc that is being told throughout them all. In other words you cannot pick up Feast of Fools without reading the three books that preceded it. |
Rachel Caine puts her characters through hell...and I like it
|
| Review Date: July 3, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Aurie, California |
"What will you sacrifice, Claire?" she asked. "To win?"
"It's not a game," Claire said.
Amelie inclined her head. "True. It is war. And now we have to fight for all of our lives." -Claire and Amelie, "Feast of Fools"
Rachel Caine's "Morganville Vampires" is probably the only teen series I've been excited about in years. Her approach to teen literature is different from any author I've ever encountered, and clearly caters to the importance of character growth and plot rather than cliche and overdone teen melodrama. Feast of Fools is no exception, and after 3 equally amazing books before it(Glass Houses, The Dead Girls' Dance, Midnight Alley), it's clear that the "Morganville Vampires" series hit its stride and just kept going, and I'll be along for the ride until it's done.
As one of the most powerful vampires Claire has ever encountered, Mr. Bishop is a threat not only to the Glass House, but to the entire town of Morganville. When it becomes clear that even Amelie, the founder of Morganville, and the power hungry Oliver are afraid of Mr. Bishop, Claire knows she's in trouble. It doesn't help any that her parents have bought a house in Morganville, completely unaware that the town is owned and operated by vampires who view the human inhabitants as nothing more than food. A war has begun, and the road to the end is bound to be filled with heartache and sacrifice. And sixteen-year-old Claire will be forced to put aside her fears of vampires and fight alongside them to help save the town and her friends from Mr. Bishop and his followers.
Ah, god, what can I say about Rachel Caine's wonderful writing that doesn't include five exclamation points after every sentence and incoherent fan girl moments? I'll try. Caine writes the hell out of her books, and I failed miserably at finding anything I didn't like about them. The "Morganville Vampires" books, despite their short page count ("Feast of Fools" came in at under 300 pages) manage a balance between development, plot, action, and dialogue that is rarely accomplished well even in books twice the page count. I remember a time when I feared that Claire's point of view might become tedious, that her bookishness and logical internalization might interfere with the direction of the books. Boy was I wrong, and "Feast of Fools" shows just how far young Claire has come: from a shy, reserved teenager to a genuine heroine who is smart, loyal, stands by her convictions, and yet a part of her dreads the role she's been given and wishes she could be a normal teenager. Even Eve, Michael, and Shane have grown to understand that their experiences in the town of Morganville have to be pushed aside to defeat Mr. Bishop. The best thing about "Feast of Fools" is that the interactions between Claire, Eve, Michael and Shane have evolved into such a tangible, intricate understanding and their relationship and care for one another shows. Michael, still dealing with his vampirism, is fighting to stay true to himself and hiding the parts of him that crave blood and put his friends in danger. Eve is forced to deal with her family when tragedy strikes, and is still unsure how to handle her deadly brother. And Shane is visibly trying to accept what Michael has become, and his relationship with Claire becomes conflicted when one of Mr. Bishop's vampires tries to control him, body and soul.
If any teen is looking for a series that discusses teen angst with a paranormal twist, the "Morganville Vampires" is probably not the best series to turn to. This series does not seek to resemble other teen books that discuss the conflicts of teenhood, peppered with cute vampire romance. The "Morganville Vampire" series, in many ways, is more adult than teen. It's fairly clean, as far as language and sex go, but all of the characters have been forced to grow up because of the conflicts they go through. I remembered once thinking that Rachel Caine's novels are mentally exhausting, because they hit you like a ton of bricks and the action is so nonstop that there is little time to rest. What separates Rachel Caine's books from other writers in the same genre is that she is unafraid of making her characters go through hell despite their ages, and seeks to strip their personalities down to their very core. She is intricate in her development, meticulous at showing each and every beautiful and horrible facet of every individual, and each is character has their own distinct voices, their own personalities, and every one--even small, supporting characters--are unique. Rachel Caine's attention to detail and ability to weave and craft a story line that stays consistent after this many books is only a small reason why these books are worth reading. The rest is simply indescribable. Her writing works and flows in ways that many other writers could only seek to master. The "Morganville Vampires", once over, will probably stay on my shelf where they will be read and re-read until the pages are falling out and I'm forced to buy new ones. Such is the mark of a truly fantastic writer. |
Feast of Fools (Morganville Book 4) by Rachel Caine
|
| Review Date: July 4, 2008 |
| Reviewer: brookereviews, tampa, florida |
Feast of Fools starts off where Midnight Alley left off. The Glass house has been taken over by a vampire, Mr. Bishop, who claims to be Amelie's father. He has big plans for the humans and vampires of Morganville, and he, along with his evil cronies, will do whatever it takes to put them into motion. It all comes down to the masked ball where the vampires bring human dates. Who will pledge loyalty to Mr. Bishop, and who will stick with Amelie?
I really enjoy anything that Rachel Caine writes. All of her characters have an interesting past, and the development of them has been great over the course of four books. I think Claire is finally learning when she needs to back off, and let other people take care of things; especially with the addition of her parents in Morganville, because one wrong move could put them on the chopping block.
Claire and Shane's relationship is growing, and they both want to take things to the next level. But Shane continues to be the good guy and stick to his guns (unfortunately for the reader). This only makes Shane more likeable in my opinion. He knows what he wants, but he knows that he can't have it...yet.
My favorite character is still Myrnin. The addition of him in Midnight Alley added a whole new level of intrigue to the story. With the new serum Claire has been working on to help him, and the other vampires, he's able to stay out of his cage for longer. This had me on edge because I was just waiting for him to attack Claire at any minute.
Monica is still as evil as ever! She is the biggest bully for a college gal. I wish she would get what was coming to her, because it seems that several near death experiences aren't cutting it! How many times does Claire have to save her before she leaves her alone? There is one scene that had me fuming. I felt so bad for Claire.
This series always ends on a cliff hanger, which I've gotten used to now that this is the fourth book. It's kind of nice because the story keeps continuing instead of jumping to a new problem/plot. It's like one long book if you piece them together. Feast of Fools was quick and enjoyable, and I look forward to reading the fifth in the series, Lord of Misrule.
|
Feast of Fools
|
| Review Date: June 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Tamela Mccann, Nashville, TN USA |
Claire, Claire, Claire...are you ever going to keep yourself out of trouble? Somehow I doubt it. In this fourth book of the Morganville Vampire series, we pick up almost immediately where Book 3 leaves off: Claire and her housemates are dealing with the arrival of her parents to Morganville when, out of the blue, Amelie's father (read: Big Daddy of All Vampires) arrives at the Glass House with two of his cronies, demanding food and Amelie. Turns out he's not there for a friendly visit, of course; he's there to wrangle control of Morganville from his daughter, and he doesn't give a flip who he hurts (or kills) in the process.
There is a lot of action in Feast of Fools, with Michael conflicted over his vampiric nature, Eve losing her estranged father, Shane forced to attend a vampire ball as the escort of the dangerous Ysandre, and Claire still working with the increasingly volatile Myrnin on a cure for the disease affecting the vamps. The relationship between Shane and Claire continues to grow (rather nicely, as a matter of fact), and Claire's self-confidence increases despite her misgivings for belonging to Amelie. The height of the action hits when Amelie is forced to give a ball for her father, and sides are chosen as to whom loyalty will be given. Claire's knowledge brings her into the center of things, and once again we're left on a major cliffhanger (and I'm left checking my mailbox every few hours, waiting on my Amazon shipment that contains book #5!).
Feast of Fools is a very interesting installment in the series; we see Claire maturing constantly as she tries to figure out the complex intricacies of the vampire society and her place in it. The addition of her parents has left me a bit puzzled because it honestly feels as though Claire is the parent and her parents are the clueless ones. I like how the series develops its characters as the stories move along, and I like how, despite the turmoil going on in Morganville, there are some rather "human" stories, such as Michael playing guitar in Common Grounds. I may as well confess it now: I'm hooked, and I'll be reading this series until it bleeds me dry. Great, great fun. |
cliff hanger extraordinaire
|
| Review Date: July 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Neker, Duson, Louisiana United States |
Claire, as usual, is dealing with a multitude of problems--her parents have decided to move to Morganville, Monica is attempting to sabotage her college, she has to find the cure to save all the sick vampires, oh...and Amalie's father (the biggest, scariest vampire of all) has come to visit and take over the town. All in a normal day for a 16 (a few weeks to 17) year old genius. This book doesn't devil further in the psyche of the bad guys and friends like previous books. But, hey, get real, the books ARE ONLY about 250 pages long. This one does dig a little into roomie Eve's childhood, and Shane seems to be maturing a great deal (Finally!)
Honestly, I easily finished the book in one afternoon and evening--with a few disruptions. I absolutely adore this series by Rachel Caine, even more than her weather warden series. What truly gets my attention about her writing style is that she so easily picks up the mentality of a 16 year old. Granted, I've more than double that age, but reading this book brings me back to my own teen years. That awkward stage where you say the wrong things simply because he don't have the experience to know better. The times where you don't say anything at all and hope to fade into the woodwork because you feel your out of your element. Caine brings that through with her character of Claire without being obvious about it and without coming right out and saying it. A fabulous writing job with her characterization.
Now for the bad part---those horrible cliffhangers! Come-on! I'm dying here! he, he. Yea, yea, she's got to have us salivating for the next one, and it certainly working on me! |
|
No video reviews found for this product.
