Post by Charlynn on Dec 21, 2010 13:54:58 GMT -5
The Van Alen Legacy
At the start of this novel, the fourth in the Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz, Schuyler is on the run with her best friend/conduit/familiar/somewhat boyfriend, Mimi is working with a venator team which includes Kingsley Martin, the vampire which had a large part in causing her to nearly lose her life, and Bliss is alone nearly all the time with her 'visitor' - her father, Lucifer, trying to break free of his control and regain her life. In fact, during the first portion of this book, there were basically three distinct, separate storylines taking place. While I was interested in all three of them to varying degrees, the clear-cut, strict division made the beginning of this book somewhat disjointed. You would just reach a really exciting moment in one of the girls' storyline, but then the chapter would end, and you'd have to switch gears and characters and remember what was happening the last time you saw the girl you were now reading about. With that said, though, my favorite part of this novel took place during this separation of the plot. That scene between a broken up Schuyler and Jack in the tunnels beneath Paris... whoa! I liked it. A lot. So what if I'm a sucker for grand, sweeping reunions that in the end solve nothing but, while they occur, sure are unbelievably titillating?
Eventually, though - back to the plot, all the girls go home to New York - Schuyler, at that point, from Sydney, Mimi from Rio, and Bliss from the Hamptons. However, Schuyler's life, unlike with her other female counterparts, doesn't return to normal. She's still a fugitive, so she hides in plain sight in the city, while Oliver returns to the conclave's folds and pretends that the two of them have gone their separate ways. Meanwhile, Bliss is still fighting against her visitor, trying to wrestle control away from him and keep everyone she loves safe, and Mimi has gone back to her pampered princess self, re-planning her bonding ceremony with Jack who thinks that Schuyler has ended things between them once and for all. Plus, Bliss is also seeing visions of Dylan (because his essence is trapped in her mind), Mimi's sleeping with Kingsley, and Michael's missing.
Oh, and then Allegra finally wakes up, too.
Needless to say, there's a lot going on in book four, and it comes to a head at Mimi and Jack's bonding ceremony. All hell breaks lose when the silver bloods attack. By the time the battle is over, someone's dead, someone's heart broken, someone drinks another vampire's blood in order to survive, and someone else sacrifices their own life only to be reincarnated in a different form. It's chaos, and it's wonderful, and it's devastating all at the same time. In essence, The Van Alen Legacy completely alters the series' game plan, shifting it into a new and what I would say to be a better direction.
By the way, yes, I still hate Mimi. Whether she's changing or not, whether she's given up on her bond with Jack or not, that character just rubs me the wrong way. Oh, she's definitely essential the storyline, and she can be interesting, but she's still completely unsympathetic in my opinion. Just when I start to commiserate with her, she says or does something so insanely selfish, egotistical, or heartless, and I'm back to hating her all over again. But that's me. What say you?
At the start of this novel, the fourth in the Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz, Schuyler is on the run with her best friend/conduit/familiar/somewhat boyfriend, Mimi is working with a venator team which includes Kingsley Martin, the vampire which had a large part in causing her to nearly lose her life, and Bliss is alone nearly all the time with her 'visitor' - her father, Lucifer, trying to break free of his control and regain her life. In fact, during the first portion of this book, there were basically three distinct, separate storylines taking place. While I was interested in all three of them to varying degrees, the clear-cut, strict division made the beginning of this book somewhat disjointed. You would just reach a really exciting moment in one of the girls' storyline, but then the chapter would end, and you'd have to switch gears and characters and remember what was happening the last time you saw the girl you were now reading about. With that said, though, my favorite part of this novel took place during this separation of the plot. That scene between a broken up Schuyler and Jack in the tunnels beneath Paris... whoa! I liked it. A lot. So what if I'm a sucker for grand, sweeping reunions that in the end solve nothing but, while they occur, sure are unbelievably titillating?
Eventually, though - back to the plot, all the girls go home to New York - Schuyler, at that point, from Sydney, Mimi from Rio, and Bliss from the Hamptons. However, Schuyler's life, unlike with her other female counterparts, doesn't return to normal. She's still a fugitive, so she hides in plain sight in the city, while Oliver returns to the conclave's folds and pretends that the two of them have gone their separate ways. Meanwhile, Bliss is still fighting against her visitor, trying to wrestle control away from him and keep everyone she loves safe, and Mimi has gone back to her pampered princess self, re-planning her bonding ceremony with Jack who thinks that Schuyler has ended things between them once and for all. Plus, Bliss is also seeing visions of Dylan (because his essence is trapped in her mind), Mimi's sleeping with Kingsley, and Michael's missing.
Oh, and then Allegra finally wakes up, too.
Needless to say, there's a lot going on in book four, and it comes to a head at Mimi and Jack's bonding ceremony. All hell breaks lose when the silver bloods attack. By the time the battle is over, someone's dead, someone's heart broken, someone drinks another vampire's blood in order to survive, and someone else sacrifices their own life only to be reincarnated in a different form. It's chaos, and it's wonderful, and it's devastating all at the same time. In essence, The Van Alen Legacy completely alters the series' game plan, shifting it into a new and what I would say to be a better direction.
By the way, yes, I still hate Mimi. Whether she's changing or not, whether she's given up on her bond with Jack or not, that character just rubs me the wrong way. Oh, she's definitely essential the storyline, and she can be interesting, but she's still completely unsympathetic in my opinion. Just when I start to commiserate with her, she says or does something so insanely selfish, egotistical, or heartless, and I'm back to hating her all over again. But that's me. What say you?