John Hennessy's Blog - Posts Tagged "kendare-blake"
Book Review: "Anna Dressed in Blood" by Kendare Blake
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare BlakeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Anna Dressed in Blood ***This Review contains spoilers***
They say 'don't judge a book by its cover' and that is so true, but what is also true that 'Anna Dressed In Blood' has one of the most strikingly awesome and at the same time, hauntingly beautiful covers that I've ever seen.
One thing writers have to do is make their star character as real as they can - so that you feel, what they feel. Another thing that is needed is a character to play off against, that is at least as interesting as the character of the title.
In this aspect, Kendare Blake has succeeded and then some. Anna is a truly terrifying ghost, but she's made more real to me not by her interactions with those she ***SPOILER ALERT*** ultimately kills (and who didn't cheer a lot when Mike got his comeuppance? Maybe I shouldn't be happy about that, but I was, as Cas says so honestly later in the book 'Mike was a d*ck').
The gore factor is rather high in this book, but that's okay - there is no need to spare readers of the 'gory details' because from the off, this book is about killing, and lots of it.
If the mystical story of the athame had not been so well built up, I am not sure I could 'buy' the fact it sends ghosts back to the nether world....but again, all the key points are told so well, you are just carried along with the story.
All the characters have a purpose, but it's Cas, our hero, and Anna - yes - our heroine - an anti-heroine' if you like, but still, the kind of girl I like :)
So Anna rips a few people apart and blood drips from her body, and she's got weird veins...also her dry clean bill must be horrendous - but she comes across as terrifying and yet you just can't fail to be attracted to her.
I totally buy the feelings Cas has for her, because they are two sides of the same coin - Anna kills because she can't help it - Cas kills because he simply has to. In both cases, it's in their blood.
This is not a 'young' YA book. I expect it would hit a 15 even an 18 certificate if it ever appeared in UK cinemas.
Thankfully, Kendare Blake has crafted a wicked tale that is not a case of 'Ooh! It's a ghost!' - no - the scares are more clever than that, and I honestly didn't see the twist until the end...which made the book even better.
It's such a pleasure to read a book that works on every single level - great story, believeable characters - and you will be rooting for Thomas, Carmel, and Cas's mom for different reasons to how you feel about Anna and Cas.
What will live with me is the vivid description of Anna. She's got her back to you on the cover, and be glad for that wise decision by the creator of the cover, because having read the book, you will be in no doubt what Anna looks like, and I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep without Anna's devilish stare pervading my sleep just before REM kicks in.
Kayako from The Grudge? Anna is MUCH more scary than that!
Bravo to Kendare Blake - I wait with great anticipation for 'Girl of Nightmares' in June 2013.
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Currently Reading: "Girl of Nightmares" (Anna, 2) by Kendare Blake
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Girl of Nightmares
After I had read the first 'Anna' book, 'Anna Dressed in Blood', I was excited and at the same time, a bit scared of the follow up, 'Girl of Nightmares', because the standard set in Anna, 1, was so high.
How could it possibly match it?
The first book smashed you over the head from page 1, and kept bludgeoning you throughout.
The second book, so far, revolves around Cas's near infatuated state regarding Anna. This 'love story' was never going to be the conventional 'boy meets girl and falls in love' story, and I remember, as a teenage boy, what it was like to be crazy in love (not real, but it felt real enough) with a girl (or girls) who did not reciprocate.
So far, it's not for certain that Anna wants to show affection for Cas, even if she wants to.
After all, she has bigger problems, she is in Hell, whether she deserves to be or not, is another matter.
Some reviews I have seen (without spoilers) seem to wish that Cas should be ghost hunting more, rather than fawning over how to save Anna (assuming she can be saved).
I think this book is so far, a very solid follow up. It is not set at the blistering pace of the first book, which may disappoint some, but if you really like Cas and the other characters (I reserve judgement only on Morfran, so far!) you should pursue with the story. I'm basically at the half-way point in the story, and still enjoying it.
That says a lot more about Kendare Blake's writing style, which veers from easy to eat up to detailed so strongly, you are pulled right in. I am a huge fan of this author, and almost certainly going to read her Anti Goddess series and other stories.
So. This is not 'Anna Dressed in Blood'. It's different. And in my view, that is no bad thing. My only advice is to read the first book, first, then enjoy both. I'll be fascinated to see how it all works out.
Girl of Nightmares
After I had read the first 'Anna' book, 'Anna Dressed in Blood', I was excited and at the same time, a bit scared of the follow up, 'Girl of Nightmares', because the standard set in Anna, 1, was so high.
How could it possibly match it?
The first book smashed you over the head from page 1, and kept bludgeoning you throughout.
The second book, so far, revolves around Cas's near infatuated state regarding Anna. This 'love story' was never going to be the conventional 'boy meets girl and falls in love' story, and I remember, as a teenage boy, what it was like to be crazy in love (not real, but it felt real enough) with a girl (or girls) who did not reciprocate.
So far, it's not for certain that Anna wants to show affection for Cas, even if she wants to.
After all, she has bigger problems, she is in Hell, whether she deserves to be or not, is another matter.
Some reviews I have seen (without spoilers) seem to wish that Cas should be ghost hunting more, rather than fawning over how to save Anna (assuming she can be saved).
I think this book is so far, a very solid follow up. It is not set at the blistering pace of the first book, which may disappoint some, but if you really like Cas and the other characters (I reserve judgement only on Morfran, so far!) you should pursue with the story. I'm basically at the half-way point in the story, and still enjoying it.
That says a lot more about Kendare Blake's writing style, which veers from easy to eat up to detailed so strongly, you are pulled right in. I am a huge fan of this author, and almost certainly going to read her Anti Goddess series and other stories.
So. This is not 'Anna Dressed in Blood'. It's different. And in my view, that is no bad thing. My only advice is to read the first book, first, then enjoy both. I'll be fascinated to see how it all works out.
Just finished reading: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
Okay. Need to rest after reading this one. I blasted through the last 120 pages or so. I do still think you read it more carefully when it is the printed book rather than Kindle, so for authors I really love, I will get the printed book. I am still not sold on the whole Kindle thing!
Wow. A terrific read that balances the first book nicely. It was a very satisfying book, and I never expected it to be as godo as the first. If you take it as one whole volume, you have one hell of a story there.
Apart from Kendare's amazing way with words and descriptions, what''s really freaky is that there is a home, just like on the cover of Anna Dressed in Blood, close to my old junior school. I haven't been up there in years, but now I am tempted, just to see if Anna's there. God, I hope not.
I need to relax and recover from this one, then do a more detailed review. Good on you Kendare Blake. You've done it again.
Wow. A terrific read that balances the first book nicely. It was a very satisfying book, and I never expected it to be as godo as the first. If you take it as one whole volume, you have one hell of a story there.
Apart from Kendare's amazing way with words and descriptions, what''s really freaky is that there is a home, just like on the cover of Anna Dressed in Blood, close to my old junior school. I haven't been up there in years, but now I am tempted, just to see if Anna's there. God, I hope not.
I need to relax and recover from this one, then do a more detailed review. Good on you Kendare Blake. You've done it again.
Book Review: AntiGoddess by Kendare Blake
Kendare Blake is one of the growing numbers of 'new' authors on my list. Having stuck with horror writers like Dean Koontz, Stephen King and Anne Rice, for years, it was Kendare's novel 'Anna Dressed in Blood' that grabbed me by the throat some months back. It was followed up by 'Girl of Nightmares', but to date, there is no third installment of 'Anna', so you can imagine my thoughts on approaching Antigoddess.
It was one of those books I found out about before it was out, so I pre-ordered it on Amazon, something I have never done before.
So, to the story. Well, it's about mythology, so was pretty far away from 'Anna Dressed in Blood,'. I wasn't expecting another horror story.
What we get, in fact, is a very intelligent twist on Greek legends, where the old Gods actually find they are not as immortal as they thought. The story builds up slowly, but you know something is going to kick off somewhere.
SPOILER ALERT
When the two 'goddesses' finally collide, the story shifts into high gear and the pace set in 'Anna' is kept up right until the end of the book.
END SPOILER
I can honestly say that I didn't see the ending coming in the way it did.
That's what makes a Kendare Blake book so satisfying. I kept hoping for Anna Korlov to pop up, somehow, but actually, I had to leave that world behind if I was going to enjoy this one.
I can bet that you'll enjoy it too.
This is the first book in a series, but it doesn't feel drawn out or stretched like some other stories, that may get tired quickly.
You can see the importance of the build up in the first 150 pages or so of the book, so don't expect loads of action at the start. It builds to a nice crescendo and the ending, as I said, is thunderingly satisfying.
Onto Book 2, then, when it is released.Antigoddess
It was one of those books I found out about before it was out, so I pre-ordered it on Amazon, something I have never done before.
So, to the story. Well, it's about mythology, so was pretty far away from 'Anna Dressed in Blood,'. I wasn't expecting another horror story.
What we get, in fact, is a very intelligent twist on Greek legends, where the old Gods actually find they are not as immortal as they thought. The story builds up slowly, but you know something is going to kick off somewhere.
SPOILER ALERT
When the two 'goddesses' finally collide, the story shifts into high gear and the pace set in 'Anna' is kept up right until the end of the book.
END SPOILER
I can honestly say that I didn't see the ending coming in the way it did.
That's what makes a Kendare Blake book so satisfying. I kept hoping for Anna Korlov to pop up, somehow, but actually, I had to leave that world behind if I was going to enjoy this one.
I can bet that you'll enjoy it too.
This is the first book in a series, but it doesn't feel drawn out or stretched like some other stories, that may get tired quickly.
You can see the importance of the build up in the first 150 pages or so of the book, so don't expect loads of action at the start. It builds to a nice crescendo and the ending, as I said, is thunderingly satisfying.
Onto Book 2, then, when it is released.Antigoddess
