I like this kind of villain - unhinged!
While a lot of people already know the story, I am determined to not spoil anything, maybe the first time in my life. However, I do have to say that I absolutely love how it all turned out. The villain let's say, is almost childlike and innocent one moment and cruel and vicious the next.
But I am getting ahead of myself. Elena becomes a vampire - I know, not a big spoiler there. Also not a big spoiler - she hates it. Oh, she's so good and vampires are so evil, even though she's in love with one, or maybe two (eye roll), but she can't go on like a vampire. And of course Stefan and Damon are hovering over her to give her anything she wants (Stefan obviously and Damon conspicuously and with feigned disinterest). Not just two of them, but Meredith, Bonnie and even Matt.
Things are moving, stuff is happening. Everything is becoming at least a bit clearer. Caroline and Tyler are conspiring together, but to do what? Matt is avoiding everyone after Elena is presumed dead, but then shows up undead to feed on him. Bonnie is fluttering and Meredith is suspicious. Strange things are happening around Fell's Church, animals are restless and attacking people without provocation.
I do appreciate the drama and the build-up of all the tension, just for it to smash against everyone. Maybe I'm just judging the book too harshly because it was written for teenagers (and though I did read it first as a teenager, most of the details are hazy) but it's just missing things. The writing feels like it's missing a lot of descriptions, of things and characters and what they're doing (my love of high fantasy coming into play here), but like it's an abstract of the book rather than the book itself.