Sarah Mac’s Reviews > The Burning > Status Update

‘He took his fingers away & let his blood spurt into her mouth. He made ready to hold her there when she struggled in revulsion. But she didn’t struggle. She nuzzled at his throat, making a small sound of...of satisfaction, he would swear. One hand stole around his neck. She was kissing, sucking, her breasts pressed against him through the thin, damp shift.’

“Personal preferences do not mean a person is insane, Mr Van Helsing, else you would be locked up for those pantaloons.” ....Lolz. Ugly pants are always funny, no matter their context. 😬

‘Her resolve crystalized inside her, hard as a diamond. It was high time. She could never go back to hiding in her nursery, no matter what happened. Now she had something she wanted. If Erich stood in her way, then he must be vanquished like the dragon he was. Dragon or chimera? She would find out.’

‘She had tasted sexual pleasure without the joy of sharing she was sure it was meant to be. Now she wanted to know it all. If she missed this chance she might well live her life like a dry brown leaf blown in the wind.’ ....Translation: I can touch you without going insane, & I think you’re hot. Please give me one night of fabulous sex before you commit suicide by vampire-battle. 😂

‘She had been kind to him, regardless of the cost. She was the opposite of the dark emptiness he cultivated. And yet she understood. Sitting here staring at her in the wee hours of the night tethered him to a world that did not require killing & emptiness in order to deserve redemption.’ ....This poor bastard needs a hug. Or twenty.

‘The room was dim, lighted by a single candle at her bedside. She looked like one of those marble figures carved in stone atop their coffins, tiny, as befitted people of bygone centuries, remote, her skin white & smooth as marble. Her blonde lashes, 3 shades darker than her hair, brushed her impossibly pale cheeks. Her lips had once been blushing rose, but now they too were almost colorless. His fault.’

‘Against the wall was a long table laid w/ plates of hothouse fruit & sweetmeats, & several decanters of red wine. The walls & floor were stone as well, only partially covered by two thick Turkey carpets, one on each side of the stone bench, & several tapestry wall hangings. The room was comfortable only on the surface. Underneath, it was hard & unyielding.’ ....An interesting contrast to Ann’s secret cave.

‘Their hair was all long, black, & loose about their bodies, but the hair of the plumpest one curled softly rather than being straight like that of the other two. Their skin was the white of those who have never seen the sun. Their eyes were dark pools...of what? Stephen saw desire, purpose...avarice?’ ....Meet the three oversexed daughters of Rubius. :P

‘On spring hinges the door opened to her touch as tho it were new & not hundreds of years old. She stepped into the night. The stars spread above her, the constellations only an artificially imposed order. Behind the stars was the cloud of the Milky Way. Calm. How could you not be calm in the face of such implacable immensity?’ ...Abbey ruins, secret caves, The Sublime, + the era of Minerva Press. FAB TRIBUTE. :D

Hm. This novel makes many reviewers run screaming—one where those who like it mostly hide behind generic star ratings rather than stare down the trend toward pablum blahness. So, naturally, I’m excited to read it. 😈