I love historical fiction, and I adore New Orleans. I've been hooked on vampire stories lately, so with this book mixing all three, I was super excited to read it. The first look showed real promise with some beautiful imagery and dark suspense. But two thirds of the way through the book I felt like there had still been no character development, and little plot development. A few more bodies piled up, but over two-thirds of the way through, you're still in the dark about pretty much everything. I kept having to make myself push through the story. We know we've got some supernatural beings, but don't know exactly what they are, or what they can do.
At page 292 of 425, I still wouldn't know for sure there are vampires if I hadn't been told, and I'm assuming there's another kind of supernatural being as well? But I don't know. There's very little world-building aside from some good descriptions of New Orleans itself. For me world-building for a story with supernatural characters has to include setting some of the rules for what kind of powers they have, how they work, do they have limitations...
I also wouldn't know there was a love "triangle" if I hadn't been told. There's almost no basis for one side of the triangle, just beautiful people drawn to violence and danger, and the other side is practically non-existent. I saw nothing of substance to indicate an attraction on his part, and zero on her part.
I understand this is the first in a series, but I really expected more development in a book that sets the scene. I was a little disappointed.
At page 292 of 425, I still wouldn't know for sure there are vampires if I hadn't been told, and I'm assuming there's another kind of supernatural being as well? But I don't know. There's very little world-building aside from some good descriptions of New Orleans itself. For me world-building for a story with supernatural characters has to include setting some of the rules for what kind of powers they have, how they work, do they have limitations...
I also wouldn't know there was a love "triangle" if I hadn't been told. There's almost no basis for one side of the triangle, just beautiful people drawn to violence and danger, and the other side is practically non-existent. I saw nothing of substance to indicate an attraction on his part, and zero on her part.
I understand this is the first in a series, but I really expected more development in a book that sets the scene. I was a little disappointed.