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| Rating: 3 |
Cas Lowood "kills" ghosts. They are dangerous and it his job to make them rest in peace.
He's used to fighting for his life in the process, so when bloody Anna decided not to kill him, he is determined to find out why.
Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Anna
Published: 3rd of July, 2012 by
Genre: Paranormal > Ghosts
Format: 316 pages, paperback
Source: purchased
*Kindly take note that this review was written without being informed in any way this there is a sequel. Details are correspondingly changed.*
When ghosts and blood (and killing, of course) are included, I definitely expect days of paranoia and nights of hiding under the covers. And unfortunately, Anna Dressed in Blood, didn't make it through.
Having never read any ghost-killing book before, I found Kendare Blake's work very original yet very soft. Learning about the ghosts' varying backstories and murderous habits was exciting but the actual athame-stabbing-moment lost the punch. There was no heartbeat skipped, no breath taken away.
I was constantly getting distracted because Cas Lowood's grip isn't vise-like enough and his voice sounded like a girl. I don't mean to be sterotypical or anything but from reading mostly female narrations, I notice the difference. There wasn't an 'hmph' to his words. It was actually Anna's voice that brought that strength I've been searching for in a main character.
Whatever expectation I had for Anna, she surmount them all. In other words, I love her more than any other character. Anna is more than just a truly gruesome ghost who, for some reason, spared Cas his life. She's a being, much like us, stuck in a cage she cannot escape from, left with little to no choice. Admittedly at first, she scared me with her whole bloody facade and then came the young Finnish girl who should've had a better future than death. She was a well rounded character; I applaud Blake for that. It's Anna who made me finish the book and like it, at least.
Towards the last few chapters, the whole storyline pretty much stirred away from the whole Anna Dressed in Blood idea. It was a truly unexpected curve and another unexpected ending. I haven't got into terms with it still; I think this twist would've been better executed in a sequel, where it could be more detailed, coherent, and solid.
A lot of what I'm reviewing may seem unclear but I can't really say much without spoiling all the mysteries formed in the synopsis. Unfortunately. (Maybe I'll get a spoilery review done.)
With an abrupt conclusion and a tame narration, Anna Dressed in Blood should've been better. But through a bloody terrific ghost and an adorable relationship *ehem ehem*, it was enough for me to like it.
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