Publisher's Weekly Review
In Black's exquisitely imagined contribution to vampire lore, the creatures have shaken off centuries of clandestine existence and gone public, turning thousands into bloodsuckers like themselves. In an attempt to control their spread, the U.S. government has restricted vampires to ghettolike Coldtowns, where a glamorous, high-octane culture has developed, broadcasting its debauched parties to the world and creating a subculture of humans who fetishize eternal life and long to be turned themselves. Seventeen-year-old Tana wakes up after a wild night of partying to discover that almost everyone in attendance has been killed by vampires, "dried blood crusted on their clothing like rust... dotting their skin like freckles." Wandering through the carnage, she finds her infected ex-boyfriend, Aiden, and a mysterious, half-mad vampire named Gavriel chained in a bedroom. Escaping the massacre, Tana drives them to the nearest Coldtown, knowing that if she enters, a quick death might be the best outcome. Replete with grisly violence, an intriguingly complex take on the mechanics of vampirism, and well-developed and memorable characters, this superior, dread-soaked tale will satisfy vampire addicts of all ages. Ages 15-up. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Not long ago, the world discovered that vampires were real. Now many live in quarantined Coldtowns, walled-off cities where vampires roam free and humans flock to offer blood to prove their worthiness for eternal life. Pulled by the allure of the televised decadence, the lavish soirees, and the romantic sensibilities, people enter Coldtown, but few ever leave. Tana wakes after a dusk-to-dawn party to find that only she and her infected ex-boyfriend are alive- for now. Impetuous and empathetic, Tana frees a mysterious chained vampire and all three run from the remaining monsters to the nearest Coldtown. Tana must decide whom she can trust if she is ever going to go home. Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles) perfectly blends classic vampire lore with more than a few new twists. Narrator Christine Larkin expertly relates the tale of Tana, who struggles to survive without losing herself. VERDICT Young adult and adult devotees of vampire and urban fantasy will discover more than enough to sate their voracious appetites with this world of opulence, ancient social hierarchies, and reality television feeds in this essential purchase.-Lisa -Youngblood, Harker Heights P.L., TX (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
