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A review by pagesplotsandpints
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
dark
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Read Completed 10/10/24 | 3.25 stars
Mainly, I just think I'm not the audience for Rachel Harrison's books, or very specifically, not for this one. SO THIRSTY read much more contemporary than horror, though it did have some horror moments for sure, full of vampire violence and thrilling moments. But the heart of the story, really, is about Sloane finally breaking through the monotony of her life, settling for things instead of going after what she really wants and really living. She's been staying with a husband who cheats on her, unhappy with her life, feeling old at 36 and completely unfulfilled but not interested in changing the status quo. Naomi is her wild and care-free friend who joins her for her 36th birthday party at a weekend away that her husband arranged and they meet a group of vampires (which obviously they don't know at the time), and things progress from there.
I feel like Sloane is very representative of women everywhere who shouldn't have to settle, and need to go off and seize what they want from life, SO THIRSTY, obviously a play on Sloane's new found thirst to be fulfilled by life in every way as well as her new found physical thirst as a vampire. My issue was that I didn't connect with Sloane. I did like her growth throughout the book, but I just wanted a little bit more, from everything really.
The vampire part of the book was really fun, but the plot and the character development just wasn't enough. The vampire crew were mostly just caricatures and didn't really have deeper personalities, especially for undead beings that are over 500 years old. Or if they did, we didn't really see them. The plot really took a long time to take off. This isn't a long book, and we didn't get to the really vampire-y things until like 40%. I was less interested in Sloane trudging along on a personal journey and more interested in the actual plot. I wanted to see them happen side-by-side.
The friendship also really bothered me. I feel like, especially by the end, we were supposed to be happy about this friendship, but I thought it was pretty unhealthy. Sloane chooses Naomi over her husband and gives up her old life to save Naomi and to basically commit to her forever, but they're really not the best to each other. I'm sure that's all friendships at times, but I just didn't even feel like they really treated each other well. They were constantly fighting and going behind each other's backs. Naomi encouraged Sloane to come out of her shell, hook up, lose control a bit, but then when Sloane starts cavorting with one of the vampires, Naomi gives her shit for pairing off with him. WELL??? You told her to! They were all still in a group together, so it's not like she left her there. (They also fight about this too, that Sloane gave up her entire life for Naomi.) Naomi can't get her thirst under control and Sloane cleans up several of her messes, and she still doesn't appreciate it. It just didn't seem like a balanced, healthy, supportive friendship and I feel like I was supposed to be happy them, but I wasn't.
I did like some of the read and it was just super easy to breeze through. I'm disappointed in the lack of plot -- at least SOME more development with plot and side characters would have been great. It got an extra quarter of a star because it was so easy to fly through, but the ending felt unfinished and rushed. A big old EH feeling for me.
Mainly, I just think I'm not the audience for Rachel Harrison's books, or very specifically, not for this one. SO THIRSTY read much more contemporary than horror, though it did have some horror moments for sure, full of vampire violence and thrilling moments. But the heart of the story, really, is about Sloane finally breaking through the monotony of her life, settling for things instead of going after what she really wants and really living. She's been staying with a husband who cheats on her, unhappy with her life, feeling old at 36 and completely unfulfilled but not interested in changing the status quo. Naomi is her wild and care-free friend who joins her for her 36th birthday party at a weekend away that her husband arranged and they meet a group of vampires (which obviously they don't know at the time), and things progress from there.
I feel like Sloane is very representative of women everywhere who shouldn't have to settle, and need to go off and seize what they want from life, SO THIRSTY, obviously a play on Sloane's new found thirst to be fulfilled by life in every way as well as her new found physical thirst as a vampire. My issue was that I didn't connect with Sloane. I did like her growth throughout the book, but I just wanted a little bit more, from everything really.
The vampire part of the book was really fun, but the plot and the character development just wasn't enough. The vampire crew were mostly just caricatures and didn't really have deeper personalities, especially for undead beings that are over 500 years old. Or if they did, we didn't really see them. The plot really took a long time to take off. This isn't a long book, and we didn't get to the really vampire-y things until like 40%. I was less interested in Sloane trudging along on a personal journey and more interested in the actual plot. I wanted to see them happen side-by-side.
The friendship also really bothered me. I feel like, especially by the end, we were supposed to be happy about this friendship, but I thought it was pretty unhealthy. Sloane chooses Naomi over her husband and gives up her old life to save Naomi and to basically commit to her forever, but they're really not the best to each other. I'm sure that's all friendships at times, but I just didn't even feel like they really treated each other well. They were constantly fighting and going behind each other's backs. Naomi encouraged Sloane to come out of her shell, hook up, lose control a bit, but then when Sloane starts cavorting with one of the vampires, Naomi gives her shit for pairing off with him. WELL??? You told her to! They were all still in a group together, so it's not like she left her there. (They also fight about this too, that Sloane gave up her entire life for Naomi.) Naomi can't get her thirst under control and Sloane cleans up several of her messes, and she still doesn't appreciate it. It just didn't seem like a balanced, healthy, supportive friendship and I feel like I was supposed to be happy them, but I wasn't.
I did like some of the read and it was just super easy to breeze through. I'm disappointed in the lack of plot -- at least SOME more development with plot and side characters would have been great. It got an extra quarter of a star because it was so easy to fly through, but the ending felt unfinished and rushed. A big old EH feeling for me.