Gleason, Colleen - The Rest Falls Away

[oyceter]

Also known as: Regency!Buffy

Some things are changed: Slayers are Venators and can be born or trained, there are definitely more than one per generation, and most are male, but Victoria Gardella Grant is clearly a Buffy take, and the book has a few homages to the series.

More notably, the book focuses on the main conflict of S1 Buffy; namely, how does one have a social life and romance and all that fun stuff while vampire slaying? Even more so when one is a Regency lady? I think the book loses something by not having the high school/vampire metaphors extended the way Buffy could, but on the other hand, the social pressures on Victoria are even greater than those on Buffy.

Plus, her maid decorates her stakes and puts them into her hairdos!

Also, this book is being marketed as a paranormal romance (or so the spine and the shelving tell me), but it's not. I mean, I haven't read enough paranormals to say, but this book has almost none of the trappings I expect from a romance novel, including a central romance. There is romance, but it's very clearly a side element, and it doesn't follow any of the normal developments a romance-romance would. If I had to put this in a genre (outside of fantasy), I would put it in "superhero origin stories."

Spoilers

I nearly fell off the bed laughing when I found out where Max's vis bulla piercing was. Nipple rings! BWAHAHAHAHA!

I generally figured out Philip was doomed when I read the backs of the second and third books to figure out if Max was a romantic interest or not. I am a little sad Philip doesn't become Lilith's immortal vampire consort and one of the Big Bads, because that would have excellent angst potential, but I'm perfectly satisfied with him being Victoria's man in the refrigerator. As such, I wasn't too concerned with the fairly boring Victoria/Philip scenes. Anyway, Philip is the main reason why I would classify this book as a "superhero origin story;" the book is all set up for later plots and set up for Victoria's (and the reader's) emotional investment in Lilith's defeat.

I see that Sebastian is a romantic interest of sorts, which I just find dreadfully wrong. I didn't find his scenes with Victoria sexy at all; in fact, they creeped me out. Possibly this is just because I am very, very tired of the guy oozing seduction from every pore.

On the other hand, I found Max very sexy, and I love the scene with Victoria changing clothes in the carriage. Possibly I just like watching guy control freaks lose it. Besides, the tension between him and Victoria is much more interesting, and when you throw in Victoria seeing him basically powerless at Lilith's feet, there is some excellent potential for later books.

Anyway, I found this a fun read, though I was never caught up emotionally or worried about Victoria. Still, I am getting the next book from the library because I am shipping Victoria/Max and want to see if anything will happen.

Links:
- magicnoire's review
- oracne's review (spoilers)

Comments

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

It depends, I think. His death definitely affects Victoria and makes her never ever want to become part of proper society again and realizes she can never have a "normal" life. At the start of the second book, she leaves England, so it certainly follows the classic superhero origin model.

I personally believe Victoria ending up with Max makes the most sense but the legion of Sebastian fans implies that the "We All Saw It Coming" is not universal. (I actually find the uncertainty regarding who she will ultimately choose kind of stressful, which is kind of funny.) Despite the two potential love interests though, I came to the conclusion the series doesn't feature a love triangle so much as an evolution of a single character and how that development affects who she chooses to become romantically involved with. Based on some stuff the author had said (written) online, I believe that's the series's intent regarding that particular subplot.

[jenfullmoon.livejournal.com]

I still think V/M is a "We All Saw It Coming" big time, but I do have to give the author props for uh...yeah, I can't say, I'll just say book 3. Wasn't expecting that.