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brennanlafaro 's review for:
Until Summer Comes Around
by Glenn Rolfe
To paraphrase one of my favorite Stephen King writing rules - "don't tell us the character needs to defecate when they need to take a shit."
Until Summer Comes Around is my first novel-length Glenn Rolfe experience. One of the first things that captured my attention and held it throughout the length of the story, is that there are no words wasted or minced. Rolfe has a very clear story and narrative in mind and shows the reader all aspects, even if you might want to look away for a minute.
This book is a fun take on the vampire genre. It seems like most vampire stories nowadays go either the YA twilight route or the mindless ferocity route seen in Del Toro's Strain series(though admittedly I've avoided vampire reading for that exact reason). Rolfe gifts us vampires that will rip your throat out for the joy of it, but are also oddly relatable. November stuck out as a very sympathetic character, dealing with many of the same issues as your average teenager, but with a side of bloodlust. The book certainly read as though the characters were of tier one importance, and the tropes associated with vampires (garlic, crosses, sunlight, etc.) were assigned after to best suit the story. I'm all for that.
The story takes places in 1986, and although the nostalgia factor is present, especially related to music, the story isn't dependent on it, and the reader isn't left feeling overwhelmed. The book works in the 80's setting, but it could have translated to modern day as well.
Rocky, our main character, stars in what could definitely be categorized as a coming-of-age story. He navigates getting a license with summer boredom with girls with small-town vampire murders. All the staples of a typical upbringing. Glenn Rolfe never tries to make Rocky more than a kid, who also happens to be disabled. The handling of this character makes the story that much more down-to-earth and easier for the reader to connect with. Shit, that could've been me.
Look for Until Summer Comes Around our on May 21st from Flame Tree Press.
I was sent a copy by the publisher for review consideration.
Until Summer Comes Around is my first novel-length Glenn Rolfe experience. One of the first things that captured my attention and held it throughout the length of the story, is that there are no words wasted or minced. Rolfe has a very clear story and narrative in mind and shows the reader all aspects, even if you might want to look away for a minute.
This book is a fun take on the vampire genre. It seems like most vampire stories nowadays go either the YA twilight route or the mindless ferocity route seen in Del Toro's Strain series(though admittedly I've avoided vampire reading for that exact reason). Rolfe gifts us vampires that will rip your throat out for the joy of it, but are also oddly relatable. November stuck out as a very sympathetic character, dealing with many of the same issues as your average teenager, but with a side of bloodlust. The book certainly read as though the characters were of tier one importance, and the tropes associated with vampires (garlic, crosses, sunlight, etc.) were assigned after to best suit the story. I'm all for that.
The story takes places in 1986, and although the nostalgia factor is present, especially related to music, the story isn't dependent on it, and the reader isn't left feeling overwhelmed. The book works in the 80's setting, but it could have translated to modern day as well.
Rocky, our main character, stars in what could definitely be categorized as a coming-of-age story. He navigates getting a license with summer boredom with girls with small-town vampire murders. All the staples of a typical upbringing. Glenn Rolfe never tries to make Rocky more than a kid, who also happens to be disabled. The handling of this character makes the story that much more down-to-earth and easier for the reader to connect with. Shit, that could've been me.
Look for Until Summer Comes Around our on May 21st from Flame Tree Press.
I was sent a copy by the publisher for review consideration.