My Review of Kiss of Night

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"Centuries ago, Raphael was a blasphemous knight who fought in the Crusades purely for his own mercenary benefit, and to satisfy his taste for killing. Now, condemned for his evil passions and hypocrisy, he wanders the earth a vampire, cursed with first-hand knowledge of the supernatural world he once denied existed. The powerful relic he still possesses from his days as a Crusader has been stolen by a rival vampire who has recruited an army of soulless underlings to aid him in spreading evil. At the time he learns this, Raphael has been hunting this vampire for nearly a century, and it seems the final battle is destined to take place in Prague.

For help in this quest, Raphael must enlist the aid of two humans, David and Susan, who suddenly find themselves immersed in a world they never imagined, entangled with supernatural forces they can’t control. Susan, in particular, finds herself conflicted as she struggles with her inexplicable attraction to Raphael. In the end, both Susan and Raphael will be called upon to exercise courage and faith, and in the process, the question What would happen if a vampire truly accepted God? is answered."

My Rating: Spring

My Review:

Doesn't it feel as if vampires have taken over the media? From books to movies, vampires seem to be wildly popular. And the views on their legend appear to be as varied as these new stories about them.

I freely admit that I'm no connoisseur of vampires. My recent reading involving them is mostly limited to three books: Dracula by Bram Stoker, Plain Fear: Forsaken by Leanna Ellis, and this one (Kiss of Night). I must say that I find it quite interesting that both of the latter books mentioned the former. I really enjoyed Dracula myself, and apparently it is the book that people generally think of when it comes to vampires. In the cases of Forsaken and Kiss of Night, characters talk about Stoker as having lied or not told the whole truth about vampires for some reason or another. I find that intriguing, if nothing else!

Anyway, Kiss of Night offers a unique perspective on vampires. In Forsaken, Ellis depicts vampires as completely evil, using a Phantom of the Opera theme to create sympathy for the characters, but also to show the madness of the vampires and the importance of the choice everyone must make between Light and darkness. But in Kiss of Night, vampires aren't shown as totally depraved. They are shown as redeemable people who are "cursed" so that they might have time to see the error of their ways and repent, if they so choose.

Viguie addresses some tough issues in her book - such as postmodernism and its ramifications on society's views of morality (more gray than black and white) - and I admire her courage in writing such a story. I can't say as I prefer her approach to the legend of vampires, and I really don't agree with her use of certain verses of Scripture out of context, but I like her overall theme of good vs. evil.

Viguie is a good story-teller. The setting descriptions are engaging and the romance is very enjoyable. There are some super-cute scenes between the heroine's cousin and one of the heroes, and there are some touching and thrilling scenes between the heroine and the vampire hero. There's also plenty of action, and even some humor thrown in (for example, "We say that kryptonite is Superman's garlic").

The story ends on a great (albeit frustrating) cliffhanger, and the prologue is just as mysterious as the epilogue when all is said and done, marking this book the beginning of an exciting trilogy. Even though I wouldn't say I've caught "vampire fever" (I haven't watched or read Twilight or anything like that!), I can understand a bit more why their legend is so powerful. The symbolism of blood and the horror of the "undead" can make for some fascinating and meaningful stories!

*With thanks to FaithWords and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*