Morganville Vampires (4) - Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine
And to part 4 of this funny vampire series by Rachel Caine - Feast of Fools (the name's after the delicacy) (in German Ball der Versuchung, in French La Fête des Fous), I read it in German, where it had 291 pages. Originally published 2008.
Claire's parents and Amelie's father come to move in! But instead of a happy family meeting, the whole situation gets a little out of control. Maybe because Claire's parents realise Claire's risking her life everyday by working in a town full of vampires. And for an insane scientist. But maybe the reason is Amelie's dad, who happens to be the most evil vampire the world has ever seen. And was supposed to have been assassinated by Amelie. It's hard to tell. For welcoming their unwanted-but-to-powerfull-to-be-kicked-out guests Amelie organizes a banquet, hoping, her revenge-loving, destructive father would go soon. Every vampire in Morganville is instructed to bring one human with him... Eve is picked. Shane is picked. Claire's parents are picked. But Amelie's favourite human is forbidden to ever show up. But how can Claire let her friends and family go alone to a dangerous place like that? Because the guests are food... Good thing Claire can break some rules – and her partner is the most loyal and organized vampire in town, who will surely help her out of this dilemma... wouldn't Myrnin?
The book was tense, funny and fascinating as always. Ysandre is... not ashamed of her body in anyway and is clearly a girl who likes boys. There's no doubt about her sexual preference. Claire's parents and her have a very interesting relationship, which is mostly based on them wanting to rule her – which doesn't work. I'm glad my parents are not like that. But this is nothing compared to Amelie and her Dad, really. You wouldn't want that as a father daughter relationship, no matter who you are.
The style is great as always, as well as the plot and the ideas.
There are still a couple of mistakes in this book: (SPOILER ALERT:) At first: Which parents would leave their "sixteen year-old and sheltered daughter" in a catastrophic situation alone? I mean Claire could have died every second and they do nothing to protect her? Fine parents! And then, there is this book. In the first part of the series Amelie says she wrote it. Now Bishop took it from one of his rivals and Amelie took it from him. But, as later on is said, the only things this book contains are an explanation how to change someone to a vampire and all the secrets of Morganville. Now, first: How could someone who is not the Founder of Morganville know all about it, before it was even built? And second: If all the secrets of Morganville are in this book, how could Amelie have lost it? She would have put it somewhere where it was as safe as it could possibly get. So how could she loose it?
I give this book a star for the ideas, the style and the mixture of fun and drama, minus one for the mistakes. And minus one for the characters – you know, the parents. If they'd decided otherwise the whole outcome would have been changed. So, sorry, but zero stars it is.