Book 54, 2021

Past Redemption by Savannah Russe

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I had nearly finished the book I had at the office; therefore, I brought it home and finished it this morning. It was Past Redemption by Savannah Russe, and it's the second book in the "Darkwing Chronicles" urban fantasy series. The main character is Daphne Urban, a 500 year-old vampire who works with an elite team of other vampires--the Darkwings.

Daphne's team is tasked with finding the source of a new drug on the street, called Susto. Too many people have been dying horrifically after taking the drug, but it's a hot seller. Daphne and her team must immerse themselves in New York's nightlife as they try to learn more about the drug's origins. It's at a club that Daphne meets the intriguing St Julien Fitzmaurice (Fitz), and it's also there that she discovers that Darius, the bad boy vampire hunter whom she turned to save his life, is performing with his band. The band is playing up the vampire angle, which Daphne thinks will only lead to disaster. Already she's had more run-ins with hunters than is typical. It soon becomes apparent that both Darius and Fitz are keeping secrets--the kind that can get any or all of them killed.

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. The characters were wonderfully represented, the plot was intriguing, fast-paced, and flowed smoothly, and the fight scenes were exciting and appropriately violent. However, I just cannot with Daphne. She is a vampire. She is FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD, yet she acts and reacts like a jealous, petty, hormonal teenager. I have nothing against hormonal teens; I was one once, too, but I am well past that stage, which begs the question: why is a centuries old vampire behaving in such a fashion?! It was annoying and distracting, and I was literally rolling my eyes at times while reading this. If I wanted to read about vampires and teenage drama, I'd read Twilight. Enough said. And, don't even get me going on Daphne's mother, Mar-Mar, who is a thousand years old and acts like an aged hippie and still meddles in her five hundred year-old daughter's life. Guh.

Favorite lines:
♦ Irish men drink when they're happy and drink even more when they're sad.
♦ "I wish my family would have the decency to keep the skeletons secret. But no, we line 'em all up at the dinner table and pass them the mashed potatoes."
♦ Lives were at stake, the whole U.S. government might be hanging in the balance, and I was moping around and obsessing about my "relationship".
At least she recognizes what an immature twat she is.
♦ "I was already as jumpy as spit on a hot skillet."
♦ "I swear to God you'd go ahead and charge hell with a bucket of ice water."
Benny (Benjamina) had the best lines! I'd love to read this series from her pov; she's less than a century old and already seems more mature than Daphy.
♦ As the old joke goes, "What's the insensitive bit at the base of a penis called? A man."
Hah! I've never heard that one, but it made me laugh!

There you have it. The story was very good, but the main character is beyond vapid. Also, (SPOILER ALERT) the author killed off an important character right at the end of the book for no discernible reason. It added absolutely nothing to the plot, and it was distressing to read. You suck, Savannah Russe.

This earns no more than an average score. Points have been deducted for an insipid main character and a meaningless character death.