With Nothing Fresh or New to Offer, It's Just Another So-So Teen Vampire Tale

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Being human in a world ruled by vampires isn't quite as hellish as one would think.  Not if you follow their rules, anyway.  But Allie Sekemoto's never been keen on doing what she's told, especially not when obedience means offering herself as a "blood cattle" to her thirsty leaders.  She'll die rather than kow-tow to the smug, powerful vamps.  Even if survival in the Fringe means scavenging for food, fighting off rival gangs and hiding from rabid, feral vampires.  

Then, the unthinkable happens and Allie has to make a life-altering choice.  As she slowly turns into one of the creatures she hates most, she'll have to learn to cope with the requirements of her new identity, including drinking human blood.  Angering a group of ruthless vamps doesn't make things any easier.  With enemies stalking her every move, Allie will have to find her place—and fast.  Before her fang-dripping comrades destroy everything, and everyone, she cares about. 

If the plot of The Immortal Rules, the first book in Julie Kagawa's popular YA vampire series, sounds a bit familiar, that's because originality is really not its strong suit.  It's pretty much the same as every other YA dystopian/horror novel out there.  Without fresh, vivid prose or vibrant, unique characters, this one just doesn't bring anything memorable to the genre.  It's action-packed, that's for sure, but, at 504 pages, the novel definitely starts to feel very, very long.  I'm not going to lie, The Immortal Rules kept me turning pages.  Still, nothing about this one stands out as new or different.  In the end, I found it to be only a so-so read.

(Readalikes:  the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer)

Grade:  

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence/gore and mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find