Review: Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson
Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson
boughtSynopsis from Goodreads
Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather like you and me—only more fabulous, immortal, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.)
Delilah S. Dawson’s darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting heroine into a strange faraway land for a romantic adventure that’s part paranormal, part steampunk . . . and completely irresistible.
When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?
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8.5/10
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I have two words for you, my dear readers, - Criminy Stain. He is a curious mixture of sexy, insightful and unhurried in his seduction of someone who he believes is his soulmate. *sigh* You don't see usual alpha bullshit here and for that I'm deeply grateful.“Why, Criminy Stain," I said. "You're a romantic."
"Oh, no," he said with a grin. "I'm fiendish and unscrupulous, a vicious killer and a thief and a bloodthirsty monster. And maybe a little romantic. But don't tell anyone, or my reputation's shot.”
The world of Sang is parallel to ours but different in its technological evolution which is close to our 19th century. It's full of steam, coal, poverty, dirt and bludbunnies. Yes, you heard it right.
Sang is separated into Blud creatures and Pinkies. Pinkies dominate in the cities and live in constant fear of vampiric countryside and bludrats in town. They cover most of their body with clothes and protective collars while bludmen dress as they like.
Criminy is a Bludman, a magician and a director of a travelling circus. For many years he was waiting for the spell he bought from a witch to find him his soulmate, and at last it found Tish.
Tish is a nurse in our world who looks after terminally ill patients. She just broke up with her abusive boyfriend and is trying to recover her dignity and pride, start a new beginning. When one of her patients dies she is strangely drawn to a medallion she finds in her house. When she pricks herself with the medallion and falls asleep, she wakes up in Sang.
With Criminy's travelling circus she has a chance to be someone different while she is trying to come to terms with this new and strange world without disease and with corsets that make her figure look ravishing. She reinvents herself as Leticia, the fortune teller as it seems she woke up with a touch of Sight. Only when she falls asleep she wakes up in her own world to start the day anew.
When her medallion is stolen by a fanatic Magistrate who came from Tish's world and is bent on ridding Sang from Bludmen, Leticia and Criminy start their dangerous quest of recovering Tish's only way to return to her own life and save the entire species of Bludmen.
This book was gorgeous, grounded, wise, a little bit sad and felt very real. Both Criminy and Tish are fascinating, both surprise you with their hidden depths and both work very well as couple. The elements of steampunk are perfect for this, and I can not wait to read more of Delilah S. Dawson! Her next book Wicked as She Wants comes out in Spring 2013. A long wait, for sure.
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Прекрасно написано!Во-первых, оригинальный сюжет с параллельным миром, полным вампиров в стимпанковском обществе 19 века.
Во-вторых, превосходно выписанные характеры Летиции и Кримини.
Кримини Стэйн - это просто песня. На нём держится вся магия книги. Он привлекателен, мудр, не спешит с сооблазнением Тиш. хоть и верит в то что она его вторая половинка, привлечённая в мир Санга магическим заклинанием, что продала ему старая ведьма.
Тиш принадлежит нашему миру. Она - медсестра, заботящаяся о смертельно больных пациентах. Когда одна из её пациенток умирает, Тиш находит старый медальон в её доме и нопонятно почему тот так её привлекает, что она приносит его домой. Когда Летиция случайно режет себе палет его острыми краями, она засыпает и просыпается в Санге, где мир разделён на Людей Крови и Мизинцев (неудачный перевод с Pinkies), и даже кролики в сельской местности не только выпьют всю твою кровь, но и обглодают все твои косточки.
Кримини - Человек Крови, волшебник и владелец каравана циркачей. Когда он находит Тиш, он видит, что у неё есть способности к предвидению и предлагает ей взять на себя роль предсказательницы цирка. Летишия начинает вести двойную жизнь и засыпая в одном мире, просыпается в другом, пока фанатик-бюрократ в Санге не крадёт её медальон с целью уничтожить всех людей крови, привнеся болезнь в их мир из её мира.
Летиция и Кримини вынуждены гоняться за медальоном из одного края Санга в другой, что спасти этот мир и дать Летишии возможность вернуться в свой. В книге полно приключений, удачных стимпанковский элементов, магии, дискриминации против Людей Крови и корсетов!
Мне очень понравилось. Ждём-с продолжения весной 2013 года.
