Friday, August 29, 2014

Review: The Coldest Girl In Coldtown

Title: The Coldest Girl In Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Published: September, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown

The opening chapter of The Coldest Girl In Coldtown is shocking.  Our heroine, Tana, wakes up in a bathtub after partying a little too hard, to discover that everyone at the high school soiree she's attending has been slaughtered by vampires.

How does she know vampires are responsible?  Because years earlier, these creatures of the night were unable to contain the transmission of vampirism and outbreaks erupted all over the world.  Now, infected humans are sent to live in quarantined cities called "coldtowns" in a desperate attempt to corral the violence.

But, vampires still flit around outside of coldtowns, and now a pack of them has murdered Tana's peer group.

In shock, she's searching amid the bodies for her coat, when she stumbles across a left-behind vampire, chained in a bedroom.  His name is Gavriel, and they've barely met when the vampires return for their bound comrade.  Gavriel and Tana — and Tana's ex-boyfriend, miraculously alive — escape, but not without Tana getting grazed by fang. Infected, Tana decides to drive to a Coldtown and turn herself in.

Are you intrigued yet?!?!

 I mean, what a way to hit the ground running! Holly Black has proven herself (especially with her Curse Workers series) to be a capable, sophisticated writer.  The Coldest Girl In Coldtown isn't a perfect book, but it does manage the kind of well-written, creepy, original, distinctive book that makes for a cult classic.

In regards to our heroine, Tana is a principled character with a strong voice.  She earns our regard from the get-go for being so determined and resilient.  Tana's experiences have given her a bleak outlook, but her will to survive also give a surprising buoyancy to her tone.  She doesn't stand out as an iconic YA character, but she definitely has two legs to stand on.

The premise of the book is another huge plus.  The Coldest Girl In Coldtown has a fantastic hook, and part of the pleasure of reading the novel is seeing how Black's imaginative scenario plays out — I was both eager and terrified to see the inside of a coldtown.  The pacing of the book is steady and free of major lags; this is a book that a reader can blow through quickly.

I do have some qualms.  My main complaint regards the heavy emphasis on modern technology and live streams in the book.  I felt as if Black was trying to make a point about modern overexposure and voyeurism, but I'm not sure that her message was successfully conveyed.  Instead, I thought it made the narrative a little crowded, and not as stream-lined as it could have been.

Overall, though, this is a poppy, spooky read that I've re-visited a number of times.  (The audiobook, in particular, is a favorite of mine.)  If you're in the mood for something a little dark but not depressing, with a kick-ass heroine who has humanity to her, and with a slow-burning, mature romance, The Coldest Girl In Coldtown is calling to you.

12 comments:

  1. Wasn't that starting chapter awesome? I loved it! And what a way to get hooked! Good point on the modern overexposure and voyeurism aspect. I bet it was a bit to make a point now that you say that. I did enjoy this book too it was a unique take on the vampire world and I loved the imagination that went into it. Great review, Ellen!

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    1. Thanks, Giselle! I'm so glad you liked the book too. I think more people need to be aware of the awesome material Holly Black is putting out. I hope you've read her Curse Workers series? It's amaaaazing!

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  2. I loved Black's Curse Workers series but have yet to read this one and Doll Bones. I don't typically read vampire novels but the premise of this one sounds really good, and I like that the pacing doesn't lag. Also, your complaints about this one sound pretty minor. Hopefully, I can get around to reading this one in the future.

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    1. I had a few more complaints that I didn't mention, but those are minor as well. If you liked Curse Workers, this one is worth reading, just to see if it rings your bell. Doll Bones was a cute read, although middle grade, and I enjoyed it. I read it just because Holly Black wrote it. :)

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  3. I love this book! It was such a different look at vampires. I love Tana and Gavriel ;)

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    1. It's great, isn't it? Despite the market being flooded with vampire books, some really good stuff has come out of the trend. For instance, Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series was pretty solid. I love, love Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series. They all put their different twist on things. I, too, love Tana and Gavriel, and I'm hoping against hope that Black will write a sequel to Coldest Girl in Coldtown. It could be epic.

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    2. I have yet to read the Blood of Eden series but am definitely planning on it! I love VA too :) Have you tried the spinoff series Bloodlines? They just keep getting better and better!
      I read on Holly Black's Goodreads Q&A that she has an idea for the sequel but needs to run it by her editor. I'm pretty excited!

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    3. I started Bloodlines, and wasn't really into it, but I think I just need to try again. A lot of the time, I think my short attention span keeps me from liking books right away, but second and third tries work out for me. That is amazing news about Black having an idea for a sequel! You just made my day! BTW, your book is in the mail. :)

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  4. I just have one question... Do the vampires sparkle in the sunlight?!

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    1. lol, they crisp in the sun like regular vampires! :)

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  5. This book surprised me so much! After a few failed vampire books this one gave me hope for the genre!

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    1. I'm so glad you liked the book too! I agree, the vampire hook was getting stale, but Holly Black made it work.

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