Toma Nicolescu is a very accomplished warrior in the service of the empress of Russia. He and his friend, Alek Cardei, are given a break from the battlefields to guard the Cantemir's, an important Moldavian family of two daughters and their mother. The daughter's are twin sisters, each very beautiful. Alek wastes no time in falling in love with Natasha, but Toma is resolute and will remain emotionless over the gorgeous Lucine.
Trouble starts the first night of their arrival. The mother, Kesia, who loves merriment of any kind, throws a sparkling party. Among the guests are some of the Castile clan, a mysterious family of Russians, headed by Vlad van Valerik. They charm the Cantemirs, except Lucine, who is dubious of their unconventional ways and quick work of wooing Natasha. Toma is flat out against the Castiles, forbidding Kesia to ever see them again. But the foolish woman refuses and repeatedly sees them.
They are a very seductive group. Alek, who was at first infuriated at them for taking Natasha's affections away from him, is eventually infatuated with the strange Castile's as well. He and Natasha run away every night to their castle in the mountains, coming back . . . changed.
Toma is overwhelmed. His best friend is turning on him, his usually unquestioned authority is being disregarded, and he is quickly falling deeply in love with Lucine. Things are getting out of hand at a very high speed, and something life changing for everyone involved is going to happen . . . soon.
Trouble starts the first night of their arrival. The mother, Kesia, who loves merriment of any kind, throws a sparkling party. Among the guests are some of the Castile clan, a mysterious family of Russians, headed by Vlad van Valerik. They charm the Cantemirs, except Lucine, who is dubious of their unconventional ways and quick work of wooing Natasha. Toma is flat out against the Castiles, forbidding Kesia to ever see them again. But the foolish woman refuses and repeatedly sees them.
They are a very seductive group. Alek, who was at first infuriated at them for taking Natasha's affections away from him, is eventually infatuated with the strange Castile's as well. He and Natasha run away every night to their castle in the mountains, coming back . . . changed.
Toma is overwhelmed. His best friend is turning on him, his usually unquestioned authority is being disregarded, and he is quickly falling deeply in love with Lucine. Things are getting out of hand at a very high speed, and something life changing for everyone involved is going to happen . . . soon.
~~~~
*Warning! Plot spoilers ahead!* I was very disappointed with this book. Usually I like Ted Dekker a lot and I wanted to read Immanuel's Veins as soon as I heard about it-- an intense plot and a love story? Great! I started it with much zeal, loving it immediately, but the love was not to last. The plot quickly became awkwardly paced, and the storyline sensuous. Very sensuous. The book is advertised as one about overcoming seduction, but I didn't realize that until I was right in the middle of it.
The Castile's are vampires. They are never called that, but that is obviously what they are. Dekker is a Christian author, but I felt like I was reading a cleaned up Twilight anyway. I have not read those books, but I saw the first movie. Never watching that one again! I really don't like vampires. At all.
Another thing that bothered me was Toma. He becomes all weird and desperate in his love for Lucine. I can't bear that kind of thing in an otherwise cool character. I was convinced she would be killed in the end, and he would be a wandering madman the rest of his life, but the two of them end up living happily ever after. That was a bright spot. :)
But Alek and Natasha are killed. Toma even kills Alek himself. That was a hard part to read. Ohh, how I despise it when best friends kill each other! (Uhh, who does, I guess?) Sure, Alek had basically become a vampire himself (*major dislike and a long story*) but. . . argh, why did the author have to do that?
One last thing that probably won't bother you: there was a line that almost perfectly matched one from my book! One that is essential and I thought original! But maybe it isn't after all. Oh well.
Okay, I have expounded on most that I disliked about this book. But I did like something: the ending. Dekker can write such fantastic, satisfying endings.
Have you read any Ted Dekker? And what do you when you start disliking a book you're in the middle of?
The Castile's are vampires. They are never called that, but that is obviously what they are. Dekker is a Christian author, but I felt like I was reading a cleaned up Twilight anyway. I have not read those books, but I saw the first movie. Never watching that one again! I really don't like vampires. At all.
Another thing that bothered me was Toma. He becomes all weird and desperate in his love for Lucine. I can't bear that kind of thing in an otherwise cool character. I was convinced she would be killed in the end, and he would be a wandering madman the rest of his life, but the two of them end up living happily ever after. That was a bright spot. :)
But Alek and Natasha are killed. Toma even kills Alek himself. That was a hard part to read. Ohh, how I despise it when best friends kill each other! (Uhh, who does, I guess?) Sure, Alek had basically become a vampire himself (*major dislike and a long story*) but. . . argh, why did the author have to do that?
One last thing that probably won't bother you: there was a line that almost perfectly matched one from my book! One that is essential and I thought original! But maybe it isn't after all. Oh well.
Okay, I have expounded on most that I disliked about this book. But I did like something: the ending. Dekker can write such fantastic, satisfying endings.
Have you read any Ted Dekker? And what do you when you start disliking a book you're in the middle of?
