So, I've just finished this one, and I have t osay it wasn't bad.  It's definitely geared towards a younger audience, and I may have enjoyed it more if I had discovered it several years ago.

The writing style was vivid and clear, filled with imagery and detailed descriptions.  This was definitely the novel's strong point.  Despite these details, I found myself confused somewhat by the sheer number of characters.  Certainly, the main four or five were easy to keep track of, but the others actually made me feel a bit crowded and impatient, somewhat annoyed that I couldn't keep them all straight in my head.

The characters, for the most part, were fairly interesting.  I'm not a huge fan of the sort of 'villains' that are in this novel, but in a book about werewolves, is it truly fair to ask for 'humanization' of characters?  Evil for Evil's sake works for Saturday Morning Cartoons, and even Revenge of a Jilted Lover gets old after a while.  It was refreshing to read about a talented, fiercely independed teenage girl, even if she does momentarily lapse into cliche.

I was also vaguely uncomfortable at references to what we would call condoned statutory rape.

What I found most fascinating, however, were the scattered references to werewolf culture.  The Law, as it is called, is given quite a bit of attention, and although it is not always followed, it provides insight into the workings of the character's society.  Mentions of a werewolf creation myth, werewolf 'kingdoms', even the mechanics of why silver kills a werewolf, gives the story the feel of a nice solid weight behind it, firmly anchored in the past.

With a plot achingly similar to many books I have read in the past, the author is hardly breaking new ground.  What she does do, however, is provide an amazingly detailed snapshot of what life might be like in a modern American werewolf society, and that alone was worth the time I spent reading it.

One final thing, even though I know we aren't supposed to discuss the movie.  I haven't seen it, but I've watched the previews, and it doesn't seem to be related, in any way, shape, or form, to the novel I've recently finished.  It's a shame, because I feel that this story might have made an interesting for-TV movie or something.

NOTE: CHOP-JOB:  Blood and Chocolate is a story about Werewolf-like creatures that is deservedly found in the Young Adult (read: High School) section of most libraries or bookstores.  It is, to these eyes, an attempt to cash in on interest in Werewolves; since the author can't seem to decide on what the creatures' natural form really looks like, or what their basic nature is.
By the characters' own admission; close up they don't really look all that much like Wolves-too large, wrongly proportioned, etc.  This is dealt with by simply killing off anyone who gets a good look at these people.
Vivian, the lead character in this story is a...Werewulph.  She has developed a "crush" on a human boy named Aiden; to the point of being willing to play "show and tell" with the guy... after he has led her on and on and on with bad poetry and worse maturity:  you get the feeling that they all live in the trailer park that supplies the people for Jerry Springer and various Supermarket tabloids.  One of the main points in the story is the scene where she strips and shows part of her Shift, and he reacts like a frightened six-year old at the doctor's office for a shot.  On second thought- the six-year-old would have been more mature.
One would think that after all the development that leads up to this, he'd at least give her a chance...but suddenly he becomes formulaic in response and not only tells her to leave, but makes plans to kill her. So sweet.  So damned predictable.
The only thing lacking is the black trench-coat.

This is just one of the disappointments in the book.  Many of the characters are virtually transparent; there ONLY to respond with predictable phrases to predictable questions.  Even their social laws are predeictable and show all the species-specificity of a bowl of stew.

Contradictory to the movie (more on that later) it's Gabriel that is the real "star" of this book.  He seems to be the only character that the writer really tried to develop, and it shows.  He's believable, if somewhat stiff and manipulative; and seems to be the only one of these Werewulphs not to have come from  the Appalachia of "Tobacco Road".  He's savvy and together, but still needs more development as a person, rather than a character.

All in all, the book was a disappointment; it had the feeling of being thrown together with a few semi-graphic scenes for reality in the Shift, and the ending was a let-down-in that there really wasn't an ending so much as the words just stopped-sans resolution.
Vivian decides to stick with her own kind, rather than explore the human world she's paid so much personal coin to enter.  Aiden, the would-be Werewulph killer is let go with just a stern warning.  HUH???  Gabriel, who has flitted in and out of the storyline like some puppeteer, gets Vivian-which he was going to do at the beginning of the story.

Now: why I use the term Werewulph to describe these people-  They are in no way related to Wolves!  They happen to resemble them, that's all.  They are supposedly a parallel evolution to humanity.  Again, Werewolves are Humans who have become Wulfen; either by bite, clawing, sex, transfusion, or heritage.  They are not parallel evolutes: the likelihood of such a thing being possible makes  Wulfen Werewolves positively believable in comparison.  They can't seem to decide whether they're parallel lifeforms or are predators and superior to humans.  There is a lack of relationship continuity throughout the book.

There was an odd explanation as to why the movie was just the name of the story and had almost none of the elements if the book in it, which also explains the story itself:  The writer simply sold the whole thing to the production company, and stated she didn't care what happened afterward-she had her money, which was what she was after in the first place.
She didn't care that her story was butchered by the same sorry lot that gave us Underworld, that the story was virtually  scrapped and some standard  modules plugged in to make a plot for the film, which was the usual costume horror story with hints of Romeo and Juliette.

A sad book, and worse movie.  The book is now in a Used-Book store, and I walked out of the film before the end credits rolled.  Hope continues, though.

Last edited by Kyllein (2007-12-15 23:48:55)

Blood and Chocolate struck as a decent book. Not a good or great one, but a decent one. The whole mystery thing and werewolf culture was kinda interesting but the end sucked, hard. Aiden wusses out and Vivian gets with Gabriel (who, seemingly contrary to everyone else, struck me a total creep) who seems to go from creep-mode to a decent guy like that.

And he was how many years older than her? Ew.

Last edited by Aki (2007-12-16 02:45:46)

What's the hard to believe part is that B&C's parallel evolutes are exactly like Humans in their Human form and so much like Werewolves in their natural (?) form.  That would argue that both species went through the same trials and weeding-out extinctions to arrive at where they are now: virtual duplicates of Humanity "in Smoothskin".
If they were metamorphs first and foremost; that I could believe- as in hiding in plain sight.  But they are a bi-polar species: Human or Werewulph with nothing in-between.  That...feels just a bit forced by the author.
It might have been better done if they were truly metamorphic: Apparently similar to Humans while having hidden differences in Human form, as well as being sort-of Werewolfish but not quite on their fuzzy form.  That would be more along the lines of Parallel Evolution.
Instead,  what I got from the story was someone using a vehicle to re-tell an already written story in "new clothes".
As I said: it was massively disappointing, since it hinted that there might be an actual Human-Werewolf romance going on, while in fact, that's all it did-was to hint.  Even the forced relocation at the start of the story has the feel of a hack-job about it.  People may riot if they think that there is a Werewolf in their community; but where were the police?  The arson that convinced them to move was apparently never investigated...not likely in today's society.
There was an overall feeling of the story being "put together" from scraps and snippets of other cheezy romances; which  may have been the case.
Going back over my notes on the book, I see repeated questions about "Where'd he come from?" or "why did she do this, it makes no sense?" and "Where is the connection for this passage?"
Admittedly, late Teens aren't the smartest critters around; and have enough innocent arrogance to get them killed without society to protect them-AND have enough hormones to fuel a clinic: but these people are just a little too far over the edge to make sense-or be real.
And if your characters aren't real-your scenes won't be either, and you won't sell your book.
Yet, somehow, the writer did just that.  Maybe she had a contract...

This is an interesting discussion!  I personally loved the book.  I was a bit surprised at the sexual themes within the story, however.  I never came accross that type of stuff in the young adult section before, but then again, I don't normally read books that are specifically targeted toward teenage girls as opposed to a general audiance. 

Anyway, at first I liked Aiden ok.  I never got the impression that he wasn't a "real" character, although all the characters in this book appeared to have less depth to them than in other books I've read.  This book was a quick read though, and it seems more appropriate for the story and writing style though.  Anyway, Aiden wasn't a character that particularly appealed to me as a romantic interest but I can see how Vivian liked him because he was dramatically different from what she had grown up with.

At first I really didn't like Gabrielle because as it was mentioned, he appeared to be prepared to almost rape Vivian.  I liked how he turned out in the end though, and honestly didn't mind the age difference in the characters.  While I don't agree in practice with 20 year olds chasing 16 year olds, the age difference is such that once Vivian reached 18, it would be acceptable.  I think that even if Vivian is clearly a minor, which makes the idea wrong by our standards, Gabrielle was not a pedophile.  All of us are aware that many 16 year olds appear to be much older than they actually are.  At 16 most females have had their period, so they are at least physically mature.  I think that the reason the age difference is acceptable in the were society is because animals don't care about things like age.  They mate once they reach sexual maturity.  I think this helped illustrate the how the characters were human, but they were also ruled by their animal instincts as well.  They are more primal than humans.

This primal nature was also shown in the savagry of the fighting while competing for Alpha. 

Back on the note of the characters and whether they seemed real or not, I thought Gabrielle seemed very mature and knowlegable for a 20 something year old.  I'm roughly 22 myself, and I he certainly appears to act more adult than I feel most of the time. 

Also, the way Vivian behaves in her experiences in highschool seem very foreign to me.  Are the attitudes of the characters in this book very characterestic of most highschoolers?  Because the impression I got of my invironment as a teenager was very different from the one the book gave.

I love the book, especially Vivian's character.
Being aware of her sexual nature and using it in that typical blund way teenagers have, yet passing judgment at her mother for the very same reason... teenagers, yeah, you can't live with 'em and you ain't allowed to kill them. :p
Also this feeling of being torn between wanting to stay true to your nature and having this need to blend in with a crowd you feel alienated from, that's something I remember very well. So far it makes for a great, mature, high school novel.

The only thing that put me off is the part about some of 'em believing to stem from protean matter that fell from the sky?
Seen too much Star Trek episodes before writing that part?
You just can't use 'protean matter' and 'scientific' in the same sentence under such circumstances!

I personally liked the fact that Aidan didn't go all: "Oh, you're a tooth and claws killing machine? Doesn't matter, I wub you anyway!"

I think that and the way Vivian reacts to her surroundings, passing judgment at each and every one right before she goes and does the exact same, are the strong points of the book.
It is centered on Vivian and her becoming sexual mature, it's a tale about growing up and you can't grow up with out losing feathers (or skipping some of your once precious morals).

The main weakness, apart from the rushed end (why the heck did she come up with that murder mystery crap anyway? That part doesn't add anything much to the story we didn't know from the start of the book), is the fact that all characters appear rather two dimensonal because we only get Vivian's view of the world. Vivian is the only character we really get to know, the rest we have to take a guess on based upon Vivians experience with 'em, which is mostly based on their knowing that she's about the age to become 'available'.

The end is maybe a tad to sweet seeing how The Five turn out to be best friends still to her, and yet creepy in the way she finally concedes to Gabriel. But it does make sense, as they are bound by their wolfen nature. The fact that Gabriel lets Aidan alive makes little sense though, seeing how they can fall for humans but yet never really care for them as they are little more than mere animals to them (just like werewolves would be to us), we have to take it that he does love Vivian and that he did love the Girl he accidentally killed, sparing Aidan as much as a favour to Viv as to redeem himself...

As for the story not feeling wrapped up, well such is live, things don't end they only change and go on.

In closing I have to say if she had concentrated on what made the book work, the illfated lovestory between Aidan and Viv, and kept the second half of the book about how they (or merely Viv) manage to cope with the fact that they are too different ever to have something together it would have been a stronger book. That half-arsed murder mystery she brings in for whatever unknown reason, marres the overall entertainment of the book.
Still, it's far superior to the movie of the same name and a welcome break from 'romance' the like of we find by Handeland or York, that "I'm so hot let's do it even we are walking in a minefield at the 'mo" kind.

Kyllein wrote:

People may riot if they think that there is a Werewolf in their community; but where were the police?  The arson that convinced them to move was apparently never investigated...not likely in today's society.

Actually if the town/village they lived in was small/secluded enough it's highly believable that the local police would cover that up, and long as the insurance has no reason to doubt what they are told (and why should they? The werewolves certainly won't have complained to loud about the happenings, so the investigation could easily be kept in the townscircle) no one else would have a reason to question it.

Last edited by Daninsky (2007-12-28 09:29:06)

I really like the point you bring out about Vivian's views on being a werewolf, WritingWolf. She thought of it as a blessing to be appreciated, not a curse to be feared or restrained. It was the restrictions of society that she had problems with. And I agree that too many werewolf stories in literature or in cinema focus on fearing, hiding, or even restraining the 'curse', and when they do accept their existence, the person appears to 'accept' their 'monstrosity' as well. Why can't werewolves ever be good guys?
 
  I seem to remember William being quiet and supportive, which partially fulfills the meaning of the name William itself, which is "Resolute Protectour" or "Royal Protectour", depending on the source. I found that to be a little fitting. And I think you're right about the 'gang' too, but I also think that they could have easily become a mob if taken under a twisted influence. I'm glad they didn't.

  As to Rafe, he seemed to be heading down a bad road, then apparently learned near the end that his girlfriend was crazy, and decided he didn't want that anymore. Every time I look at Rafe's character, I think that either he was really dense to not catch on to Astrid's self-indulgent, self-righteous attitude, or he was being very sneaky and abandoning her, knowing that she was doomed and staying on her side was pointless. So either he was really smart and sneaky, or he was very easily manipulated. I only wish a little more clarification could have been added to solidify his standing.

  Even so, I liked the points you brought out here, WritingWolf, and I greatly appreciated Daninsky's input as well. Thanks again to both of you!

Last edited by Grayle (2008-08-22 14:17:34)

Ooooh, well-said, Punx.  I seem to recall having difficulty putting the novel down at a couple points as well, which tells a lot about the pace and the flow of the story - that's usually what grips me.

  Although the ending left me feeling a little unsatisfied, at least where the climax was concerned, the rest of the story had much to offer about how a pack of these creatures would deal with living amongst humankind.  I'm very glad to hear that both you, Daninsky, and WritingWolf liked it so much, and I thank you all for you input.

From another forum topic that was closed (since this one alraedy existed):

arkangel wrote:

This is extreamly better than the movie

Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?

Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a "meat-boy". Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He's fascinated by the supernatural or unknown, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.

Vivian's divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really—human or beast? Which tastes sweeter—blood or chocolate?