Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

Title: Pretty Dead

Author: Francesca Lia Block

Series: I don't think so...
Pages: 195
Publisher: Harper Teen
Reading Level: Young Adult

Publish Date: October 1, 2009.

Rating: .4

Cover Rating:

The object of envy and desire, Charlotte Emerson seems to have the perfect life...but she’s been dead for almost a century. When a new romance converges with the return of her first love, Charlotte becomes the subject of a dark bargain that might give her the only thing she’s ever coveted—the chance to be human again.

Critically acclaimed writer Francesca Lia Block gives the undead a second chance at life in Pretty Dead. This provocative, riveting, and wonderfully accessible new novel will reach a new generation of readers who have yet to discover Francesca Lia Block.

Taschima:

This book felt as if it were a poem, a letter of warning, a reminder of beauty, and a diary of an artist.

Charlotte has been undead for decades now. She has seen cities blossom, and she has witness cities burn. She has danced among the destruction and at times even led a hand to the devil. But she knows that this is not really her. Her real self is hidden somewhere deep inside her perfect body, either slowing decaying inside or quietly waiting to bloom. She feels as if meeting Jared might be restoring her soul, but how and why would mortality give a second chance to a daughter of the night?

This book has some flaws. I want to start with that because I don't want to give false promises of a perfect story. But if you would ignore the little things that make this tale imperfect you will notice that it is a beautiful and deadly story.

The voice of the main character was unique and wonderful. I really felt as if I was changing right along side with her. I felt everything she felt, and her words put me in a sort of trance I wasn't able to get out of until the very end of the novel. The writer's style is amazing, the entire book felt like poetry, and I will start reading more of her stories.

Some of the things I found annoying about the story were how sometimes you didn't know exactly how much time had passed from one event to the other. Another thing was that some things happen to suddenly and even though you got an explanation you feel as if the middle part was stolen away from you.

To be honest, I didn't mind of care about this things because the book is extremely short and I felt as if it's main focus, it's main point, was achieved. I had fun and loved the story. It's not specifically a vampire story, like being a vampire is part of it but it's not the main thing. The main point I believe is more about appreciating humanity and what you already have.

It might be for you, it might not. If you have read The Society of S I believe you will enjoy this.