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Review: A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison (The Hollows #10)

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A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison (The Hollows #10)A Perfect Blood (The Hollows #10)
Kim Harrison
Published: Feb. 21, 2012 (Harper Voyager)
Purchase at: Book Depository, B&N or Amazon

Rating (out of 5): 2.5 stars yeah, I know

Note: While this review is free of spoilers for A Perfect Blood, it does make reference to events in prior novels.

Right now you’re looking at that star rating and thinking what on earth happened. And that’s a fair question. I was over-the-moon excited for A Perfect Blood. The longer running the series, the more often we see waning character growth or tired plots, but I was sure The Hollows series was free of a shift into banality after reading Pale Demon. As a matter of fact, the last Hollows book was one of my favorites in the series and pivotal.

A Perfect Blood does not carry on the series growth in the way Pale Demon did. It misses the wry humor — though some of Jenks’ swearing is excellent this round — and Rachel has taken an emotional step back. Some of her inner turmoil is to be expected. She’s now a demon, and doing her damnedest to hide from the demon collective. By using charmed silver, she’s able to shut off her connection to their magic. Only that stunts her abilities, too.

Humans are being mutilated in ways that look to be demonic. Both Interlander and human agencies suspect Rachel, the only known demon on this side of the Ever After. They agree to let her, Ivy and Jenks in on the operations to catch the people behind it with the condition that if she doesn’t do so, they’ll just pin the whole thing on her.

The plot twists were clever enough. Quickly we learn a hate group is behind the acts, but that only further complicates things. Without the ability to use her magic to act, she’s getting beat up more and needing to rely on physical abilities much more. It’s nice to see Rachel kick some ass, but also painful to see her miss what a reader sees as obvious clues.

The book isn’t bad, but I more slogged through it than read it. Typically, Hollows books are a single-sitting read for me, but A Perfect Blood took a week. With identity issues and conflicted feelings about Trent (lots of thoughts about their one shared kiss juxtaposed to remembering Kisten), A Perfect Blood regresses much of Rachel’s recent emotional growth, especially in regards to Ivy.

I’m willing to call A Perfect Blood a breather book and keep my fingers crossed the next book will have her back on track, accepting her demon nature and maybe giving Trent a proper chance.

Sexual content: References to sex, lots of thinking about a past kiss

 

…and, no, I can’t believe I just had to give a The Hollows book less than three stars.

17 Responses to “Review: A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison (The Hollows #10)”

  1. Carol says:

    I liked the book and loved Trent (but I have since the very beginning). But, I do think it is time to start wrapping things up.

  2. Erika W says:

    I too was so excited for it, I waited up at midnight to get it on my kindle.
    I just finished it yesterday evening, it felt odd.
    Not the normal hollows that I have become addicted to. Laughter, shock, tears & smiles.
    Usually a good banter happens among the characters that draws the reader in and multi captures, issues etc.
    Instead Rach seem to be stunted by her own means, jealous & basically a shrew; which is not the person portrayed in the rest of the series. 🙁

  3. Mel Thomas says:

    I had problems with the book as well. By far my least favorite book in the series. Rachel has taken so many steps back emotionally that it’s beyond irritating. I’ve been pro Rach and Ivy since the first book and now I’m just not sure. At this point after all the indecision, jealousy and mistrust I don’t feel she deserves Ivy. I really hope Rachel grows the frak up in Ever After, puts trust back where it’s deserved and realizes that the one person who has loved and supported her through it all is right in front of her. Most of all I hope the series goes out with a bang instead of a sad little whimper like A Perfect Blood.

    • Rin says:

      I completely agree. I am a huge die hard Kim Harrison fan and I understand at point of a story line the reader will not always agree with the way of the author. However, this last book I have no idea where she is going with the story and I’m not really sure if I care enough to see how it all turns out. It seems Rachel has been making so many bad choices/decisions that it is almost too painful to read. Ususally as a character evolves they try not to make the same mistakes as they have in the past, where as Rachel keeps screwing up. I understand relationships change throughout a series, but Trent? Really? I was all for Rachel and Ivy just because of the loyality and that they do more than care for each other. Ivy has been there thought it all. I also believe Ivy deserves more… And the series deserves a better ending.

    • Erin says:

      Amen to that. Very frustrating step backwards in the most important relationships in Rachel’s life. I’ll never be a big Trent fan, no matter how much fudge they put on that cookie.

  4. Melissa O. says:

    I loved the book because we did see progress in her relationship with Trent, slow though it was. I love the character Trent is turning into and the glimpses of his vulnerabilities we see. I did think Rachel was a little heavy on the pity parties and unfair in her views of her friends moving on without her. I also missed the humor. I think I’m so starved for Rachel and Trent to get together I’ll take what I can get in growth there. I just hope when they do get together its permanent!

  5. Smash Attack says:

    I am so very sad to read your review but maybe there is a reasonfor it all we have yet to see? Was there a lot of Jenks and Al goodness? If so, I’ll be satisfied.

  6. Kristin says:

    I’m totally willing to go with the breather book theory…

  7. Robin says:

    I agree with you. This book felt off to me, like a transitional book, or where she was simply trying to close certain plot lines. I was disappointed in how little Al showed up in this book. I wanted to see more of him and though there was progress between Trent and Rachel, something felt off there as well. Hoping the next book will bring back the characters back the way we know.

  8. I agree completely with you, this book (Rachel) was somehow a disappointment for me. I gave it 3 stars because I was feeling very generous.

  9. Lesley says:

    I’m so with you on this one, I usually zip through books but it’s taken me 5 days and I’m only just at the half way mark. That’s not normal for a Hollows book. I’m actually *looks about in a guilty fashion* thinking about skipping pages to get to the Trent bits. It’s a bit of a slog.

  10. Trixxibella says:

    Agreed. I’ve only read the first two chapters & was getting the feeling that this book was not going to be as exciting as the past ones. I’ll finish it in hopes that the next one will get back on track. :))

  11. Tanya says:

    I loved Trent in this book. I did not like that Jenks and Ivy were in more of a babysitting mode than an actual team.

  12. Ceska says:

    A Perfect Blood was just that, freaking perfect for me. I loved that there were many times tidied up in the book while keeping up with plot twist and action that are so inherit in the Hallows series.
    The book was fast past and action packed keeping me on the edge of the page.

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