Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

“I thought about the nice clothes that I always wore. Well of course I did. I took pride in being the best-dressed monster in Dade County.”

I’ve avoided the Dexter mania thanks to no cable or satellite at home and I looked at my friends with mild amusement as they went on and on about the TV show or the books. What a strange character to be excited about. Don’t you realize he is a serial killer?!?!? But, a wise readers’ advisor would have taken the hint that this is a clear sign of strong characterization and checked it out. I finally did and I admit it, I’m a convert. Power saw to the people! errr…on with the review.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter introduces us to Dexter, a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami Police Department who just happens to be one of the most deadliest of serial killers-only no one knows it.  Harry, Dexter’s adopted father, recognizes the signs early in Dexter’s life of a sociopath and did his best to put Dexter under the tutelage of the ‘Harry Code’.  Dexter knows he is a monster but thanks to Harry only kills certain members of society who have gotten away with murder. 

What makes this book special is the layers that are inherent throughout Dexter’s story. Lindsay artfully weaves a tale that leads the reader through a variety of emotions of fear, disgust, humor, sadness and even the value of family. The story moves quickly as any good thriller and the Miami setting adds for a quirky sense of setting but it is Dexter that brings people back for more as he struggles with who he is and what has happened to him and through him. 

If you’ve seen the show on Showtime, please take the time to read the books. Only the first book follows the TV storyline. The others vary greatly and add to the Dexter persona. 2004, 289 pages.

 

Are These My Basoomas I see Before Me? By Louise Rennison

Being the tenth and the final installment of the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson my review will be vair, vair wistful and nostalgic.  Ah, Georgia, you cheeky minx-oh how you have entertained us with your crazy teenage angst and red-bottomosity.

I’ve reviewed several of the books already here and this one is much the same. Georgia is your average teenager full of angst and humor with parents who are trying to rediscover their youth, a younger sister who is slightly mad and a most cranky and wonderful kitty cat, Angus, that often steals the show.  In this installment loose ends are tied up as Georgia finally makes a decision between Masimo and Dave the Laugh.  The characters are familiar, the pacing is very fast thanks to the diary format. My only complaint is that I think Rennison was trying too hard to make the final one memorable.  Laugh out loud laughter is not unheard of and I am thrilled to learn that among my friends, I am not the only one to take on the language oddities of Georgia. Dear Gott in Himmel. 2009, 310 pages.