#28 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks
Spoilers follow.
I’ve heard that the Sookie Stackhouse books get better as the series progresses, so it was with that thought in mind that I picked up the second book.
Early on in this book, my dislike for Bill was reinforced. I find him so boring as a character and his interactions with Sookie are bland. Also (and I think I’ve said this before), I am by no means a prude, but Bill and Sookie’s sex scenes kind of gross me out. I think it’s because those scenes are written so much like standard romance novel fare. For your consideration:
…as we lay together during the little aftershocks following successful love, I wondered…
“Successful love”? *headdesk* oh, Charlaine Harris, you never fail to bring on the cheese.
Sookie’s encounter with the maenad was partly terrifying and partly out of left field. I’m wondering if the supernatural beings get more fantastical as the series goes on as well.
Sookie’s mission in Dallas was hit or miss for me. When she first meets Hugo, with whom she’s posing as a potential member of the Fellowship of the Sun, she senses something is off about him–but she largely dismisses her intuition about him. It seemed obvious that he was some kind of double agent or traitor, if you will, so I didn’t get why Sookie didn’t read his thoughts better before they get captured.
On the other hand, I really liked the character Luna, who comes to Sookie’s aid at the Fellowship center. I’ve found that characters named Luna are, in general, rather awesome. (See also: Harry Potter.) I hope we get to see Sookie’s Luna in future books. It’s even more awesome because she’s a shapeshifter like Sam. Speaking of Sam, I wish he had been in this book more since I like him quite a bit.
If this book solidified my boredom with Bill, it reinforced my interest in Eric. He’s so much more feisty and entertaining! Moreover, he and Sookie actually have chemistry.
The strange orgy/massacre scene toward the end was just plain weird, but Eric’s presence (not to mention his hilarious outfit, ha!) made it more bearable. The reappearance of the maenad, Callisto, again was simultaneously corny but also really creepy.
Finally, the bit at the end, which gives us the backstory of Bill’s family and history with the Bellefleurs, was touching…but still not enough to make me like Bill as a character. 
I hear that Eric becomes more prominent in the next book, and I welcome that storyline wholeheartedly!
Yeah, Bill is boring! I am very Team Viking! I love Eric and he does have more of a role in later books. I am trying to remember which book was the one where he looses his memory. I won’t say anymore, of course.
But you have to read that one.
I definitely agree that Bill is boring. I don’t really understand the appeal. The sex scenes really are cheesy so I kind of skim through them since I’m not typically a romance reader.
I have to say that I kind of like boring Bill. I think he would be a much better choice for a peaceful life in the country. Unfortunately, I don’t thing Sookie can end up with a vampire. She wants the love and “not able to read the mind” part of a supernatural relationship but not the “no future” part. She seems to want children and a place in the community and that won’t be with a dead man no matter how cute the butt. But I can look, can’t I?