Target audience:
* people women who have tattoos (or that love tattooing)
* women who love to watch martial art fighting or that practice martial arts
* vampire romance enthusiasts
* women who are irresistibly attracted to the handsome stalker type
* young people who believe they have “old” souls
The problem is, I’m really only in ONE of the above categories. Here’s a hint – getting old sucks and makes you cynical about the young, their tattoos, sports injuries, and self inflicted romances.
Cripes, I’m crabby today.
I have to confess, I really couldn’t relax and suspend my disbelief enough for this book to work for me. While I can appreciate Natasha Mostert’s writing skills, the general mix of the book felt like it was put together in response to a marketing questionnaire (see above list).
Set in modern day London, Keeper of Light and Dust is attempting to elevate the vampire romance into a more modern “literary” form. (This would be the form I always find vaguely depressing – you can see why the book is not gelling for me.) Our young heroine, a tattoo artist is a Keeper. Keepers are mystic guardians and warriors and… well, frankly I lost interest at that point. Although when I flipped through the book and randomly read sections I found she was pursued stalked by a handsome intellectual vampire who is attracted by her chi (whatever).
However, you won’t be embarrassed to read this book on the bus for the following reasons:
* it has an arty cover
* a good title
* no discernible sex scenes
* lots of intellectual, semi-spiritual wittering
Keeper of Light and Dust is probably a good book, just not a good book for me. If you fall into two or more of the categories at the top of the review, you’ll probably enjoy it. And then you should review it -– so that my snark isn’t all that’s here.
Keeper of Light and Dust: a novel by Natasha Mostert
Publisher: New American Library (February 2010)
Paperback : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 0451229096
ISBN-13 : 978-0451229090
Jacket Price: $15.00 US/$18.50 Canada
