Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Kitty Goes to Washington


Kitty, now exiled from Denver and constantly on the road, is subpoenaed to testify before a special Senate committee hearing on the supernatural. She also catches the attentions of the vampire mistress of the D.C., a Brazilian were-jaguar, as well as a Bible-thumping senator intent on portraying supernaturals as monsters. Kitty’s hard-fought anonymity is put to the ultimate test.
The second book in the Kitty series doesn’t quite match the level of the original, partially because it doesn’t have the uniqueness that the first novel has. The pacing is again well handled yet there is very little tension as nothing really happens until the last 50 pages of the book. This isn’t helped by a subplot involving a character from the first book that appears midway and is then resolved surprisingly quickly. Still, the novel is an entertaining read. One thing I like about the character’s radio show is how the author uses it not only for plot elements but also for comedic effect. Kitty’s sass makes me root for her every time. A novel that can make me laugh almost always gets a thumbs-up in my book
One thing I like about the Kitty series is that supernatural characters are not inherently evil. Vampires and werewolves may be predators, but it is still their actions that define them. Whether or not they are evil depends on the character’s persona as a whole rather than any supernatural element. In this, the books are similar to Huston’s Joe Pitt novels. I like this trend in urban fiction to make the world less black and white and more like the way the real world truly is.
Recommended and I definitely plan to read at least the next two books.
Rating: 7/10.

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