Book Review: Nocturne

Nocturne by L.D. Harkrader

I received a copy of this book from Star Book Tours.

Publication Date: 8 June 2010


Description
Flannery Lane is tired of being protected by her Uncle Anatole. After years of studying magic in the back of his bookshop, she's ready for an adventure of her own. Then one day, strange things start happening. A burglar breaks into the butcher's shop, stealing nothing, but leaving the floors sparkling clean. Soon the seamstress's apprentice vanishes on her way home, leaving behind only a shoe still laced at the top. And then worst of all, Uncle Anatole disappears. That night, a young vampire hunter named Pascoe knocks urgently on the bookshop door. Pascoe insists there is a vampire lurking in nearby Blakely Hall. Flanders looks deep into Pascoe's gorgeous eyes and finds herself agreeing to help him. As Flanders tracks the vampire, her feelings for Pascoe grow until she stumbles upon a secret that turns everything she thought she knew about Pascoe--and herself--upside down.


My Review
Despite the jacket copy, Nocturne is more about magic than vampires. In fact, Pascoe, the vampire hunter, is more of a secondary character and his story is not delved into in much detail. Nocturne is really about Flannery Lane, her search for information on her real parents and the powerful magic she possesses.

I liked the tone that Nocturne is written in. It is not a traditional fantasy novel, but instead reads like a Grimms' fairy tale or similar story. This may not appeal to some, but as a lover of fairy tales, especially those with a dark side to them, I felt it made the story refreshing and gave a different view to the predictable vampire tale. I also liked the character of Flannery Lane. She is written as a strong young female who is not afraid to follow her instincts, even when they go against what her uncle has told her. While this does lead her into trouble, it also presents her with an adventure that in turn reveals her true identity. The one thing I would have liked to read more about is Pascoe. I was intrigued by his circumstances and would have enjoyed learning more about his past and how he got to be the person he is.

Nocturne is a fast and easy read. Although it is classified as a young adult novel, I feel it would appeal more to middle grade readers based on the language in the book, the tone and the way the story plays out. I also feel the ending left a little too much up in the air. This seems as if it may be part of a series because, as a standalone novel, it left too many loose ends at the conclusion.


My Rating: 3 stars

Description and picture courtesy of Goodreads.