Reckoning

March 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-Like its predecessor, "Bloodline" (Penguin/Razorbill, 2005), this story is written in journal format, with entries by several characters. It opens with the coming-of-age in the 1900s of Quincey Harker, heir to Vlad Tepes, and his initiation into his vampire heritage. It expands into the love story of two people never meant to be together but who are passionately drawn to one another. Mary Seward returns to England to take up her nursing profession and to care for her ailing father. Still recovering from her nightmarish trip to Transylvania, she is afraid of the dark and sees vampires everywhere. When people around her begin to die from a mysterious virus, she fears a vampire may be involved. Readers familiar with the legend of Dracula will enjoy the tie-ins with Vlad Tepes and Van Helsing, and they will be consumed by the struggles of the well-delineated characters, as well as the many plot twists and turns. This novel about good, evil, and the gray areas in between will be a favorite with fans of the vampire genre."June H. Keuhn, Corning East High School, NY"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.