The Taker by Alma Katsu (RIP #4)

Book Summary (from the book)

True love can last an eternity…but immortality comes at a price

On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural St. Andrew, Main, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting a quiet evening. Until a mysterious woman arrives in his ER, escorted by police –Lanore McIlvrae is a murder suspect- and Luke is inexplicably drawn to her. As Lanny tells him her story, an impassioned account of love and betrayal that transcends time and mortality, she changes his life forever… At the turn of the nineteenth century, when St. Andrew was a Puritan settlement, Lanny was consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, and she will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep –an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for eternity.

My Review

Let’s make something clear: this is NOT a vampire book. Why am I so adamant about this fact? Because I was actually expecting it to be yet another vampire story, only this time the girl was the one turned. But no, so bravo to Mrs Katsu on the originality.

Something I really enjoyed about this book is that you could take the supernatural part out of it, and it would still be a good story. The main character, Lanny is if not relatable (I find it hard to relate to an immortal who was “borne” in the early 1800s) is charming and is easy to understand where is she coming from, why she does whatever she does, and I like that. I did not like Jonathan, Lanny’s object of affection, but not because he is not a well constructed character, but because the way he behaves. Then again, I think his behaviour is due to an overindulgence that comes from being the only son and heir of the most powerful family in town. Not even Lanny will blame him, acknowlodging her own fault: 

So often we bring about our own downfall

Lanny and Jonathan build a friendship, where the girl would do anything for the boy, without going all Bella for Edward, if you know what I mean. No, she loves him, and in a way she tries to save him from himself several times. 

As it was mentioned in the summary the story starts with Lanny meeting Luke, a recently divorced man who also just lost his parents and has not a lot for himself in a forsaken town. When Lanny arrives to his life, she will tell him her story little by little, while he helps her in his own way.

Even though at first Luke doesn’t do much, other than listen and accompany Lanny, his character grew on me, and I was really happy with the way things ended for him (no spoilers, don’t worry). I guess he will have bigger role in the sequel, which I am quite eager to read. 

Adair, the other main character is a volatile person, he is used to getting whatever he wants, and has no problem using whatever he has in hand to get it and dominate everyone around him, he knows himself to be a devil:

Did you ever think that perhaps the only thing that keeps the devil in check is that he knows how despised he is? Even the devil longs for sympathy at times, but sympathy for the devil is fuel for the flame

The book ends with atonement for Lanny, in more ways than one, and there are a couple of twists that I was not expecting, again, kudos to the author. 

I really enjoyed the book, and since it gave me a little bit more than I expected I’m giving it a 5