I first read this a few years ago and remember thinking it was really great. I recently came back to it since I’d forgotten most of the story, and honestly, I still love the beginning. Gabriel being a priest is such an interesting setup, and it really shapes the whole story. When Paolo (the vampire) shows up, you can feel the tension between them right away. That said, the story does lose me a bit later on. Around the middle, the plot kind of shifts in a completely different direction, and by the end, everything wraps up way too quickly. The ending feels rushed, overly simple, and not really explained, which was a bit disappointing. Also, I personally felt like Gabriel had way more chemistry with Paolo than with Saliou. Because of that, some moments later in the story felt a little off or unrealistic to me. Even with all that, this will probably always be one of my favorites—mostly because of the strong start and the memories I have with it. I just wish the second half and the ending lived up to the beginning.
I first read this a few years ago and remember thinking it was really great. I recently came back to it since I’d forgotten most of the story, and honestly, I still love the beginning. Gabriel being a priest is such an interesting setup, and it really shapes the whole story. When Paolo (the vampire) shows up, you can feel the tension between them right away.
That said, the story does lose me a bit later on. Around the middle, the plot kind of shifts in a completely different direction, and by the end, everything wraps up way too quickly. The ending feels rushed, overly simple, and not really explained, which was a bit disappointing.
Also, I personally felt like Gabriel had way more chemistry with Paolo than with Saliou. Because of that, some moments later in the story felt a little off or unrealistic to me.
Even with all that, this will probably always be one of my favorites—mostly because of the strong start and the memories I have with it. I just wish the second half and the ending lived up to the beginning.