MostlyFiction Book Reviews » More Dexter We Love to Read! Wed, 14 May 2014 13:06:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3 DEXTER IS DELICIOUS by Jeff Lindsay /2010/dexter-is-delicious-by-jeff-lindsay/ /2010/dexter-is-delicious-by-jeff-lindsay/#comments Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:31:52 +0000 /?p=12243 Book Quote:

“I thought again of the promise I had made in the hospital: I would be a better man. No more Demon Dexter—I was Dex-Daddy now, dedicated to the welfare of Lily Anne and my fledgling family. For the first time human life seemed rare and valuable, in spite of the fact that there was so much of it, and for the most part it consistently failed to prove its worth. But I owed it to Lily Anne to change my ways, and I would do it.”

Book Review:

Review by Eleanor Bukowsky (SEP 19, 2010)

In Dexter Morgan’s fifth outing, Dexter is Delicious, our devilish and alliterative slasher and narrator is in danger of becoming a mushy and sentimental softie. His wife, Rita, has given birth to an adorable baby girl named Lily Anne, and Dexter is head over heels in love with his brand new bundle of joy. As he stands in the nursery gazing at the baby, he suddenly wants to embrace life, not death. “I want to hold her. I want to sit her on my lap and read her Christopher Robin and Dr. Seuss.” In short, he decides, “I don’t want to be Dark Dexter anymore.” If he were to kill again, it would be to protect his beautiful child from any predator who would dare to touch a hair on her lovely head.

Paternity leave is short-lived, however, since Dexter’s bossy and demanding sister, Sergeant Deborah, summons him to an address in Old Coconut Grove. She drags Dex into a room “so spattered with blood that it looked like a large animal had exploded.” An eighteen-year-old girl has disappeared and Deborah wants her brother to help analyze the blood splatter to determine what might have happened. At first, he is bewildered, but further inquiries reveal that there are some serious weirdoes loose in Miami who are engaged in nefarious activities, including cannibalism.

Parts of this novel rank up there with the best of Lindsay. These include the sections that deal with Dexter’s newfound feelings of humanity and his repressed, but still active, impulse to slice and dice; and Dexter’s love/hate relationship with Deborah whom he would do anything to protect but who drives him up the wall. A few new characters spice up the story, including Deb’s partner, Deke Slater, a slow-witted but sinfully good-looking cop. To add to the excitement, one of Dexter’s long-lost relatives arrives unexpectedly and shows no signs of leaving any time soon. In addition, Deb’s boyfriend, Kyle Chutsky, and Dex’s nemesis, Sergeant Doakes, make brief but lively appearances.

On the other hand, the villainy in the book is disappointingly predictable. The bad guys have no depth and the “surprises” that the author springs on us are telegraphed well in advance. The territorial infighting between Deb and federal agents trying to wrest jurisdiction from her is a tiresome cliché that has been done to death, and Deb’s constant use of profanity is irritating. Nor are we terribly shocked when Dexter and Deb get themselves into hot water by rushing into dangerous situations without sufficient backup. Still, we keep reading, since we want to know if Dexter will revert to his bad old ways. Read Dexter is Delicious to enjoy the delightfully satirical humor, observe the evolution of Dexter’s personality, and empathize with Dexter’s struggle to resist the increasingly urgent whisperings of the Dark Passenger. No matter how much Dexter would like to believe that the sun will come out tomorrow, it is all too apparent “that the sun is nearly always hidden by clouds, flowers have thorns, and rainbows are always out of reach.”

AMAZON READER RATING: from 67 readers
PUBLISHER: Doubleday; First Edition edition (September 7, 2010)
REVIEWER: Eleanor Bukowsky
AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK? YES! Start Reading Now!
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Wikipedia page on Jeff Lindsay
EXTRAS: Excerpt
MORE ON MOSTLYFICTION: Read our review of:Darkly Dreaming Dexter (1)

Dearly Devoted Dexter (2)

Dexter by Design (4)

Bibliography:

Dexter Series:

TV Series from book:

]]> /2010/dexter-is-delicious-by-jeff-lindsay/feed/ 0 DEXTER BY DESIGN by Jeff Lindsay /2009/dexter-by-design-by-jeff-lindsay/ /2009/dexter-by-design-by-jeff-lindsay/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:39:58 +0000 /?p=4679 Book Quote:

“But this was silly, weak, and wrong—and very much Not Dexter. The Real Dexter lived in the Dark, came alive in the sharp night, took joy in slashing out from the shadows. Who was this, standing here hesitating? Dexter does not dither.”

Book Review:

Review by Eleanor Bukowsky (SEP 9, 2009)

In Dexter by Design, Jeff Lindsay makes a bold move and it pays off. The first three books of the series are filled with twisted humor and dark satire; they are also nauseatingly violent and gruesome. Dexter has always reveled in his passion for inflicting pain on those who deserve it. Now, much to his consternation, Dexter is experiencing stirrings of vulnerability, guilt, and even compassion. Although a normal person might welcome this development, Dexter is chagrined. Since he was a child, the strongest feeling that he had was the joy of murdering, dismembering, and disposing of his victims. What is one to make of this Drastically Different Dexter?

Part of the change may stem from Dexter’s new living arrangements. After a honeymoon in Paris, he is settling into a domestic routine with his devoted wife and stepchildren, Cody and Astor. Dexter returns his job as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department and he looks forward longingly to resuming his favorite pastime—hunting at night with his ropes and cutting tools. However, Dexter soon learns that he has a competitor for the title of Miami’s sickest dude. Someone is leaving dead bodies decorated with floral arrangements and tropical fruit in various spots around the city. The stakes are raised when an individual whom Dexter cares about is attacked and seriously wounded. The Dark Passenger is stirring once again, and Dexter’s newfound humanity may not be enough to keep him from exploding with rage.

Dexter by Design is Lindsay’s most accomplished work to date. Although Dexter (who still refers to himself alliteratively in the third person) insists that he has no soul, his actions belie his words. After he commits a brutal act that may have stemmed from an error in judgment, he is remorseful and frightened of the possible consequences. For the first time in his life, Dexter is at a loss, and he turns to others to help him find his way. In spite of his angst, Dexter continues to amuse us with clever wisecracks that are often tasteless, outrageously inappropriate, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Adding to our delight is the excellent supporting cast. Rita, Dexter’s wife, fusses lovingly over her new husband; Cody and Astor eagerly await further lessons from Dexter in how to commit mayhem and get away with it; Dex’s sister, Deb, and her clingy boyfriend, Kyle Chutsky, show sides of themselves that we have never seen before. The author keeps us guessing as to who is on the rampage in Miami and why. How will this villain react when he learns that Dexter is out to get him? Dexter’s adversary proves to be a devious and vicious psychopath who threatens everything that our hero holds dear. Dexter by Design is a hilarious, suspenseful, and action-filled thriller. The twists and turns keep coming at a furious pace and the ending is a humdinger, with a major surprise that promises to keep this series fresh for some time to come.

AMAZON READER RATING: stars-3-5from 81 readers
PUBLISHER: Doubleday (September 8, 2009)
REVIEWER: Eleanor Buikowsky
AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE BOOK? YES! Start Reading Now!
AUTHOR WEBSITE: Wikipedia page on Jeff Lindsay
EXTRAS: Publisher Dexter Page
MORE ON MOSTLYFICTION: Read our review of:

Darkly Dreaming Dexter (1)

Dearly Devoted Dexter (2)

Dexter is Delicious (5)

Bibliography:

Dexter Series:

TV Series from book:

]]> /2009/dexter-by-design-by-jeff-lindsay/feed/ 0