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A review by haletostilinski1
Escaping Exile by Sara Dobie Bauer
2.0
Meh.
That's how I feel after reading this. Just "meh."
It wasn't bad, the writing structure was good, but I didn't feel anything for Andrew or Edmund, or any chemistry between them. The sex was okay, but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting.
This is a short story, so not much happens. And I don't know how I feel about the natives of this island being cannibals and "barbarians." People in the 1800's would have thought them like that though, of course, but all the natives - not white people - were barbarian cannibals, monsters. I think they were meant to draw a parallel to Andrew, who before Edmund had no remorse for those he killed, ever. But honestly I just didn't like it, but I guess they served the purpose of being something that could kill Edmund, but I would have preferred animals like the bore or something to be the threat than for it to be other human beings who served no other purpose than to be monstrous and make Andrew think about himself.
Not that Andrew drawing the parallels between him and the natives made him feel any remorse or will to change - so honestly, what is the point? To get Edmund to see his monstrous ways? That could have been done without the cannibals and honestly, Edmund wasn't that great either.
I have loved reprehensible, amoral characters in books before (hello, [b:Call the Coroner|33975583|Call the Coroner|Avril Ashton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485215960s/33975583.jpg|54962366]) so it isn't exactly that Andrew and Edmund both were...just...complete assholes, and both perfect for each other in their lack of morality or any good virtue at all. But really, there was nothing ELSE redeeming about them. Even their "love" for each other didn't feel real, so I didn't feel much for them because they were nothing more than bad people.
And I'm not one that likes villainous type characters all that often, but if they're written well and interestingly, I can like the character. But I didn't find Andrew or Edmund all that interesting.
Andrew has been a vampire for about 800 or so years, and has never felt bad for killing anyone, no remorse at all. There's a scene in the book that's a flashback to him and he doesn't feel one ounce of remorse for it. And that would have been fine if he was interesting at all. But nah, he's just horrible and on top of that, doesn't give a shit about murdering innocent people, so...
And Edmund isn't exactly evil or anything, but he doesn't really give a shit about murdering people (but caterpillars, he can't do????) and he's done it before and he's kind of just an asshole. In that way, he's perfect for Andrew. But also, there wasn't enough with them for them to be interesting. And also, their leap from strangers to "being in love" happens way too fast and unconvincingly. Honestly, we don't get much from Edmund, because not only is this not in his POV, but he just doesn't seem all that interested in Andrew aside from sex and "studying" him when he finds out he's a vampire.
Just...this one wasn't for me. No thanks.
That's how I feel after reading this. Just "meh."
It wasn't bad, the writing structure was good, but I didn't feel anything for Andrew or Edmund, or any chemistry between them. The sex was okay, but it wasn't as hot as I was expecting.
This is a short story, so not much happens. And I don't know how I feel about the natives of this island being cannibals and "barbarians." People in the 1800's would have thought them like that though, of course, but all the natives - not white people - were barbarian cannibals, monsters. I think they were meant to draw a parallel to Andrew, who before Edmund had no remorse for those he killed, ever. But honestly I just didn't like it, but I guess they served the purpose of being something that could kill Edmund, but I would have preferred animals like the bore or something to be the threat than for it to be other human beings who served no other purpose than to be monstrous and make Andrew think about himself.
Not that Andrew drawing the parallels between him and the natives made him feel any remorse or will to change - so honestly, what is the point? To get Edmund to see his monstrous ways? That could have been done without the cannibals and honestly, Edmund wasn't that great either.
I have loved reprehensible, amoral characters in books before (hello, [b:Call the Coroner|33975583|Call the Coroner|Avril Ashton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485215960s/33975583.jpg|54962366]) so it isn't exactly that Andrew and Edmund both were...just...complete assholes, and both perfect for each other in their lack of morality or any good virtue at all. But really, there was nothing ELSE redeeming about them. Even their "love" for each other didn't feel real, so I didn't feel much for them because they were nothing more than bad people.
And I'm not one that likes villainous type characters all that often, but if they're written well and interestingly, I can like the character. But I didn't find Andrew or Edmund all that interesting.
Andrew has been a vampire for about 800 or so years, and has never felt bad for killing anyone, no remorse at all. There's a scene in the book that's a flashback to him
Spoiler
murdering a "pure" and honestly sweet prostitute, a young one of 18And Edmund isn't exactly evil or anything, but he doesn't really give a shit about murdering people (but caterpillars, he can't do????) and he's done it before and he's kind of just an asshole. In that way, he's perfect for Andrew. But also, there wasn't enough with them for them to be interesting. And also, their leap from strangers to "being in love" happens way too fast and unconvincingly. Honestly, we don't get much from Edmund, because not only is this not in his POV, but he just doesn't seem all that interested in Andrew aside from sex and "studying" him when he finds out he's a vampire.
Just...this one wasn't for me. No thanks.