Title: The Dead Girls’ Dance
Author: Rachel Caine
First published April 3, 2007
248 pages, Mass Market Paperback
ISBN: 9780451220899 (ISBN10: 0451220897)
Rating: 4.04
Overview
In the quirky town of Morganville, Claire Danvers is faced with a series of challenges. As a prodigious student in a college that values looks over intelligence, Claire struggles to find her place amongst her peers.
To make matters worse, her dorm mates are homicidal girls, and she discovers that her town is infested with vampires. However, with the support of her roommate and boyfriend, Shane, and his vampire-hunting father, Claire finds herself surrounded by a group of cycle punks who are all too eager to kill anything that moves.
But when Claire and her outcast best friend, Eve, are invited to a fraternity’s annual Dead Girls’ Dance, they realize that they are in for a wild ride. The living and the dead will come together, and things are about to get bloody.
Get ready to dance with the undead in this thrilling novel by Rachel Caine.
About the Author
Rachel Caine is actually a pen name used by Roxanne Longstreet Conrad, who has also published under the names Roxanne Longstreet and Roxanne Conrad. If you’re interested in following her on social media, you can check out her Facebook and Instagram pages.
Editoral Review
The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Caine is a thrilling novel in the young adult fiction genre. Caine is a bestselling author and known for her mastery of the urban fantasy genre.
The book, which was published on April 3, 2007, is the second installment in The Morganville Vampires series. Set in the fictional town of Morganville, Texas, the story follows a group of human and vampire characters, including Claire Danvers, a sixteen-year-old college student who was forced to move to Morganville to escape her overprotective parents.
In the town, Claire discovers that vampires rule the town and have strict rules that humans must follow to survive. The Dead Girls’ Dance begins with Claire and her group of friends trying to escape Morganville after facing many dangerous situations because of their association with a group of rogue vampires.
However, their attempt to escape is disrupted when Claire’s best friend, Eve, is kidnapped by the rogue vampires. The group faces many obstacles to rescue Eve, including facing a rival group of human survivors who are competing with them for the support of the vampires.
Caine’s writing is fast-paced and engaging, with vivid descriptions that transport the reader to the town of Morganville. The tension builds steadily throughout the book, with high stakes and unexpected twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The characters are well-developed, their relationships complex and nuanced, and their motivations realistic. The book touches on themes of power, loyalty, morality, and survival.
The struggles of the human characters to navigate the ways of the vampires and protect their loved ones show a commentary on society’s struggle to overcome oppressive forces. While the book is well-written and highly enjoyable, it is not without its flaws.
The supporting characters are not fully developed, and the world-building is not as detailed as it could be. Additionally, some of the conflicts felt contrived, and the pacing was uneven at times.
Overall, The Dead Girls’ Dance is an excellent book that is highly recommended for fans of the urban fantasy genre. While it has some limitations, its compelling story, engaging characters, and thought-provoking themes make it a solid pick.
It receives a rating of 4 out of 5 stars for its immersion into the genre and the enjoyable reading experience it provides.
