| Well, where do I start?
Anita is bold. She doesn't take herself too seriously, except that she always means
exactly what she says. For instance, if she tells some bad guy that she'll shoot him (or her), she is not bluffing. You can count on it. She has a strong sense of ethics and is intensely loyal to her friends. Her 'friends' always seem to include any human, lycanthrope or, even, Vamp that is being attacked by other monsters. She is brave and not afraid of taking a beating, if it's necessary to getting the job done. She always forces herself to do what she thinks is right, even when she knows in advance that it could get her into deep trouble. She doesn't smoke and tries to stay physically fit. Both admirable qualities. I'm glad that she has Jean-Claude's marks, as she would not have survived some of the injuries that she has sustained otherwise, even being a fitness advocate. I really liked the fact that she kept her sexual appetites under control in the face of some very yummy temptations, in the first few books of the series. It was really refreshing, since so many heroines seem to fall at first lust. I was a little disappointed when she finally became involved in a sexual relationship with the Master Vampire of the City, Jean-Claude, but I think she had to in order to progress the story. The Three Way alliance formed by Jean-Claude, Anita and Richard is very intriguing, but sometimes a little confusing to me - and for Anita, too, I think. I really wanted her to do the 'true romance, white picket fence and two kids thing' with Richard, who seemed to have a little better grip on the "real world" than the nearly irresistible, but always dangerous vampire lover. But, realistically, Anita isn't ever gonna be a suburban housewife kind of gal. And, with Richard being all but unable to accept his beast, that's likely to be the kind of life he would want. I have had a little trouble believing that Anita couldn't accept the fact of Richard's beast eating Marcus after finally killing him. After all, Anita had spent a great deal of time urging Richard to kill his rival, partly to save his own life. It seemed a little contrived, considering all the stuff that Anita has seen and done in her 20 something years, including many things, much more horrible than eating what amounts to dead meat. But it did keep her from staying engaged, which may have been the aim of that plot device. I wasn't exactly thrilled to have Anita fall into Richard's arms in Blue Moon but after that one pretty regrettable slip, she seems back in control. And again practicing self-restraint. Seems like the wise way to go for the time being, but I really don't expect Jean-Claude to let it ride that way for much longer. I like the way Anita almost always can't resist being a smart ass. It does get her into the thick of things but I expect she'd be there anyway, whether she watched her mouth or not. So she might as well go for being contentious. I also like the fact that Anita's conscious is always still a factor in what she will and will not do. But the bottom line is that she will go to some very strong measures to protect herself and those she loves. Above all else, she is loyal and true to her convictions AND very, very practical. Anita's struggles to reconcile what she must do with what she believes to be right is always interesting. I feel that her moral juggling of her actions and her basic belief in God is very true to life and adds further dimension to her character. I like her friendship with Edward. It's good to see that friendship doesn't always have to turn into something sexual between a man and woman. I think Anita is at her best when she is more or less 'on her own'. That is to say, that she has a little trouble juggling an active love life with the Master of the City without loosing a little bit of herself in the process. Ah, the trials and tribulations of Love!
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| Everything I Need To Know About Life
I Learned From Reading Anita Blake • Don't date vampires, kill them. • The Executioner is shorter than you expect. • Just because you're human doesn't mean you aren't one of the monsters. • Zombies have rights too. • Never waste a really good threat. • An atheist with a cross is a truly pitiful sight. • If you have to be anyone's property, go with people you know. • Screaming is for when you don't have anything better to do. • Guilt is a wonderful motivator. • Illusion is everything. • Cars are not fun to chase. They don't bleed. • People generally see what they want to see. • Paranoia is just another name for longevity. • Never forget who your enemies are. • Always get out of the way of a charging werewolf. • If you French kiss a vampire, you risk lip and tongue injury. • Life is tough and the universe is not fair. • Sometimes there is nothing you can do. • Everyone is cannon fodder. Eventually. • Sometimes childish will get you what you want. • Jeans and sneakers do not inspire confidence as a ceremonial get-up. ~Robyn Goodfellow~
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