beta
1. Plot is clear, cohesive, and consistent. The author knows where to start, to go, and exactly when to end it.
2. The characters are multi-dimensional. None of them are disposable nor incomplete. Even from the side characters, Nine and Thirteen.
3. The world building is excellent! It starts with a comedic narration but soon, it naturally builds itself thru dialogue and choices made available to the characters themselves. Not only that, the characters engage and interact with their world. This is already set by the power play, meaning vampires ruling the world because darkness reigned for generations. And just like how the world seem to naturally heal itself, the power dynamics is disturbed.
4. The mood and theme it sets doesn't stray and natural transitions. It knows when to be erotic, mysterious, thrilling, and heartwrenching.
5. The plot twists are foreshadowed well. It doesn't go for shock, rather it unfolds in ways least expected. (Coz we know how some tries to shock readers even if it is inconsistent or forced into the story)
6. Fits well for a social commentary as well :)
I love the author's mindset in their note. With all their planning set and done, the impact will always rely on the execution and is personal to readers—because a text has a life of its own beyond the author. (But sometimes, I just wish readers are equipped with properly distinguishing fiction and preference. Along with the complexity of recognizing that morality is ambiguous and a grey area in fiction which aims to unravel "realistic" characters, especially for genres that are meant to subvert ideal moral codes. And just the same, your preference to moral abiding story is valid as well as when you're upset from the deviances exposed in the story. I just hope you are aware that a text is neutral. It can either be powerfully enlightening or dangerously influential to sensitive readers. Coz in the end, it's who you identify with or what you pick up from it.)
★★★★★