Something in the Blood

Having recently spent two weeks in Alaska and already wanting to find my way back there, the setting of Something in the Blood was a major draw. It's beautiful, remote, and dangerous. All great things when trying to stage one of the more enigmatic serial killers I've read about recently.

For a small town, Bloodrun has a pretty large cast of characters. With such a high number of named people, many surprised me by how well fleshed out they felt. I would have liked to see more from one arc in particular, but the characters were a highlight of the novel for me.

The writing style is more lyrical than I usually see in this genre, with descriptions often waxing poetic. There are some truly gorgeous pieces of writing, but the indulgence is both a blessing and curse. While the depictions are gorily haunting, the focus can sometimes feel misplaced. Some scenes feel bogged down or blurry because the content is sacrificed for the aesthetic. At points, plausibility also takes a hit for it too.

Though the setting and premise made me very excited to read this book, it was an uphill battle for me because of the narrative structure. Action bounces back and forth from the present to the past. Not until most of the way through did I realize it was also often more than a decade into the past. I prefer a more linear structure, usually, or at least references at the start of scenes or chapters for better clarity. Layer that in with ongoing tales of Native Alaskan lore, rereading for understanding was often necessary. I was also a little confused because the chapter numbers started over midway through at a section break.

The setting alone can make Something in the Blood stand out for horror or thriller readers looking for something unique. I am not sure if this truly fits the subgenres it's listed as, but it strikes the right tones for the larger genre.