SABELLA tanith lee

Sabella is one of the earliest vampire books that I read, and it is written at an fairly accessible YA level. The basic story is of Sabella struggling with her desires and guilt over her victims. She does not understand why she is different from everyone else, but does what she can to survive--including using sex to exploit men. The setting is on another planet with all those rich, exotic details that Lee writes so well.

[SPOILERS FOLLOW]

My reaction as a young girl is pretty much the same as it is now. As viable as the ending might be, the solution to Sabella's problems is literal subordination to a man of her own kind. She is cows down to him, or goes on killing other men--these are her only options. This just makes me acutely uncomfortable. I guess Sabella is just the Twilight of my generation.
[END SPOILERS]

I give Sabella 3/5 for the readability and quality of writing. Sabella is a real vampire to the point that she kills to live and struggles with her own morality. But it would be an 4 if I hadn't hated the ending so much--which is just a visceral thing and most other people would probably not react to it like I did.

RATING: 3/5

Amazon: 4/5

RUNNING AVERAGE: 3.5/5