Howard, A. G. RoseBlood.

Howard, A. G. RoseBlood. Amulet see Abrams, Harry     2017  419p  $18.95      ISBN 978-1-4197-1909-7       hs/adult  Fantasy   VG

When Rune goes to school in France, she is forced to confront her destiny.  Born with an angelic voice, she alone possesses something the elusive and imortal Phantom of the Opera wants. In this unusual pairing of characters, Howard brings a young opera singer to France, where she discovers not only the reason why she collapses after every song she sings, but also the reason why she nearly kills her boyfriend Ben when she uses his emotions to feed her needs. Surprisingly, as the rising action builds in this drama, she rather casually accepts that she is not human, but rather some kind of vampire. The trip to France and her attendance at the RoseBlood School seem to be inevitable, as Rune begins to learn, especially when she meets Thorn, a man with whom she feels a kindred spirit. He hides from everyone at the school, and Rune learns why much later in the book. Will he be her protector or the conduit to her demise? Rune finds herself bullied, but she is not at all certain who is behind the theft of her school uniform, among other torments she must bear. She also finds herself in the contest for the lead in the school’s opera, a role that she does not covet since she knows her weakness always renders her incapable of completing one aria much less an entire show.  An avid reader, she voraciously pours through all things relating to the legendary Phantom of the Opera, Erik, and when she meets him, she learns about his thirst for her voice. A scientist who performs experiments on animals, he is searching for a way to transfer Rune’s voice to bring back his beloved Christine. Erik is a demon with deformities that have shaped his life, and he cares little about Thorn, the son he adopted. There is too much detail to thoroughly explain this convoluted plot in one review. Let it suffice to say that Howard’s descriptions are stellar, her storytelling complex, and her interest level high for the right reader. Vampire fans will enjoy Howard’s new take on sucking out emotions rather than life blood. They will equally enjoy diving into the complexities of this story, but they will have to be patient to find out the resolution.           

With complex descriptions and plot and some sexual content, this novel is best for high school and older.  With its unique take on the story of the Phantom and Christine and its new type of emotion-stealing vampire, the book deserves a spot in a high-school library.   

Summary: When Rune goes to school in France, she is forced to confront her destiny.  Born with an angelic voice, she alone possesses something the elusive and imortal Phantom of the Opera wants.  She meets Thorn, her soulmate, and together, they attempt to turn the tables against Erik before he takes Rune’s voice forever.  The Phantom of the Opera meets non-bloodsucking vampires in this new book by A. G. Howard. 

Phantom of the Opera-Fiction                                —Martha Squaresky