Christopher Moore
You Suck: A Love Story (2007)
Author: Christopher Moore
Genre: Fantasy (Humor)
Plot Summary:
When Tommy Flood wakes up, he finds that his girlfriend, Jody is a vampire and has subsequently turned him into one as well. She tells Tommy that she loves him and just could not stand to be alone. He has mixed feelings about becoming a vampire, but realizes that he really doesn't have a choice in the matter. As he begins to master his powers, he selects a minion, a teen named Abby Normal. However, promblems soon arise, as the police want Tommy and Jody to leave the city. To make matters worse, the ancient vampire that turned Jody into a vampire wants her back, and hunts the two vampires. In addition, Tommy's old grocery store co-workers are vampire hunters that are after them after a hooker told them to. Tommy and Jody, with the help of Abby, try to leave San Francisco before they are captured by any of their many foes. SPOILERThe end of the story ends just as it does in Bloodsucking Friends, two vampires are cast in bronze and placed in the living room.
Geographical Setting: San Franscisco
Time Period: Contemporary (2007)
Series: Sequel to Bloodsucking Friends
Appeal Characteristics:
Moore's humorous tale of vampires in love will delight readers who want a fast-paced, easy read. The dark situations of death and vampirism is changed into a light-toned story by use of humor and sarcasm. The misfit characters are engaging, especially Abby. Moore uses Abby to explain important parts of the story, by way of her writing in her diary. She writes with typical teen, Old English and gangster language that makes the story very entertaining for the reader. While Abby believes that the vampires she serves are from the past, Tommy and Jody are contemporary, which make the story easy for readers to relate. Tommy, the main character, hails from Indiana, and is naive and nerdy, which add a fun element to the story. The third-person writing style is important, because it allows the reader to know what each character is thinking, especially when he or she is seemingly acting crazy.
Read-alikes: If readers enjoyed the use of good, strong characters and a humoroustone to their stories, they may like Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom, by A.L. Haskett. In this story, the main character, Duncan is a naive Wyoming cowboy that wants to paint cowboy/velvet paintings. His mother wants him to find a real job, but instead goes to Los Angeles to paint women from a strip club that is near his apartment. Pest Control by Bill Fitzhugh may be enjoyed as well because of its misfit characters and humorous situations. This story centers around Bob Dillion, who is an environmentally conscious pest controller in New York. Advertising as "Exterminator Bob," he is mistakenly identified as a hit man and soon has to deal with assassins, Columbian drug lords and the CIA. Another story that readers may enjoy with dark, vampire themes, in a light-tone and a misfit character is Fat White Vampire Blues, by Andrew Fox. This story deals with an overweight vampire named Jules in New Orleans. Living in the Big Easy has left him large because he has to drink the blood of people that consume the fattiest diet in the world. Soon, another vampire comes into town and threatens Jules with permanent death and it's up to him to save himself with the help of his friends. Happy Hour at Casa Dracula, by Marta Acosta has strong characters and a comedic romance that also is in You Suck. In this story, Milagro de Los Santos, an aspiring writer goes to a book party for her ex-boyfriend. There, she meets an attractive man and is bitten while kissing him. She is taken to his family's home of snobby vampires, while her ex-boyfriend wants to drive a stake through her heart. If readers enjoyed amusing dialogue and quirky characters, they may enjoy Basket Case, by Carl Hiaasen. In this story, Jack Tagger, who was once an investigative reporter has now been reduced to writing obituaries. He sees the death notice of a singer of a popular musical group and finds that his wife might be hiding something and investigates the murder.
Red Flags: Mild sexual situations, foul language and murder run throughout this book.
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