Drink Deep, by Chloe Neill
Drink Deep, by Chloe Neill
Book 5, Chicagoland Vampire series
Reviewed by Saluki
After the curve ball Chloe Neill threw us in the last book in the series, Hard Bitten, I was desperate for this book to come out. I wasn’t sure how the author would deal with Ethan’s death. Killing off such a pivotal character from a series is tricky business. As I read this book, I was looking for answers. What purpose would Ethan’s death serve? And, was he really gone for good? One question was answered while the other was not. I don’t want to give too much away, but there will be spoilers ahead, so please keep that in mind as you read the review.
This installment begins a few months after Cadogan House lost its Master Vampire, Ethan Sullivan. As if losing their leader wasn’t bad enough, a receiver has been installed in the house, due to a perception of incompetence by the Greenwich Presidium. Frank Cabot has installed new rules and has made it his mission to bring down Cadogan House by any means necessary. Oh, and the new mayor of Chicago wants to create a law requiring all supernatural creatures to register with the City and carry identification papers with them at all times. Oh, it’s a grand time to be a Cadogan Vampire in Chicago!
Though all of this turmoil, Merit is still trying to deal with the loss of Ethan. She has brought herself out of the darkest of her mourning and is trying to patch up her heart and be the leader that the Cadogan House needs. But, there is no shaking the sadness that still pervades her every thought. Ethan died because he was trying to protect her, and that guilt constantly eats at Merit. Although she is back to her duties as Sentinal, she still hasn’t ventured out of the House on any missions. Ethan was her partner, and going out without him is something she doesn’t feel ready for. However, that is quickly about to change when the Chicago River and Lake Michigan suddenly turn into an oily, black substance. Vampires are made automatic targets for the problem by the new Mayor. As Cadogan House has been a lightning rod for controversy, they seem to take the brunt of hostility from the human population. So, Merit is tasked with trying to figure out what is happening to the water.
Merit, along with help from Jonah from the Grey House, embarks on a mission to discover what kind of magic is at work. Is it the nymphs, or possibly the Lake Siren? Could former Mayor Tate be involved? Whoever, or whatever it is, she has to find out before the city is destroyed because the water dying is just the beginning of the problems in store for Chicago.
It doesn’t take long for Merit to discover that whatever magic is at work won’t stop until Chicago is destroyed. With time running out and the supernatural community ruled out as a source of the problem, Merit must go back to Tate for information. What she finds out forces her to consider that the problem isn’t supernatural in nature, but magical. With only two sorcerers and one sorceress in training in Chicago, Merit has to face the fact that the problem is much closer to home (in more ways than one) than she had ever considered.
With no respite at home – Frank Cabot is still hard at work trying to destroy Cadogan House and turn the vampires there against each other, Merit must grapple with strange nightmares featuring Ethan. As she tries to accept the end of a love that never really began, Merit has to figure out some way to live without her partner, friend, and lover. But, when his ashes are discovered missing and Mallory is pegged as the culprit, the reality that Ethan might not be gone forever brings back hope – and a whole new set of fears to Merit.
I’ve said this in every book review, but I love this series. This book is no exception. I was left reeling after the last book – never having considered that the author would kill off a major character. So, I was really eager to find out what she had in store for Merit and the vampires of Cadogan House in this installment. What she had planned, in a word, was chaos. First, they are having to adapt to the loss of Ethan. Along with that, they are dealing with the restrictions put in place by the receiver, Frank Cabot. On top of that, the city is falling apart before their eyes, and the Mayor has it all squarely pinned on them. But, all of this adversity only strengthens Cadogan House. They are more determined than ever to fight for their house, their name, and their city.
I continue to love Merit as a strong, female character. No matter how much is thrown at her, she seems to be able to draw from her inner strength and keep going. Her loyalty and desire to do what is right, even when it isn’t the easy thing to do make her a great female characters for young adult readers. But, she is by no means perfect. She’s impulsive and stubborn and sometimes lets her anger get the best of her. She is a realistic, believable character, which is one of the reasons I like this series so much.
The one drawback to this book was the fact that I’m not sure what purpose Ethan’s death served. Perhaps Merit needed to learn to trust in her own judgement without Ethan’s years of experience to lean on. Perhaps Cadogan House needed to understand that they were more than just their leader and could survive – and thrive – without his strong presence. It just feels like the events of this book could have happened just as easily with Ethan still in the picture. But, this series is far from over, so I’m hoping we will get more insight into the purpose behind Ethan’s death.
I continue to love this series and the world and Chloe Neill has created. I give it a four out of five fangs. This book leaves open several unanswered questions, which we will have to wait until next August, when Biting Cold is released.
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