Elijiah begat Jody. Jody begat Tommy. Tommy begat Blue. Not by birth, but by bite. The begatting still granted life, but it's eternal life - with special powers. Elijiah, eight hundred and seventeen years old, is a vampire of long experience. Taking up with the young woman, he tutors her in the ways of the undead. He overlooks Jody's resourcefulness, however, and becomes a statue. With Elijiah immobilised, she is free to choose her own consort. Tommy, a naive Midwesterner from Incontience, Indiana proves an inspired choice. They're young, in love, and in trouble. For one thing, the police know who, and what, they are.
Christopher Moore's inventiveness has become nearly legendary. His books may be labelled "fantasy" only under the broadest definition. Set in contemporary environments, his stories leave you looking askance at your neighbours and friends. Just who is that teen in the bizarre dress and make-up? Is she just protesting against normal values, or is she bearing a hidden agenda. "Abby Normal", who slowly takes over this story, is but eight centuries younger than Elijiah. Her own ingenuity builds through the story as she interacts with a succession of "dark lords", the Countess, her mother and the "cops". The "p" is derisively inflected, of course - she has little time for such 'tarded people.
Vampires have special problems, of course. Once transformed, the diet is blood. Regular food, coffee or even plain water brings a violent intestinal reaction. To acquire the blood means hunting. Humans, animals such as rats since this is The City - even insects when times are hard. A trip to the zoo is not out of the question, but thirst must be enhanced by talent, or the vampire entering the cage may not come out intact. Their time is night, since daylight can vaporise them. It's a busy schedule all around, made intense by the knowledge that they are hunted. Sometimes even by their own kind.
Moore's placing the story in San Francisco brings the enhancement of dripping fogs, shady waterfronts, and Safeway stores. Tommy works at a Safeway as a night manager. His stocking and shelving crew are the Animals, a motley group who've made a killing of their own. On a trip to Las Vegas, the Animals acquired a hooker painted blue all over and bring her back to San Francisco. Moore manages to paint the characters with finesse and audacity as he leads them through their personal destinies. Wholly fantastic, yet he keeps them all real enough to hold your attention with every short chapter. Character development is his genius and he applies it here with meticulous care. There's not an individual here for most of us to identify with, or even sympathise over. Yet, there you will sit, turning pages to learn how he resolves the complexities he's created for your enjoyment. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]