The Taker
by
Alma Katsu
Summary- True love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . .
On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.
Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.
Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.
My Rating-
My Review- I had to read this book. The reviews alone had me so intrigued I had to see what this hype was all about. This is one of the more graphic and dark novels that I’ve read. The story shifts from present day to historical but in a way that keeps the reader completely engrossed and utterly thirsting for what happens next. With all the vampire, angel and demon young adult novels that are out right now this book, while quite dark and at times horrifying, is a welcome breath of fresh air.
The story of love and betrayal between the main characters Lanny and Jonathan covers over two centuries of time and the writer has done an amazing job of immersing the reader in the story. You can close your eyes and picture the grand masion and the beauty of the chracters. The sadness of her families troubles, while making Lanny’s heart ache, does not stay her from her scandalous mission to bring Jonathan back to Boston to the mysterious Adair. The character of Luke seems more a neccesary character then an essential character, but you do tend to find yourself sympathizing with him and the role he plays.
This was an amazing story but definitely not for the faint of heart. You will find yourself losing track of time because you are so into reading this book. I am dying to read the next book in this series and see what happens to the characters next.