Blood and Chocolate
Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf? Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He's fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would. Vivian's divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really--human or beast? Which tastes sweeter--blood or chocolate?
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Community Reviews
Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
by Annette Curtis Klause
I read this years ago then saw the movie and did a quick re-read. The blurb sort of gives the basic story. Vivian Gandillion is a sixteen year old werewolf who doesnât want her destiny. She wants love with a human boy Aiden but apparently she is destined to be the mate of the Gabriel, the werewolf alpha. There is much infighting and back stabbing along the way as every female except Vivian wants Gabriel.
Reading the other reviews it is obvious that this is a controversial book - I can see why. It is not for the faint of heart and though the heroine is only sixteen, it doesnât seem appropriate as YA, I agree with some of the other reviewers on that.
Though the material is disturbing on many levels (the sexism, the age difference, anti-mixed marriage message, etc.), I have to applaud the originality. They are not your fluffy good werewolves you see today - they are more like mobsters or a gang and they are sometimes vicious. And this isnât the urban fantasy that is so prevalent today either. There are just werewolves and humans.
The one thing I appreciated the most is the thing they changed the most in the movie version (which honestly wasnât a very good movie). In the book, the author skipped the trite love conquers all human/werewolf happy ending. The world is more complicated than that and what sixteen year old boy can handle the fact that his girlfriend is a werewolf? Also, that sort first love is glorified far too much already.
I noticed that several reviewers thought that the 24/16 relationship between Gabriel and Vivian was a little creepy because the age differentâ¦never mind that the entire genre is full of ancient vampires/demons/angels who are in love with teenage girls. That didnât start or end with Twilight.
As a teenager, Klause’s The Silver Kiss was one of my favorite books, so I was really looking forward to Blood and Chocolate. I’m sorry to say that I was pretty disappointed. In conveying a pack, Klause involves too many characters, most of whom are not fully drawn, and I had trouble keeping them straight.
I did like Klause’s take on werewolf lore, though. As she did with vampire lore in The Silver Kiss, she took the commonly accepted wisdom on the supernatural and modified it to fit her own story. She created a werewolf pack that existed as its own society, with its own rules and traditions. This allows her depict Vivian’s coming of age within the pack rather than telling the same story with the same human characters that have been used many times. However, she does include interactions with human society, giving the reader something they can easily relate to.
I did like Klause’s take on werewolf lore, though. As she did with vampire lore in The Silver Kiss, she took the commonly accepted wisdom on the supernatural and modified it to fit her own story. She created a werewolf pack that existed as its own society, with its own rules and traditions. This allows her depict Vivian’s coming of age within the pack rather than telling the same story with the same human characters that have been used many times. However, she does include interactions with human society, giving the reader something they can easily relate to.
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