Title: Twilight
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #7.2
In: Otherworld Nights (Kelley Armstrong) & By Blood We Live (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: When an exit door wung open, I darted into another doorway to avoid detection and spotted my victim.

A visit to Cassandra Du Charme as she faces her mortality.

Cassandra is an incredibly odd character in the Women of the Otherworld series – she isn’t really likeable, but she also isn’t horrible enough to truly dislike. It is her apathy and lack of regard for others that just seems so at odds with the rest of the characters, and makes her seem cold and withdrawn from the rest of the world. Which, in all honesty, she is. However, some of her gumption and reasoning behind this apathy for the rest of the world is explained in Twilight.

I really liked that in the introduction to Otherworld Nights, even Kelley Armstrong dislikes the titling of this short story. After all, it just has too many negative connotations with another well-known (and in my case, strongly disliked) series. Having said that, if it wasn’t for the fact that the title reflects the Stephanie Meyers series, it is actually quite suitably named. Not only is Cassandra spending her time hunting in the twilight hours, but it is completely obvious from her actions and the storyline that she is in the twilight of her life.

Again, Armstrong takes a different spin on the presence, and existence of vampires. Especially the ending of their lives, and the way that even these incredibly long-lived creatures eventually meet their end. Cassandra’s unwillingness to accept her demise, unless it is on her own terms makes this hard-to-like character actually quite likeable. As does the explanation of her relationship with Aaron. It is obvious that they have a past in the other Women of the Otherworld books, but finally, Cassandra’s side of the tale is revealed. As is his concern and care for this difficult woman.

<- Framed

Stalked ->

Image source: Goodreads