The Year of Disappearances

The Year of Disappearances - Susan Hubbard This is a story of origins. It is a story of values, environmental concerns, beliefs, politics, pharmaceuticals, and fitting in to a society. It addresses important issues about what it's like to be marginalized. Although some themes are heavier than others, it is inspiring to read a vampire story with concrete weight. I read this book over a rainy Sunday afternoon and finished it in the wee hours of the night. I simply didn't want to put it down. It was an easy read, but with issues that made me ponder. After considering what made this vampire story better than others, I decided it was because of the humanization of the vampires. Normally, I would think this to be a flaw, but in this story, it worked to capture my interest and also, my sympathies. I recommend first reading The Society of S before tackling this book. Otherwise, many will feel lost, disconnected and wonder exactly what they missed in the early pages of this book. Fortunately, I did not get too frustrated and keep reading because it was well worth it. However, I did feel lost in the beginning and expended a great deal of brain power trying to put pieces together and keep characters straight. A lot of names are dropped in the early pages with the understanding that the reader already knows who these people are, circumstances and past events that surround the characters.