I had an immediate visceral memory of the way the carpet had squished, supersaturated with dark, viscous fluid. I would have thrown up, but the sharp pain in my head cut through the nausea, a welcome distraction.
I could no more call Blood Bound a coming of age tale than I could just simply call it a supernatural romance thriller. It is so much more. Yet, even for a grown woman with a very determined streak to hold her own within the powerful groups she mingles, Mercy is continually finding what it is she’s capable of, and how far she’s willing to fight for the people she cares for. In her second novel, Mercy learns more than she ever wanted to of the political machinations and personal operations of one of the three main paranormal forces, the vampires. While every bit as thrilling as Moon Called, Blood Bound lacks the same speed, but holds an entirely different, internal, intensity.
As a whole, Blood Bound is cleverly written to present necessary information, either as it’s uncovered, realized, or already known, to help move the plot forward. Mercy successfully collecting the details and mulling them over until she hits that aha! moment. It’s unfair to say that the characters surrounding Mercy could not do the same, but stationed as they are in their own powerful groups, most of them cannot see outside of their hegemony. Mercy, being on the outside, is the unknown. Beautifully, what makes her a complex creature in this world is that she’s as straightforward as they come; others around her expecting the usual social ploys that Mercy disregards entirely when it suits her or the situation.
But anyone who knows Mercy well knows that she is more than just a grease covered mechanic. More than just a woman with a history degree and a brown belt in martial arts. She is coyote. Every bit as territorial as her more powerful paranormal counterparts, but able to dive into chaos and find that one board in the fence that isn’t nailed tightly enough and wiggle her way out.
At the opening, we’re shot straight back into Mercy’s trailer, a few months after Moon Called ends. Almost immediately, it’s a race against the clock scenario to find and execute a sorcerous vamp before what’s already out of control gets even worse. Mercy, while having the backing of the local werewolf pack and support from some very powerful fae, is not of any supernatural politicking. She can work outside of the bindings laid before the other powers, and it’s the reason the vampire Mistress, Marsilia, comes to Mercy with her little problem. If Mercy happens to get herself and her friends killed in the process, well, it’s only understandable; these things happen. And so goes the chilling manipulations of the Mistress.
When a vampire is made, it’s not an overnight, immediate change. It’s a long, arduous ordeal that the human might not survive. And while the fae and werewolves might be known, at least superficially, to regular humans, vampires are not. Humans are still the food base for vampires, willingly, or as is often the case in Patricia Briggs’ world, unwillingly. There is an acknowledgement by the author that some big bads are more palatable as they don’t, necessarily, feed on humankind. It’s realistic world building, fully invested with checks and balances.
However, when a vampire invites a demon into itself, thankfully a rare event, it creates a powerful sorcerer that includes vampire powers to boot. The chaos, destruction, and bloody pall it leaves over the Tri-Cities is a powerful one and the possibility of discovery becomes a direct threat to the vamps. This also endangers the werewolves as it loosens their control; if a rampaging demon vampire isn’t enough, a city full of rabid wolves isn’t going to help. And while the cast continues to be intimate, it’s always clear how sweeping the consequences of actions can be.
Adam Hauptman, the regional Alpha has claimed Mercy as his mate. It’s something Mercy fights against and I credit Briggs mightily here for writing a distinctly woman character, but one who is awarded her own mind and bludgeons everything that threatens to take that away. Mercy hasn’t answered that claim and it’s weakening Adam’s position in his own pack, let alone the alarming fact that Mercy is distinctly not-werewolf. Mercy understands a choice must be made, but it’s not an easy responsibility where the heart is concerned. Priorities being what they are, however, Mercy is faced with finding the demon first.
Stefan, a vampire made by the Mistress herself, is Mercy’s friend. She has faith in Stefan, and through her, we do too. And if anything Mercy has learned, it’s to rely on her instincts, to adapt. She knows better than to trust another vampire as far as she can see one, if that, but her friend she will not abandon. It is for his (non)life that Mercy willingly places herself in danger over and over, much to the consternation and fear of everyone around her. I hesitate to label her brash or headstrong, as that insinuates a level of youthful grandiosity. Instead, it’s a mindfully reckless loyalty that has Mercy digging her heels in to do what no one else will, or can. Politics and lack of special powers be damned.
In the end, it’s not just about romance. It’s not just about werewolves. And, fantastically, it’s not even just about the vampires. It’s about relationships, accountability, and being able to see people – and supernaturals – for who, not just what, they are. All too often paranormal thrillers get caught up in the what of a character. Blood Bound gives us relatable people, not just cardboard cutouts with incredible powers. It’s a compelling and quick, even at almost 300 pages, read.
Blood Bound, Mercy Thompson #2, Patricia Briggs 2007, 292 pages (softcover)