Review ~ Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer by Seth Grahame-Smith

TITLE: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer
AUTHOR: Seth Grahame-Smith
COPYRIGHT: 2010
TYPE: Fiction
PAGES: Audio - 11 hrs
SERIES:  No

REASON FOR READ:

I mean come on Abraham Lincoln as a vampire slayer... there were two outcomes it could either be a really good book or a horribly horribly bad book...

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation. 

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

I have to admit this book surprised me and that is saying something now and days. It is a rare day when a book especially an audio book can suck me in so much that I don't want to leave my car because I want to know what is going to happen next but this book did just that. The author did such a great job at weaving in the "journals" of Abraham and the history of this fascinating man's stories that I was shocked that I found myself going sure that could work. And weeks later I am still talking about it to people and telling them you have got to read this book. That is not something that I do very often. The way the journal, history and telling of the story are put together I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with this writer that I went out and picked up his 3 other books. 

THINGS I LIKED

I have no idea where to start. I loved how the writer weaved seamlessly the telling of Abraham's life into him actually hunting vampires to the point where I was like well... that could have happened. I enjoyed it immensely. 

I liked the concept its not something I would have put together and it was a pleasant surprise. As I put in the reason for reading this had 2 outcomes it could have been really good or bad. Lucky for me this turned out really well and I enjoyed it. 

The characters were very interesting including the completely made up one Henry and I enjoyed him enough I went out and got his own book just because I enjoyed how much of a role he played in Abraham's story. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

My main complaint throughout the story is the constant counting as an audio book I have no idea what the counting was for or what it was about. But they were constantly counting from 5 or 2 or 3 and it wasn't chapters b/c they still made sure to read me the damn chapters as well. 

Also reading me the footnotes at the precise moment of the footnotes is very jarring and took away from the freaking telling of the story and I didn't like it (just a pet peeve of mine) it could've waited until the end or wasn't actually needed nor necessary for a fiction novel. 

Favorite part or line from story:

I have to say that Henry was the interesting part of the story not to mention the diaries kept me on the edge of my seat. The way the author weaved history and the vampire story line so seamlessly into one another blew my mind. I was blown away by it. 

FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5 stars but thinking of changing this to 5 out of 5 the more I think on it

Would you recommend this story?Yes and I do to a lot of people

Is this a part of a reading challenge?

 Audio Book Challenge

Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author

Alphabet Title Challenge