Dead and Gone (9th Sookie Stackhouse novel)

This ninth novel in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse vampire mystery series, Dead and Gone (2009) continues the somewhat more somber tone of the previous novel. It's not that the humor is gone or that the previous books were lacking in violent action. But the narration in Sookie's voice continues the more worldly-wise tone she assumed in From Dead to Worse.


In previous stories we've criss-crossing clashes among various "supe" (supernatural) communities: vampires, werewolves (Weres), shifters (were-creatures other than Weres), witches, and the occasional goblin or extra-dimensional Britlingen. The "Sookieverse" has developed quite a population of strange supernatural beings.

In this novel, a war with the fairy community of supes is the centerpiece. If you had a fixed image of fairies as benevolent creatures like the tooth fairy, this novel should cure you of that permanently. The fairies of the Sookieverse are very powerful, care less for human standards of conduct than the vamps, and some of them are very evil and cruel. The first Sookie novel appeared in 2001, so the Sookieverse to this point grew up during the Cheney years. Probably one reflection of that is a wrenching scene in which Sookie is tortured by two hideous and sadistic fairies. Harris doesn't indulge in pornographic gore; her sparse description leaves much to the imagination, which probably makes it seem more sinister than a more explicit description would have.

This probably portends a continuation of a darker view by Sookie of the supe world, even a major disillusionment. Her curiosity isn't gone. But here she seems to feel the burden of dark sides of her involvement. Now, however, she's even more clearly identified as part of the supe world herself since she's not only a telepath but descended from a fairy. This theme promises to reappear because even though the general fairy problem is solved by the end of this novel, there are still some on the loose. Plus her brother Jason is now doubly supe-ed up, as both a werepanther and part fairy.

Sookie's old boyfriend Bill enjoys something of a comeback with Sookie in this story. But the Eric-Bill rivalry continues and Sookie definitely hasn't made up her mind.

Sookie relates:

"You're not dead," Dr. Ludwig pointed out.

But I'd come pretty damn close; I'd sort of stepped over the line. There'd been an optimum rescue time. If I'd been liberated before that time, I would have laughed all the way to the secret supernatural clinic, or wherever I was. But I'd looked at death too closely - close enough to see all the pores in Death's face - and I'd suffered too much. I wouldn't bounce back this time.

Tags: charlaine harris, dead+and+gone, sookie stackhouse, true blood