Pretty Young Things

by Dominic McDonagh

pub. Telos (telos.co.uk)

ISBN 1-84583-045-8

7.99 pb

Novella

Because I have enjoyed this book I will start off by saying that the synopsis on the back cover did not fill me with confidence: vampire lesbian disco bunnies (sorry, "rave-bunnies") aren't quite my thing! So why did I even pick it up? Truth is, I didn't - two of our regular reviewers had been offered the book for review, but were already inundated, and kindly passed the honor to me.

So, I got stuck in. It began really well. Chelsea returns to the house she shares with 8 other female vamps, having abandoned a goth club (in Manchester) then been set upon by a bunch of chavs. After recounting her adventure to the one housemate who'd waited up, she descended to their cellar where they kept one or two men to keep them in blood. She finds a new pair, and after sating herself on one, turns to the other (already in a faint) to discover he's the boyfriend she'd left behind when she got turned. With no hesitation, she knew she would not let him die this way. She then set about planning an escape, which she effected some 24 hours later. On leaving he house, boyfriend just about able to walk on his own, she was intercepted by a few of her housemates, but luck was on her side this time, and they got away. The luck didn't last long: not to be denied their food, and not about to let one of their number go her own way, the next night, the housemates had tracked them down.

After a great fight, they only succeed in taking Chelsea. Her boyfriend decides she now needs rescuing, & with two of his mates sets about doing just that. There are more violent fights, a little bit of torture, and a few surprise occurrences as the remaining scenes unfold.

I found the pace good, the characterization believable, and the story novel: I mustn't forget to mention the one description of the vampiric parasite-it's basically a blood organism that fills the host. I've not come across anything like it before.

The story was rarely predictable and often the author assumes you can "fill in the gaps" - not everything is explained 100%. I like that.

All in all, a very good novella and nothing like the blurb suggests!