Review: The Taker by Alma Katsu

Title: The Taker (The Taker #1)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published on: September 6th 2011

Source: Bought

Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

True love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . . On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.

Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.

Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.

(Summary from Goodreads)

Review:

The Taker is a book that will seduce you until all you can do is give in to its addictive clutches.

I think that one of the things that really drew me to The Taker is the way that it was written. The intricacy of each word, line and dialogue was what really caught me. It was sophisticated and really had a sense of authenticity to it, the depth and feeling it had. You could really experience the events that happened to Lanny and you could also feel the emotions that she felt. Alma Katsu managed to make an incredibly strong yet vulnerable heroine that will really draw you to her. You will want to comfort her and smack her upside the head at the same time. There is a complexity to Lanny that will really just appeal to the readers.

The plot and storyline of The Taker is definitely a different perspective to the "Immortal" mythology. The way Alma Katsu weaves her characters with the plot and story will really pull at your heartstrings until all you are left as is a huge sobbing mess. I admit that there were a lot of parts in the book that made me cry like a baby. It wasn't just Lanny's anguish but also Jonathan's life, Adair's semi-heartbreak and a bunch of other things that really made me want to cry a river. There was just an influx of emotions that I really didn't know what to do anymore. The story of The Taker will definitely grip you until it leaves you breathless and no matter how much it hurts, you still come back for more. The Taker is a beautiful story that will definitely appeal to historical romance lovers, and the thing with this book is that it isn't one of those cliche romance novels. Oh no. It's not even that romantic. I'll tell you what it is: It's dark, obsessive and absolutely seductive, and will leave you craving for more.

But I did feel like Luke didn't really do much in this book, except bust Lanny out but I'm sure he'll have a bigger role in The Reckoning. I seriously recommend this book because so many elements in it will make you love it; it's writing, it's characters... EVERYTHING.

Quick question: Is The Taker classified as Adult or Young Adult? Thanks! :)

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