Review of Blood and Chocolate

Annette Curtis Klause's Werewolf Novel is a Great Read for Teens!

Mar 26, 2009

As if high school isn't hard enough, try being a werewolf in love with a human. Werewolf Vivian must choose between her world and the love of a human.

Published in 1997, Blood and Chocolate was one of the first teen paranormal novels to re-invent the werewolf. Klause's novel adds an additional twist by making the novel's werewolf protagonist a female. With a strong female lead, and a lot of teen angst, Blood and Chocolate is a satisfying, romantic, and heartbreaking novel.

Born into a family of werewolves, Vivian Gandillon is not your typical high school student. Vivian loves being a werewolf, and appreciates the beauty of "the change" that takes her from girl to wolf. After the horrible death of her father, who was the pack leader, Vivian struggles to live in the human world, while keeping her family's secret.

Being a Werewolf Isn't Easy...Especially if You are a Girl

Vivian's life is made more difficult is her highly dysfunctional mother, Esmé, who violently endeavors to maintain her status in the pack in the wake of her husband's death. Esmé's fights with Astrid, another female werewolf vying for top position in the pack, make life in the pack tenuous and dangerous. Vivian also must deal with a menacing gang of teen werewolves called “the Five” who threaten the livelihood of all the werewolves by terrorizing humans. A haunting tragedy in Vivian's past turns the Five against Vivian, separating the pack even further.

Vivian also faces Gabriel, a handsome alpha werewolf who wants to take the place of Vivian's father in the pack. As pack leader, Gabriel also wants to have Vivian as his mate. His persistent affections and coercion frighten Vivian, but also excite her. When Vivian inadvertently becomes the Queen of the pack, her fate as Gabriel's mate is sealed in spite of another love that is blossoming.

True Love With a Catch

When Vivian meets Aiden, a “meat-boy” as he is called by the Five, she enjoys a relationship based on friendship and love as opposed to power. Aiden is intrigued by magic and the paranormal, but has no idea how close he is to what he admires. As their relationship develops, Vivian begins to struggle with her identity and the desire to show her true self to Aiden. She fears his rejection as much as she fears the exposure of the werewolf species. Vivian's struggle between loyalty to her pack, her love of being a werewolf and the desire for Aiden's true love makes Blood and Chocolate an exceptional read.

Blood and Chocolate is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy science fiction, fantasy and romance. The novel contains some violence and sensuality, which makes it a better choice for older teens and young adults.

The copyright of the article Review of Blood and Chocolate in Teen Science Fiction is owned by Kylee Hayes. Permission to republish Review of Blood and Chocolate in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.