Review: Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Gallery Books; Original edition (September 18, 2012)

Goodreads Description:

 In the steampunk world of Victorian London, a beautiful vampire seeks out the author of Dracula–to set the record straight . . . If one is to believe Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Lucy Weston is Dracula’s most wanton creation, a sexual creature of the night who preys on innocent boys. But the real-life Lucy is nothing like her fictional counterpart—and she demands to know why the Victorian author deliberately lied. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she’s determined to track down the very fiend who transformed her—from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires, to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness, and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme.

Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy must battle her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she must make a choice that illuminates for her—and for us—what it means to be human.

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My Thoughts:

I wanted to love this book, but I didn't. The premise of the book sounded interesting but it turned out to be quite boring. The description of the book is actually a bit misleading. I was expecting steampunk but it felt more like an afterthought. There may be a few steampunk-like elements that were described but it definitely did not feel like a "steampunk world". It just felt very weak. The book description also makes it sound like there is a ton of action when there really isn't. The couple times there are battles the author doesn't even delve into the action. Instead she follows the main character, Lucy, who doesn't participate in the excitement, and the readers are told that a fight happened without any other details really. Not very exciting in my opinion.

The characters were bland for the most part. I never really connected with any of them, least of all Lucy. The story had a few little inconsistencies that probably aren't even that noticeable but since I was already disliking the book those few things got on my nerves. Although I wanted to put the book down many times I forced myself to finish it. Near the end the story got a little more interesting but it never reached the height of excitement that it should have. In the end the reader is left wondering what will happen with certain characters. Instead of feeling anxious to find out more, I am left feeling like I just don't care.

Although I am sure some people will enjoy this book, it turns out it just wasn't for me.

1/5

 *I received this book for review. Any opinions are my own"