It is hard to read the Feast of Fools without regarding it as something of a turning point, not just for the characters but
for Rachel Caine and the plot arc that she has slowly developed in the
previous three volumes of the Morganville
Vampires series. With each book in the saga the tension has increased, the threats to the characters have become increasingly numerous and complex and our knowledge of Rachel Caine's own personal twist on the vampire myth has broadened. The characters have dealt with some truly dark themes including drugs, abuse, rape, and the corruption of society.
The building of tension in any work of fiction is meaningless without a suitably dramatic pay-off and while the previous three volumes have ensured a generous “pay-off quota” for the individual tales being told, there can be no doubt that the plot has reached a point of no return by the end of the third book. Caine could have continued with what was working so well, and leave critics such as myself with precious little to comment on. The books could have quite easily be equally good but with nothing to really distinguish themselves from one another. I sort of knew that wasn't likely to be the case. I have an abundance of faith in Caine's creative genius, which so far has not lead to any disappointment. Strap yourselves in, Morganville fans: book four is where everything changes.
Claire Denvers has had to do a lot of growing up in recent weeks and the chemical formula of her particular set of dilemmas is becoming increasingly difficult to express simply. At the end of the previous novel she has been confronted with her parents who intend to move into her sleepy vampire-infested town, causing some considerable concern for their safety and yet more embarrassment regarding her relationship with housemate and “older” boyfriend Shane. Not the only one with parent troubles, Claire must again assist Amelie, most dangerous of all the Morganville vampires, as she witnesses the arrival of Mr Bishop, Amelie's estranged and hitherto presumed dead Father. Bishop has only one thing on his agenda: control of the town and its human population. He is an old-school vampire with no inhibitions or rules concerning conduct with humans and that really leaves only one question. Will Amelie and her allies welcome the ancient with open arms, or will they fight to destroy him once and for all. Claire Denvers will be attending a feast and it is by no means certain who are the fools.
There is far more action in the fourth instalment then there has been in the previous volumes and what it is important to recognise is that there is a fundamental shift in the story-telling of Feast of Fools. The character of Claire has reached a point where she knows almost all there is to know about the vampires and no all the set-up of the previous books comes into play. Ultimately this book is about ripping the heart out of all that has gone before and starting a conflict of interests that will leave our heroes picking up the pieces in the following book.
It is hard to fault Caine in any way in her execution of this act of the Morganville saga, and that is one element of consistency that is most welcome. We are once again shown characters so complex and hesitant in their paths that they mirror real life exceptionally well given their setting. Best of all the characters is still our protagonist and at the heart of all these books is the story of Claire's progression from child to adult. She has wrestled with drugs, boyfriends, bullying, attempted rape, vampires, vampire hunters and pretty much everything else besides. This book sees her separated from her usual flock for major sections of the action and having to make her own choices, by herself, as to who she is and who she defends. It is a growth that has been a long time coming and it is easy to cheer her on when the plot reaches its final explosive conclusion.
The conclusion to this review is depressingly similar to my conclusion of the last three and it is obvious that should be the case. If you liked the previous three volumes I think there is precious little chance of you disliking Feast of Fools and if you didn't then as the continuation of Caine's overall arc there is little for you here. Honestly, I have no idea how anyone could read these books and find them anything other than extremely readable, entertaining and imaginative tales that represent the genre at its best. Yes, it's teen fiction. Yes, there are vampires. Like it or lump it, if you haven't taken the time to read this series yet you are missing out. Enough said.