The Dangerous Ones

Gr 10 Up–The Civil War is raging, and Jerusalem has escaped slavery, killing the dogs and the vampire hunting her. She’s always known she was different. It turns out that she is a Saint—a human gifted with incredible speed, vision, and strength. She works alongside the Union army, allying with other Saints and a vampire, Alexei, who trains her to kill his kind. Vampires are fierce predators but not indestructible. Sunlight hurts them, silver burns them, and fire kills them. But the oldest vampires, Ancients, are much harder to slay, and now one has shown up, helping General Lee and the Confederacy. It turns out this one is Jerusalem’s former owner, whom she is determined to kill to avenge her slaughtered family. While they gear up for battle, each Saint with their own secrets and agendas, Alexei agonizes over his growing feelings for Jerusalem. This is problematic because he also is fighting his thirst for her blood while she absolutely hates vampires. The book culminates with an obvious outcome in the final showdown. It is unclear whether Blackwood was writing a ruthless supernatural book or an angsty vampire love affair as it oscillates between a gory vengeance plotline and a quippy romance that overuses modern vernacular. The chapters alternate between Jerusalem and Alexei, peppered with flashbacks that are not well-differentiated from the present. This also includes graphic sex scenes.