Review: Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Happy blogoversary to me!  4 years now chattering away mindlessly.  Crafts, travel, books, movies... all those things that help keep me sane as we bounce around the country.  So, a post today!  Not a pattern or project instructions or anything incredible, but here's a book I've been dying to read since the spring, and we finally got our hands on a copy:  Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.

Plot: Meet Dexter Morgan, everyone's favorite monster. He’s a serial killer who abides by a code: he only kills bad people. Working as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts perfect victims - murders, rapists, etc. - within his grasp. Not that anyone would suspect him. He’s handsome, charming, and over the years, has become adept at blending in with 'regular people.' His well-balanced life becomes unsettled, however, when the department starts working on a series of brutal murders, whose signature is eerily close to his own style. Dexter works to sort out the killings, trying to stay one step ahead of his co-workers, all while wondering if he's trying to solve his own crimes...

Yes, this is the inspiration for the Showtime series, "Dexter" (more on that another day, as it definitely deserves its own post).

First off, I love my husband. You might think that this is a complete non-sequitor, but bear me out. We got addicted to the show "Dexter" back in the spring, when we found it on Netflix instant watch. Burned through the first 2 seasons in about a week (we did have to go to work sometime!) and then could barely wait for seasons 3 and 4 to arrive in the mail. Altogether, I think we became all caught up on 5 seasons of the show in less than a month! Since we started with the show, I had done some reading on the author and had been trying to get my hands on a copy of the books. Our library in CA didn't have them yet (very small place, after all) and here in TX the post library did have them, but only one copy, which seemed to be checked out every time I stopped by. Where does Zach fit into all this? He came home the other day with a handful of library books that he'd been wanting to read, including Darkly Dreaming Dexter. And to make him extra special, I got to read it first :)

A fast read, and a fun one.

It's not a deep book. That was actually one of the biggest complaints on the customer reviews on Amazon. I guess based on all the subplots present in the show, and as dark as a killer as Showtime was able to make Dexter, some people were expecting more from the book. But, in all honesty, the book couldn't include as many subplots as the show is able to. Like "True Blood" vs. the Sookie Stackhouse books (another series I'm getting hooked into) - if it doesn't take you much more than 12 hours to read the book, how can you expect the same book to fill 12 hours of TV time?  The writers have to add additional subplots and character development if they are going to fill the season. 

So, yes, it is lacking some of the things that the first season had (I'm trying to keep my comparisons to just the equivalent season of the show) but on the same argument, the book offers benefits that the show can't quite capture. The character banter is present still in the books, and that's one of the aspects of the TV show that makes it so enjoyable. It's not developed to the extent as in the show, but more of the book is in Dexter's head, instead of in his office. To put it another way, there's more narration in the books, more conversation in the show. It's the nature of the media.

The hardest point about reading this book for me was comparing it to the show.  Not in terms of character development, necessarily, or "oh when are they making that joke" or anything along those lines.  It was in terms of plot points.  Yes, the characters are the same as in the book, the same personalities, the same 'feel' to them, but it's as if the book is a parallel universe to the show, if that makes sense.  More on the spoilers below, but there are several key plot points that are different between the two media (think "characters living or dying" sort of key plot points).  It made reading a little... distracting, I guess would be the best word.  I honestly had to read it twice to actually appreciate the book on its own merits, because on the first reading, I kept trying to anticipate events that either did or didn't happen.  A bad habit, I know, but it does happen.

Overall: 4 of 5. It's not the deepest puzzling mystery I've ever read, and it's not the scariest serial killer I've read (thank you, Hannibal Lector), and it's not the most ingenious puzzle solution I've ever read (that honor firmly belongs to Dorothy L Sayers), but Dexter's certainly an entertaining read. The narration is comfortable and chatty, and I like the alliterative play throughout. I'm pretty sure this series will be shelf-worthy, but I'd like to get my hands on more books in the series first to make sure.

Here be spoilers!!

You have been warned!

Extra spacing, as this is a mystery, and mystery readers are always extra-sensitive about spoilers!  :)

The Wikipedia page for the book includes a table of the differences in the show (at least the first season) and the book. Very helpful, as there are some definite differences - characters living or dying, etc. I'm interested to see how the books continue to differ from the show, especially in regards to the station politics.  LaGuerta's political maneuverings are a pretty big element of the show, and with her being killed off in the first book... makes me wonder how it'll develop.  Looking forward to getting my hands on the next book and finding out!