Daylighters by Rachel Caine Series: The Morganville Vampires #15
Published by NAL on November 5, 2013
Pages: 354
Format: Hardcover
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While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…
Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.
It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.
Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end
Daylighters was a spectacular end to an amazing series. I’ve had my ups and downs with the Morganville books. The series started out amazing, fell flat in the middle, hit a low point in book ten (Bite Club) that lasted for two more books after that – And then, it started redeeming itself in book thirteen (Bitter Blood), and Fall of Night (Book fourteen) built up to an amazing conclusion in Daylighters.
One of my biggest issues throughout this series has been its length. It always felt too long, like it was dragged out and should have ended ages ago. But throughout everything, I still loved and cared about the characters. I feared for their safety and wondered what would happen to them. I’m very character-driven when it comes to the books I read and these characters definitely kept me reading!
There was so much growth in all of the characters. Claire started out as a scared, innocent little girl and grew into this amazing woman who could fight her own battles and protect herself. She was smart and resilient, always managing to get herself out of whatever dilemma she faced.
Shane started out as an arrogant, vampire-hating badass. He’s still badass in Daylighters, but he’s matured. Instead of diving head-first into every battle – whether or not he can win – he thinks before he fights. He listens to his friends and he works with them as a team. And he doesn’t hate ALL vampires now.. So that’s a plus!
Eve has probably changed the least, though she has matured a lot throughout the books. But I’m okay with her not changing as much as the others. She’s lovable, goth-girl Eve and I like that she matured so much, but I also like that she didn’t completely change at the end of the books. She wouldn’t be Eve if she changed too much!
And Michael. Oh, Michael. Honestly, I’m pretty sure Michael went through the most throughout the series, what with being human, then a ghost, then a vampire, then… Well, read the books to find out what happens to him in Daylighters! Hint: I LOVE where his character ended up in the end!!!
I love that this core group of friends STAYED friends. They went through so much together and they (like the series) had their ups and downs. But they stuck it out and stayed together, fought together and survived together. I love where they, as a group, ended up in Daylighters. I love where the couples ended up, as well. I totally, completely love Claire & Shane and Michael & Eve!!! If anything had happened to them.. I would have ugly cried. A lot.
And, of course, no review would be complete without discussing the vampires of Morganville, who went through varying stages of change throughout the series. They went from ruling the food chain, diseased and distressed, to being under the commanding thumb of Bishop, cured eventually. They almost died at the watery hands of the Draug, and then the Daylight Foundation nearly wiped them out. Though vampires are predators, and they certainly acted like predators throughout much of the series, they were also often prey. And though the Daylighters’ intentions were good (in their eyes), they were pure evil and I hated them!
A big plus for me with Daylighters was that it was told completely from Claire’s POV. The last few books have used multiple POVs (Amelie, Oliver, Eve, Michael, Shane – they all had a moment in the spotlight). Now, I love these characters and I’m not saying I hated the mutliple POVs, but at times, it was just too many people speaking. I’m fine with two, maybe three POVs, but more than that and it feels like the author was running out of things to say and could only push through the story by adding other perspectives. Not cool! Plus, this was Claire’s story, above and beyond anyone else’s. She started the story in Glass Houses, so it was only right that she completed her story in Daylighters.
Speaking of Glass Houses… The magical, haunted Glass House played a HUGE role in Daylighters and I had some heart-in-throat moments with it!! I don’t want to spoil you, so you’ll have to read it to find out more but.. OMG!!!
Overall, I really loved Daylighters. As I mentioned previously, this series had its ups and downs and, unfortunately, the downs really got me down. But Bitter Blood, Fall of Night and Daylighters renewed my faith in this series. Bitter Blood and Fall of Night built up to an amazing, epic conclusion and Daylighters was a satisfying ending to this beloved series. Bravo, Rachel Caine! And thank you for giving Claire, Shane, Michael and Eve a satisfying and (mostly) happy ending!