Reader's Discretion Advised

3.5/5This is a peculiar book. It's definitely not your typical vampire book. In fact, I found it rather refreshing that, in taking the more clinical view of vampirism, it seemed more oddly real than any other urban-legend-type vampire book I've read. Though the mechanics of the HHv virus (Human Hemovore Virus? Does that mean that other animals could get it?) weren't fully explained, there was enough there that it made sense in a realistic way, yet still preserved the somewhat mystic quality of the folkloric vampire.I think it was the descriptions of the precautions against catching it and the whole drawing blood from syringes thing that really made it seem less of a (for lack of a better term) folkloric thing.The plot, though...I'm not quite sure about it. It wasn't bad. The characterization seemed a little weird, but nothing really jarred my OOC meter (or whatever gut-instinct thing it is that tells you when characterization seems off).I think perhaps I was thrown a little off-kilter by the entire thing. Not too much - not enough for me to just ditch the book in a fit of disgusted rage - but enough to keep me off balance.I remember there were also a couple of oddly punctuated fragments that bothered me (must have, if I still remember that they were there), but there were only a couple.The shades of black thing was interesting and got me thinking...I almost forgot (maybe because, [oddly enough?] I don't actually read m/m for the sex). There wasn't a lot of sex. There wasn't exactly a lot of romance, either. I'd like to say that throughout, there was some kind of subtle undercurrent, but I may just be projecting my own wishes upon whatever was (or wasn't) there.I guess that means if you want a lot of sex, this isn't the book for you.Still, overall, it was a pretty interesting read. I found the concepts more interesting than the plot, but frankly, I don't exactly read for plot, not anymore at least. It was kind of thought-provoking in a peculiar way, since it's framed in a more "realistic" way than most vampirism-as-a-disease stories go.I still kind of wonder about Lazlo as patient 0, though. I mean, where would he have gotten it from? Was it some fluke mutation/special combination of his genes combined with whatever environmental factors that created the virus within him? Maybe he got some kind of other virus and the previously mentioned specific combination of unique gene mutations and environmental factors caused some other virus to mutate?Anyway, this doesn't really have much to do with the plot. I guess I'm in a speculative mood right now.