Journal Entry 1 by leeny37 from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Sunday, November 26, 2006

From Amazon.com:
Dexter, your friendly neighborhood serial killer, is a police department blood-spatter expert who, in his spare time, kills people. Not just anyone, you understand--he only kills other killers, people whom he believes deserve it. Is this because Dexter really has a heart of gold? No, he's a monster (he is the first to admit it), but at least he tries to steer his evil into productive channels. In the second of Lindsay's alliteratively titled thrillers (following last year's Darkly Dreaming Dexter), Dexter's nemesis, Sergeant Doakes, is getting a little too close for comfort, and there is also the matter of a psychopath on the loose. When Dexter's two problems eventually link up . . . well, what's a well-meaning homicidal maniac to do? Dexter, the cheerfully sociopathic crime fighter, is one of mystery fiction's most original, compelling, and oddly endearing heroes. Lindsay digs a little deeper under Dexter's surface this time, showing us a little more about what makes him tick, but readers shouldn't worry. There are volumes still to be written about this gruesomely fascinating character. 

Journal Entry 2 by leeny37 from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Monday, March 10, 2008

I love the TV show, Dexter, which then brought me to the book, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, when I found out that the TV show was based on Jeff Lindsay's novel. As much as I enjoyed the first book in the series, because I had watched the TV show first, there was a lack of anticipation since I already knew the major plotlines. However, for Dearly Devoted Dexter, I could really sink my teeth into this one as the TV series veered off into a completely different direction for its second season. With this book, I could just fully throw myself into the storyline as I had no idea what was coming and could just go along with it, but with much richer imagery because I could picture the characters and play out the scenes in my head.

In this one, there is yet another horrible serial killer that Dexter has to track down, with some truly gruesome and graphic scenes included in the book. Yet -- as ironic as this sounds -- while the subject matter can be heavy (such as murder and pedophilia), the book itself always has a humorous tone from the way Dexter is portrayed. He may be a murderer himself, but somehow, he gets the readers on his side. I enjoyed the second outing with Dexter, although I'm not too keen on the Cody storyline, and the engagement with Rita feels pretty forced as well. I also pity Doakes with the treatment he received in the book -- at least on the show he didn't have to suffer. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, which I already have in my hot little hands. Aren't libraries just wonderful?! 

Journal Entry 3 by leeny37 from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Monday, March 10, 2008

Another adventure with the slightly demented but always delightful Dexter Morgan. This bookring is now closed.


BookRing Instructions:
1. When you receive the book, please make a journal entry so everyone knows it has safely arrived.
2. When you finish the book, please make another journal entry to share some of your thoughts - enjoyed the book, or absolutely hated it?
3. Continue the BookRing by checking this journal entry for the latest list, and sending a PM to the person after you on the list requesting their postal address.
4. Please try to send on the book as soon as you can, preferably within a month. If you need more time, that's not a problem at all. Either send me a PM or write a journal entry to let me know that the book is safe with you. Thanks! :)
5. Please provide the date when you have sent on the book, either through updating an existing journal entry or making a "controlled releases" release note.
6. Most importantly, ENJOY!

Participants:
1. tqd
2. Pixette
3. puppymummy

Back home with me. Thanks everyone! :) 

Journal Entry 4 by leeny37 at Post office: Mailed to another bookcrosser in Australia, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Released 4 yrs ago (3/12/2008 UTC) at Post office: Mailed to another bookcrosser in Australia, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to tqd to kick off this bookring. Enjoy! :) 

Journal Entry 5 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 17, 2008

Thanks heaps, leeny37, the book turned up safe and sound today! I am curious about this one: I found the first in the series a bit too disturbing (and the ending was a bit lame), but I find it hard to get Dexter out of my mind (I should be worried, I'm sure).

Anyhow, I've got a book or two I really must read first, but I shouldn't be too long getting to this one! 

Journal Entry 6 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, March 27, 2008

Funnily enough, I was just whinging on another review that I find it a bit of a cop-out when the difficult character (you know, the one making life difficult for our hero/heroine) is killed off, rather than have everything resolved. Just seems to be the easy way out for the author (somewhat less irritating than "it was all a dream", though). Now, think of what Dexter does to his nemesis in this book, without a second thought. This is one sick fucker and I am frankly quite appalled with myself for finding Dexter so darned charming and amusing.

There seemed to be a bit more pointed commentary about America, and a number of times that I sniggered quite loudly, in the hope that Mr TQD would ask so amusing so I could share with him the joy that is Dexter's take on the world. This bit in particular I loved:

I found an awful lot of information posted by various human rights groups. They were quite serious, almost shrill, in the things they had to say about what had been done down there. Still, as far as I could tell, nothing had ever come of their protests. After all, it was only human rights. It must be terribly frustrating; PETA seems to get much better results. These poor souls had done their research, published their results detailing rapes, electrodes, and cattle prods, complete with photos, diagrams, and the names of the hideous inhuman monsters who reveled in inflicting this suffering on the masses. And the hideous inhuman monsters in question retired to the south of France while the rest of the world boycotted restaurants for mistreating chickens.

Journal Entry 7 by Pixette from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Gratefully received from TQD at tonight's meetup.

I do look forward to reading this. The first book was fascinating. 

Journal Entry 8 by Pixette from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Wow what a book!

I can understand fully how the TV series has deviated from this book. The graphic nature, although well scripted to one's imagination rather than spelling everything out, is very very adults only and would not get past the american sensor. Added to this is the child angle which obviously causes some concern to many people.

I thought it was well into stride of a cynical humour and I think the ghastly Dr Draco was a device to help us like dexter more - Although I already liked him from the first book. I did think the Rita relationship and the 'engagement' was a bit forced but a good device to keep the relationship moving. The secondary characters are being filled out more now too which I enjoyed.

Children. Well, I can well understand parents not wanting that thought of a young unformed person who might be destined to grow up a serial killer. I have nieces that I well know have no possibility of becoming such a thing and I think parents should feel comfortable that if they have normal loving children this isn't going to happen. We've all been children ourselves though - don't you remember the evil sadistic kid who loved to kill things - maybe this is where the tipping balance begins, who knows. But, let us all remember, this is a fiction, no more no less, and the kids are, apart from being a fiction, an interesting subplot.

I loved this book and look forward to the 3rd in the series. I do worry about the author though - is Jeff Lindsay a serial killer?



 

Journal Entry 9 by puppymummy from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, June 03, 2008

The book is safely back in Melbourne with me - but there are a couple ahead, so it may take a little while.
Looking forward to the second instalment :) 

Journal Entry 10 by puppymummy from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Sunday, February 01, 2009

Another enjoyable evening with Dexter, full of gore and fun! Thanks for the read leeny - I won't make myself wait so long for the next one :) 

Journal Entry 11 by leeny37 from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Monday, March 02, 2009

Oops, I thought I had put in a journal entry when puppymummy passed this back to me but looks like it slipped my mind. This book is now safely home with me; thanks everyone for being a part of this bookring! As a side note, I also have the 4th book in the series, Dexter by Design, which I'm sending out as a bookring. If anyone on this list is interested, just send me a PM.