Well everyone, we’ve completed our 12 book re-read of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books. Thanks for sticking with me! But we can’t end this journey without discussing the long-awaited conclusion, book thirteen—Dead Ever After. Unfortunately, there were a number of spoilers released before the publication date, which I studiously avoided. After committing to thirteen books in this series, there was no way I would spoil the ending! But now that the book is out, permit me to spoil it now? I’ll give a short recap and then let’s discuss this potential HEA.
The book begins with background on our villains—Copley Carmichael making a deal with a devil, asking for the cluviel dor (which of course is gone), and Steve Newlin/John Glassport posting bail for Arlene and convincing her to get in touch with Sookie.
Back in Bon Temps, Sam is dealing with his almost-permanent death by locking himself in his trailer for a few days, and Eric refuses to speak to Sookie. When Eric does, secretly during the night, he doesn’t say much, but leaves his other child to guard her. Yes, Eric apparently has another vampire child named Karin Slaughter (is there a reason she’s named after another author, and I just missed it?).
When Sookie arrives at the bar the next day, Sam has just discovered Arlene dead in a dumpster. Sookie immediately realizes she’ll be a suspect—Arlene had visited the bar the other day, to ask for her job back. Both she and Sam barely consider dumping the body, though, and call the police. While Sookie’s questioned, she’s able to go home…for now.
Soon afterwards, Karin drives Sookie to see Eric at Fangtasia. He begins by telling her, “This is what has to be done, but never doubt my affection.” Then he takes her into his office, and in front of Pam, Felipe, and Freyda, he releases her from their marriage. Sookie keeps her pride, completes the ceremony, and goes home. Eric follows her, and tries to convince her to continue their relationship as his secret mistress in Oklahoma. Sookie refuses in no uncertain terms, and Eric reveals that he considered turning into her a vampire without asking. After a fairly short and unsatisfying conversation, Sookie rescinds his invitation to her house.
When Sookie wakes the next morning, she’s arrested for murder. After spending time in jail, Sookie is brought in front of the judge. In a heartwarming scene, almost all her friends are present in the courtroom to support her: Tara and JB, Alcide, Jason, Calvin Norris, Hoyt Fortenberry, Danny, Kennedy, Mustapha, Terry. The only person who isn’t there is Sam, who according to Jason, was frantically calling everyone he knew to help. When the judge grants bail, Mustapha pays the $30,000 on behalf of Eric.
Back at home, Sam is studiously avoiding her. But at least Mr. Cataliades arrives to help, along with Amelia, Bob, Diantha, and Barry Bellboy. When Sookie is out to dinner with all of them, in walks Quinn. He’s here to help Sookie, but after a short (and rather unhelpful) time in Bon Temps, Quinn is called away to plan Eric and Freyda’s wedding. Ouch. Sookie does receive some good news from Mr. Cataliades. Not only did Niall bless Sookie’s land so that it is ridiculously lush and fruitful, he also left her money. Mr. Cataliades sold Claudine’s house, and Claude’s Hooligans for her, and the proceeds have been put in an annuity. For the rest of her life, Sookie will receive a check every month for $3,000. What a relief!
While Sookie is working at Merlotte’s, Carmichael’s bodyguard Tyrese attacks Amelia and Barry, shooting Bob. Thank goodness Mustapha had come to get Eric’s stuff from Sookie, and escorts her home from the bar. He’s able to save her, and his friend Warren shoots Tyrese, but Sookie is still shot in the shoulder. Both Eric and Sam visit her in the hospital, and even in her foggy state, Sookie can tell something is going on between the two of them. Bill finally intervenes and informs Sookie that Sam procured her bail money. Sam tried to obtain the money in a million different ways, but in the end had to call Eric. When Eric answered, Freyda was sitting next to him. She insisted on conditions to the loan: Sookie can never visit Oklahoma, and Eric can never be alone with her again. Eric agreed (!), but added another condition—that Sam could never tell Sookie he asked Eric for the bail money, and he could never try to court her. To save Sookie from jail, Sam agreed. When Sookie thanks Sam, he finally says, “I don’t want you grateful. I want you mine. Eric was right about that.” Well that’s been a declaration thirteen books coming. How do you feel about that?
Meanwhile, Karin has left a present for Sookie in the vampire’s hidey-hole, Copley Carmichael bound and gagged. And Pam reveals that she will be the new sheriff! That was one of Eric’s conditions for going with Freyda, the others being that Sookie would absolutely never be harmed by any vampire, and that Karin would guard her house from the woods every night for a year. While Pam insists this is a practical, not sentimental, gesture, showing Freyda that he protects what is his, Sookie believes it is somewhere in between. When Sookie pops over to Sam’s, he kisses her, and one thing leads to another. They decide they’re going to be together. They even make plans to go dancing, but of course Steve Newlin and Glassport interrupt their night out by kidnapping Sookie. And who’s the driver? A horribly burned and scarred Claude! In the end, all three men die, and Sookie is saved.
As for the other characters:
- Barry survives a beating from Steve and John, and stays with Sam’s mom while recovering from his injuries.
- Mr. Cataliades and Diantha go off to who knows where.
- Amelia is pregnant with Bob’s baby, and they go back to New Orleans.
- Karin and Pam take Copley Carmichael to punish him for his actions.
- Jason marries Michelle, with Sookie as a bridesmaid.
As for Sookie herself, she speculates that she and Sam will be “official” by Christmas, maybe for always.
THE END OF THIRTEEN BOOKS.
When I finish a series, I want to be emotional, nostalgic, and desperately sad that the series is over, yet thrilled at the perfect ending. I can’t say that I was feeling all of those things, but I do think that in many ways this was a fitting conclusion to the series, and certainly one that I expected. Re-reading for the past 12 weeks prepared me for this end—I could see so much more clearly how Harris was working towards Sookie’s HEA with Sam, and her slightly-more-normal life. Pam as sheriff is a happy surprise, but I am grieving for Eric. Not the Eric he has been in the last few books, but the Eric he was through so much of the series. He became almost a different character, or perhaps we loved his humor and strength so much that we were blind to the hints dropped by the author of things to come? Who knows, but for someone who was such a huge part of the series for so long, Eric is barely present in the last few books, and only appears three times—briefly—in this one. It’s a bit unsatisfying to all the readers who have grown so invested in him as a character.
That said, I don’t so much have a problem with his marriage to Freyda, as I do with the way both Sookie and Eric handle their problems. There’s plenty of hanging up, ignoring, avoiding, and blaming the other. Grow up, you two! While those behaviors may be a vehicle to convey the faults in their relationship, they also mean that Eric leaves without a goodbye, and marries without a proper breakup. Their relationship doesn’t truly have an ending. Where is the closure? Who cares about Sookie, I want some for myself!
At least we get a few moments with Sookie’s other former swains—Quinn, Alcide, Bill. They all are on pleasant terms, and it seems those relationships with continue in friendly fashion. As for Sam, I am not at all surprised that they’ve ended up together. Their transition from friend-to-significant other was a bit more seamless then I was expecting, though. Perhaps I thought there would be more drama and passion, a la her relationship with Eric? But Sookie has been clearly working towards this more normal, less-supernatural life for quite some time, and Sam certainly fits into that world.
As for our villains, in many ways I am surprised at their mundane origins. They are just humans, yet with a little supernatural boost. And everyone is out for Sookie’s life at the same time—what a coincidence! While I can understand Steve Newlin’s hatred of Sookie, apparently John Glassport just joined in for fun? On the same note, I’m not entirely clear why Alcee Beck had to be under possession to place Sookie in jail. He’s never liked her, anyway. Then there’s Copley Carmichael, who has suddenly turned from a somewhat greedy businessman into a man desperate for revenge on the woman who used her own cluviel dor, thereby denying him the chance to use it. I suppose after so many supernatural villains, it takes one of human origins to send Sookie off to her more-human life.
That said, I am glad that Sookie goes into her future without enemies clamoring for her life. Though some aspects of this last book may be unsatisfying, I am happy with the future presented for these characters we’ve come to know and love (Eric aside). It’s a wonderful series, always one of my favorites. And while the series may be over, I look forward to seeing what Charlaine Harris writes next.
But enough about me, what do you think?
I’m happy to see someone who felt the same way about this book that I do. There has been so much anger about the ending. I think a lot of people expected Sookie to end up with Eric but that wouldn’t have been true to her character. Eric and Sookie wanted different things out of life. I understand why some people feel like Eric’s behavior in the past few books were out of character but were they really? For the majority of the books Sookie was doing the things Eric wanted. She was caving to him in almost every way. He had a sort of power over her. When he lost the power not only over her but over his own life he lashed out in the exact way I expected. I think Eric marrying Freyda will be good for him though. He loves power and he will have plenty of that now even though I feel bad that Pam couldn’t go with him. All in all I think that the ending reflects what was best for the characters. I can’t wait until After Dead. It’s coming out in October and it’s going to be a list of ALL the characters in the books and what became of their lives.
Whitney, I have enjoyed this re-read tremendously. Thank you for doing it. I’m a huge fan of the Southern Vampire series. As I read through the series, I thought Sookie’s position was quite clear. She did not ever intend to become a vampire, and, realistically, that’s the only way she could be a permanent mate to either Bill or Eric.
I thought that Sookie’s adventures over the course of the series served the purpose of showing her what she wanted from life, and that was NOT to be permanently embroiled in vampire politics and adventures. I thought it was quite clear that, although Sookie was in love with both Eric and Bill, and sucked into the vampire world because of it, all of her adventures proved to her what she really wanted from life: to be a “normal” person, living a normal, human life from birth to death, presumably married to and raising children with a man she loved.
I have no problem with the ending of the series. In fact, if you look back to the beginning, Sookie was often tempted by Sam even though she was in relationships with Bill, Quinn, and Eric.
I think perhaps that the Sookie/Eric shippers who are so angry about the ending of the series have themselves forgotten that Eric is a 1,000-year-old vampire, and a looooooong way from being human. Temporarily he could allow himself to be attracted to and influenced by Sookie, a human woman, but in the long run what is good for Eric is all that matters. He can never be a human being again, with human morals and values. Only amnesiac Eric from Dead to the World, with no memory of 1,000 years of survival as a vampire, with all that entails, could possibly have a permanent relationship with Sookie.
@jdluvr06 & Simka
Thank you both for your comments–I absolutely agree! Re-reading the books, it was so clear to me that Sookie was moving away from her initial desire for excitement, adventure, and the supernatural, to a more normal human (though still exciting!) life. She never wanted to be a vampire, understandably so, so her relationship with Eric always had an expiration date. Sam is a supernatural, she can’t read his mind, and he understands all she’s been through. Most importantly, he has the ability to live semi-normal life should he want to.
I was a little disappointed with the lack of closer with Eric, but I didn’t think they would end up together. Sookie doesn’t want to be a vampire and wants to have kids someday. I’m glad the light finally dawned and she and Sam are together. I can’t wait for the October book either.
While I thought the character arc for Sookie was pretty believable (more so than the plot at least!), I found this book disappointing. All the spark and fun seemed to have left the series. I also sympathise with the many disappointed fans. If you spend so many books building up a relationship the laws of what Terry Pratchett calls narrativium suggest that’s the goal.
I’ve been so enjoying this re-read that I was willing to read your review of “Dead Ever After” even before I get my hands on the book next week. The minute that Sookie used the cluviel dor to save Sam in “Deadlocked”, I knew he was the one.
I know I’m in the minority but I always liked Sam best anyway. I know it’s fiction but honestly in real life, if your best friend or your little sister had to choose between Eric or Sam, I think most of us would advise Sam. I get that it’s fiction and as much I as enjoyed the character of Eric, it was a much more satisfying conclusion for Sookie to have her HEA with Sam. She’s always seeked normality-honestly, isn’t that sort of the reason she hooked up with Bill in the first place? Not because he was a sexy vampire, but because she couldn’t hear him? Because it was quiet and it felt normal. As for Eric, I agree with the person above who said Eric was great when Sookie was compliant but less great when Sookie said or did something that he disagreed with. In the end she got a true partner in every sense of the word.
I win! I’ve been catching grief for the last few years from a couple other fans of the book series (and the TV series, which I have never seen except for a few clips on You Tube) about my ‘silly’ opinion that Sookie would one day finally realize that Sam was THE ONE for her (as long as she didn’t get him killed in the process: I’ve always had a soft spot for Sam). So ha to them. I win!
I’ve been reading comments on other blogs and reviews and I’m amazed at the amount of nastiness people are posting about this book! They are attacking Charlaine and some have actually said that she turned Sookie into a bigot and that she was no better than Arlene! Can you guys believe that?
but Sookie is still shot in the shoulder.
Isn’t this about the fourth time- how does she have any shoulder left?
And Pam reveals that she will be the new sheriff!
Yay!!!!! I love Pam,. and it’s not just as a name-twin.
Sookie has been clearly working towards this more normal, less-supernatural life for quite some time, and Sam certainly fits into that world.
She’s going to spend her life with a were-guy, so not very much less!
Whitney, I’ll stay out of all the arguments (I’m still thinking about it all) and just let you know that I think the use of Karin Slaughter’s name was a little gesture of admiration on Charlaine’s part. She’s done this before in some of the other books with friends of hers.
Considering what Charlaine Harris did with Eric, I wish he was dead. I’m disapppointed. And Charlaine Harris had plenty of opportunities to develop the Sam/Sookie relationship in a satisfactory way. But she opted for using more popular storylines (with the vamps) to sell more books. That’s why I feel cheated and sad.
I didn’t hate this last book as much as so many of the Amazon reviewers, however, the S & S romance seemed VERY rushed despite many indications throughout the previous books that they’d make a good couple. I wanted sexy Eric so much that I managed to ignore the writing on the wall, sadly he became such an ass in the last few books.
OTH TrueBlood starts next month or July! And there’s some truly interesting Sookie FanFic out there that caters to my need for S & E to be together in a great way.
I wouldn’t have missed this book for anything and am looking forward to the After Book in October ;)
I don’t care what anyone says.I think your books were poorly written.You did a good job with the mystical aspect.You evidently caught the readers attention.Yet,after how much pressure was laid on you about the outcome of the final book…you messed it all up.So many people were outraged.How could you clearly not see what the readers wanted?I cannot speak for myself, but I can speak for everyone who is against you.She should have been with Eric.If not him, then Bill. If not him,then Quinn.The WORST decision you made was to end her with sam.
No offense Danielle but why do feel she should have changed the ending she had had planned since book 2 just because there were some fans who wanted a different ending? No matter how she ended it there would have been people who were upset. I personally would have been upset if Sookie ended up with Eric because then I would have felt like CH would have been appeasing the fangirls instead of staying true to her characters, but I would accept it. Ultimately this was CH’s story and her world to do with as she pleased. IMO we’re lucky she shared it with us at all.
Marla J, the author Karin Slaughter was mentioned not because it was made out of admiration, but because Karin Slaughter won the charity auction prize.
Whilst I feel that the joie de vivre has certainly gone from this series I’m not too disappointed or dispondent with the ending. Sure the idea of Eric, big, blond, handsome, immortal, sounds great but Sookie just wouldn’t be right as a vampire and I can’t see Eric living with Sookie as she gets old. The Sam romance has been on the cards from day one – Sookie just needed to come more to terms with her powers, which she has done. Sam fits with Sookie’s world. I just wish that it had been finished a few books earlier.
IzzyS, thanks for the correction. I had stopped reading the books a few years ago, and I was out of the loop. Sorry about that.
@IzzyS–you’re absolutely right. I was speaking with a friend this weekend who was at the auction–she was quite disappointed not to win!
Thanks for your kind comments everyone, and for sticking with me through this re-read!
The strongest parts of the books are the pieces rooted in Bon Tempes; I thought the weakest parts of the last book were when people zoomed in from elsewhere to encounter coincidences. But the community and connections of Sookie’s friends and neighbors are the backbone of the series and of Sookie’s world view.
I think Sookie chose her hometown rather than a man, and Sam fits with that choice the best. So she’ll be happy if he works out, but that’s not the bedrock of her existence. I liked that about this series, and I think building solid settings and communities is one of Charlaine Harris’s best strengths (the Bard series, the Teagarden books).
Unfortunally I feel sorry for CH. I started reading the series before it ever came out on HBO. I believe that the tv series played a role in ending her series, and also why the last couple of books have not been so up to par. I agree with the ending. As much as I love Eric Sookie never really fits in to the supe world. That is why she was always in danger. I think CH always planned on having Sookie and Sam end together. I just wish there would of been a whole book with them as a couple, handling Bon Temps trouble. I`m so sad the series has ended, and grateful she let us in Sookie world.
should have used the cluviel dor to turn Eric into a human
Gosh i remember getting to chapter 19 & thinking ‘huh is this book almost finished? Are you effing serious????’. This book was the most disappointung out of the bunch which is a shame because the others were really good. Let me start by saying that the plot was most boring & bringing in characters like the Demon lawyer guy suddenly, Barry & the gang for so long was totally a waste of time. Dont even get me started on Eric. He took up such a huge space in the others & he grew on you, even Pam & now in this last one, you only hear about them like thrice. There honestly should have been some kind of closure scene or SOMETHING between S&E because lets face it, Eric might have been a douch at times but him & Sook were the it-couple & he was an epic love to her. That part breaks my heart & where the hell does Sam fit into all of this????
Right he was always “there” if i can put it that way but come on has CH lost her mind to have him as her happily ever after? Sookie spent so much time swooning over Eric coz who can blame her & then suddenly she has a change of heart over night & decides that ‘hey wait a minute, i might like boring, friendzone Sam…. hmmm how ever did that happen?’. Im sorry this may be fiction but damn if i chose a guy i knew for a fact, i would end up being bored with a few weeks down the line. Yes Eric in the long run would’ve stuffed things up & we all sorta knew he wouldn’t stay, yet some of us hoped BUT then CH could’ve created a new, better & more exciting guy in Bon Temps as Sooks final love & have sweet Sam end up with some nice girl he met in the bar. That ending would’ve been more exciting atleast. Utterly disappointing book:(
I read your review, and i find myself less upset with the way that the series ended. Putting it into perspective like that was something i guess that i didnt see. I guess i just expected Sookie to just marry Sam without a second thought about the fact that her and Eric had just broken up. Honestly, i was really sad that her and Eric broke up, and after they did, i was really mad about the way that he handled the situation. It was like he wanted her to be miserable without him. He knew that she had feelings for Sam, so what did he do? He tried to make it where Sam couldn’t be with her. I kinda figured she was gonna end up with Sam anyway, and after Eric started showing signs that he was gonna leave, i was routing for her and Sam to be together. And on top of that she deserved someone that she could share the sunlight with and have a family with. I guess that the series would have ended with a little more certainty about her and Sam a actually staying together.Thank you for your insight and making me a little more positive about the outcome of the series.
I thought maybe at first the author plan to end up sookie with Eric or bill but now after twilight she maybe scared people think she copy twilight ending. I hate that, eric and sookie has been through too much together, so all of it meaningless now, such a wasting time. I just truly hope the tv show won’t end like this. Im very dissapointed
I have loved the Sookie Stackhouse novels and I was totally disappointed in Dead Ever After. What makes a book a good read to me is when it brings out emotion. This book was boring. Charlene totally played it safe. If she had made the story shocking, killed off Eric, Bill or Sam; turned Sookie….something to shake things up, make it exciting or gut wrenching everyone would have enjoyed the book so much better. But the author played it safe and gave us a boring book. I personally wanted to see Sookie end up with Quinn or Alcede. How she let those two get away was beyond me. Nothing against Sam but they were friends for so long them getting together seemed like they were just both on the rebound. Bad endinf
I definitely can see WHY Charlene put Sookie and Sam together: Sookie didn’t want to become a vampire and Eric was most likely to choose power/vampire politics over a human, and eventually Eric would either leave S0okie when she got old or just plain turned her into a vampire.
Plus, the whole series seemed focused on Sookie trying to figure out which kind of life she wants to led and with who. What’s closer to normal? Sam Merlotte. She can’t hear his thoughts, he is her business partner, and she’s semi-attracted to him already. Plus he’s a nice-guy and normal for a supe anyway. So from the author’s perspective I get why she chose that ending
Now from the reader’s perspective: logical ending but it was frankly boring. The author spent the most time building Eric and Sookie’s relationship in the series and then suddenly Sookie falls for Sam in one book, with not that much interaction, and then BOOM the end. I’m sorry. I think Charlene should have invested more in the Sookie/Sam relationship more. I didn’t find it believable.
Aside from the pairing the book itself was extremely boring and some of the villians had shaky motives (Glassport) and tended to pop-up as needed and were dispatched just as quickly at the end.
I’m disaapointed, I thought Sookie back with Bill.. Well.. Sam maybe was the best choice because they can have a normal life… But This let me down …
Disapointed. In the beginning Sookie was unafraid of vampires. She spent all of her time with them, not really ever pulling back from them. She never played it safe. In the end she seems to go against everything she was during the series. She plays it safe. Should have gone with Eric and her heart.
I really really disagree that Eric was good for Sookie. He married her with deceit, didn’t have the courage to tell her he was dissolving the marriage, and constantly treated her without respect. Yes, he was a great lover, but that’s not enough.
I’m glad that Sookie ended the series unmarried — it’s good that her journey wasn’t wrapped around picking a man, but in learning to live as an adult. She learned how to love, how to make love, what was important to her and what she was willing to do. She also advanced from waitress to owner, and from granddaughter to home owner. She set boundaries for Jason and helped him grow up as well.
I think the book was weakened by the parade of out-of-towners, but I guess Harris wanted to wrap up as many loose ends as possible.
This is the saddest and most disappointing ending of a book, ever. I don’t feel that Sam is the rightful HEA of Sookie. Eric is “THE” epic love…and he ended up with b*tchy Freyda?! I’m not sure if I can ever move on from this reality… I don’t understand how this is happening… :-‘( I am hating this…seriously.
Maybe it’s a genre confusion? I thought of these more as urban fantasy, so the HEA isn’t the endpoint of the story, and the main character growth isn’t picking the right man. But if someone was reading them as a romance (paranormal or otherwise), then the breaking of conventions would be a big shock.
I haven’t watched the TV show — is that set up as a romance or horror or what?
I have not yet read the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this re-read.
Lets be clear, I believe everyone is free to their own opinion. I don’t care if your opinion clashes with my own… beacuse its mine, not yours and you should never try to sway someone…. its ok to be different from others.
I feel shame at those who are bad mouthing the book and Charlaine as a sell out. So often author’s do sell out and write the books the way the fans want. .. or the way their PUBLISHER tells them to. Often the books turn out so completely different from what the author had intended at the start……
This is the story of Sookie Stackhouse. Written by Charlaine Harris. This is her idea, her concept, her vision. Not anyone else’s. If you wanted things to end on a different note, write a FAN Fiction.
I haven’t read the book just yet, but I loved this re-read. At every paragraph my jaw dropped a centimeter further.
At first I was revolted at the fact that Sookie ended up with Sam, I’ve always been an Eric and Sookie fan. However, after reading the comments and have a deep discussion with myself, I came to the conclusion that, that was te perfect ending for Sookie. She’d always wanted to be normal and Sam is the closest to normal she’s ever going to get.
On the other hand, I hated how Eric was just dismissed to a corner like that. He was such a big part of the series and Harris had always incorporated an Eric backstory in every single book. She’s also built the Eric and Sookie couple idea for such a long time that it was a shock when it just ende out of nowhere. I personally needed closure with them two, like Eric meeting the true death by saving Sookie, I don’t know?
All in all, I’ve compelled by these books since the first paragraph of the first book, it’s been a real pleasure following Sookies crazy life.
Thank you Charlaine Harris.
I thought the red flags had been there for several books; in fact my complaint of that plot thread was that it was too dragged out! Maybe it was just that their relationship pushed some of my buttons. Eric openly admitted that the blood connection was to manipulate Sookie, he just thought he was a better choice than anyone else. That was one of the last times he was honest with her.
I was aghast when Sookie tried to make their “marriage” work, even when she acknowledged that it wasn’t a true union as she understood the term. The idea that Eric tricked her into it was unsurmountable to me. From then on, Harris kept hammering in the idea that Eric had vampire values and opinions, which included a contempt for humans, and Sookie kept dragging her feet, often by being surly and uncooperative. But either Eric had to accept her humanity, which would basically require reverting to his sweet amnesia self (a nice fantasy but a huge amputation of his personality) or Sookie had to go vamp.
And the idea of Sookie wishing him human also seems like a huge violation to me. Any way she used the c-d on him with his only partial (at best) permission seems very icky. And they couldn’t even plan out a wish they’d both be happy with because neither one would admit to the other that Sookie had it, even when it should have been obvious that she knew that he knew that she knew….
I can see the two sides of the story when it comes to Sookie&Eric. Sam is the safe choice.
The book wasn’t as good as her others, but their was so much going on in the series somehow CH had to wrap it all up. I have to say i was asking myself when the book was over. Sam tried so hard in the begining of the series and diapeared as sookie explored her options but now i see that he was always there.
CH made him a loyal person, sookie saved his life. Maybe their love is just caused by the cluviel dor. How can she go from loving eric to not loving him and not feeling like he broke her heart? It just went so slow in the book yet, coming to relationships that were important, CH just skipped over the details we all wanted to know.
I still like Alcee.
Neaver liked the books!!!! I knew from the sart she would end up with Sam . So there was neaver any dissappointment .I think it was hyped to a point that it was bound to piss people off . But I loved the supernatural part of it.!!!
I just feel like the last 2 books, nothing got resolved with Eric, I would have been fine with the ending of the book if there had been any closure between them, or even talked about the break up. At the same time, i wish Sookie would have used the clavor dor for something else, i didnt see why she should end up with sam. other than her wanting to remain human, i feel like maybe the cost of using such magic, was her not being with Eric, maybe the clavor dor magic is the reason for the ending? though it makes me mad =[ i get that shes going to be happy and marry and have kids, but i needed some closure with her and Eric, just like we had with Bill, and Quinn
I really don’t see Sookie & Sam’s marraige as inevitable; yes they are good friends and the sex is good, but he’s still her boss and there are a bunch of things they haven’t worked out. Sookie herself says they aren’t settling down yet. So there is hope for the Sam-dislikers yet :-)
I didn’t have any problems with Sookie and Sam ending up together – I think this is the most “normal” way for Sookie to get back to her own life – but I do agree with so many posters that the drama, plotting and character development just wasn’t there this time around, and CH’s lovely subversive sense of humour was just gone. She spent more time explaining who each character was than she did moving the plot forward. Plus after years of plowing through Sookie’s hot steamy love scenes with Bill, Eric, Quinn, etc., Sookie finally getting it on with Sam turned out to be mechanical, passionless and a real letdown to read about. Even my grandma could have written a better sex scene. It was less a celebration of love and more of a get-it-over-with business deal. That was more of a disappointment than anything else.
I’ve got to disagree with some of the comments here, not because of my personal opinion, but because that’s what it shows in the books.
I very much doubt that Sookie will have a normal, safe life. As the books show, Sookie wasn’t always targeted because she associated with vampires. She was targeted because she had connections to the fae and she had been targeted by Sweetie (and others!) because of her association with Weres.
Unless Sookie became a hermit, it’s very unlikely that she will be safe even if she does end up with Sam. She wasn’t safe when she was with Bill, Alcide, Quinn and Eric due to her involvement with vampires, weres and the fae. Why does anyone think that she would be safer with Sam, or even on her own? Unless she’s changed so dramatically in Dead Ever After, she will always be involved in some sort of mess because that’s just who and what she is.
The books clearly show that Sookie can read Sam’s mind. Yes, it’s harder to read than, say, a human but she can still read his mind. She could even read vampire minds on occasion. The thoughts aren’t in italics but there are scenes where, in order to help out Sam, she dips in his head and hands him some items etc. Don’t know why Charlaine Harris decided to change the rules this late in the game.
In the novella, it also shows that she was able to read his mother’s mind (in the novella, Small Town Wedding) but she lies about it just so that Sam’s mum feels better because she had been thinking less than nice thoughts about Sookie. Also, if Sookie and Sam were supposed to be a couple at the end, why make Small Town Wedding a novella? If it’s important to the storyline then the information needs to be in the main books. Sam’s behaviour in this actually made me dislike him but to make them a believable couple, you need to include scenes like that in the main books.
Unless the use of the Cluviel Dor allowed to block Sookie from reading his mind, but that’s a deus ex machina move. I know that Sookie also questions whether the use of the Cluviel Dor changed her feelings for Sam. Her thoughts are basically, “Maybe it did, maybe it didn’t. I don’t think I care.” This is coming from the lady who broke the blood blond with Eric so that she can tell whether her feelings were genuine.
None of it makes sense. We’re shown one thing but then we’re told another and none of it matches up.
Apologies for the long comment but I felt that I really needed to get this out.
I feel that Eric and sookie should be together because if she does not end up with one of the vampires u guys pretty much ruined the show so yea I want Eric and sookie to be together forever and of corse they have there ups and downs because that’s just how relationships are and right from the start Eric and sookie were made for each other ????
I still think Sookie and Eric should of been together. I really liked that couple and they were together for what…four or five books right?Ever since he lost his memmory and then regained it i just always loved that couple. I agree that they were made for eachother.
IssyS detects inconsistencies:
I agree, but it will come closer to what she thinks of as “normal” with Sam — he can handle daylight, he eats people food, and he runs a local small business, one that Sookie is now a partner in. If she ends up with Sam, it’s something the human part of Bon Tempes can understand. Sam is also much less important or ambitious than Erik, so hopefully the adventures will come more rarely, but she’ll still be important to the shifters and will still be friends with vampires.
Most of that would not have been possible with Erik, and a lot of the friction between them for the last few books is because of their different expectations of what life together should mean.
Are you saying that she can’t be happy with Sam because of her telepathy? Because I disagree that the books support that. She definitely can read shifter’s minds more easily than vampire minds, but not nearly as easily as human minds. Back in Club Dead she talked a lot about how it would be possible to live with Alcide, even though she can tell his mood and even get messages from him (the rabbit birthmark). I don’t think the rules changed much, and definitely not in the last few books.
But it also makes sense to her that it wasn’t just magic, but the fact that a life-transforming thing happened. Dying and coming back gave Sam a kick in the pants to examine his life and choices, and also forced Sookie to see that Sam was vastly important to her. A good friend is also important — I bet Sookie would have saved Tara or Jason and perhaps even Bill, so it doesn’t mean she had to marry him, but it did mean that she should recognize that Sam has become a big part of her life.
She mentions that she doesn’t care whether the magic changed things while she’s still on an orgasim high, but remember she also insists on taking things slow. So at her core she’s still suspicious of magic, I think.
bethmitcham, I’m not talking about the books. I’m talking about the comments on here that are talking about the books. People in the comment section are making claims that go against what happens in the books.
People in the comment section are saying that Sookie can’t read Sam’s mind. That’s not true. Sookie can hear Sam’s thoughts. I don’t know why people are saying this all of a sudden? It clearly shows in the books that she can hear his thoughts.
People on here are also saying that Sookie can now have a normal life with Sam. That’s not true. Yes, her life may be less complicated but she will never have a normal, safe life. Again, I don’t know why people are saying this.
People on here have commented that they always thought that Sookie and Sam would be an item, even very early on in the books. If Sookie herself is unsure whether they’re her true feelings then how come everybody
Like I said in my original comment, I’m referring to the comments on here, NOT my feelings/interpretation of the books.
Ugh, my bad.
*** If Sookie herself is unsure whether they’re her true feelings then how come everybody “already knew” that they would be a couple? Like the blood bond with Eric, the use of CD questions the whole relationship. We don’t have real proof that Sookie’s feelings towards Sam is genuine so how can people on here make those claims?
The readers don’t know whether they’re her true feelings because Sookie doesn’t even know herself.
With the exception of a few sentences in my original comment, I’m pointing out the inconstistencies in the comment section on this blog entry. I don’t want to get into a lengthy discussion on the books because it’ll just be pointless.
I read these books as a paranormal romance reader. That’s what they were advertised as. I also read these books because they were about vampires. We learnt so much about vampires, about their powers and their politics, only to find out that it has no relevance.
I followed this series for 9 years so of course I’m going to be disappointed. In the paranormal genre, anything can happen. What’s the point in ending a paranormal series with “normal”? That’s not why people read paranormal books.
IzzyS if you read the books very closely there are moments in every book that hint that Sookie and Sam are going to end up together. She had naughty dreams about him (that’s in one of the early books), she doesn’t like it when they disagree on something, she has never liked any of his girlfriends, it doesn’t feel right to keep things from him…. the list goes on and on. I’ve been reading this series since it came out and I’ve known since book 2 that she would end up with Sam.
This is so heartbreaking for.me. I am a huge shipper of Eric and sookie. I hate how he has completely changed. It doesn’t seem like him at all and its disappointing. This is not the Eric that made me love the books. He is being a whimp. Instead of him letting sookie just slip through his fingers I.see. him fighting and working so hard to keep her no matter what.
jdluvro6,
I don’t want spend too long talking about this (although I’m sure I will because I ramble) because, like I said, we’ll just go nowhere. Yeah, that’s great. I’m glad that you got the ending that you wanted but I’m not only talking about the love interests. My initial post wasn’t really about what I thought of the series because I really, really, really wanted to avoid doing that. You obviously believe one thing and I believe another, which kind of shows one of the problems with the series.
I’ll just say that I could have gotten behind Sookie and Sam if it was written that way. Harris should have taken a few love interests out and kept it as a normal love triangle instead, or given Sam a bigger part in the books. He was always in the background and we never really got to know him that well. Sookie and Eric relationship, which was the longest, lasted for 5/6 books! Surely that could have been cut in half (or got rid of altogether) and built the Sam and Sookie relationship up.
You even said yourself that you have to read them very carefully in order to see their relationship. That shouldn’t happen. It should be so that everybody can see it, even the characters themselves.
Even very early in the series, Sookie also referred to Sam as just a friend and that he could never be more. In fact, she even said at one point that the thought of having a sexual relationship with Sam sickens her because he’s too good of a friend. Now that the series has ended, there are conflicting messages in the books. I believed Sookie when she said that Sam was just a friend. He was never in the running as a romantic interest (and I mean NEVER. Not even in book #1) for me for a number of reasons but Sookie thinking of Sam only as a friend made me firm in my belief that he wasn’t a romantic interest. (To be honest, I always found him very boring and he didn’t really seem to have a personality but, again, he’s in the background so we don’t get the chance to know him.)
So again, there’s still a question mark on their entire relationship.
How can you really know that what she’s feeling is down to herself or
the CD? Even Sookie questions the relationship so how can people be so sure?
I don’t understand how you knew they would end together, much as I’m sure you don’t understand how I didn’t see it. I was 11 when I started the series. I didn’t analyse the text then and I didn’t analyse as I got older. They were quick, light, fun reads. If I want to read closely for clues then I’ll grab my Agatha Christie’ Hercule Poirot books. Not trying to sound snippy but that’s just how it is. If I wanted a deep book then I would have read a deep book. If I wanted a light read then I would read a light read.
After the end of the series, now I know that Harris was trying to mix genres. She wanted to go into paranormal because that’s where the money was at but she also wanted to stay with her mystery genre. The mish-mash of genres just doesn’t work. You can’t write 13 paranormal/paranormal with romance books and then throw in an ending that fits the mystery genre. Those two genres have different rules which conflict with each other. With PR, you’re supposed to make the ending couple obvious. Since Sookie and Eric relationship lasted the longest, the majority of readers thought that they would be the ending couple. With mytery, you’re not supposed to make the ending obvious but you do drop breadcrumbs so that readers can follow and play along.
If you’re reading it as a mystery then I guess you could see who the ending couple were going to be.
Since the series was called Southern Vampire Mysteries, it was marketed as a vampire series and it heavily featured vampires and vampire politics, call me crazy but I expected for vampires to have a big role in the series. Sookie didn’t have to end up with a vampire. I’m saying that for a vampire series to appeal to readers who like reading about vampires, it’s a very odd ending. To go from such an exciting beginning only for it to end with Sookie sitting at home, twiddling her thumbs and wanting a normal life just doesn’t work.
Wouldn’t have minded if Sookie ended up alone and happy or with Sam, just as long as it made sense. Also, my one big hope for Sookie was for her to accept her telepathy as a gift, not a curse. That doesn’t seem to happen which is a huge disappointment.
I think the ending was perfect for Sookie and what’s more, Bill and Eric saw it coming. Sookie has been friends with Sam since the beginning. Consistant in every book, who did she want to talk to or tell about what was going on? Sam. No their romance wasn’t all hot and bothered and passionate but it was there from the beginning. Their relationship progressed to allow them to be on more equal footing ( important in Sookie’s mind) after she became his partner. Eric and Bill were both jealous of Sam. They both made comments to her that sometimes she didn’t know herself very well – meaning she wasn’t acknoledging her feelings about Sam. I think this is a case of not seeing the forest for the trees. Not about “normal” but about who was ALWAYS there, no matter what – Sam. Eric was the ” bad boy” stereotype. How often do those relationships ever work out? They’re the adrenaline rush but not very healthy. When did Eric EVER make her a priority?? Never. He only chose her when it didn’t interfere with his agenda. I’m sure he had feelings for her but he didn’t love her enough to want what was best for her. I would also argue the HEA is far from a foregone conclusion. Sookie was growing as a person and realized with or without Sam, she would survive. She couldn’t not see him in her life because he was the one constant.
I FEEL THAT THIS LAST BOOK WAS RUSHED, DEF NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING AND WAS LEFT WITH LOTS OF UNANSWERED ??’S.
I’ve just finished reading the last book as I’ve been putting it off as I new what was coming with Eric and sookie. I was hopeful for a twist but it didnt happen, I felt the Eric we grew to love throughout the books disappeared in these last two books and although I agree the relationship couldn’t continue, I would have expected more from his chracter to fight for Sookie, It just seemed like he got a raw deal. Very annoyed and it felt like a total anticlimax to a series I have devoted a lot of time to.
I was very disappointed that Eric’s character seemed to get the bum’s rush in the last couple of books. While Filipe was insisting that Eric go through with the marriage to Freyda, Eric and Pam kept hinting to Sookie that while they needed to carry on with the charade of ending Sookie and Eric’s marriage, that the ceremony to end their marriage was just for show. This led me to believe that Eric had some grand tricks up his sleeve, that he had conceived a way for he and Sookie to be together during her lifetime at least – goodness knows they had carried out some crazy-ass plans in the past and achieved their goals…and then he didn’t. He just faded away, never to be mentioned again. I loved these books and I don’t want to malign Charlaine Harris (this is her baby, and she can end it any way she likes), but the last book in the series should have been the most mind blowing, and it was lukewarm.
As for Sam, he seems like a nice guy. I know everybody has pointed out that there were hints all through the series that Sookie would end up with Sam, and Sam was a really good friend to Sookie and was always the safe bet, but he did always make me think of a puppy, wagging his tail and waiting for Sookie to notice him. However, with all the other potential relationships, like Alcide and Quinn, there was a big spark of passion and I never felt like that existed for Sookie with Sam. I would have rather had her end up with Remy, as mentioned in the last chapter of the book (somewhat apologetically it seemed).
Oh well. It was still awesome. I read all thirteen books in 2 1/2 weeks and I loved them.
I am saddened that Eric got away with manipulating Sookie into being attracted to him and stealing her from Bill. Bill has always paid the ultimate sacrifices for the sake of Sookie’s happiness. She was genuinely attracted to him of her own free will with no strings attached, whereas Eric tricked her into drinking his blood. In my opinion, Sookie’s love for Eric could never be considered ‘real’ because it’s core foundation is based on manipulation. Her inital desires for Eric were due to the connection that he forcefully created or tricked into having. The love that was grown afterwards just doesnt matter to me because at the end of the day he is basically equivalent to a lieing manipulator that just gets what he wants. I dont doubt that Eric may have actually fallen in love with her but that does not make it okay. Sam on the other hand, waited a long time for her affection until she finally knew which path she wanted to take in her life. I think Eric deserves to have his heart broken after what he did to Bill and Sookie.
Temperance, you hit the nail on the head when you said ” maybe their love is just caused by the cluviel dor.” Sookie went so far as to break her blood bond with Eric to attest their love .Yet, with Sam there was no test to assure it wasn’t the magic of the cluviel dor. During her talk with Amelia, Sookie said she wanted a normal life, a life away from death…yet, she jumps into a relationship with a werewolf. Please explain how that’s normal..??
I feel as if Sookie should have been turned into a vampire. Surely her luck of avoiding near death should have come to an end and a new meaning of death, vampirism take its place. It grew tiresome for Sookie to constantly avoid death. Does anyone else feel that way..??
Shape shifter not werewolf. My mistake.
We knew what you meant :-). Well, Sam is about as close to “normal” as Sookie can aim for; she’s not typically human either. It would be really hard for her to have a relationship with someone completely vulnerable to her telepathy. But Sam has little contact with other shifters — he tries to avoid pack or really any supe politics. His ambitions and expectations are fairly close to Sookie’s. So I figure it’s reasonable for Sookie to try him out; even she isn’t about to start picking out wedding dresses.
I do think she has a firm feeling it what she wants out of life, and what it will take to get it. That’s why I’m satisfied with the ending. It wasn’t the best book, since it was stretched by the requirement to tie off every possible string, but I thought it left Sookie in a good place.
Too much unfinished business between Eric & Sookie!!!!
Merrow: I agree with you, I only liked Eric when he had his memory loss. Other than that time I didn’t like him very much, and he wasn’t a good match for Sookie. Maybe as a sexual partner, but that is all.
I do wish we had gotten more time to see Sookie and Sam fall in love, it was a bit hurried in the last book. But I don’t mind, I felt that Sookie really longed for a family and children, and being partner with Sam at the bar and romantically, allows her to make her dream come true.
It would have been so sad if Sookie had turned vampire, she is the girl who loves the sun and being human. So I think Charlene Harris made the right choice for Sookie, giving her some economical freedom and the possibility of children of her own with Sam.
I liked issyS’ comments (and a lot of others’…). I just finished reading deadlocked today and was looking forward to getting a copy of the last one but due to my curiosity which compelled me to read this(spoiler), I would have died with disappointment(nah, jk).
I feel like staring at my SVM books, cry and forget about everything (i just started collecting and reading months ago).
I have nothing against Sam and even thought of him as Sookie’s kind of soulmate (The kind that doesn’t mean you have to get together and something, like siblings).
I really liked Bill, Alcide abit, then Eric (ofcourse with the developments). And now—
sorry this is just me being bitter at the moment but hopefully i’ll get over this and be able to read (the last one)and reread (everything).
The comments gave me new perspectives about the ending though and Im not that much depressed anymore(like a few moments after reading how the book turned out) I’m quite lost at the moment but still grateful for the insights :’)
I’m just sad. I thought the ending was very good and do agree Sookie wanted/needed to be away from the vampires but I feel like I’ve lost a friend with the ending of this series. :(
I just finished the entire series and thought it was great. I was a bit traumatized after reading a series before this where the main character was killed off and actually was nervous to read the last book. I think Sookie ended up with the guy that she could live her life best with . in 10 years Bill and Eric would have thought she was old, and Sookie loved the sun and seemed that deep down wanted a chance to exploe having children and growing old in Bon Temps with her family and friends. I loved how everyone seemed to have a nice finish….Sookie and Sam, Pam and the town, Karin and Bill (maybe lol) , Eric and Freyda (and a ton of power), Jason and Michele. It was great. Sookie never wanted to be a Vampire so a Shifter whos memory she could not read was perfect. Plus I think her decision spoke to her age. at 28 we all start looking for a future that fits us best, a good decision not just good sex, and Sookie wanted to grow old in her family home in Bon Temps. Plus other then Eric she gets to keep her friends and hve kids. WIN! I will probably read the whole series again some day bc it was really well written.
Izz, I totally agree with you.. this was a paranormal series, where is the fun in playing it safe and normal? Is this what sookie personal growth is about? Seems like a moral issue.. Seems like CH was trying to say that growing up is about wanting to have a normal life with kids… blah blah blah.. if I wanted normal i have my own life to look at.. personally I think the heroe of this story deserved better…
I agree with some of the past comments in which the series should have ended with Book 10, the writing & story-telling got progressively worse after that. As for re-reading Dead Ever AFter, I got half-way through & realized not only does it not make sense, too many extraneous undeveloped characters, space- wasting just to fill up the pages with lots of details on tomatoes & cooking… What was the point of all this?! I stopped reading this garbage & contemplated burning the book, as it might do more good as land-fill than literature/entertainment/shelf-space occupant.
I understand CH wanting Sookie to move away from Vampires & desiring a more normal life… but seriously?! The S+S romance should have been better written, rather than, oh… like a layman’s trashy recount of a one night stand. Eric buried under a mountain of paperwork is idiotic & his acceptance of his arranged marriage made the character appear castrated & not himself. Where was the Viking warrior? And yet, Eric & Sookie had repeatedly risked their lives plotting to overthrow Victor & others & to protect themselves?! Sookie would never have stayed with a vampire (as she’d grow old & didn’t want to be turned), so being with a shifter whose thoughts she could not read made perfect sense. Everything seemed to have come full circle in her life. I just wished this entire book could have been better written.
The whole premise of Dead Ever After is STUPID! The Tall Man, the Medium Man… The cashing in of “signing bonus” wish for the C.D. (which also only grants one wish). Can anyone do the math here?? And why the sudden anger against Sookie? While it was fun to have Barry & Quinn drop by, what was the point? To fill up space so CH can satisfy the minimum page requirement for her editor??
I think CH was just cashing in on True Blood’s success & not bothering to be loyal to her fans. I want a refund.
I wasn’t so much disappointed that she ended up with Sam, it was more the change in format of this last book. I didn’t like the chapters with Newland/Glassport on how they were talked about in a third person type of way, we all knew who they were. I didn’t like the plot that Copley was going to ruin her because she dared use the Cluviel Dor, I found this plot to be weak, unrealistic and it just didn’t make sense. I started reading the book and thinking “WTF”? It doesn’t mesh with the rest of the series and I found this to be a let down, not necessarily that she ended up with Sam. It was irritating to read the entire series and then to be let down with this last book. 11 and 12 got bad reviews but I had no problem with them. It was just this last book and how it was written – disappointing.
I know this is dreadfully late, but I just found your post.
I think Sookie/Sam works because through all the books, Sookie’s true love has been her home. She loves it, and Bon Temps, far more than any man she has been with in the series. She also has often expressed the regret that being with a vampire would mean she could not have children of her own. So if you look at Sookie’s character, rather than her (or fangirls’) hormones, it really is the best choice.
What I don’t understand, and I’m hoping someone can explain, is where Johan Glassport fits in with all this? As far as I know, he had no interactions with Sookie other than on the plane. So why he would go to all the trouble of plotting with Steve Newlin of all people to ‘get’ her makes no sense. I am hoping this is covered in DEA, but I still haven’t read it, but I don’t mind spoilers. I find I often enjoy a book more on the second read because I know what is going to happen and can relax and enjoy the world.
First, I would like to say that I love Charlaine Harris, and her books are truly full of excitement and suspense all the way through. She is an awesome writer! I enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse series very much; except for the ending of the last book “Dead Ever After”. I found the ending rather odd with Sookie and Sam getting together, and the way that Bill just fades away, as does Eric. Both of these men, oh, huh, “vampires” were in love with Sookie through out the entire series, and then suddenly, they both just let her go and disappear. I know Charlaine had her reasons for the way she ended the story; and I respect that this was her decision; however, I was saddened that Sookie did not end up with her first love Bill again, or Eric. I felt that first of all, except for a short time, Bill had always been there for Sookie and had shown himself, to be a faithful friend, and to really care about her welfare; regardless of how their relationship started. He had grown to really love her and want the best for her. Eric, on the other hand, was quite self absorbed and may have done some things that were questionable; but he never deterred from his love for Sookie, and he was there for her as much as he could be. I would like to have seen Sookie get over her aversion to being a vampire, and gotten with Eric, or Bill in the end. I thought either of them was more suited to her, and her talents would have been even more useful and amazing as a vampire. I think she would have made a formidable aid to Eric, and maybe even, come to be one of the most powerful vampires due to her talents. Maybe this makes no sense at all; it is just how I see it. I thought her ending up with Sam in the end was a bit of a surprise, and never saw them as anything other than friends. It seemed to just come out of the blue. Whether, I liked the way the story ended or not I think Charlaine felt this was a good way for Sookie to have a “more normal” life, than she would have had with either Eric or Bill; and a way to stay human. Even though I was not totally pleased with the end of this series, I am sure Charlaine, will thrill us with more exciting and suspenseful books in the future, and I wish her the best. :)
@SJ :
I absolutely agree! I have always rooted for a permanent, or at least long-term Eric-Sookie relationship, although I assumed it wouldn’t be the most realistic ending. You see their love for each other thrive throughout the series, and hope for it to have the best possible result: a real relationship. Although, unlike most, I did assume that Sookie would eventually give in to Eric’s every request, judging by both of their characters. Sookie has risked everything to sustain her relationship with him, and Eric is extremely persuasive and an excellent manipulator. He is also equally perseverant in making her his. It made sense that she would just stop fight it and let him marry and turn her from the beginning of the series for me. I know Sookie never wanted a supernatural life, but through the whole series, she, mostly willingly, stayed in the middle of the action when it came to politics, battles, and relationships. Sookie may willingly do so her whole life.
I also believe there was little closer in their relationship. At least give them an official, meaningful goodbye with the possibility that they may cross paths (and possibly get back together) again. She shouldn’t be banned from seeing Eric in any way; instead, I’d like to see them cope with being in a healthy, non-romantic relationship (possibly even a friendship?). Let Freyna be jealous. I think for a good finale to a series, the author should not completely seal the story, wrap a bow around it, and make sure the ending is absolutely certain for all of the characters. There should always be a possibly that the story could go in the complete opposition direction the series ended, evolving beyond the pages like a real, nonfictional story. This method also allows most to be satisfied that at least their perfect ending *could* happen, even if it wasn’t clearly spelled out on the pages.
I am also extremely disappointed in the characters’ choices. After all of the books, I thought I knew the characters, but I realized some of them were lacking in the qualities I first saw in them that made me so interesting the series. I am even considering that they were never there all along, which strips the magic away from the series. For example, I typically was quite neutral towards our protagonist, Sookie. I mostly disagreed with her decisions, but always supported her in the long run, believing I may have done the same in her situation. This ending unnerved me, because I started to go back to my tendency of being disappointed in Ms. Stackhouse. Sookie seems to be almost releaved to be done with Eric and quickly moves on to Sam. Also, I trusted that Eric wasn’t extremely selfish, but what little of a send-off we received validated my pre-conceived notions that he mostly only cared for himself. Everyone loves him for being exclusive with the people he cares about, but after his character development, it seems he has gone back to his old, *completely* careless self. Then, you see is ultimate love for Sookie, when he follows her home, and she just shuts him down in a somewhat ignorant way. I’m not saying I want her to be a mistress of his or would consider this myself if I was in her position, but it seemed to be the last time they would ever see each other, so I feel they could of fought for each other, or at least had a more heartfelt, meaningful, informational goodbye with more shocking reveals(I mean they *loved* each other, didn’t they). Sookie always seems to push Eric away without reasonable justification, and she seemed to do so here, at the worst possible time for it, as well. If they had to leave each other forever, they should be open about all of their feelings and get everything out while they still can, which seems to be something the characters would be capable of, and even very eager to do.
The ending does not have to be absolutely perfect, with a happily-ever-after for all the characters, but I’d like to see a more just ending to the characters I love. I know it is Charlaine Harris’ story and she can do what she feels is right for the characters, but I personally do not believe they were given an honorable “end”. I hate to say it, but after this magical, bloody good, if you will, series, the ending doesn’t fit the astoundingly remarkable writing, character creation and development, and plot of the previous books. I understand it is difficult write ending to books and especially series and they can never be truly, fully satisfying, but this one, again, after a phenomenal series, strongly displeased me. It is still one of my all-time favorate series, but I have to admit I am disappointed in the ending, especially how we were left with the characters.
I am thankful these websites exist so I can voice my opinion on these matters, as I am a dedicated bookworm and story-lover who gets invested in meaningful series that matter to me. Fiction isn’t my whole life, but it is an important part of my life that can very well change it for the better.
I’m disappointed Sookie never truly developed as a character and in the end just moved on like the whole series never happened. The point of a main character is for them to develop so we as readers can learn from their experiences and mistakes, maybe even get some advice on how to do so. The only thing she *really* discovered about herself was that she wanted a normal life, which she seemed to know all along. The only moral I’m getting out of this story is that we probably shouldn’t be reading it in the first place and really should just expect to want and ultimately have normal lives. I don’t expect that to be the case for any of us; even if we don’t lead paranormal lives, we’ll probably still have extraordinary experiences, as we all ARE extraordinary. I wish Sookie could’ve grown as a person so we had a moral worth believing in and a more inspirational ending that also happens to be true to the series and characters.
Just wondering: does anyone truly think Eric will be happy with just the power? I don’t see him as the power-hungry type, rather a deep, heartfelt individual that will truly moarn the one that got away: Sookie (although I don’t see why everyone loves her so much. I never really saw that much in the character myself). Eric always was shielding his season 4, if you’ll let me blend the series, please, Eric. He saw his tue feelings as weaknesses, but always felt them all along. Tell me in the comments who you think the true Eric Northman is in the comments, and if you agree with his send off (I honestly don’t).
Just B. T. W. , I totally agree with you Maja
Yes, I feel somewhat the same as you. In my case, I loved Eric and Sookie. I really think he loved her and she loved him. They made each other better in some ways and she had a position of respect. I really hated how the author destroyed Eric in the last books. His character development was one of the best in the series. However, I never expected Sookie to end up with him. I hoped for a better way to end their relationship a way that was actually believable taking in consideration their development. I actually wanted her to be with a human. After all, she wanted a normal life and that could never happen with a vampire or a shapeshifter. I think she chose Sam because he was detached from his kind, but their love seems unreal to me. I always picture something like the end of the TV series for her. Maybe at the end, years later Eric visiting her grave engraved with loving mother, grandmother and friend to all races or something. Having a full life outside of everything and Eric happy at the end because she got what she wanted.
Another latecomer to the book series, after coming late to True Blood (have watched the whole series recently). I was disappointed that Sookie didn’t reunite with Bill, who worked hard throughout most of the books to prove how much he loved her after his devastating betrayals came to light. But from a practical standpoint, Sam was the right choice. He could offer her the most normal life — perhaps even marriage and children, if she wanted them. He could be with her both day and night. He was a trusted, loyal, supportive friend for a long time before they finally turned to each other. He changed her professional status relative to his so that they could evolve their relationship beyond boss-employee. I’m sad for Bill, and sad that the author didn’t give us one more big fat Sookie-Bill love scene like True Blood did… but this is fiction and we can’t get so immersed in the outcomes. (Oh, and Eric was a complete asshole — I was glad he and Sookie were forced to separate. I could never ship him and Sookie in the books the way I did in True Blood. That was a truly awful finale…)
Actually I just reread the books again after 7-8 years and ending up with Eric would have ABSOLUTELY been in keeping with her character and the person she became. The whole realization with what her Gran did to have children, and her exposure the supervised world, let her know that she was made for something extraordinary. As much as she love her family home, Bon Temps , never accepted her and she has to hide an aspect of herself. Sam is a coward , with no personality, that never had to make hard choices. Other than when he is condemning others. I didn’t want to read a normal ending to an extraordinary life. There was so. much .possibility. Have Pam turn her (so that Eric and her can stay together) she becomes the first vampire that can go out in sunlight.. since she is a sky fairy. Use the CDV..to make her immortal.. The whole four kids thing in the short stores after. She mentioned kids in passing and only thought of them in terms of having them with Eric. Or because her friends were having them. The thing that made Sookie the extraordinary is that she made daring choices and went after life. Not settled for it.