I have been reading this series with huge breaks in between. That means, every time I start a new book from it. I am surprised anew by Dexter’s razor sharp wit and the efforts he puts into seeming “normal”. It is a good way to read this series, if you ask me. You can see both qualities in his character being used to their fullest this way. Look at the following two examples. These are from a part of the book where Dexter is called to the scene of murder of a cop. I love how hard he struggles to appear like the rest of the people and how much he has to work on things that most of us take for granted:

The reason that I didn’t rate this book higher is the fact that Dexter’s monologues never seem to end. This technique works in some places and completely bombs in others.

This was as much fun as I hoped it’d be. Of course, I imagined Tom Hiddleston’s voice to be Loki’s as I read the book. Loki is charming, detestable, and pathetic in turns as he narrates his own story. He also kinda has a point lol For instance, here’s what he had to say about the other deities:

 The humor is threaded into the story well, so it keeps you from actually feeling the horror when horrifying things happen. Life and death don’t really matter when you are immortal-ish. The quote below describes the death of a hunter who dared to defy the Asgardians (who are described as pensioners in it):

I also learned a new word:

Loki’s Image

Boy, this was a painful read! Not because it wasn’t good; quite the opposite. You will find my detailed review here if you’re interested.

This book started off well but became too repetitive after a while. Here are some of the quotes that I liked:

There are some beautiful descriptions, as well. Here is one such passage where the author describes the effect of moonlight on the jungle:

We need daylight and to that extent it is utilitarian, but moonlight we do not need. When it comes, it serves no necessity. It transforms. It falls upon the banks and the grass, separating one long blade from another; turning a drift of brown, frosted leaves from a single heap to innumerable flashing fragments; or glimmering lengthways along wet twigs as though light itself were ductile.

I think Bigwig was one character who showed a lot of growth as the story progressed. He went from being just the brawn around the leader to a rabbit who started thinking for himself. One of the many funny exchanges between Bigwig and Hazel is featured below:

Here’s a picture that reminded me of Bigwig:

This one was about Dexter having an affair with a movie star while being married to Rita. I liked two things about this instalment in the series:

One, we get to really “see” how much of a sociopath Dexter is. He doesn’t feel sorry for going against his marriage vows. Also, the only reason he goes to save his daughter is that somebody tried to take something away from him.

Two, we are shown more about Astor being exactly like Dexter. She doesn’t feel, loves the power she has over a pedophile, and expresses minimal sorrow over Rita’s death.

I have also started to worry about Dexter’s youngest now. With Rita gone, what kind of a persin will she grow up into? Did she ever have a chance to be a human being with feelings? Interesting thoughts!

It would be a rare Roald Dahl book written for kids that I wouldn’t enjoy. The Witches wasn’t one of them. I loved how the grandmother dealt with every twist with aplomb. Kinda reminded me of my own grandmother who isn’t with us anymore.

I found the part where the little boy is reassured that he won’t outlive his grandmother and says this:

One of the best things about RD’s books is how “real” they seem. The example above seems so natural; grandkids are insanely in love with their grandparents. Another example is something that many of us have felt on one occasion or the other. It is from a scene where the boy watches a doorman whistle:

Oh, and I found an instance of “greased lightning” in the book! Lol

The series came to an end with this book. I must say that this instalment annoyed me a lot. Dexter bumbled around like an idiot through most of it. I kept thinking that the author was going to give us a reason behind Dexter’s stupidity: mass hallucination, flouridation of the public water supply, anything! Didn’t happen. Even so, I am glad I stuck with the series until the end.

Two things that I liked:

One, mention of a certain cartoon that Astor and Cody were watching, featuring a platypus. I am going to assume it is this one:

and because there would be no Perry without them, these guys:

Two, Dexter’s thoughts when he gets into his lawyer’s Bentley:

This is why I will always be a fan of Dexter’s razor sharp wit!

So far so good for the month of May. Here’s what is happening in June:

This book will mark the end of my Work Bingo. I hope it is as good as the first one was!

Summer is a fantastic time of year to get back in touch with my favorite homicidal character, Dexter.

I like this series so much because of the way all the characters interact, the weird circumstances they find themselves in, and of course Dexter's wonderful point of view on what is going on around him.

After finishing this book, I had a weird food craving for a Jibarito, so I'm going to indulge in that once I'm done here.

The plot of this one is that Dexter becomes Dex-Daddy to Lily Anne, but while he's cultivating his "human" side, he gets called in by his sister Deborah, to investigate a case that has to do with vampires/cannibalism. This is where the story gets really good and it ends well too. I can't wait to read the next one.

I still have to read:

• Double Dexter
• Dexter's Final Cut
• Dexter is Dead (which comes out this month)

Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Recorded Books
Narrated by: Author Jeff Lindsay

Darkly Dreaming Dexter introduces Dexter Morgan serial killer of serial killers. To the outside world he is a charming, attractive normal guy with a respectable job with the forensic department. But Dexter (for anyone who hasn’t watched the tv show) is constantly battling his “dark passenger” who dreams of death and can only be assuaged by brutal murder and clinical dismemberment. He was adopted as a young boy by a policeman named Harry who saw Dexter’s darkness early on and was able to instill in him a strict code of rules to control his impulses and keep him safe. Now that Harry is dead, Dexter still hears Harry’s voice in his head and it almost always keeps him on track.

Without boring you with an overlong plot rehash I’ll keep it neat and tidy. There’s a serial killer on the loose who is chopping up women and leaving their bloodless body parts for Dexter and company to find. Dexter is intrigued by the killer’s mastery and finesse and makes it his business to track down the guy. But wait! This killer seems to know Dexter’s deepest, darkest secret and begins taunting him. The plot relies heavily on Dexter’s ability to sense the other killer and Dexter’s “dreams” of the murders. Whether you buy it or not will depend entirely on just how far you are willing to suspend your disbelief. I went with it. I’m easy sometimes and I really like Dexter.

I borrowed this audiobook from Overdrive and it was narrated by the author. While he does a decent job voicing Dexter’s calm, cool charm and wry sense of humor, he stumbles in a big way with Debra, Dexter’s put-upon stepsister who is desperately trying to get promoted and get off undercover “hooker duty” so she can do some actual police work. This Debra unpleasantly barks out every line with ear shattering impatience. As much as I enjoy her character because she is cranky and impatient, I cringed whenever she had something to say here. It wouldn’t have surprised me if she bit Dexter what with the way she was so overly snarly (she didn't). However, it’s not a guy reading a girl thing that I have a problem with here (for once) because Lindsay does LaGuerta’s voice in a smarmy, man-hungry and perfectly fitting way for the power hungry nitwit.

Though a story filled with murder and mayhem it surprisingly doesn't dwell on the gory details. Instead it gets into Dexter’s head, explaining how he feels when he gives in to his dark passenger (really freaking good). This is something the show is just unable to do and it helps one understand how his mind works. I enjoyed this story and this intimate look into Dexter’s head and will continue the series. My only nitpick was Dexter’s bad habit of repeating himself. Yeah, yeah so he’s unemotional, not human, follows a strict code and is always in control. I get it. I don’t need to be continually banged over the noggin with those facts. It got tiresome and I felt like the only one he was trying to convince was himself because he was so often NOT in control for most of this book. But other than that complaint, the characters are great and the story zips along at a pace that never loses or bores the crap out of me.

Dexter, quite possibly one of fictions most charming serial killers, is back in book 2 dodging punches from Deb, spouting off quips and doing a little righteous slaying. This time he’s hunting down a pedophile to calm his “dark passenger” but he‘s having a hard time finding some “me” time because of the unavoidable humans in his life.

Dexter is being shadowed by Sergeant Doakes who suspects he is up to no good in his free time (and he is or would be if people would leave him alone). This forces Dexter to pretend to be a boring human and spend most nights with his faux girlfriend Rita and her two kids watching tv. As if all that weren’t bad enough, his sister Detective Deb insists she needs his assistance on a case and drags him along with her to do some sleuthing. When he sees the first limbless, lipless, tongue-less (well, you get the picture) but still breathing victim he is intrigued by the man’s work and cheers up a bit, hoping to find the man and learn his secrets. Mayhem, murder and an unexpected change in his “romance” with Rita follow.

I found it all quite entertaining in a darkly sarcastic and humorous way but I’m not a hardcore murder mystery/police procedural fan and this is more of a quirky character study. If it’s hardboiled crime and air-tight plots you’re looking for you will probably find a lot of holes in this story because it relies on a lot of improbable situations, most of it slightly humorous. There is also no overly described violence or gore here and the situations Dexter finds himself in can border on the ridiculous but it always amused me. The author has a knack for funny descriptions, like this one, that just work for me.

“He stood there for a moment, gaping around, his receding reddish hair looking like it had gone through a storm and his pale belly hanging slightly over the waist of his dingy pajama bottoms. He did not look terribly dangerous to me, but of course I was not a five-year-old boy. After a moment, in which he stood with his mouth open, and scratched himself, and looked like he was a modeling for a statue of the greek God of Stupidity. . .”

But the writing is not without its annoying quirks. Listening to Dexter refer to himself as “Dear Departed Dexter”, “Dour Dutiful Dexter, “Dutifully Dashing Dexter”. “Dimpled Dexter” and “Dexter the Sofa Spud” gets old quickly on audio. Dexter in the third person was often too cutesy for his own good and started to sound really corny as the book went along.

As with Darkly Dreaming Dexter, I again listened to the audio version read by author Jeff Lindsay. If you’ve read my review for that audiobook all of the same narration complaints hold true here. Once again, Deb is portrayed as a woman who never simply speaks but barks out every word with impatience and unpleasantness. She alternates between being a grouchy, demanding bitch and a hysterical mess. Jeff Lindsay does a very good job voicing Dexter though. His voice is calm, funny and a little geeky so I guess I can deal with the obnoxious Deb even if the performance makes me cringe!