Another awesome story - Original, a bit raunch at times, I suppose, but keeps you enthralled with it's twists.

This is not a book I would have picked up on my own. The cover art put me off, apparently I do judge books by their covers! It took me probably a good 100 pages or so to begin to be interested in the story. To be fair, by the end of the book I was engaged in the story. This is a tale of immortality. Would you want to live forever?
Through a series of strange events Lanore, Lanny, finds herself immortal. She is unable to die - it is literally impossible. She was born in the early 1800's and when we meet her it is "present day." To say she's lived a lot of life would be an understatement. We meet her as she is brought in to Luke's ER. He's the doctor on shift. Lanny is beguiling and Luke finds himself helping her escape from the law. Along the journey to freedom Luke learns Lanny's odd and unthinkable story of immorality and the price she pays because of it.
I'm not sure what I think about this book. It wasn't horrible but it kind of dragged for me. There's a fine line between too little detail and too much. Katsu crossed over the line, in my opinion, to including too much detail in parts of the book. Like with Jonathan and his good looks. I wanted to say at just a few chapters in, "Okay, enough already. We get it - Jonathan is beautiful." However, kudos to Katsu for imagining this story and bringing it to life - I admire the fanciful creativity it takes to write fiction, I got done with the book and considered reading the other two in the series but after reading a brief excerpt from book 2 and reading reviews about both books 2 & 3 I have decided I don't need to read anymore of the series, I'm not *that* interested in it.

An interesting story about love and loss and immortality. A seemingly young girl is arrested for murder, but as the doctor who is tending to her in the hospital listens to her story he finds she is much older than she looks. The characters are well drawn and interesting. The story is hard to read in parts with the sheer brutality of what the characters go through. This story is not for the faint of heart - Adair is positively creepy. But it is well written, interesting and captures the imagination.

What a great book. I really enjoyed this story. The Taker was a nice change from the paranormal/fantasy that I normally read. Give this book a chance you won't be disappointed. I can't wait for the sequel.

This book really draws you in right from the beginning. I couldn't put it down. It's original, which is very refreshing. It's a thriller, a tormented, unrequited love story that spans centuries.

***3.5 stars***

Disclaimer: I received this book free from a PR agency.

This was a very interesting read. The narrative structure is winding and complicated: it switches from present to past and there is a fifty page section in the middle that is like a novella within the novel. It's a bit like a Russian nesting doll. But after journeying through the whole tale, I understand the necessity of it.

This would be a great book club read. I find that I have a greater appreciation for the story as I ponder book club-ish questions, such as whether or not certain characters are capable of selfless love or redemption.

What was most appealing to me was the character studies the tale presented: flawed characters in the truest sense, who seem to have an equal capacity for despicable acts and tender consciences.

I also think fans of historical fiction will appreciate the rich sense of detail and historical accuracy the dark tale offers.

The Taker is the first in a trilogy and I am intrigued to read on to the second book.

despite good writing, and a strong start, i just felt like i was reading 50 shades of gray: fantasy edition. and while that might be a compliment for some folks, it is most certainly not meant to be.

This was a well written, imaginative and descriptive novel however towards the end this descriptiveness almost felt like it was dragging out the story unneccessarily. But the story captivated me so much I cant give it less than 4 stars.

This is like light summer reading (so enjoyable that way) with a really dark side. I liked it well enough to start the second in the series, but can't say that I'll recommend it to anyone. An odd choice of book for me, frankly.

The Taker by Alma Katsu is a historical love story with supernatural elements and a dark underbelly. I read this novel for a book of the month selection on Goodreads. It had elements I expected and some that made me squeamish. Overall I enjoyed this strange and dark tale. Katsu is a talented writer and her writing style captivated me. Some of the subject matter made me uncomfortable and I found myself skimming through those scenes. Ordinarily I would have stopped reading, but I had this overwhelm need to know Lanore’s story.- that is the beauty of Katsu’s writing.


The tale begins at a rural hospital in Maine. Dr. Luke Findley is just beginning his shift and is told the local police are bringing in a murder suspect and need him to check her over. When Lanore McIlvrae walks in, he is shocked that this tiny, beautiful blonde, with cork-screw curls and blue eyes is involved in a murder. She is covered in blood and won’t speak. The police leave a guard and head out to the woods to find the body of the man she confessed to killing. Once inside an exam room, Lanore (Lanny as she prefers), asks Findley to help her escape. She claims that she only helped a friend die at his request and that there are things he cannot understand. Not easily duped he proceeds to examine her, removing Lanny’s bloody clothing and looking for injuries. It is then that Lanny grabs a scalpel and shows Findley something he won’t soon forget. She then proceeds to tell him her story….the tale that unfolds is romantic, dark, gritty and spans nearly two hundred years.

Lanore shares her life story with us. She begins her tale in 1809 set against the Maine Territory. The author skillful takes us from the present to the past. Lanore tells the past, and Findley the present. This was clever because Findley could clarify things by asking questions about what we had just read. The tale that Lanore share’s with us is so unbelievable that it had a ring of truth to it. It is a one-sided love story about her and a man named Jonathan. It is filled with obsession, alchemy, and magic. Some of the events that occur in Boston, supernatural elements aside, are probably based in truth, but nevertheless made this reader uncomfortable. There are two sides to Lanore and I found her to be complex and interesting. When it came to Jonathan and her feelings for him, she was a naïve, love sick child. Then the author shows us the darker side of Lanore and I was entranced. At times I questioned her feelings for Jonathan, especially after his selfish acts. Findley is captivated and horrified by Lanore and her story. Yet he is unable to resist hearing it to its conclusion. Lanore’s story contains lots of sex, some implied and others graphic. It contains all forms of sexual encounters and may offend some readers. Think of an opium house and you will get the idea.

Katsu offers us an intriguing look at unrequited love. While some of the subject matter was dark, I ultimately enjoyed this tale. Days after reading it, I find myself thinking about Lanore and Jonathan. I recommend this to fans of dark fiction. This was the first in a trilogy, book two Reckoning will be published June 19, 2012. Katsu is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of her work.