REVIEW: Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

   Elena Michaels lives in Toronto with her partner, Philip, and just happens to be the only female werewolf in existence.

   The book thrusts us into a combination of realism and the fantastical from the very first chapter as we see Elena transform into a wolf in an alleyway. Like a wolf, she yearns to run with her pack, and so we are introduced to a collision of worlds: the life Elena has made for herself, and the life she has run from.

   Throughout the novel, written from Elena's perspective, we gain insight into the Werewolf hierarchy/Elena's adoptive family that is the Pack. Armstrong has created a society within society itself, making new rules for werewolves - if you're not a member of the Pack, you're considered a 'Mutt' and doomed to live like a vagrant, never allowed to settle or encroach on Pack territory. In a way, their society runs much like a real Pack of wolves; any threats to them are eliminated, but unlike real wolves only one pack is allowed. It is also revealed how werewolves are created, through being bitten or being the son of a werewolf, and how it has come to be that Elena is the only female.

   Elena's character is highly enticing. She has had a troubled upbringing, but unlike some characters in other novels, she doesn't use that as a reason not to make the most of her lot in life. She is certainly a strong female protagonist, and fiercely loyal. Throughout the novel it is clear she is evolving as a person, she has her flaws, and ultimately her journey guides her to her true place in life which involves her more-than-slightly complicated relationship with ex-fiance, Clay. He's another fantastic character - it is clear he is more wolf than human (having been bitten as a child), something Armstrong handles brilliantly, but deeply in love with Elena. Famed for his brutality when enforcing Pack law on Mutts, unlike most 'heroes', he is not considered to be misunderstood or wanting to change and be a better person; he knows who he is and is staying that way, which is what makes him such an interesting character.
   
   The plot remains consistent throughout. Elena seems to be prized in a potential Mutt uprising, and Armstrong certainly isn't afraid to kill off characters. This isn't a novel where all of the 'good guys' miraculously remain unharmed and some death scenes are certainly graphic. And of course, not all the 'bad guys' get killed, Armstrong shows a higher form of Werewolf society in the Pack's ability to negotiate.

   All in all, it's a fantastically well-written book with strong characters and plot-line. There are good moments, tense moments, and moments that will make you blush wherever you are.

Bitten: Book vs. Series

In January, new TV series Bitten was introduced based on Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series (more specifically, her first book of the same title).  Having read the first two books in the series (review of Bitten coming soon), then discovering the TV adaptation, I decided to give it a go - after all, nothing says procrastination like catching up on an entire series in a matter of days, right? Having read a minor synopsis of the TV version, I gathered that the first series at least was only based on the first book in Armstrong's series, so I'll be briefly comparing the series to the novel.

Plot

The first episode opens very much like the book; we are introduced to Elena - played by Laura Vandervoot - undergoing a change in Toronto. So far, so good. In fact, the series maintains a closeness to the plot of the novel, but this can also be bad because it's not exactly the same. First of all (plot spoiler here for anyone who hasn't read the novel) Logan is very much alive and features in a lot of the episodes. Rather than being a voice on the phone, he is firmly in Toronto and in Elena's life. Instead of killing him off, Antonio is killed off later in the series, and the Mutt situation gets way more out of hand than the events in the novel.

Casting

As far as casting goes, it was never going to be exactly how I imagined it - after all, everyone imagines the characters differently. In my opinion, all the characters are fairly accurate to their descriptions in the book, with a few very minor exceptions (like Clay's hair not being as blonde as it should. Like I say, we are talking very minor). Their choice of Greg Bryk as Jeremy Danvers is, in my opinion, perfect. All the actors are clearly talented and take on the roles brilliantly - you get a clear sense of the emotion intended in the script. Which brings me to my next part...

Characters

As a standalone series, Bitten is really great. But in comparison to the book? So e of the characters seem a little off. My main qualm is their portrayal of Clay. Don't get me wrong, Greyston Holt plays the part brilliantly, but the Clay scripted in the series lacks some of the key traits as the Clay in the novel. Rather than being the almost primal being he is in the novel, failing to engage with human emotions simply because he doesn't want to, he is portrayed in the series as a lost romantic hero who wants to change to win back Elena. This is fine, if you've not read the book. If you have, not so good. There are a few other minor details as well - Jeremy doesn't seem nearly as level-headed as he does in the novel, and Elena only seems to get ballsy around the fifth episode - again, works well as a standalone series just not if you've read the book. Nick, however, is a perfect match on his book character, however I'm worried he may change now that they have killed Antonio.

Final Thoughts

As a series by itself, Bitten is absolutely fine for anyone who likes supernatural dramas. If you've read the novels and don't like the idea of them being changed, don't watch the series. That's not to say anyone who has read the novels shouldn't watch the series, but it's important to keep an open mind and see them a separate from each other. Otherwise, if you're as pedantic as me, it'll drive you crazy. Perhaps I'm too picky, but these are my thoughts. And I will probably continue to watch the series.