Dangerous Girls
Encyclopedia
Dangerous Girls is the first novel in the Dangerous Girls series by R. L. Stine
. First published in 2003, the novel was followed by a sequel, The Taste of Night
, in 2004. Dangerous Girls has won awards, including the ALA
Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and the New York Public Library
Book for the Teen Age.
In the novel, Renz, a vampire, bites Destiny Weller at Camp Blue Moon. Afterwards, she and her twin sister Livvy return home in Dark Springs with a craving for blood. Destiny's father cures Destiny, but is unable to cure Livvy, who, together with Ross, changes into a blackbird and flies off into the sky.
and Goosebumps
series of books. Published in the 1990s, both his Fear Street series, which was oriented towards young adults, and his Goosebumps series, oriented towards children, were successful, with the Goosebumps series selling more than 300 million books. Stine had both series on hiatus while writing other novels.
Living in New York City
, Stine recalls walking a dog in a park, when the title for the novel flashed into his mind. He says he started thinking of what the 'Dangerous Girls' would be, thought of vampire
s, and "sort of went from there." Stine was excited about the book as it gave him the chance to write for teenagers again. Stine did research to follow existing vampire lore but admitted to adding "good vampires" who would restore victims.
Dangerous Girls was first published in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers
in hardcover. On August 31, 2010, it was published together with its sequel in the book Bitten.
At Dark Springs High School, in Renz's office, Destiny talks with him and decides he is the Restorer. She asks him if he will help her and her twin. He says that he will come and take care of her at the senior overnight. Back at her house, Destiny greets her friend Nakeisha Johnson, who tells her Renz was left out of the camp yearbook and there are no photos of him. From this, Destiny determines that Renz is actually a vampire and not the Restorer.
During the senior overnight, Destiny meets Renz, shoves a wooden tent pole through his body and kills him. Her father appears, and tells her that he is the Restorer. He cures her, and they go and find Livvy and her friend Ross Starr at the edge of a grassy clearing. Livvy tells Destiny and her father that she has been immortal
since camp, and that she and Ross exchanged blood. Livvy and Ross change into blackbirds, and fly off into the black sky.
Rachel Manija Brown of Green Man Review stated that there is nothing new or original, poignant, or interesting about the novel and that it is "just lifeless, cranked-out pages by a writer on autopilot." Kimberly L. Paone from the School Library Journal
wrote that the novel had little character development and predictable story lines and that there "are a few surprises, but nothing particularly innovative."
Publishers Weekly
described it as a "fast and breezy vampire tale punctuated with a few nasty shocks" and stated that "Stine sends his characters through the details of a plot that is basically all chase." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
s Karen MacPherson stated that Dangerous Girls "moves along at a fast clip, powered by short chapters with cliffhanger endings and weirdly interesting characters." Sarah Sawtelle from Teenreads.com commented that it was a bit slow at times, but it was one of Stine's best books.
A sequel of the novel, The Taste of Night, was first published in August 2004 by HarperCollins Publishers as the second novel in the Dangerous Girls series. When asked if there will be a third Dangerous Girls book, Stine stated the series ended with the second one.
R. L. Stine
Robert Lawrence Stine , known as R. L. Stine, and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American writer. Stine, who is called the "Stephen King of children's literature," is the author of hundreds of horror fiction novels, including the books in the Fear Street, Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, and The...
. First published in 2003, the novel was followed by a sequel, The Taste of Night
The Taste of Night
The Taste of Night is the second novel in the Dangerous Girls series by R. L. Stine.- Background :The Taste of Night was published as the sequel of the novel Dangerous Girls, first published in 2003. The Taste of Night was first published in August 2004 by HarperCollins Publishers in hardcover, and...
, in 2004. Dangerous Girls has won awards, including the ALA
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
Book for the Teen Age.
In the novel, Renz, a vampire, bites Destiny Weller at Camp Blue Moon. Afterwards, she and her twin sister Livvy return home in Dark Springs with a craving for blood. Destiny's father cures Destiny, but is unable to cure Livvy, who, together with Ross, changes into a blackbird and flies off into the sky.
Background
At the time of publication, R. L. Stine was 59 years old and had already authored over 330 books for children and young adults, including the Fear StreetFear Street
Fear Street is a teenage horror fiction series written by American author R. L. Stine, starting in 1989. In 1995, a series of books inspired by the Fear Street series, called Ghosts of Fear Street, was created for younger readers, and were more like the Goosebumps books in that they featured...
and Goosebumps
Goosebumps
Goosebumps is a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R. L. Stine and first published by Scholastic Publishing. It is a collection of stories that feature semi-homogenous plot structures, with fictional children being involved in scary situations...
series of books. Published in the 1990s, both his Fear Street series, which was oriented towards young adults, and his Goosebumps series, oriented towards children, were successful, with the Goosebumps series selling more than 300 million books. Stine had both series on hiatus while writing other novels.
Living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Stine recalls walking a dog in a park, when the title for the novel flashed into his mind. He says he started thinking of what the 'Dangerous Girls' would be, thought of vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s, and "sort of went from there." Stine was excited about the book as it gave him the chance to write for teenagers again. Stine did research to follow existing vampire lore but admitted to adding "good vampires" who would restore victims.
Dangerous Girls was first published in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in hardcover. On August 31, 2010, it was published together with its sequel in the book Bitten.
Plot
During summer break, at Camp Blue Moon, the vampire Lorenzo "Renz" Angelini sinks his fangs into the throat of sixteen-year-old Destiny Weller. Afterwards, she and her twin sister Livvy return home in Dark Springs with a craving for blood; they feed on a rabbit's blood and Destiny sucks blood from a package of liver. While at the house of a family friend, Coach Bauer, the sisters meet Marjory Bauer, another vampire. Marjory says she is undead and the Restorer can restore their life.At Dark Springs High School, in Renz's office, Destiny talks with him and decides he is the Restorer. She asks him if he will help her and her twin. He says that he will come and take care of her at the senior overnight. Back at her house, Destiny greets her friend Nakeisha Johnson, who tells her Renz was left out of the camp yearbook and there are no photos of him. From this, Destiny determines that Renz is actually a vampire and not the Restorer.
During the senior overnight, Destiny meets Renz, shoves a wooden tent pole through his body and kills him. Her father appears, and tells her that he is the Restorer. He cures her, and they go and find Livvy and her friend Ross Starr at the edge of a grassy clearing. Livvy tells Destiny and her father that she has been immortal
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
since camp, and that she and Ross exchanged blood. Livvy and Ross change into blackbirds, and fly off into the black sky.
Reception and sequel
In 2004, Dangerous Girls was selected as a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age and listed as an American Library Association (ALA) Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. The paperback edition was published in 2004 (ISBN 0-06-053082-0) and listed as a 2005 ALA Popular Paperback for Young Adults.Rachel Manija Brown of Green Man Review stated that there is nothing new or original, poignant, or interesting about the novel and that it is "just lifeless, cranked-out pages by a writer on autopilot." Kimberly L. Paone from the School Library Journal
School Library Journal
The School Library Journal is a monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade,...
wrote that the novel had little character development and predictable story lines and that there "are a few surprises, but nothing particularly innovative."
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
described it as a "fast and breezy vampire tale punctuated with a few nasty shocks" and stated that "Stine sends his characters through the details of a plot that is basically all chase." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
s Karen MacPherson stated that Dangerous Girls "moves along at a fast clip, powered by short chapters with cliffhanger endings and weirdly interesting characters." Sarah Sawtelle from Teenreads.com commented that it was a bit slow at times, but it was one of Stine's best books.
A sequel of the novel, The Taste of Night, was first published in August 2004 by HarperCollins Publishers as the second novel in the Dangerous Girls series. When asked if there will be a third Dangerous Girls book, Stine stated the series ended with the second one.