Parents' Guide to

Department 19

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Suspenseful vampire horror really goes for the gore.

Book Will Hill Horror 2011
Department 19 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 13+

synopsys got it wrong

ignoring the violence as it is a strong theme in this book there is really nothing else negative about it. all the things that could be considered not for young children are discredited by the way it is looked at. the main character Jamie may not seem like the best role model but in hindsight he is being viewed at a time when he is in extreme distress from losing his mother. the most sexual thing in this book are a few kisses that happen between Larissa and jamie, and there is little swearing. there is however a fair amount of drinking and drug references but they are for the most part looked at very negatively as the vampires are mixing the drugs with blood and aside from that the only real mention of it is that it states that some of the older members of the department spend some time in a bar. also in the synopsys it states that jamie watches his father shoot himself. this is not true, his father is shot down when a group of dark figures notices he has a gun. so if you have an issue media regarding suicide you wont find problems here. also it states that the vampires are mixing meth with blood but that is incorrect, they are mixing it with heroin.
age 12+

Grow up XD

I'm sorry but all those saying that it is gory book have clearly never watched the news before and i think the language used is effective as i was the same age as Jamie and if i was in the same situations as him i would have used similar language this helps not only the reader to relate to the book but also helps keep the reader thinking that this is real and what Jamie is going through!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (13 ):

Horror fans are really in for a treat. Even those who think they've read too many vampire books in the last few years will enjoy visiting the undead in DEPARTMENT 19. It's got plenty of gore, but it's also smart with good twists that will keep teens guessing. The author adds depth by flashing back to classic characters from the genre, like the original vampire hunters who took down Count Dracula. Frankenstein's monster is also a character, which could have been hokey (see Young Frankenstein for proof), but instead readers will find him complex, funny, terribly loyal, and a born vampire hunter. Jamie's montage-like vampire hunter training session seems familiar (see The Matrix), but it's easily forgivable. In the end, readers will quickly drain Department 19 and be thirsty for more. This is going to be a riveting series.

Book Details

  • Author: Will Hill
  • Genre: Horror
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Razorbill
  • Publication date: March 31, 2011
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 17
  • Number of pages: 480
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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