I have finally reached the fifth installment in the Dexter Series. Last week my wife showed me a gif on Tumblr. In this rotating gif a man was dragging himself from his living room sofa with his legs laying behind him like a wounded seal. The man’s face was a twisted canvas of satisfaction and pain, is that possible? Beneath the picture was the caption: What it looks like when your favorite show airs its episode finale. Jeff Lindsay, I have entered Dexter Morgan’s dark, delightful, devious, demented, decadent domain. In it I saw images of blood moon inspired heroics. Yes… heroics. Dexter is a living and breathing amalgamation of my frustration and anger in a society where justice is the simple execution of time and who has the best connections. In Dexter is Delicious, this is the problem; In this narrative, I actually found myself questioning the realism in the characterization of the villains. While I questioned, I still wanted Dexter, who I have finally come to the conclusion that he is not as intelligent as I thought he was, to be okay. In Dexter is Delicious he is not okay.
There is a point in a man’s life where he decides to be more than he ever thought he could. In the Dexter television series, there is a confused Dexter who doesn’t really ever grasp his humanity. On the edge of his growth is the lingering feeling that Dexter just doesn’t get it. In the novels he is acutely aware of his frailty and lack of depth as a person. This understanding gives Dexter, the character in the novel, an attractiveness that brings me to him. I know his frustration and in identifying with a serial killer with a conscience, there is a bit of irony there. Dexter however is at a crossroads in this fifth text and Jeff Lindsay uses childbirth as the factor that shapes the conflict. While Dexter does not meet the devil at his crossroads he does intersect with Biney (Brian), his brother once again. Childbirth and family are the foundations on which Dexter is Delicious are built.
There are the standard cliche’s included and at one point of the book the plot seems a little unreal considering the desires of the human monsters that are portrayed, but there is the metaphor. The human monsters in this text represent the need for society to consume their young and leave the remains without the skin needed to protect them in a callous world that seriously devalues the importance of youth. The consummation is both literally and physically (This is as close to a spoiler as I get, so you are okay reading this, smiles deviously).
How does one single moment for a man shape his life and the steps he will take? Jeff Lindsay actually makes this story a compelling study of family dynamics. Dexter is Delicious is not as darkly drawn as the other four books and this is okay. Well, actually there are more gruesome deaths in this book than in the last few books so I guess that statement is relative. If the series were to be ended here, I think I would be okay with that. As a matter of fact, I am still inspired and in my free time, I may find my own Bobby Acosta to replace my nightly dance that I’ve shared with Dexter these past few months. Of course I’ll be careful and my slide collection will always be protected where it is hidden, right in plain site.
