Succubus on Top
Author: Richelle Mead
ISBN: 9780758216413
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Fiction
Published Year: 2007
Introduction to Succubus on Top
In Succubus on Top, the second book in the Georgina Kincaid series by Richelle Mead, the story of Georgina, a succubus who serves the demonic forces of the underworld, deepens and expands. In this installment, Georgina must manage her dual life—one where she lives among humans as a bookstore employee with her mortal boyfriend, and another where she fulfills her dark, seductive duties as a servant of Hell. This book intensifies both the romantic tension and the supernatural threats introduced in the first novel, Succubus Blues.
Mead builds on Georgina's struggles with her immortality and her desire for a normal life, but adds higher stakes as Georgina gets entangled in a new mission to deal with a rising demonic threat. The book blends urban fantasy elements with emotional drama, humor, and a mix of paranormal creatures, from vampires to imps. Georgina's personal and professional life become more entangled, leading her to question her allegiances and what she truly wants from her existence.
Plot Summary
1. Georgina and Seth: A Complicated Romance
At the heart of Succubus on Top is the relationship between Georgina and Seth Mortensen, her human boyfriend. Seth, a successful author, is kind, thoughtful, and incredibly patient with Georgina's supernatural limitations. Because Georgina is a succubus, her touch can drain the life energy from humans—this makes their physical relationship a challenging, if not impossible, affair.
Despite these obstacles, Georgina and Seth are deeply in love. The emotional connection between them grows stronger, but Georgina’s guilt about being unable to give Seth a normal relationship weighs heavily on her. She is torn between her desire for Seth and her succubus nature, which requires her to seduce other men to feed on their life energy.
Their relationship provides one of the novel's central tensions, as Georgina is constantly struggling with whether she can maintain her love for Seth without hurting him, both emotionally and physically. Seth, meanwhile, tries to navigate the challenges of dating a supernatural being, accepting her as she is but always wishing they could have more.
2. The Return of Bastien
One of the novel’s key storylines revolves around the reappearance of Bastien, a powerful incubus and one of Georgina’s oldest friends. Bastien and Georgina have a long history together, and his arrival brings a sense of familiarity and temptation into her life. Bastien has been sent to Seattle on a mission to seduce Dana Dailey, a conservative radio talk show host who has built her career on moral outrage and upholding "family values."
Bastien's mission is to corrupt Dana, revealing the hypocrisy of her conservative stances by drawing her into a scandalous affair. He enlists Georgina’s help in the plan, but as they begin working together, it becomes clear that Bastien’s mission is more complicated than he anticipated. Dana proves to be a tough target, and as Bastien gets closer to her, he begins to develop unexpected feelings for her, complicating the mission further.
Bastien’s presence in Georgina’s life stirs up old feelings, reminding her of the seductive and manipulative nature of her kind, and causing tension in her relationship with Seth.
3. Supernatural Duties: A Dangerous Task
While Georgina is helping Bastien with his mission, she is also dealing with her own supernatural responsibilities. The local demon hierarchy has tasked her with investigating the strange behavior of Doug Sato, one of her coworkers at the bookstore. Doug has been acting erratically, swinging between periods of intense productivity and manic behavior, and then collapsing into deep lethargy.
It turns out that Doug is under the influence of an imp, who is feeding him a supernatural drug that enhances his creativity and energy in exchange for slowly draining his life force. Georgina feels responsible for Doug, as he is a friend, but getting involved risks revealing her true nature to the humans she works with. This subplot adds an element of suspense and danger, as Georgina must find a way to stop the imp without endangering herself or her friends.
The supernatural drug storyline intersects with the main plot in surprising ways, raising questions about the influence of demonic forces in everyday human life and further complicating Georgina’s relationship with her mortal existence.
4. Georgina’s Moral Dilemma
Throughout Succubus on Top, Georgina grapples with her role as a succubus. Despite her love for Seth and her desire to live a relatively normal life, she is constantly reminded of the dark side of her nature. As a succubus, she is required to seduce men, draining them of their life energy in the process. This duality of being both a lover and a destroyer creates a profound internal conflict for Georgina.
Her involvement with Seth heightens her guilt and self-loathing, as she wishes she could give him the normal relationship he deserves, but her role as a succubus prevents her from fully committing to him. This internal conflict is at the core of Georgina’s character arc, and much of the novel is spent exploring her struggle to reconcile her human desires with her demonic duties.
5. The Climactic Showdown
As the novel reaches its climax, the various plot threads come together. Bastien's mission to seduce Dana Dailey takes a dramatic turn when he reveals his true feelings for her, jeopardizing both his mission and his status within the supernatural hierarchy. Meanwhile, Georgina’s investigation into Doug’s drug-fueled behavior leads her to a confrontation with the imp who has been manipulating him.
The stakes are high for Georgina as she must protect her human friends while also dealing with the consequences of her involvement in Bastien’s failed mission. The novel ends with a tense showdown, as Georgina is forced to make difficult choices that will affect her relationships with both Seth and the supernatural beings in her life.
Themes in Succubus on Top
1. The Nature of Desire and Temptation
One of the central themes in Succubus on Top is the exploration of desire and temptation. As a succubus, Georgina embodies the ultimate seductress, but her personal struggle with desire—both her own and that of others—creates a complex dynamic. She is constantly tempted by the allure of her succubus nature but yearns for something deeper and more meaningful with Seth.
The novel also examines the ways in which desire can be manipulated, as seen in Bastien’s mission to seduce Dana Dailey and the imp’s manipulation of Doug’s creativity through supernatural drugs.
2. Identity and Self-Acceptance
Georgina’s journey throughout the series, and particularly in this book, is one of self-acceptance. She struggles with her identity as a succubus, feeling guilt and shame over the harm she causes to humans. At the same time, she is unable to escape her supernatural nature, which is intrinsic to who she is. This internal conflict drives much of the emotional weight of the novel, as Georgina must come to terms with her dual existence.
3. The Conflict Between Duty and Desire
Georgina is constantly torn between her duty as a succubus and her desire to live a normal, fulfilling life with Seth. This conflict creates much of the tension in the novel, as Georgina tries to balance her responsibilities to the supernatural world with her personal desires. The choices she makes reflect the broader theme of how we navigate the tension between what we must do and what we want to do.
Conclusion
Succubus on Top is a richly layered urban fantasy novel that blends supernatural intrigue with deep emotional drama. Georgina Kincaid is a complex and sympathetic character, whose struggles with identity, love, and duty resonate throughout the story. The novel's exploration of desire, temptation, and self-acceptance adds depth to the fast-paced plot, while the romantic tension between Georgina and Seth keeps readers engaged.
Richelle Mead’s skillful weaving of humor, romance, and supernatural action makes Succubus on Top a compelling addition to the Georgina Kincaid series, as it sets up further developments in Georgina’s personal and professional life. As she faces increasingly difficult choices, readers are left eager to see how Georgina will continue to navigate her dual existence in the books to come.