Reviews

The Blood of the Vampire by Florence Marryat

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0325film's review

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lilyonthemoon's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

gwalt118's review

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4.0

This novel is definitely not your typical vampire tale, but it might be my favorite one yet. It discusses race and gender in a way that I'm not sure any other vampire tale - at least not the more stereotypical ones (e.g. Dracula) - does. Marryat's "psychic vampire" is perhaps more frightening than one that relies on physical manipulation. If you have an interest in monstrous bodies, psychological tales, and intersectionality, then you'll enjoy this novel.

coriandercake's review

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3.0

On the one hand, I loved how colorful the characters were, and there were some interesting ideas on marriage, gender roles, and the treatment of women. On the other, the strong message for eugenics throughout the novel made me a little too squeamish to fully enjoy the story.

As a book reflecting the period/piece of classic literature: 5/5
Actual enjoyment: 2.5/5

misha_ali's review against another edition

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4.0

This was more Downton Abbey than Dracula, which was unexpected. I expected vampire, but got more of a fancy lady parasite. If you're looking for spooky, this is not the book you want. If you want some snooty, racist British people treating a foreigner with money quite poorly and the lady in question draining the vitality of anyone she is close to, this is the book for you.

I was a bit annoyed initially about the above, but it's quite a fun read once you get into the regency language and mannerisms. I can't get used to the slurs used to describe people of color, but it all does feel like a product of the time.