eawfritz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
taash's review
5.0
Lyrical, enticing, tense. 5/5.
I will render you as you really were, neither cast in pristine stained glass or holy fire. I will make you into nothing more than a man, tender and brutal in equal measure, and perhaps in doing so I will justify myself to you. To my own haunted conscience.
This book surprised me, though honestly it shouldn’t have. Everything about the premise intrigued me and is essentially right up my alley. Vampires? Check. Interesting and alluring characters? Check. Non-clichéd takes on polyamorous relationships and bisexual characters? Definitive check. General looming sense of menace? Oh yes.
This is a shorter book (235 pages) and I could probably have blazed through it in a day or two, but I found myself really savoring it over about a month. If I do a second reading, I’ll probably eat it up in one bite.
One of the most interesting things about the book (without going into spoiler territory), is that although the story sweeps across centuries and many different locations, the overall mood and tone still feels isolated and closed off. This is definitely intentional and plays directly into how the plot unfolds. The reader becomes disenchanted and restless right alongside Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi. The realization of abusive and controlling actions is anticipated and experienced through the eyes of Constanta, and like her, the reader is drawn back into the gravitational pull of the unnamed but ever-present architect, avaricious lover, and controlling master of this isolated family.
It’s also probably the first book in a long time that has treated “steamy” content in a way that feels palatable to me. I’m definitely not a fan of erotica or many other contemporary romance books in general, so this is the piece that felt like the biggest gamble when I picked up the book. I’m just picky. But the content that was there (and there’s a fair amount of it) felt compelling, interesting, and never leering or gratuitous.
All in all, this is a book that has lingered with me since I finished it. This is a story that was made to be read aloud due to how beautifully it’s written, and I found myself doing exactly that at some points. I’m eagerly awaiting the audio edition!
I will render you as you really were, neither cast in pristine stained glass or holy fire. I will make you into nothing more than a man, tender and brutal in equal measure, and perhaps in doing so I will justify myself to you. To my own haunted conscience.
This book surprised me, though honestly it shouldn’t have. Everything about the premise intrigued me and is essentially right up my alley. Vampires? Check. Interesting and alluring characters? Check. Non-clichéd takes on polyamorous relationships and bisexual characters? Definitive check. General looming sense of menace? Oh yes.
This is a shorter book (235 pages) and I could probably have blazed through it in a day or two, but I found myself really savoring it over about a month. If I do a second reading, I’ll probably eat it up in one bite.
One of the most interesting things about the book (without going into spoiler territory), is that although the story sweeps across centuries and many different locations, the overall mood and tone still feels isolated and closed off. This is definitely intentional and plays directly into how the plot unfolds. The reader becomes disenchanted and restless right alongside Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi. The realization of abusive and controlling actions is anticipated and experienced through the eyes of Constanta, and like her, the reader is drawn back into the gravitational pull of the unnamed but ever-present architect, avaricious lover, and controlling master of this isolated family.
It’s also probably the first book in a long time that has treated “steamy” content in a way that feels palatable to me. I’m definitely not a fan of erotica or many other contemporary romance books in general, so this is the piece that felt like the biggest gamble when I picked up the book. I’m just picky. But the content that was there (and there’s a fair amount of it) felt compelling, interesting, and never leering or gratuitous.
All in all, this is a book that has lingered with me since I finished it. This is a story that was made to be read aloud due to how beautifully it’s written, and I found myself doing exactly that at some points. I’m eagerly awaiting the audio edition!
alejandrasmith4's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sunnyblue's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mickeygod's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I ate up this entire book in 5-6 hours. Insatiably. The prose is expertly crafted and feels as timeless as you would expect a vampire queen to be. Even the addition chapters with Alexi had that timelessness even though the voices were amazing distinct. I loved it. Permanently altered my brain chemistry. What a good time.
Content Warnings
intoshadows's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
If you have ever experienced emotional abuse by a narcissist. This book articulates it in such a way that it’s safe to revisit but reminds you of what it took to survive it and that you are not alone in having experienced its abyss and gravity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
superstormnora's review
It was graphic and I could not listen around other people. I struggle with descriptions of abuse and sexual violence