Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

15 reviews

bodiless's review

dark emotional mysterious relaxing sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

THE BEST BOOK EVER ITS SO SAD.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

gondorgirl's review

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Death, Infidelity, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Cannibalism, Stalking, Grief, Blood, Alcohol, Body horror, Cursing, Misogyny, and Self harm

emilywemily6's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

There are lots of things about this book that give it merit, but it just didn’t quite do it for me. The writing is beautiful and gripping, and the characters are all very interesting. I think my expectations didn’t align with the book itself as I thought this was more of a retelling than a “reimagining,” so it was hard to appreciate this story when it kept going against the original Dracula novel. The darkness of this book was found more within the toxic relationship with Dracula than with the nature of vampires; I thought this book would show more of the wives’ descent into evil. This take made them seem like immortal humans rather than devilish creatures of the night. I liked seeing the progression of the toxic relationship and how the “wives” came to see Dracula for who he really was. This gothic tale strays from the original novel and tells a very different kind of story. This is a polyamorous relationship also, which took me by surprise. Overall, I’m not sure how much I enjoyed the book as a whole, but I’ll be thinking about it for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism, and Death of parent

sarahsbooklife's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Death, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body horror, Gaslighting, Grief, Classism, Murder, and Confinement

Minor: Vomit, Cursing, Death of parent, and War

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, and War

bookishwondergoth's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful tense slow-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

Have you ever picked up a book and just known instantly you were going rate it 5 stars?

'A Dowry of Blood' by S.T. Gibson was one such book for me. From the very first few pages I became utterly captivated, and then I simply did not stop reading until I'd turned the final page. Once done, I sat in stunned silence for a little while. This is definitely the best book I’ve read so far this year!

The story is the confession of Dracula's first bride, Constanta, concerning her emotionally and physically abusive relationship with Dracula and the complex, solacing love she finds with her fellow "brides", Magdalena and Alexi. There's bisexuality, polyamory and sensuality galore, as well as a lot of blood, a lot of death, and a lot of very beautiful writing.

Seriously, I am in awe of some the lovely turns of phrases S.T. Gibson uses in her work. Her words are poetic, never purple, and everything feels like a dream to read. Truly I was transported to how I felt reading Anne Rice's 'Interview with the Vampire'. The author also cites the likes of Angela Carter, Catherynne Valente and the 2004 Stephen Sommers film 'Van Helsing' as influences, and that is very apparent in the best possible way.

Loved this book. Love love loved it. Please do yourself a favour and pick it up because it truly is gorgeous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Confinement, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Minor: War, Alcohol, and Body horror

bazkrekker111's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Misogyny, Alcohol, Drug use, Infidelity, and Confinement

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Abandonment, Torture, Cannibalism, Cursing, Sexual assault, War, Sexual violence, Incest, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

trufflebooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death, Violence, Mental illness, Murder, Cursing, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Slavery and War

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

As someone escaping a toxic polycule, this was a kick in the balls for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Alcohol, War, Infidelity, and Murder

Minor: Abandonment, Cursing, Genocide, and Cannibalism

Huge content warnings for anyone who has experienced an abusive, toxic polyamorous relationship and how it affects everyone in the polycule. There is also an example of healthy polyamory and great bisexual representation.

thesawyerbean's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a very enjoyable read. I loved the style of the book being written as a love letter from Constanta to her sire - it gave a more intimate feel and allowed for deeper connections with the main characters, their intentions and their emotions. 
The writing was poetic at times, beautiful, dark, obsessive and erotic - a novel of possession, in body and mind.

I did think however that overall the story was a little shallow, one track minded and by the end, a little same-y. The additions of Magdalena and Alexi occurred to spice things up but realistically it didn’t have that much of an effect on the pacing. 

In summary, an extremely fun book with fabulous queer vampire representation (which is always what we need in my opinion). Definitely worth the read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Cursing, and Death