Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - A Dowry of Blood

Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

6 reviews

psychominnie624's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

To those who escaped a love like death, and to those still caught in its grasp: you are the heroes of this story.

Constanta was never the focus of the original story but in this retelling she finds her strength and love in the partner's that she never asked for but who love her in ways that save her from the monster who claimed to do so.

This book does not hold back from the brutality of the tale and I urge readers to look at the content/trigger warnings to make sure they are in the right headspace before reading.

Through the use of unaddressed letters we see Constanta struggle to find herself when forced into a new life by the villain we all recognize, but who is never named he is simply "you." Her relationships with Magdalena and Alexi are a source of hope but also a mirror that forces her to see the reality around her. The relationship dynamics are compelling and the prose is evocative and beautiful even at the most tragic points.

Many quote the stripping of his name but for me this has stuck

I simply broke under the weight of a thousand tense nights, a thousand thought-less, soul-stripping words. I felt like I was losing my mind in that place, and eventually my desire to do something about it, anything about it, outweighed my fear of you.

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izzy_bella_02's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

ameliabee33's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.

"A Dowry of Blood" is a poignant tale of Dracula's wives, the tale of the abuse Constanta and the other consorts face at the hands of a monster. Constanta was the first, the oldest, she has existed with him the longest. Learned how to make herself in his image, so she can stay safe. The others don't know how to do that. Until they do. Constanta wants out, but escaping an abuser isn't easy, especially when she has two others to worry about. Together, the three consort unwrap the mystery that is their husband, lover, in the search for freedom. But monsters don't let their prey go easily.

This is a story of abuse. It isn't a lighthearted book, it portrays and shows in detail what it is like living in an abusive relationship - so please check the tws before you dive in. It shows how difficult it is to break out and escape from the abuser. It also shows the lengths the abused will go to justify their abusers actions. Because he loved his wives. He really did. He just took away their autonomy and freedom.

He's a good man Savannah! (Not really)

It is written from the perspective of Constanta, in a series of letters to her beloved, justifying why she and the others did what they did. The prose is very lyrical and I found the letter format to be a very compelling mode of telling the story. Readers really get drawn into the relationships between all the characters from Constanta's pov because she is always there, watching. Her realization that this isn't how love is supposed to be and her initiative to investigate her beloved to be a great start of a character arc for her. However, it was short and rushed, I believe it should have gotten more on-page time. I wanted more evidence of growth of Constanta's character on page. I was left with the feeling thay the revenge plotlinr was only half done.

The relationship between Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi is very sweet at times, that they have such love and support from one another. However, Constanta takes on a sort of "mother" role with Magdalena and Alexi which makes their romantic physical relationship a bit odd to me. As I was reading it, it just felt weird. There is some comments where Magdalena insists that her and Constanta become sisters. And then there are many times where Constanta refers to Alexi as her son, the only relationship they have is emotional (until it's not). I know they aren't biologically related, but I'm just personally not into the taboo and it came off as awkward while reading it.

Content Warnings