Reviews

I was given this book as an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Written from the point of view of Constanta, this is a Dracula's wives reminaging. It's written in the form of a letter, or journal entry, to the male main character, Constanta's sure, who is never given a name. The style of writing is consistent throughout and very enjoyable.

Constanta, Magdalena and Alexi are part of a polyamorous relationship with their Sire, and the book takes place through what seems to be many hundreds of years as they adjust to their "second lives". Their Sire is a possessive and controlling man, seeking to orchestrate every nuance of their lives.

I enjoyed this book, especially the writing style, and the characters had some depth and relatability. Although there is sexual content, it doesn't rule over the book and fits nicely in to the flow of the narration. Overall an enjoyable title with an interesting view on vampires and their quest to fill their immortal lives.

kkucera12's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? Yes

4.25

pyreghost's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

3.0

i found that this book somewhat baffles me in terms of my own mixed feelings on it. at times it truly felt like something mediocre that was just falling short of its mark, but then it would hit me with the most beautiful prose and my appreciation would grow again.

when this is good, it’s so good. i imagine a more dedicated fan of YA would find themselves more thoroughly and continually impressed than i was.

but then there were times where the writing just felt… clumsily put together. in moments where what was happening was so crucial, too! i felt like an editor receiving a rough draft in certain chapters, which made for a less than immersive experience.

gibson does, however, absolutely demonstrate a writing talent. the characters are wonderfully distinct and crafted with precision and care, and there are moments within this that have definitely stuck with me. i find myself thinking my likelihood towards recommending this would depend on who i’m talking to. i think fans of vampire media should consider giving it a shot - perhaps without expecting anything too world-changing, however.

auteaandtales's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-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

3.5

ikramxlek's review against another edition

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4.0

I originally was going to rate this 3 stars but as i thought about it more, i think 4 stars is more appropriate, just because of the exquisite writing and the historical/gothic setting. In the first half of the book i was very much engaged but as I went further the plot started to feel a little repetitive. Definetly not bad but not the best thing I've ever read. I feel like what i should have at least gotten out of this book was a hard hitting story about an unhealthy relationship mixed with vampires throughout different periods of time. In concept, this is what I got and the vampire lore/setting was very well executed and my second favorite thing after the writing. However, the toxic relationship aspect is where it felt off for me. I'm not gonna sit here and say that the relationship was healthy in any way but it wasnt portrayed with as much nuance and depth as I wished. There was a lot of tell not show with how toxic Dracula was (never in my life would I have thought I'd say this phrase). But again, this was nowhere near to be a bad book. If half/quarter stars existed id give it 3.75. Highly recommend if you want a nice and quick Gothic story for this fall season !

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