Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - A Dowry of Blood

This is an interesting read. I found the narrative voice to be unique and engaging. However, I would have like more depth and detail. There was a lot of telling rather than showing which usually doesn't work but for the most part suited this particular style.

Constanta was the most well rounded character and we do see her growth through the story. However, Magdalena and Alexi felt less so. I found this to be partially a construct of the narrative. They are vastly younger than Constanta, especially Alexi, and have less time to "grow up" to the extent she does. But it does feel lacking at times.
"You" (Dracula, who is never actually named) is stagnant but purposely so and that carries through the narrative well.
This is in no way a faithful retelling to Stoker's Dracula and in fact there was only one mention of the events of the novel in passing.

One "ick" I had was Constanta's relationship with Alexi. She outrightly states she feels motherly towards him. She spends quite a bit of time explaining how their relationship is not sexual until suddenly it is. It felt clumsily handled and took me out of the story for awhile.

.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It moved at a steady pace and I finished it rather quickly.

Content Warnings

errie's review against another edition

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dark

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Content Warnings

judassilver's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

1.5

I am the outlier in this. I wanted to like this book so badly, the premise and glowing recommendations were so promising, but I just really didn't like it. At no point did I enjoy myself while reading it, and the greatest compliment I can give it is that it was over quickly. It just struck me as shallow all around: shallow characters operating in a shallow, recycled setting, within shallow relationships with each other, to reach shallow, already-established conclusions. I was also disappointed at the superficially researched historical details, which I would normally be more forgiving toward if they weren't the crux of the only dimension this book had. The inaccuracies, the anachronisms, and the thin characters make it hard to maintain a suspension of disbelief necessary for enjoying this book. At no point did I believe this story. I didn't buy the insta-lust/love between any of the characters, I didn't buy that they actually existed in the historical setting provided (flavorful background that never had any consequence or lasting impact btw), and most importantly I never bought that "You" was Dracula. Before reading this book all I saw was people describing this as a re-telling or re-imagining of Dracula, but I fail to see how this book is at all related to Stoker (aside from the blurb and one off-handed mention of the Harkers that came off as more of an almost insulting cameo than an homage). Where are the Gothic elements, the seductive yet toxic lure of blood-soaked immortality, the tension, where is the powerful, inhuman monster that is Dracula? It's all just set dressing on a barely sketched-out plot about domestic abuse, which would be compelling in its own right if it allowed the reader to reach their own conclusions without constant interruptions from the narrator. The retrospective distance of the letter format really hurts any emotional impact this book could have had, and it left me feeling very detached. There were very few actual scenes in this book-- very few instances where characters actually did and said things in a described setting. I felt like I was reading a collection of summaries filled out with metaphors and repetitive descriptions that occasionally made for a good quote pull that would look nice on a blog. It's a vampire story that wants to be profound but seems scared of development, ambiguity, and actually being a vampire story. It's simultaneously so overwrought yet so hollow, and ultimately it's just so very boring. A Dowry of Blood is the very definition of style over substance, unfortunately.

Specific spoilers:

Constanta only ever targets people who "deserved it" so she has the moral high ground on big bad Dracula makes me roll my eyes. Feels hypocritical when she goes on to create more immortal bloodsuckers of her own with no introspection.
The sex scenes were fine, I do feel like they were to the detriment of any possible emotional development though. This could be commentary on sex as a coping mechanism but the epilogue kinda killed that for me.
The sexual relationship between Alexi and Constanta: Ew, ew, ew, ew. I liked the setup of the implication Dracula groomed his brides, even while underage, and swooped in on their most vulnerable. That felt very real to an abuser and was a rare moment of subtlety. I could have done without Constanta getting the hots for Alexi while reiterating how young he was and how much she felt like his mom, and then having sex with him. Which again almost felt like a commentary on emotional incest and how entangled sexual and emotional relationships can get under an oppressive abuser who controls every aspect of your freedom of expression. Their splitting up at the end almost sealed this for me... and then the epilogue killed my appreciation.
"a modern Machiavelli"... 5 seconds with Google, I beg you.

Content Warnings

tifftastic87's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

When he found her Constanta was dying, his blood brought her back and gave her a life unlike anything she had ever experienced. But soon, the shiny veil over her eyes was raised and as he brought another woman into their marital bed, Constanta began to see him for what he was, a monster.

Constanta's growth from meek and demure wife to someone strong and protective under the abuse of her unnamed husband was such a dark ride to be on. The way abuse and control was used in this story was so real and raw that I had to pause for a moment a few times.

I was tired of the circumference of the whole universe living in your circled arms.

I was tired of carrying around the weight of a love like worship.

The way he manipulated his spouses into loving him and fearing him and how Constanta felt it as both safety and chains really got to me.

Content Warnings

leedolee's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was the most entertaining read ever. I love reading anything involving vampires and retellings of Dracula. It was a fast paced book and written as if it were in letters. I've never read a book quite like this.

Content Warnings

bethsreading's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful 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

3.5

A dark and intoxicating exploration of love, polyamory, and abusive relationships. While I did find the writing style to be somewhat too overindulgent, it still worked given the gothic nature of the story. I think the relationships and dynamics felt real and nuanced and the vampire element added to the gothic atmosphere, but did not overshadow the real focal point of the book which was the relationships. I definitely recommend.

Content Warnings

hottermelon's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

ljp817's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-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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