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psychominnie624's review against another edition
- 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.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Misogyny and Violence
Minor: Blood
alloftaysreads's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
jinnvamp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault
karleeursta's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
themagicalworldofnian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
And OMG this book. I absolutely loved it and it is a new all time favourite.
The books starts of with "I never dreamed it would end like this, my lord: your blood splashing hot flecks onto my nightgown and pouring in rivulets onto our bedchamber floor. But creatures like us live a long time. There is no horror left in this world that can surprise me. Eventually, even your death becomes its own sort of inevitability". Reading this sentence alone, I knew this was going to be a 5 star read for me.
Just how lyrical the prose is, astounding. It adds to the amazing gothic vibe throughout the story.
The book is written in the form of an open letter from the point of view of Constanta, the first bride. It shows thin line between love, obsession and evil.
I just loved that it was written in the form of an open letter, since it made the book way more personal and you could just feel the on going struggle of feelings.
The ever changing relationships were also so intriguiging to see and be a part of.
Further the power dynamics, manipulation and gaslighting in the story illustrate how it can sometimes be very hard to see the abusive nature of a relationship. And the nature of consent, how it can sometimes feel impossible to say no.
This will definitely be a book that will reappear into my mind. And overall I cannot recommend this book enough.
However keep in mind the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.
Triggerwarnings: emotional, verbal, and physical intimate partner abuse, gaslighting, war, famine, and plague, blood and gore, consensual sexual content, sadomasochism, self-harm, body horror, violence and murder, alcohol use, depression and mania.
Graphic: Ableism, Gore, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual assault
hanz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Violence, Gaslighting, Murder, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual content, Self harm, and War
Minor: Sexual assault and Drug use
bree_h_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death, Physical abuse, Confinement, Blood, Gore, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
dogearedbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Blood, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual assault
intoshadows's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
skillyillian's review against another edition
- 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 wanted to dash myself against your rocks like a wave, obliterate my old self and see what rose shining and new from the sea foam. The only words I had to describe you in those early days were plunging cliffside or primordial sea, crystal-cold stars or black expanse of sky.
you still need convincing? fine, have another:
I craved you like maidens crave the grave, the way death burns for human touch: inconsolably, unrelentingly, aching for the annihilation in your kiss.
and one more for good measure:
I say you are a smoke-wisp memory of a flame, thawing ice suffering under an early spring sun, a chalk ledger of debts being wiped clean.
I say you do not have a name.
holy fuck. nothing will rip you apart and put you back together like this will. you will suffer at the hands of constanta's abuser with her, with the others, and watch as she is desensitized to him. you beg and plead for her to say something, do anything, to leave, but it's written so excruciatingly well that you know why she doesn't. it only makes you hate him more, and only makes the ending of the book so much more bittersweet.
this is the perfect testament to "they don't have to hit you for it to be abuse" because 99% of the abuse in this book is not physical. it makes you want to follow the survivors around, tugging on their shirt sleeves like a child, and beg them to stand up to him, to not give up, not let themselves be treated so poorly by such a bastard. but they do it anyway, and you see the way that the good days are ecstasy, almost enough to forget the misery of the bad ones. it makes you rage like the fires of hell, and then be sad all over again because you know they're all still in love with him despite knowing exactly who he is. it's excruciating.
one of the most unique things about this book is that it's written as basically a journal or letter addressed to the abuser, from the point of view of constanta, the FMC. so instead of "he took me to the market" it's "you took me to the market" and it's perfect. it's flawless. the whole entire book is flawless. i was so intrigued by the POV when i started this and it ended up being one of my favorite parts.
if you're looking for a gothic, polyamorous romance about the brides of dracula teaming up to end his reign of terror over their lives, look no further. if you're looking for even one of those things, read this. it's beautiful. it's agony. it's probably the best thing i've ever read. this is classic literature in the making.
Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault