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jinxei's review against another edition
5.0
Even loneliness, hollow and cold, becomes so familiar it starts to feel like a friend.
A Dowry in Blood is a stunning, gorgeous reimagining of Dracula's Brides designed as an open letter from his bride, Constanta. Told from a first person POV, the hauntingly beautiful imagery and vivid details made it ease to slip into Constanta's shoes.
A Dowry in Blood is told from the standpoint of Constanta, orphaned and left for dead in Romania after the brutal desecration of her hometown. Constanta finds sanctuary and vengeance in the embrace of her savior, her love for him paralleling, if not overtaking, the blind devotion she held towards her religion. The addition of an ambitious aristocrat and a wild and free artist to their family also sows the first seeds of distrust and secrets that their husband has kept buried beneath their noses. The cruelty in his ways, from his overbearing behaviors to his refusal to grant them a sliver of freedom, sparks Constanta to determine at what lengths she would go to protect what she loves.
// Spoilers
The sapphic, polyamorous reimagination of Dracula's brides that I never knew I needed. The poetic method of story telling and the love between the three loves of Dracula were captivating. The abusive nature of their relationships with their husband, the constant excuses for his cruelty and outbursts, was handled not just delicately, but realistically. A love letter to the romance that had, though smothering, been all that Constanta knew before her heart cleaved to make room for Magdalena and Alexi. Though I knew that the ending would need to follow the route it did, I would have loved more tales of the three together with their first taste of true freedom.
A Dowry in Blood is a stunning, gorgeous reimagining of Dracula's Brides designed as an open letter from his bride, Constanta. Told from a first person POV, the hauntingly beautiful imagery and vivid details made it ease to slip into Constanta's shoes.
A Dowry in Blood is told from the standpoint of Constanta, orphaned and left for dead in Romania after the brutal desecration of her hometown. Constanta finds sanctuary and vengeance in the embrace of her savior, her love for him paralleling, if not overtaking, the blind devotion she held towards her religion. The addition of an ambitious aristocrat and a wild and free artist to their family also sows the first seeds of distrust and secrets that their husband has kept buried beneath their noses. The cruelty in his ways, from his overbearing behaviors to his refusal to grant them a sliver of freedom, sparks Constanta to determine at what lengths she would go to protect what she loves.
// Spoilers
The sapphic, polyamorous reimagination of Dracula's brides that I never knew I needed. The poetic method of story telling and the love between the three loves of Dracula were captivating. The abusive nature of their relationships with their husband, the constant excuses for his cruelty and outbursts, was handled not just delicately, but realistically. A love letter to the romance that had, though smothering, been all that Constanta knew before her heart cleaved to make room for Magdalena and Alexi. Though I knew that the ending would need to follow the route it did, I would have loved more tales of the three together with their first taste of true freedom.
kymzii's review
dark
tense
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
3.25
reese1987's review against another edition
dark
funny
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? It's complicated
4.5
thecipollins's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
katieb_reads67's review against another edition
5.0
ughhhh i have no words!! i love this book so much!! the writing and how it was set up reminded me of the invisible life of addie larue but with vampires and I AM IN LOVE ❤️❤️❤️
rdmoreland0801's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Not my typical genre, but it was a nice little palette cleanser for me.
I wish the book had been a little bit longer so we could have gotten even more little details about their experiences through time. Some parts felt a little rushed.
I also kinda wish they had all gone their separate ways at the end. They were so entirely trauma-bonded, I think it would’ve been extremely healing for them to finally be their own people.
I would like a couple more stories from their times after his death. In the end, Constanta said she’d never say his name again. I love how she never actually said his name throughout the entire book. She really made the story about the wives, rather than the man.
I wish the book had been a little bit longer so we could have gotten even more little details about their experiences through time. Some parts felt a little rushed.
I also kinda wish they had all gone their separate ways at the end. They were so entirely trauma-bonded, I think it would’ve been extremely healing for them to finally be their own people.
I would like a couple more stories from their times after his death. In the end, Constanta said she’d never say his name again. I love how she never actually said his name throughout the entire book. She really made the story about the wives, rather than the man.
laurenslibrary23's review against another edition
3.0
The setting was vivid and gothic, but it didn’t make up for the lack of a full story. We didn’t have enough time to fully feel the gravity of any of the situations the characters faced.
owlsintherain's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I don’t have much to say, but watching people hail this as an instant classic only for it to be what it was is really funny.
lindnkel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0